Whatever you believe, wherever you came from, you have traditions. Religious, cultural, familial, we all have them, and they are a huge component of what makes weddings wonderful!
In Texas, we see a good amount of Christian weddings so we tend to know the traditions fairly well. However, it can be so easy to get caught up in the aesthetics of a wedding that we sometimes seem to forget that in a Christian wedding ceremony, it’s not a performance, but an act of worship before God. Your guests are not there to only have a great time, but to act as witnesses who join with you in worship. Within the ceremony itself, there’s Christian symbolism of the covenant in every aspect of the service, from the significance of the center aisle dividing the bride and groom’s family and friends to the joining of right hands before the altar (to read more about this, look here). There are so many personal touches you can add to incorporate your faith into your special day, such as praying with your soon-to-be husband before the reception or ceremony and having your vows reflect your relationship with God.
In Jewish weddings, the ceremony and reception are full of symbolism and significance which we absolutely love! For example, on the invitations it’s common to have part of the text in English and part of it in Hebrew. Instead of “requesting t he honor of your presence” it may request that you “share the joy of” the union or “dance at” the celebration…yes please! Also, Jewish couples must sign the Ketuba, a marriage document describing the groom’s responsibility for his bride. The chuppah is a key element of the ceremony itself which symbolizes the couple establishing a house together in public. Traditionally, a Rabbi will only allow the exchange of one ring – from the groom to the bride – to represent the unbroken union. And of course, my favorite part, the breaking of the wine glass! The groom must break a wineglass, wrapped in cloth, under his right foot to symbolize man’s short life on Earth and to remind us of how fragile life is.
One of the favorite types of weddings are Indian weddings. Having lived in India, one absolutely love the fearless use of bright colors and rich cultural traditions that make up an Indian ceremony. Often lasting for several days, these weddings are full of ritual and celebration. One of my favorites, the Mehendi (henna) ceremony is a ladies-only party where the delicate and complex mehendi patterns are applied to the bride and attendants’ hands and feet. There’s an old saying: the darker the color of the henna, the more your husband will love you. Next, there’s a series of functions in which you drop rice into a sacred fire and circle the fire several times, legalizing the union and then tie the bride’s sari to her husband’s scarf, symbolizing the union of the couple.
No matter what your faith is, incorporating your beliefs into your wedding in any way, big or small, is important and meaningful.
Reference : http://heavenlydayevents.wix.com/heavenlydayevents/apps/blog
