Wedding Party Traditions

What is the difference between a wedding party and all the others you will ever attend? Everyone goes home with a gift!

Usually this happens at the wedding reception where everyone gathers to celebrate the union of a newlywed couple. While not all receptions are geared toward mass gift giving, many of them do give out small gifts. These gifts are referred to wedding party favors, most of the time. Usually it is too expensive to give anything other than small commemorative gifts, so you shouldn't expect anything elaborate. The bride and groom usually like to share their big moment with all of their guests, and the favors are a little something for you to take home as a physical reminder of the event. The options for these take home gifts are many. They could be anything from a wallet sized picture of the happy couple to miniature gift baskets filled with candies bearing the date of the wedding.

Since they are only meant as a reminder of the celebration, the favors themselves are not important. They are really just a symbol of the union. You won't find any other parties like a wedding reception. You get to take a part of the special moment home with you when you leave. When the night is over, and the party is finished, there are only a couple of people who get to bring a piece of the actual ceremony back with them. This usually occurs when the bride calls on the ladies in the crowd who have yet to tie the knot, and instructs them to stand behind her as she tosses her bouquet behind her for one of these lucky women to catch. As the tradition goes, that lucky lady who ended up with the bouquet will be getting married next. Then the tradition continues with the men in the room who are still unmarried. The process is nearly the same as it was for the ladies. This time, however, what is being tossed in the air is a garter that the groom has removed from the leg of his new bride.

After this wedding tradition is completed, the garter and the bouquet are kept by the lady and man who came out of the frenzy victorious. Most of the time a wedding is a very traditional event, and so is the wedding reception. Tradition has been infused into these ceremonies throughout history. Not all weddings are celebrated with the same traditions. In fact, the traditions can be decidedly unique depending on the lineage, religious beliefs, and culture of the couple. The Jewish tradition of the newlyweds breaking the glass is well known around the world. In ancient times, it is said that the Romans would crumble the wedding cake over the brides head for good luck in having children. As time goes on, many traditions that were originally within the ceremony have become a part of the reception.

One of the most enjoyable things about them is how the different styles due to long held traditions can ultimately create a special and unique wedding party. One of the great ideals of traditions is how they can be passed on from generation to generation. They are something which can tie our past together with our present, and then touch our future. The philosophies behind traditions, wedding traditions and others, don't really change with time. The specifics change, but the core values behind them don't.

That being said, there appears to be a tradition which is almost always present in any union. The first dance of the bride and groom together as husband and wife. The symbolic change from life as two individuals into one family. We all look forward to the dance between father and bride which also has symbolic meaning. The way this happens is the father of the bride will ask the new husband if may dance with his daughter. The symbolism is more than singular. It signifies the assent of the groom to the head of his family, and also the bride becoming a woman in her father's eyes, as well as, in the eyes of the rest of the world. The wedding party favor is a physical reminder of this moment, and all the others of this magical day.

Additional information on the Wedding Party can be found by visiting The Wedding Party Guide which is an online wedding resource for those who have an event to plan. Even if you don't have a wedding party to plan, you can still find good information on topics from wedding party invitations to drinks for the big day.

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