Weddings are oh so romantic. And romance immediately brings to mind France – the enigmatic country of eternal romance. So turned to the net, and this is what I learnt from : www.sprachcaffe.com, www.worldweddingcustoms.com, www.njsweddingshop.com; www.travour.com
It’s a wonder how old time traditions have lived on, albeit in a modern form.
French Wedding Costume
During the medieval and renaissance periods, wedding dresses were basically the bride’s best dress that was embellished with jewelry, embroidery, laces and small bits of finery like ornamental tags, bow knots, tassels, ribbons, beading etc. Hmmm that sounds so much like the improvisations we do for our parties, isn’t it??
In fact, up until the late 19th century, brides wore just about any color for their wedding, including black if the bridegroom was a widower. That would be some colour.
The white wedding dress as a token of the bride’s purity and innocence is a relatively new concept that came into popular
vogue only in the19th century!! Along with the impact of neo-classic fashion, brides from French aristocracy and bourgeoisie are reported to wear all white dresses, trimmed with golden or sliver embroidery. That would be so chaste and elegant. It was Empress Eugenie who first wore the elaborate modern wedding gown during her wedding to Napoleon III in 1853. Oh am sure even today if I wear a dress like this I would feel like an empress myself. The popular orange blossoms represent fertility and prosperity. It is a tradition in France for every bride to flaunt an orange blossom at the day of the wedding symbolizing virginity. However, there was a time when the fashion for orange blossoms outstripped the seasonal supply, and some brides resorted to orange blossoms made of wax. That’s such a grand colour.
Bridal trousseau and wedding armoire
A wedding armoire, also known as hope chest is presented to the bride as she departs from her parental house. According to tradition, this is used for the bride's trousseau, symbolizing hope and good wish for her married life. It used to be hand-carved by the father with symbols of wealth and prosperity and given to her when she was still an adolescent. As she grew up, she would fill it up with her own wardrobe to take it with her to her new home. This armoire was destined to become a central piece of furniture in the household of the newlyweds.
The French term “trousseau” literally refers to a bundle of linens / clothing. The trousseau usually would contain clothing for Sundays, everyday dresses, lingerie and also embroidered linens she had prepared with initials of her future family. Over the years it has evolved to denote the special outfit the bride will wear after doffing her gown and take with her on her honeymoon. Also the concept of trousseau has given rise to the modern day bridal shower, designating all the chief household articles required to raise her future family. Now that would sure make all girls grateful to the French brides of yore.
Wedding procession
Still practiced in small villages today, it is a traditional French custom for the groom to call on his future bride at her home on the morning of their wedding. The groom escorts her to the wedding chapel in a procession, headed by musicians, followed behind by the bride with her father, guests and the groom with his mother at the end of line. It is also customary that French village children blocked the bridal couple’s route with white ribbons which the bride must cut. In Brittany beggars plaited a hedgerow briar across the newlyweds until bribed to remove .All these symbolic obstacles are created for the wedding couple to overcome together and thus to signify their common path in a new life. As I said earlier, traditions make weddings so much more richer.
Wedding ceremony
Once the guests have gathered at the church, the groom and his mother precede the rest of the wedding party down the aisle.
In traditional weddings, the couple stands beneath a silk canopy called “carre”, a predecessor of the veil, to receive the priest's final blessings. This is believed to protect the couple from descending malice. The same veil is used for the baptism of their new born child.
As the bridal couple leaves the chapel, they walk through a flower arch or over laurel leaves scattered in their path. The custom of using fragrant flowers as decorations, bridal bouquets and adornments has been popular for centuries. Fragrant flowers were believed to ward off evil spirits and helped freshen up atmosphere. Hmmm to think of it, there were no deos & air freshners at that time after all. But the natural fragrances would have been so much better .. I can only dream on ..
Outside the church, depending on local custom, guests might throw grains such as wheat or rice for fertility or even gift the bride with loaves of bread. In Southern parts of France, wedding guests toss dragées (almond covered with chocolate , sugar or nougat) and coins at children waiting on the doorsteps of the chapel, as symbol of happiness and festivity. Now I would surely not mind yummy dragees being thrown at me.
Wedding reception
During the Middle Ages, wedding guests would bring small cakes and stacked in a pile, as high as possible, in the center of a table. If the bride and groom could kiss over them without knocking them over, it was thought to symbolize a lifetime of prosperity.
The traditional French wedding celebration cake, known as croquembouche or today's common term, "la pièce montée" was invented by a French chef at the end of 17th century. The cake is made of small, creme-filled pastry puffs piled in a pyramid and covered in a caramel glaze and spun sugar.
Toasts of "health" to the bride and groom hark back to actual toast. Even today, a piece of bread may be placed in a traditional engraved two-handled cup (la coupe de mariage) along with wines from two different vineyards. This represents the couple's union, and after they drink the wine, they eat the bread, a symbol of life. The cup would usually be a precious family heirloom passed down from generation to generation. Wow that would be so precious.
Dancing is a popular pastime at French weddings. In Brittany, the traditional dance is the "rond" in which people join hands and dance in a circle.
Chiverie (Le Charivari)
Chiverie is the wedding night prank to interrupt the wedding couple at night. A crowd (usually the friends) used to gather clanging pots and pans & ringing bells and horns. The bride and groom were expected to appear in their wedding clothes and provide treats for their tormentors.
When the celebrations wind down, someone may head to the kitchen to prepare a strengthening onion soup as a morning after pick-me-up.
Other Customs - Garter (La jarretière)
The tradition of garter is originated from the ancient Jewish society where fidelity was symbolized by the ribbon worn by the bride on her wedding day. Tossing of the bride’s garter became popular in 14th century.
In France, it was a best man who was in charge of stealing it off from the bride or the groom who would take off garter and sell it into small pieces to wedding guests. Or it is said to be the bride who would throw her garter to the guests before sometimes unruly drunken mob tearing it off from her.
What is in common, though, a belief that pieces of brides attires would bring good luck to whoever caught it. There is no such tradition in the Maritime Provinces. Today the bridal bouquet toss serves the same purpose.
Beheading Bottles of Champagne
A tradition that is popular at weddings is beheading bottles of champagne using a specially-made saber. The tradition originated in the time of Napoleon when the Hussards under the famous general’s command began celebrating victories by swinging a sabre and thus neatly slicing the top off a champagne bottle. According to legend, the Hussards’ skilled cavalry would ride up at full gallop to one of the ladies holding up the bottle and with one swipe, behead the bottle.
Even now The French often hire a professional champagne opener for weddings. This expert uses a saber, a Napoleonic cavalry-style sword, to whack open bottles of celebratory champagne.
Dancing is a popular pastime at French weddings. In Brittany, the traditional dance is the "rond" in which people join hands and dance in a circle.
Chiverie (Le Charivari)
Chiverie is the wedding night prank to interrupt the wedding couple at night. A crowd (usually the friends) used to gather clanging pots and pans & ringing bells and horns. The bride and groom were expected to appear in their wedding clothes and provide treats for their tormentors.
When the celebrations wind down, someone may head to the kitchen to prepare a strengthening onion soup as a morning after pick-me-up.
Other Customs - Garter (La jarretière)
The tradition of garter is originated from the ancient Jewish society where fidelity was symbolized by the ribbon worn by the bride on her wedding day. Tossing of the bride’s garter became popular in 14th century.
In France, it was a best man who was in charge of stealing it off from the bride or the groom who would take off garter and sell it into small pieces to wedding guests. Or it is said to be the bride who would throw her garter to the guests before sometimes unruly drunken mob tearing it off from her.
What is in common, though, a belief that pieces of brides attires would bring good luck to whoever caught it. There is no such tradition in the Maritime Provinces. Today the bridal bouquet toss serves the same purpose.
Beheading Bottles of Champagne
A tradition that is popular at weddings is beheading bottles of champagne using a specially-made saber. The tradition originated in the time of Napoleon when the Hussards under the famous general’s command began celebrating victories by swinging a sabre and thus neatly slicing the top off a champagne bottle. According to legend, the Hussards’ skilled cavalry would ride up at full gallop to one of the ladies holding up the bottle and with one swipe, behead the bottle.
Even now The French often hire a professional champagne opener for weddings. This expert uses a saber, a Napoleonic cavalry-style sword, to whack open bottles of celebratory champagne.
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