My Big Fat Southern Italian Wedding: Traditions
When it comes to weddings, traditions play an important role, whether you decide to follow them or not.
- Confetti e bomboniere
What do I mean with “confetti”? Well, confetti is an Italianism used in English that has the meaning of little pieces of colourful paper thrown during a celebration or a special event. In Italy confetti are those red and white sweets you can see at the right side of the above picture (red is the graduation colour in Italy). They consist of almonds (sometimes nuts) covered with sugar and different colours, according to the event. They can have many different flavours and shapes: the classic one is the white almond, perfect for every event (baptism, degree, wedding…). I do love nuts confetti covered with chocolate (they can be round) or almonds with coconut flavour.
What about bomboniere? At the left side of the picture above you can see party favours for the guests. Like confetti, they can change according to the event. Usually 3 to 5 confetti can be included to the bomboniera. Guests receive their bomboniere at the end of the event, and they represent a souvenir of that day. Having WXYZ relatives, my parents have at home such a lot of bomboniere! They are all well displayed in (glass) cabinets in every Italian living room (don’t try to prove me wrong!).
2. Keeping my last name
Before moving to Austria, I never imagined that people, especially women, change identity when they get married. Starting a new family does not mean (to me) taking his name and then having children with HIS surname. In every family there are single individuals with their own identity, and my surname remembers me of my roots. Nobody in Italy asks a woman if those are her children just because they have different family names. My fiancé and I both agree to name our far-away-future children with both surnames, eventually this is now possible in Italy.
3. Hand-deliver invitations
We are going to visit our aunts/uncles and friends to give them personally their invitation and the first confetti round. Since I have many cousins, we will leave their invitation and confetti to their parents. I think we are going to start already six months before the wedding, so that we finish all the visits in time in order to have a “fixed” participants list. We are going to send invitations for those who live far away from us as obviously we cannot visit them all.
4. Reception party the morning wedding
Even though my fiancé and I live together, we will stay with our own families the night before the wedding. I will get ready with my parents, sister and closest friends, and then some guests will come for a reception before the wedding. The same will happen at my fiancé’s place, probably he will arrange for breakfast.
5. Testimoni vs. maid of honour/best man
In Italy usually we don’t have any maid of honour and best man, although this idea has become popular here as well. We are going to have a civil rite, but for both civil and religious rites, bride and groom need someone who witnesses (testimoni) the ceremony next to the couple and signs the civil/church wedding register. Usually they are two people for her, and two for him, and they are trustworthy and important for the couple.
6. Something blue, something borrowed, something new, something old, something gifted
This is a well known tradition, worldwide popular. I feel it will be challenging finding the matching jewels and accessories for the wedding dress!
It would be great to receive any information on worldwide traditions! Please feel free to add your comment and share this article!
The bride, Laura
