Love this photo. The classy bride tossing her bouquet is my Aunt Elaine & the little girl in white trying to catch the bouquet is...my mom! The little socks & mary jane's kill me.
This photo got me thinking about wedding traditions & which ones we will be including. Here is the little list {edit: this list is far from little. I hope you are comfy} I made of traditions, meanings, & if I think we are going to include them or break them:
1. The bouquet toss - Yes. But a bit different. I do not think it is a big deal if I throw my own bouquet. I know a lot of brides save them &...they die. They are flowers. I will save something else, like the ribbon they are going to be tied with & hopefully pass on. I think I will give my bouquet away to either my mom or split it & give one half to my sister & the other half to Deb, my future sister-in-law. With all that said, I am still going to do a toss, only I am going to hold a bundle of unbound flowers together & then toss them from a higher location & shower people with flowers. I think I will invite any & all the ladies to participate as well.
2. Giving the bride away - Yes, I am walking down the aisle with my dad. It is just one of those things I have always known about my wedding & something I am really looking forward to. Hopefully I do not cry. I will. I know this tradition reaches far back to the days of daughters being property of their fathers, dowries, & essentially a transfer of ownership from the father to now husband but...seriously. I am no one's property. All parties involved - Dad & Rich - are aware of this. I do not think I am any less progressive or independent for wanting to do this. I see it as symbolic walk from the old life to the new.
3. Throwing rice - do people still do this? I like it, but with bird seed instead {so it will eventually be eaten once all is the throwing is done}. Thinking of our heritage {we are both French & Rich is half Italian}, in France people throw wheat, a symbol of bounty, after the ceremony. Italians throw candy & sugared nuts over couples, for sweetness in marriage, which is adorable.
4. First dance - Yes. Absolutely. I already started thinking of songs. I will also dance with my father & Rich will dance with his mother. I will probably make my mom dance with me too!
5. Cutting the cake - Yes. I have read so many comments about people saying it is disrespectful because you are smooshing cake into one another's faces, but I think the symbolism has been lost {or was never realized}. The cake cutting & feeding is a symbolic gesture of a promise to always provide for one another. Of course you will provide for each other in many ways, but food is something you will always need...& you will always need each other. Plus, some say the amount of frosting you leave on each other's lips is an indication of how sweet your married life will be. I say bring on the frosting!
{is this getting too long? I am almost done.}
6. Wearing a veil - Once a symbol of purity & subservience, now they are worn because they are just so pretty! I will be wearing some type of bird cage veil.
7. The first kiss - Of course not the first kiss, but the first official kiss as bride & groom. Yes, we will kiss. I have been to at least one wedding recently where the couple did not kiss. I suppose it is their choice, but come on! Kiss me already so we can par-tay!
8. Toasts & the like - Yes. Not a speech, but a short, heartfelt, humorous yet tasteful toast from the best man & maid of honor.
9. Garter toss - Eh. I think this is one I really do not care to do & if I do not do a traditional bouquet toss, then what is the point?
10. Something old, new, borrowed, blue - Indeed. Not sure what yet, but plenty of items will be old & borrowed. The dress will be new & perhaps the sky will be blue.
11. Anything I forgot - Beige dress, not white. Rich will not see me until the moment I walk down the aisle. I think we would like to sit with our parents instead of a head table {Rich would like me to clarify that we do not want sweetheart table & would like for our parents to join us at the head table}. Um, um...I am sure there are other traditions I may be leaving out, but this is enough for now.
*sorry to anyone who read this earlier & saw that clearly I cannot count from 1 -10. Fixed!
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