(Worldwide Wedding Customs are from BRIDE'S all new BOOK OF ETIQUETTE, Berkley Publishing Company New York, NY. January 1994

WEDDING CUSTOMS AND SUPERSTITIONS

Introduction

There are many customs and superstitions associated with weddings Proposal

In the past when the marriage proposal was a more formal procedure

Worldwide Wedding Customs

From: BRIDE'S ALL NEW BOOK OF ETIQUETTE

(January 1994 Berkley Publishing Co. New York, NY)

Early American:

• Victorian brides wore gloves, symbols of modesty and romance; without the "g", they were a pair of loves.

Africa / African American:

• Jumping the Broom: In the times of slavery in this country, African American couples were not allowed to formally marry and live together. To make a public declaration of their love and commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom into matrimony, to the beat of drums. (The broom has long held significant meaning for the various Africans, symbolizing the start of homemaking for the newlywed couple. In Southern Africa, the day after the wedding, a kgatla bird assisted the other women in the family in sweeping the courtyard, indicating her dutiful willingness to help her in-laws with housework till the newlyweds could move to their new home.) Some African- American couples today are choosing to include this symbolic rite in their wedding ceremony, directly before the recession.

• Cowrie Shells- Smooth cowrie shells, which encourage fertility, are worn in bridal necklaces used to trim gowns, jackets, and headpieces in silver and white- as decorative accents. Cowrie shells, found of the coast of West Africa, were once used as money and today are used for purification. The shell is also used for purification. The shell is also a symbol of beauty and power.

Armenia:

• Two white doves may be released to signify love and happiness.

• The bride may dress in red silk and may wear cardboard wings with feathers on her head. Small coins may be thrown at her.

Austria:

• Brides may crown their veils with myrtle, which is the flower of life.

Belgium:

• The bride may still embroider her name on her handkerchief, carry it on the wedding day, then frame it and keep it until the next family bride marries.