A traditional wedding in England is a very interesting and unusual event. Few people know that England is the legislator of almost half of all those wedding rituals and customs that are carried out today in all countries of the world. For example, the tradition of marrying a bride in a white dress appeared in Great Britain in the 19th century, thanks to Queen Victoria. Before that, brides wore dresses of silver, red or beige color, as white fabric was very expensive and it was extremely difficult to get it. Modern English brides and grooms no longer adhere to all the traditional rituals and omens believed in by previous generations, but some of the past remains relevant today.
English Wedding Traditions
The most important event of the wedding ceremony in England is the marriage ceremony in the church. This is a centuries-old tradition, which the Englishmen greatly respect. About a year before the appointed date of the wedding, the bride and groom begin active preparations for the celebration and even rehearse everything, including the wedding ceremony. Not only family members but invited guests can attend the ceremony at the church. The father of the bride takes his daughter under his arm and leads her down the aisle, where the groom awaits her. Each of the young may have up to four witnesses.
September is considered the most auspicious time of year for a wedding celebration. This tradition is directly linked to the history of Great Britain. The fact is that September has always been the month of the harvest, which made it possible to set a great table for guests and relatives. The rich buffet foretold the newlyweds of financial well-being and luxury in their future life together.
The attire of the newlyweds
In addition to the main attribute – a magnificent white dress, there are three other things “for good luck”, which the English bride necessarily keeps with her throughout the marriage ceremony: something new, something old and something blue. Of the old, a bride might take, for example, family antique jewelry, of the new, a garter for her stockings, and blue for her underwear. Instead of the veil, modern brides prefer to wear small hats in the tone of the wedding dress, tiaras with stones resembling a crown or floral wreaths.
The groom’s clothing traditionally consists of a classic suit, which should certainly have a small detail in the tone of the bride’s dress. The groom’s friends, respectively, wear ties or bowties to match the color of the bridesmaids’ dresses.
The place of the wedding
A wedding in England is celebrated, most often, outside the city. For this purpose, the future newlyweds in advance rent manor houses, sometimes even ancient castles, open specially for such celebrations. Invited guests can bring gifts with them or send them home to the newlyweds. By the way, the British have their own specific, but very practical approach to wedding gifts: before the wedding the bride and groom make a list of desirable things that they need. This list is sent to the guests, and everyone puts their name in front of the thing they would like to give as a gift. It is customary to open the gifts only after the honeymoon is over and to send thank-you cards personally to each guest.