With the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Miss Megan Markle finally happening tomorrow - who’s going to be watching it, by the way? - I have found myself thinking of my own wedding which happened a few months ago.
As an Italian, born and bred (although a Londoner too, particularly since having my own luxury chocolate business and now Boutique Confectionery in Parsons Green), I went back to the South of Italy for my own marriage.
And Italy, as you may already know, is a great destination for weddings.
The lovely and picturesque sights, the sunshine and the romance make the Belpaese a definite favourite for brides and grooms. Not to mention Italian food. An Italian wedding is a splendid occasion to indulge. For myself and my husband, food was the most important factor when making the decision on where to get married. So with today’s blog I thought of telling you a little bit more about some of the most significant traditions of a typical Italian wedding.
La serenata
The night before the big day, it is customary for the groom to come the bride’s house, with musicians, and sing under her balcony or window, to surprise her and to wake her up.
The bride’s family is usually aware that this is going to happen but are obviously supposed to keep it a secret from her.
I personally believe, this works best when the groom can actually carry a tune, or maybe play an instrument. It is super romantic, and the future bride is certainly going to be moved with happy tears by the performance.
The bride’s dress
Italians can be pretty superstitious, as I’m sure you know, so why wouldn’t such a special day be shrouded in superstition?
One of the most interesting ones is that the bride is not supposed to look at herself in the mirror while wearing her wedding dress. If she really wants to though, she must first remove a shoe, an earring, or a glove.
And another interesting point is that none of the guests should wear anything white. That is the bride’s colour after all.
The bouquet
In Italy, it is the groom who supplies the bouquet.
That is the final gift he will give his girlfriend/fiancé before she becomes his wife. I find it super charming.
You don’t have to worry if your groom is not very knowledgeable about flowers and colour coordinating. The bride can choose the floral arrangement that she prefers.
Just make sure it is the groom who pays the bill and that gets it delivered in time.
Confetti
This is where language differences can create trouble. You probably know confetti as the coloured paper shapes that are thrown at the bride and groom at the end of the wedding ceremony, but to any good Italian, confetti are sugar-coated almonds that are traditionally used for good wishes to the newlyweds.
The confetti are the traditional wedding cadeau that is given to the guests as a favour or as a thank you gift. Did you know that this tradition goes on the way back to when the Romans would use confetti to celebrate birth and unions?
If you’re thinking to gift confetti for you lush Italian wedding, you are very welcome to try my handmade Italian Lavolio confectionery, where you can choose from any of my 30 flavours and truly surprise your guests. I love being a part of the celebration, and helping you to personalise your wedding favours to make sure that they are unique and special, as your big day should be.
PS: In Italy, instead of throwing paper confetti, when you exit the ceremony the bride and groom will be showered in rice.
