French
Wedding Culture and Traditions
If Want to include your French heritage in your wedding day? Adding
a bit of your culture can be a great way to personalize your day
and pay tribute to your roots. Whether you choose to go all out
with a French theme or simply add small touches, France has many
traditions to choose from to complete your special day.
The bridal hope chest originated in France, coming from the word
trousseau, or bundle. The bundle refers to the small bundle of clothes
that the bride would take with her to her new home with the groom.
Now, the hope chest is used to collect things in it throughout the
bride?s life to take with her to her new home, including Sunday
clothes, undergarments, and everyday clothes.
In many French towns, the groom will meet the bride
at her home on the day of the wedding and walk with her to the ceremony.
Children will run along with them, throwing white ribbons that the
bride cuts as she walks along.
Wearing orange blossoms is a symbol of virginity
in France. A French ambassador who wanted a clipping from an orange
tree in Spain began the tradition. He sent a gardener?s daughter
to get it, with a promise that she would get a large dowry in return,
so that she would be able to marry. She got the clipping and wore
orange blossoms in her hair on her wedding day to honor the orange
tree that helped her marry.
Very fragrant flowers are used for the bouquets and
decorations, following the belief that the smell will ward off evil
spirits.
During the ceremony, the couple stands beneath a carrel,
which is a silk canopy. It is supposed to protect the couple from
bad luck. The same carrel is used for the baptism of their children.
Laurel leaves are scattered outside of the exit of the church, as
the couple exits.
In Southern France, the guests will throw coins at
the children as the couple exits the church. At the reception, the
couple uses a toasting cup, called the Coupe De Marriage. It is
a two handed cup that is passed down through each generation.
The wedding cake is known as a croquembouche, which
is made of small cream filled pastry puffs in the shape of a pyramid
and covered in glaze.
As a very old tradition, guests used to bring small
cakes to the reception and pile them in the middle of a table, one
on top of the other. The bride and groom would have to kiss over
the top of them, to symbolize a long life together.
On the couples wedding night, friends gather
outside of their window and bang pots and pans. The friends are
usually invited inside to enjoy a couple of more drinks.
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