Planning Your Memorable Wedding
April 29, 2009
You have finally said, “Yes.” This is the start of your life as a couple. And prior to that much-awaited big day, you, both the bride and groom have so many decisions to make and wedding-related tasks to complete.
Preparing for your wedding day need not be stressful. On the other had, it should be fun and memorable. And to do this, start off by putting together a wedding timetable.
A short list of wedding-related tasks as well as a rough estimate of when the activities should be done follows. It presents tips and guidelines to keep you organized and help you think of all the matters that you must take into consideration in the course of planning for your big day. Of course, these are mere suggestions. All activities and schedule are still up to the couple to decide on depending on their priorities.
At the Time of the Engagement
- You must tell your parents the happy news as soon as possible that is if they don’t already know. If you were having an engagement party, it would be good to keep your close friends and relatives in the know, too.
- An organizer would be best to have in handy. This will help you keep track of all the appointments, payments and other wedding-related activities that you must attend to.
- Have your engagement photo taken. This would be nice to have as a keepsake of this wonderful occasion.
6 to 12 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should have already picked and decided on the wedding date. Do the reservation for the venue where the ceremony and reception is to be held.
- Set an appointment with the wedding officiant.
- Establish a budget for the wedding, and try as much as possible to stick to it.
- Prepare a wedding guest list. You wouldn’t want to leave somebody uninvited unintentionally.
- Look around for a photographer, florists, musicians, and a caterer. Obtain estimates for these services.
- Register at the bridal gift registry.
- Pick a wedding dress and accessories to go with it. If you are having a seamstress make you one, this is the time to have it arranged. Several fittings may be required for this.
- For the bride, select your bridesmaids. Set a date for ordering dresses for them.
4 to 6 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Have the invitations, stationeries, and thank you notes ordered.
- The photographer, florist, musician, and caterer should have already been chosen. Go over details with each of these services to make sure that everything is as agreed upon.
- For the groom, select attire.
- Honeymoon reservations should be made already at this point.
- Confirm the delivery of the bridal gown.
2 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Plan your rehearsal dinner.
- If you are having out-of-town attendants, arrange for their lodging.
- Make an appointment with your chosen photographer for the shooting of the bridal portrait.
- Order the wedding cake.
1 Month In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should decide on a wedding band set.
- Mail the invitations.
- Check the apparel for the wedding party.
- The couple attends showers.
2 Weeks Before the Wedding.
- It is time to apply for marriage license and attend to other legal matters, especially for the bride - name and address changes on bank accounts and other official documents.
- Plan a wedding hairstyle and make-up with your stylist.
- Check with the caterer and the reception venue for last minute changes.
1 Week Before the Wedding
- Do your honeymoon packing.
- Wrap gifts for the groom and attendants.
- Schedule the wedding rehearsal.
- Remind the wedding party of the exact time and place for the occasion.
On Wedding Day
- Take breakfast! Fainting on the aisle wouldn’t be cool.
- Have your hair and make-up done.
- Shake off all your wedding details worries and enjoy your day.
Wedding Rings: What To Look For
April 4, 2009
Wedding rings have long been a part of the tradition of marriage. The highlight of every wedding ceremony, wedding rings represent a couple’s promise of remaining faithful and loyal to each other all the time of their lives.
The use of wedding rings date as far back as the time of ancient Egypt, when Egyptians create rings from reeds (and other plants that grow on the Nile River) for couples to exchange, symbolizing their never-ending love for each other.
Today, conventional forms of wedding rings are those that consist of precious metals that are usually worn on the ring finger (the 4th finger) of the left hand. This practice stemmed out from the belief of the “hand-heart connection” - that a vein of blood from the 4th finger of the left hand goes directly to the heart. Medical science, however, has already refuted this claim with their discovery of how the circulatory system works, and although the tradition of wearing the ring on the 4th finger of the left hand still prevails, some people now prefers to wear their wedding rings on their right hand.
Because wedding rings are the ultimate symbol of lifelong love and commitment, it is important that you choose rings of a high quality - one that will last for a long time (perhaps as enduring as your marriage!)
Below are some factors to consider when buying wedding rings:
1. Establish your budget. Going into a jewelry store with the idea of how much you are willing to spend (and how much you can actually spend) for your wedding rings will save you a lot of time.
2. Choose the material. There are numerous wedding ring materials for you to choose from. Some of them are the following:
Gold - considered as the most traditional wedding ring material, gold comes in a variety of color (yellow gold, pink gold, white gold, green gold) and quality (14k, 18k, and 24k).
Platinum - considered as one of the finest, purest, and rarest precious metals. One of the strongest, heaviest, and the most enduring of all metals, wedding rings made of platinum is ideal to wear everyday because it is hypoallergenic, it resists tarnish, and it shows little wear. It is, however, more expensive than gold.
Diamonds - the hardest substance known to man, diamonds are considered as one of the most luxurious and sought-after gem and wedding ring material, with its beauty, purity and durability symbolizing long-lasting love. Note that the value of a diamond is determined by the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat weight.
Other materials that are used for wedding rings include metals such as titanium, tungsten carbide, and nickel silver; and precious gems such as ruby, sapphire, emerald, and topaz.
3. Choose the style. Wedding rings also come in different styles and designs, such as the following:
Celtic/Irish design wedding rings
Antique and vintage rings
Designer wedding rings
Custom wedding bands
Traditional plain bands
Beaded edges
Engraved rings
Matching rings
Tattoed wedding rings
Depending on your personal preference, your wedding ring should be in a design and style that is comfortable to wear and one that will reflect your personality.
4. Browse stores. Find the best deals by looking around the different jewelry stores to compare the different styles and prices that they offer.
5. Consult an expert. Seek advice from a jeweler with a good reputation who can help you find the perfect wedding ring.
Wedding rings are not merely pieces of jewelry. They are significant symbols of a couple’s love and commitment for each other, so be sure to find a wedding ring that you can treasure forever.
Poetry as Important Part of the Wedding
March 7, 2009
Poems, for such a long time, have been used to express one’s feelings and emotions and to record events and thoughts in an artistic form. Reading poems during a wedding can enhance the beauty of the event.
The wedding poem may be composed and be read by a member of the family as a gift to the groom and bride. However, not many have good skills in writing that poem writing for weddings may also be entrusted to professional wedding writers.
Even if the task of writing the wedding poem has been delegated to an experienced wedding poem writer, the groom and the bride or a member of the family should choose the wedding poem writer carefully and coordinate with the writer as often as possible.
Choosing the wedding poetry writer should take place after the sites for the wedding and reception have been confirmed. This is necessary because some of the sites details may be included in the poem that this should be supplied to the wedding poetry writer as soon as possible.
Also, consider the site for the wedding rites. Some religious institutions do not allow alterations with the wedding rites such as including reading poetry during the ceremony. Therefore, in this case, wedding poetry reading should be done during the reception.
The wedding poetry should represent the groom and the bride and should go well with the theme of the wedding. The wedding poem may also be printed in the program and may also be given as a keepsake. Thus, a good wedding poem is very important. For that reason, brainstorming can help a lot when choosing the wedding poetry writer or vendor.
Before deciding on who will be the wedding poetry vendor and writer, consider what type of poem will you need. For a traditional and formal wedding, an elegantly written poem is suggested. If the wedding will be having an informal ceremony, a poem with a touch of humor will work well.
Do not choose a lengthy poem if the ceremony will be longer than two hours. Decide if music will be played while reading the poem.
If you have decided what you will need, you have to stat looking for a wedding poem vendor. The easiest way to look for reliable information is by asking for suggestions from family and friends, the manager of the reception site, the person who will officiate the marriage, or from your wedding coordinator. You can also search online for poetry vendors.
If possible, ask for a rough draft of what the wedding poem will be so you can decide if this is the one that will be appropriate for the wedding. It is preferable to allow one year for composing the poem. This is to make sure that there is enough time to edit the poem to suit your requirements.
Also, check if the wedding poet can work within your given budget. Wedding poems can cost at least $100. Ask for sample works and suggestions to enhance your wedding poem.
When providing information about the wedding to the wedding poetry vendor, make sure that you have included the following details: the interests of the couple, the type of ceremony, the location of the wedding and the reception, the number of guests and their backgrounds, the theme of the wedding ceremony, who will be the poem reader and whatever unique detail that you can include to make the poem unique.
If you have chosen a good wedding poetry writer and reader, you can make sure that your wedding’s tone and ambience is enhanced to make it more memorable to everyone who will be present.
Interesting Wedding Night Rituals from Around The World
December 8, 2008
Weddings are occasions of lasting traditions and rituals. All over the world, peoples beliefs, culture and history has affected this memorable event. It is common knowledge that wedding ceremonies are different all over the world, but did you know that the diversity extends even on the wedding night? Read this to know the interesting activities that couples, families and friends do before letting the newlyweds reach a night of wedding bliss!
It is customary in an American wedding for the bride and groom to hop into a get-away car with tin cans attached to the rear of the car, off to their secret honeymoon, immediately after the wedding. Did you know that this rooted from escaping a Celtic wedding night tradition?
In Gaelic cultures, it was a tradition for friends and family of the couple to mess with the couples wedding night. In the olden days, when couples spend their wedding night in a barn, girl friends of the bride would dress her for bed and ask each of the male guests to kiss her good night. The friends would do other things to prevent the groom from seeing her new wife. Even if the couple finally comes together, they would disturb the union by making noise outside the barn and even peep into the couple, while drinking the night away. The couple waits for everyone to get too drunk to eventually leave them alone. This kind of prank is something that newly weds want to get away from, thus, they keep their honeymoon destination a secret and speed away after the wedding.
More Celtic wedding night ritual come from Scotland: sleeping in the barn on the first night, sprinkling water on the marriage bed for luck and staying for a week with the bride’s parents before moving into the newlyweds home.
The Germans and the French do a similar tradition of disturbing the wedding night, called Chiverie, known in the US as Shivaree. They make noise outside the place where the couple spends their first night together. Some even play around with the room where they will stay, like put plenty of balloons, spread food all over the bed, and hide alarm clock everywhere, just for fun.
The Romans believed that it was bad fortune when the bride stumbles when entering the newlyweds house for the first time. Thus, after the wedding, male friends of the couple would carry her over the doorstep. At present, the groom is expected to do the job himself.
In Benin, western Africa, they value virginity. The brides mother rewards her with cash if shes a virgin at their wedding night! In the morning, the sheets that the couples used are inspected for bloodstains. Some mothers even “fly the flag” out the window, showing off their daughter’s bloodstained nightgown. Seriously!
For the Chinese, at the night of the wedding, candles designed with a phoenix and a dragon is lit to drive the evil spirit away. The newlyweds will drink wine from goblets tied together with a red ribbon, while arms intertwined. Then the bride will be given half-raw dumplings, which symbolize prosperity.
Marquesasian (from Polynesia) brides have a notable wedding night ritual: they are expected to have sex with all the male guests and then saving the groom for last. Now that can make your wedding night extremely unforgettable!
Wedding Programs: What To Look For
November 12, 2008
A wedding ceremony marks the beginning of a marriage, and a couple’s life together. Wedding ceremonies may be a civil or religious rite that can take place anywhere - at a church, in the gardens, at the beach, or at the city hall. Modern-day weddings can now also take place in the Internet (what is known as “Online Wedding).
From the bride’s march down the aisle to the wedding reception, there are a number of wedding traditions and aspects that make a wedding ceremony special. It is important that the couple ‘include’ their guests and the people around them in the celebration by guiding and informing them of what is happening at any given time. This is made possible by wedding ceremony programs.
A wedding program (also called church programs, ceremony programs, or “The Order of Woship”) is a personalized guidebook for the guests in a wedding. Essentially similar to that of a program at a theater play, wedding programs serve the following purposes:
They serve as a record of the wedding ceremony, providing guests with the order and details of the events that will happen in the ceremony.
-They help guests understand what is happening, making them feel included.
-They introduce and honor the bridal party, the sponsors, and the other people who are participating in the ceremony.
-They serve as a beautiful and sentimental souvenir for everyone, which can be included in the couple’s scrapbook.
While a wedding program is not a strict requirement to have, but it certainly adds a unique and personal touch to any wedding ceremony. A wedding program can also be essential in the following cases:
-A wedding that is inter-cultural and no one understands the ceremony.
-A wedding with a number of guests from another faith or culture.
-A wedding so large that guests may not know the bridal party.
-A wedding that is particularly long and time-consuming.
-A wedding that involves so many people that the couple would like to thank and pay tribute to.
A wedding program is generally broken down into 3 sections, with the additional detailed information listed below:
1. Introduction
-Names of the couple
-Wedding date
-Time and place of the service.
2. Event or Ceremony Order
-Greetings
-Poetry
-Reading
-Exchange of vows
-Explanations of special religiuos rituals (such as the ring ceremony, unity candle ceremony, and pronouncement of marriage)
-Titles of the ceremony music to be played (including the names of the musicians, soloists, or readers)
3. Acknowledgement or Wedding Party
-Names of the members of the bridal party
-Name of the priest or officiant who will perform the ceremony
-Memorials, tributes or homages to someone who has passed away
-Thank-you notes and dedications to the parents and to people who gave support to the couple (and to the wedding)
-The couple’s special message to their wedding guests
-Directions to the reception
Wedding programs are usually ordered from the same printer who does the wedding invitations. Other couples, however, opt to do their wedding programs on their own - it gives a couple a chance to be more flexible and creative while saving money.
Wedding programs are one of the little details that make such a big day extra special. Ordered ready-made or done personally, a wedding program can be made unique by the expressive feelings of love and joy that it conveys.
Wedding Cost Saving Ideas
October 8, 2008
Almost every girl has a picture of her ideal wedding in her mind. She may dream up something that she can visualize when reading fairy tales that end with “…and they live happily ever after.” She sees flowers, ribbons and laces.
However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other considerations on her mind. She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom. Not to mention that the bride also considers the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration. And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations - the cost.
Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying of debts made during the wedding preparations. Therefore, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be should be very careful what to spend on. Here are a few things to consider.
* Personalize the decorations. Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost. For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose having photos from their collection made the main subjects for the reception design. The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes,
* Consider renting. Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again. These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arc ways and the artificial flower arrangements. So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces.
* Kids can get bored during the wedding reception. So instead of having kids seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where kids can be more casual and can have a small party of their own.
* Marriage is a union of families. During the wedding rites, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple. Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families.
* For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts schools. They may agree to cater for the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more. You may also have a pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish.
* If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party. Usually, only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests.
* For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ. You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception.
* When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day. They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost.
Getting married should not be expensive. After all, the essence of marriage is in the union and not in the celebration. You shouldn’t also try too hard to please the guests. Your family and friends are there to rejoice this wonderful event with you and not to criticize your wedding.
Wedding Planning Choosing the Gown
June 29, 2008
The dress is always the highlight of all wedding fantasies and make-believes. Ever since their youth, people will most often dream of a beautiful princess-bride in a snowy white, ethereal wedding dress of stunning beauty. It comes as no surprise that choosing the perfect wedding dress for your wedding will prove to be one of the most challenging and exciting part of planning your wedding.
Marriage is ideally an once-in-a-lifetime event. There isnt much leeway to practice or make mistakes. So to make the brides entrance down the carpet perfect and memorable, one must take great pains to ensure that everything is done correctly down to every little detail on the wedding dress.
From watching fantasy-like weddings on TV, or reading about them in books and magazines, or hearing about them from other people, many brides-to-be form an image in their minds of the kind of wedding dress they would like to wear on their wedding. Many people take a watch and learn stance as they formulate, plan and dream up their ideal wedding dress.
If your time has come, and you are shopping for the perfect dress to make your wedding dreams come true, then you have come to the right place. Here are a few tips to help you get over the wedding dress hump will less sweat.
1. The Dress Comes First
Although it may go both ways, the theme of your dress should follow your desired theme or vice versa. Some couples choose a theme before choosing a gown, and in effect, they make the gown fit the theme they have chosen. But for some people, the choice of gown comes first, and the theme of the wedding follows the gowns theme. So if the gown that catches the brides fancy is ultra beaded and formal, then the wedding may tend to be more formal. If the bride chooses a less formal dress, then the wedding may follow a less formal route.
2. Dont Overwhelm Yourself with Choices
Yes, it may be tempting to try every gown that comes your way. But what if you find yourself buried under a pile of 20 or so gowns you think you really like and cant make a decision? That sort of scenario will prove to be a terrible headache not to mention a great source of stress.
To avoid this, try making decisions in stages. You could try an American Idol style way of choosing a gown. You could vote off the least liked one and then reevaluate the remaining gowns.
Another method is trying 5 gowns and then choosing two of the best. These champions will be pit against 5 more new gowns. Continue the tournament until you get to the perfect gown.
It may become tempting to say, Aw, but that other gown might have been better. Try to make sure you make your final decision among 5 gowns. If you end up with too many to choose from you may get overwhelmed and end up choosing an inferior gown, or choosing the perfect gown but forever asking yourself whether you made the right decision or not.
Choose Wisely
And choose a wise companion; take along one or two of your closest friends or confidants who know a thing or two about wedding dresses and style. Their advice will come in handy when choosing a gown. Also, make sure you check the durability and quality of the gown, the material and the accessories. You dont want your gown falling apart on you during the ceremonies.
Things You Should Know About Wedding Cake Toppers
April 28, 2008
Centuries ago, there was a bakers daughter who was about to be married had wished to have a perfect emblem of her marriage. She asked her father to help her find that perfect symbol in order to indicate the love that has transpired between her and her groom.
After some series of careful deliberation, the father finally came up with something that he thought would best signify the kind of love his daughter has for her husband. And so, when the wedding day came, the bakers daughter was so happy because there stood, in the middle of the wedding cake, two miniature, but lovely figurines perfectly dressed for the wedding.
The father said that this is the perfect symbol of their marriage, in which the couple is the main attraction of the ceremony.
This could have been a fiction or a true story, but nobody can really tell if this is the start of the wedding cake topper history.
Nevertheless, since its inception, the wedding cake toppers had long been the traditional symbol of married couples as they were symbolically placed above the wedding cake for everybody to see.
Wedding cake toppers are available in a wide array of designs, colors, and styles wherein couples can choose whatever they think would best portray their marriage.
So, for those who want to know some tips regarding the right way to choose wedding cake topers, here are some tips that you may use:
1. Never use wedding cake toppers that are made of plastics, especially the cheap ones.
Even if you are tight on a budget, it is best not to choose wedding cake toppers that are made of plastics. Usually, these are the ones that are readily available in the department stores.
Wedding cake toppers should be as exceptional as your wedding cake. Therefore, it is best to use wedding cake toppers that is out of ordinary and never before seen in any wedding. This may cost a little bit more than what you have intended to spend with but would definitely convert your wedding cake into something wonderful, one that would definitely make your wedding truly a memorable event.
2. Be creative.
It is best if the wedding along with your wedding cake and cake toppers are all personalized. This means that the designs and styles are creatively made by the couple. This will add more romance and glamour on the wedding itself.
Best of all, do not be constrained with the traditional and classical designs of wedding cake toppers. You may deviate from the customs and have your very own wedding cake toppers.
Today, there are many contemporary designs that the couple may use. In fact, they can even have their own ideas. All they have to do is to ask their baker to make the concept and use it as their wedding cake topper.
3. For the budget conscious couple, you can use your parents wedding cake topper if it is still available. This will truly make your wedding cake very special because of the hand-down generation.
The point is, whatever designs or styles of cake toppers you choose to have on your wedding cake, the fact that it symbolizes your marriage is already a special concept that no other item can replace.
Wedding cake toppers are not just sheer embellishments in a cake but more of an emblem, one that best represents the love that is flowing in the hearts of the couple.
Choose Your Wedding Bouquet
March 25, 2008
Bouquets of flowers have always been one attraction at any wedding. Bouquets are already part of the wedding tradition on all races. A bouquet of flowers symbolizes a blossoming maiden and reflects her emotions. Therefore, wedding bouquets should be carefully selected and planned the same way you plan for your wedding gown. Here are just a few tips in choosing your wedding bouquet:
1. It is recommended that you choose a flower that is on season to save money and time. This will not give you hard time trying to order the flower as well.
2. You can choose other alternatives like silk flowers especially if the flower you would like to use is not in season. Silk flowers are also suited in formal weddings; fresh picked flowers may not fit a very formal party.
3. Your bouquet should not drown you. Be sure that it will not cover your figure. If you are petite, the weight of the flower might be too heavy for your built and may affect your posture and how you carry your gown. Remember that your bouquet should not be too big so as not to cover your elegant gown and should be easy to carry.
4. The flowers you chose should last for the entire day. Make sure that your flowers still hold up even at the end of the day so that you will still look glamorous when taken pictures. Using a bouquet holder is suggested to keep the flowers fresh during the entire day. Also take the advice of your florist on which flowers easily wilt so that you can avoid choosing them.
5. Don’t let your florist imagine the flower design you like. You may take a picture or a printed copy of the bouquet style you prefer. Also bring a sample fabric of the gowns so that the florist can choose the correct shade of flower that will match the color of the gowns. Some bouquets may be decorated with ribbons, lace and silk materials. You can advise the florist on what specific designs would you like to add for your flowers.
6. Why not choose a flower that has special meaning? That will not be difficult since most flowers have their meanings. Stephanotis stands for happiness in marriage, Rose means love and being true, and Tulips stand for perfect love and declaration of love.
7. One of the first things to consider when opting for a bouquet is the style. Choose the bouquet style that will suit you and your personality. Bouquets are more personal nowadays and reflect the brides’ personalities. For Nosegays, where flowers are clustered in a round form, can vary in sophistication and will fit any personality. In Cascade bouquets, flowers are arranged in a descending form. These bouquets are voluptuous and can be the center of attention.
They are recommended for traditional weddings. There are flowers where stems are wrapped around in ribbons and they are called Hand-tied bouquets. These bouquets bring a casual aura and are recommended for garden weddings. There are also Contemporary bouquets where flowers are arranged in style but with no geometric form. These arrangements of flowers represent the individuality of a bride and are mostly used in sophisticated weddings.
8. The top wedding flowers are Rose, Lilly, Orchid, Hyacinth, Tulip, Stephanotis and Daisy. You may want to follow the trend and choose these flowers for your bouquet.
Weddings: Some Odd Traditions
February 18, 2008
And for the rest of their lives, the man and woman shall be together.
Doesnt it sound romantic? For the man and the woman to leave their families to be as one, to form a new family? It has been like this from time immemorial. And throughout the millennia, the concept of family and marriage have been so closely knotted together that it is sometimes impossible to separate one from the other.
Marriage is present in every culture in some form. Although the laws, norms, and cultures may differ, they all still recognize the union of man and woman under one roof.
Marriage has evolved in so many ways from the different cultures all throughout the world throughout the ages. For each culture, there are diverse ways of celebrating something like marriage. But in each culture, there has always been one thing that has remained the same that in every culture, and every tribe, marriage has always been one to be celebrated with the utmost of festivities, with singing, eating, and celebrating.
Along with these festivities, man has also adopted a growing, and evolving number of traditions each filled with meaning and believe it or not shocking origins.
The Wedding Cake
Todays tall, elaborated, and delicately crafted wedding cakes evolved from the simple grooms-cakes made by family members for the bride. Before the wedding day, one of theses cakes was put under the pillow of the bride. The bride would then sleep and dream of the groom, and yes, squish that cake into oblivion.
The real wedding cake would be a pound cake that would be pound up and crumbled and tossed at the couple as a sign of fertility. That is where we get todays custom of sprinkling the couple with rice after the wedding.
Cakes during weddings are usually stacked up in large layers. The higher the stack, the more glamorous the cake. People usually regard these arrangements are mere style. However, they were done so in the past as a symbol of fertility. Couples would stack these cakes to symbolize how many children the wished to have. So in the past, the higher the stack, the more the children.
Tying the Knot
Now the truth can be told. Tying the knot did not necessarily mean getting knotted together. During ancient tribal times, the bride would usually be wrapped in a sheep with a knot out in front. This was to symbolize virginity. Untying the knot was the grooms privilege after the wedding the night.
Best Man Secret Agent
And startling enough, the best man used to play a different role in the early days. During tribal times, it was the best mans duty to abduct potential brides from other tribes. He would usually do so by clubbing the poor damsel over the head and drag her back home just like those comic skits about cavemen seem to suggest. It was also the best mans job to ward off the angry relatives of the bride. So in the early days, it was the best man swinging his axe while the groom got hitched.
Today
Although we are a little less barbaric than earlier times, we still see an evolution of the wedding ceremony and its tradition. These traditions are filled with meaning and can only serve to make your wedding day more memorable.