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WEDDING TRADITIONS AROUND EUROPE Presented By : Apoorva K P X ‘B’ ; 1053 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Shivaragudda, Mandya

Wedding Traditions Around Europe

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Wedding Traditions Around Europe

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WEDDING TRADITIONS AROUND EUROPEPresented By :Apoorva K PX B ; 1053 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Shivaragudda,Mandya

"In a socialist society,marriageis free of religious and, to a large extent, obsolete, archaic rituals connected with church and superstition. Marriage becomes a celebration honoring the birth of a new socialist family." - (Bolshaya Sovetskaya Encyclopedia, 1970)INDEX SLIDE

Scottish Wedding Traditions 03 - 05 British Royal Wedding Traditions 06 - 14Welsh Wedding Traditions 15 - 16Irish Wedding Traditions 17 - 21Scottish Wedding Traditions

Scotland had always had its own way of doing things, and that includes weddings. TodaysScottish weddingsare a blend of ancient Highlandtraditionsand the more modern, streamlined rights.Wedding traditions in ancient timesScottishweddingtraditions started as far back as the thirteenth century. Back then the medieval church would announce each wedding in church for three successive Sundays. Such announcements were called the banns of marriage. The practice of proclaiming the banns in church lasted for more than six hundred years. Finally the banns gave way to a simple announcement of intent to get married and the obtaining of a marriage license from the local registrar.Today it is no longer required to proclaim the marriage banns in church for three successive Sundays, but it is still necessary for all couples wishing to marry to give notice of their intent. In this way the ancient forms are still respected but in a more modern way.Another ancient custom was called creeling the bridegroom. This custom required the bridegroom to carry a large basket (a creel) filled with stones on his back. He had to carry this weight from one end of the village to the next and continuing carrying it around the town until his intended bride would come out of her house and kiss him.

On the day of the wedding virtually the entire village would turn out to form a procession leading the happy couple to the church, where two wedding services were traditionally held. The first service was held just outside the doors of the church, where the priest would marry the couple in the Scottish language. Once the Scottish ceremony was finished, the priest would lead the entire procession into the church where the ceremony would be performed once more, only this time in Latin.At the end of the ceremony the bride and groom would exchange rings, the circular ring with no beginning and no end being the symbol of never-ending love, and then the couple would kiss their wedding kiss in front of all their assembled witnesses.Following the ceremony the entire wedding party would be piped (led by bagpipers) to a relatives home for a lavish wedding reception/party. Here the pipers would play lively up-beat tunes for hours on end and outdoor feasting and dancing and general merrymaking would begin and often last the entire night. Traditionally the first dance of the night, customarily a reel, was led by the wedding couple, after which everyone joined in and the festivities went on non-stop.Finally, when the celebration was over, the new couple were led to their house where the groom, wishing to protect his new bride from the evil spirits that inhabit the thresholds of doors, would lift his new brides feet from the ground and carry her across her new threshold and into her new home. The priest would then bless the new home and would often bless the couple in their wedding bed before they would finally be alone together for the first time as husband and wife.

British Royal Wedding Traditions

ProposalThe Royal Marriages Act of 1772 requires all royal descendants to seek the sovereign's approval for marriage. But the requirements don't stop therethe 1701 Act of Settlement prohibits royals from marrying Catholics. To wed the Queen's eldest grandchild Peter Phillips in 2008, Autumn Kelly converted from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism so her husband would keep his place as 11th in line for the throne. Soon after Will and Kate's engagement was announced, officials from Buckingham Palace said the Queen was "absolutely delighted" for the couple, which can only mean she approved of Will's choice.

White Wedding DressIt is a tradition for the royal bride to wear a white wedding dress, a tradition that originally began with the royal familys Queen Victoria in 1840. The BouquetWhen Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840, she carried myrtle, known as the herb of love, in her bouquet. After the wedding, Victoria planted a myrtle shrub in her garden at the Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and since then every British royal bride has carried a bouquet containing a sprig plucked from the same shrub.In an act of love to honor the armed forces Royal brides leave her bouquet in Westminster Abbey at the grave of the Unknown Warrior. The Queen Mother unknowingly created the tradition when she laid down her bouquet in remembrance of her brother who has lost his life in the Battle of Loos.

Welsh Gold Wedding RingA tradition beginning with the Queens late mother in 1923, all of the royal womens wedding bands have contained precious Welsh gold from the same nugget mined in Dolgellau, North Wales a variety of gold that is very valuable. While the original nugget is almost depleted, the Queen has since been presented with another large nugget for future wedding bands, including Catherines. Horse Drawn CarriageMost royal brides arrive to their wedding in horse-drawn regal style, Diana chose an 1881 Glass Coach purchased for George Vs coronation in 1911. Once they are married traditionally the newly married couple depart the ceremony in the same carriage.Catherine has chosen to break with tradition and instead will arrive at Westminster Abbey with her father in a car. She selected the Queens Rolls Royce Phantom, its large windows allow onlookers a great view of the bride to be. Catherine and William have chosen to stay with tradition when leaving the Abbey and will be transported in the same carriage that Charles and Diana chose, a 1902 State Landau originally made for the coronation of Edward VII.

Ceremony LocationThe most traditional location for a royal ceremony is the Chapel Royal at St. James Palace, which housed the weddings of Queen Anne, George III, George IV, Queen Victoria and George V. More recent royal couples have since outgrown the small chapel, which seats 100, as the ceremonies have become more of a public spectacle. For her 1919 ceremony, Princess Patricia of Connaught brought Westminster Abbey into vogue for royal weddings for the first time in 605 years.Two alternatives are the much larger St. Pauls Cathedral where Charles and Diana wed or the much smaller St. Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle. Westminster was chosen for King George Vs daughter Mary, Queen Elizabeths parents, and the Queens own wedding and Katherine and William have also chosen Westminster. Ceremony MusicSome popular royal wedding choices have been Mendelssohns Wedding March, the hymn The Lords My Shepherd, and Widors Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5. Official recordings of William and Catherines music will be available on iTunes from May 5th.

i. White wedding dress

ii. Myrtle shrub

The Wedding PartyThe use of children in bridal parties in the royal family has been a longstanding tradition. The bride is accompanied by a group of bridesmaids, usually younger girls between the ages of 10 and 12. The Queen had eight bridesmaids, and Diana had five, ranging in age from 5 to 17. Traditionally all the bridesmaids wear the same dress regardless of age. Walking Up The IsleEnglish Royal brides lead the processional up the aisle, with their bridesmaids in tow unescorted by ushers, who stand at the front of the church with the groom. Pageboys have the duty of carrying the train of the brides dress.

Wedding GuestsMale Royal wedding guests are traditionally expected to wear military uniforms, morning dress (a single breasted coats with tails) or lounge suits. Female attire is less strict, though hats are an absolute must! Wedding BreakfastMost British weddings are held at noon and are followed by a seated formal meal called a wedding breakfast. The Queens wedding breakfast was held in the Ball supper-room at Buckingham Palace for a small party, as was Dianas for about 120 guests. William and Kate are braking tradition and opting instead for an 11am ceremony, 600 guests will join the new couple at the Palace for a buffet style wedding breakfast hosted by the Queen with a canap menu. The Wedding CakeIt is a tradition for the royal wedding cake to be a fruitcake, usually made with raisins, ground almonds, cherries and marzipan and is cut using the grooms ceremonial sword. The fruitcake is served at the wedding reception along with another traditional cake, the grooms cake. It was once English custom for this to be a fruitcake as well, but today, the grooms cake is likely to be chocolate.

iii. Horse drawn carriage

iv. The Wedding party

v. Walking up the Isle

vi. The Wedding cake

Welsh Wedding Traditions

Traditionally a Welsh bride carries a bouquet containing myrtle leaves, signifying love in life. She gives her bridesmaids a cutting to plant and if it blossoms, the girl will soon marry. Welsh brides believed that it was lucky to be woken by birdsong on the morning of their wedding. The wedding party walks to the church together in a procession with a flower girl sprinkling petals along the road symbolising a happy route in life for the newly weds. A couple would place a shovel on top of the fire and put on it two grains of wheat. As the shovel grew hotter the grains would pop off the shovel: if they jumped off together the couple could expect to jump into matrimony; if they jumped separately the couple would lead separate lives. Traditionally, the brides family kidnapped the bride on her wedding day, just before the ceremony took place. The groom and his family would rescue the bride and whoever freed her would themselves be married within the year. Many of the Welsh wedding customs have disappeared but some have evolved and are still in use today. We can ensure their survival by remembering them, if not practising them, on 29 February. The charmingGypsy Cwtchoffers a perfect romantic break where you can enjoy the peace and listen to the birdsong

IRISH WEDDING TRADITIONSThere is one wedding Irish tradition that states Marry in May and Rue The Day While another states : Marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man.The Claddagh RingNamed after Claddagh, a fishing village in Galway (in Western Ireland), the Claddagh ring is handed down from mother to daughter and is used both as the betrothal and wedding ring. It is worn with the crowns facing inward, toward the wrist, on betrothal, and outward, toward the nail, upon marriage. Today, it is still used as a wedding ring and it is considered improper for a person to buy one for him or herself; it must be given as a gift.Irish Wedding SuperstitionsIn the 18th and 19th centuries, the Irish believed that if the sun shone on the bride, it would bring good luck to the couple. It was also lucky to hear a cuckoo on the wedding morning or to see three magpies. After the wedding ceremony, it was important that a man and not a woman be the first to wish joy to the new bride.Locking the DoorSince Irish men were known for getting cold feet on their wedding days, once the bride and groom were in the church, the guests would lock the door to keep the groom inside to make sure he went through with the ceremony.

Irish Wedding ToastThe wedding party gathers around the bride and groom. All fill their glasses with mead and the newly wedded couple recites an Irish toast: "Friends and relatives, so fond and dear, 'tis our greatest pleasure to have you here. When many years this day has passed, fondest memories will always last. So we drink a cup of Irish mead and ask God's blessing in your hour of need." The guests respond: "On this special day, our wish to you, the goodness of the old, the best of the new. God bless you both who drink this mead, may it always fill your every need."Irish LaceWhile bridal fashions in Ireland resemble the rest of the Western world, one distinctly Irish touch is Irish lace. Try to incorporate this beautiful fabric into a gown or veil. If that's too expensive, consider carrying a lace handkerchief in your bridal bag or hand them out as attendant gifts. Color scheme? Follow Irish heritage, of course, and go for green, white, and gold.Bagpipes and KiltsLots of big Irish families have family members who are in pipe bands. So it's not unusual for them to hook up at a wedding and pipe the couple into the mass or at dinner. Popular tunes are the "Highland Fling" and the "Stack of Barley," as well as jigs, reels, and hornpipes. Not only do they sound good, they look good too. Most pipers wear Celtic kilts -- plaid skirts that their ancestors wore in medieval times. The Irish weren't allowed to wear them during British rule, so now it seems they slip them on for practically every special occasion, maybe in an effort to make up for lost time and to reclaim their stake in what is often regarded as a Scottish fashion statement.

Lord of the DanceShow off on the dance floor with a ceilidh, a traditional Irish set dance. Consider signing up for pre-wedding lessons -- for just you and your sweetie or for the whole bridal party. Keep in mind that some ceilidh dances are named for locations in Ireland such as the Kerry Set, the Seige of Ennis, while some waltz tunes include names such as "Galway Shawl", or "Home to Mayo" -- choose a song or dance to reflect your family's heritage or ancestral home. Be sure to share the special significance of your dance with your guests.An Irish FeastThe traditional Irish menu -- Irish soda bread, corned beef, and cabbage -- is perhaps not something you'd typically crave, but when cooked right and served up at a big wedding fete, it's positively delicious (not to mention that it all gets washed down with plenty of whiskey and Guinness Stout). And don't forget the traditional Irish wedding cake, a fruitcake filled with almonds, raisins, cherries, and spice and laced with brandy or bourbon.

Modern Swing on ThingsYou can incorporate these Irish wedding traditions into your wedding with just a few simple modifications. Instead of hiring a complete band of pipers, get one to play at certain points during the wedding -- maybe outside the ceremony as people enter and leave. Instead of mead, drink your favorite champagne but recite an Irish toast. Use Claddagh rings for wedding bands, and be sure to take a look at some of the modern interpretations of the Claddagh. Also, don't forget that one way to celebrate your love of all things Irish is to honeymoon in Ireland -- it's gorgeous, and oh-so-romantic.The Month of HoneyThe word for honey is "meala" in Irish. "Mi na meala," the month of honey, refers to the month after the wedding when the newlyweds celebrated by drinking mead, a brew made of fermented honey. Following the wedding, a sufficient amount of mead was given to the bride and groom, along with special goblets, so they could share the unique brew for one full moon after their wedding -- and thus the term honeymoon was coined. It was believed that this delicate yet potent drink was the best way to ensure a good beginning for a new marriage, and it was also believed to endow powers of virility and fertility.