Hello my beloved readership,

to our four-months-wedding-celebration I have a little (sad) announce to make: against the background of Christmas time beginning now followed by New Year’s Eve this is going to be the last Fall4Me Wedding Special entry for this year. The next wedding entries will continue with the beginning of spring on March 21st, 2018.

What Are The Traditions For?

Folklore ahoi! You can say a wedding consists of traditions, moreover a wedding is a tradition itself with old customs and every single detail of a wedding bearing a huge meaning in it and this is the essence of a wedding and its necessary companies the traditions: transfering something from generation to generation and creating traditions and good omen. After all a tradition does not just appear out of the sudden, it gets built up. Traditions exist and survive because they happen to be good and bring good fortue.

The Following Traditions Took Place On FloJo2017

Every time I think of traditons on a wedding I cannot resist to think back to my uncles-in-law having teased me, me(!) an already excited and sensitive bride-to-be with all kinds of feelings, with the sentences “We as well have our customs here…” and “…if you know about everything it will not be excited anymore. You will not be hurt.”, I needed to be said in addtion.

“Traditions exist and survive because they happen to be good and bring good fortue.”
– Fall4Me

Surprise, surprise – as if one would not have known that in the end everything would be fine and we would all laugh about everything afterwards… or even during the whole show? Anyway long speech, short sense read below about some examples for traditions for a wedding from Armenia and south-western Germany (Eifel):

1. The Traditional Mother/Father-Bride-Talk

   You may have probably watched it on various movies or rather series but this movie is reality. While the bride-to-be is packing her last things, thinking her last thoughts and looking around her child’s room for the last time the parents enter for a last goodbye and some words unspoken, of pride and everything they have in their heart. Out of experience I assure you that tears falling is the most natural state in that moment. I still could cry everytime I look back at that moment when my mother still told to my father that she does not want me to get married. My father, a wise man talked common sense into her mind that she would not want what she just said as they would not wish for me to end up lonely. Even if this talk might take place once a lifetime a wedding is a goodbye and hello in one, do not miss to apologize, to thank and to just speak out everything that your parents deserve to hear in that moment. For all the years that they have dedicated to you before you enter a new stage of life: the one of becoming truly mature.
   

   

   

2. The Bride-Brother Putting On The Bride’s Shoes & The Mother Turning Her Veil

   In Armenia the folklore tradition says that the bride is getting her wedding dress on as well as the jewellery, after the hair and make-up were done, with the help of her mother. After that she is waiting in her room for the family of the groom to bring her gift-hamper. Then all the girls and women gather themselves in the room of the bride around her. The only man that may enter the bride’s room is her brother. Attention: if she should not have one a close male relative such as a cousin should make it, too. He is putting on the bride’s shoes as well as suspender. In the end the bride’s mother is turning the veil three times around the bride as a blessing and puts it on.

   

3. Money For The Bride

   The brother has another duty: he cannot just simply let his sister being taken from a stranger to another home. This stranger, the husband to be, has to pay for the bride. But since we do not live in the Middle Ages this payment is rather symbolic. It shall portray what value the bride has to her groom. Tipp: the more you pay as groom the longer – so it is said – the marriage is meant to endure. My husband has suggested to pay 500€, my parents agreed the payment to be fair 50€ being assured about the value my husband puts on me. In the end this money was used for the wedding. I have a friend who’s groom has paid just one cent for her. After two years they divorced, you see.
   We have prepared a little sketch of it with my brother holding a sword before my groom to keep my room locked until he has paid and was allowed to enter my room afterwards. I can tell you it was a huge laughter of that event on that day.
   This tradition is pretty popular and common in South-Eastern Europe.

4. Being Thrown With Rice

   As the married couple comes out of the church (or otherwise the free ceremony has been completed and the couple is leaving the altar) this universal tradition takes place. Some use rice, others confetti or rose petals. Use whatever you are feeling more comfortable and familiar with. I can tell that we were full of rice until we took off all of our clothes since all of it has landed underneath our hair and clothes. This will entertain your guests young and old the most as we experienced. Important: at least most or all of the guests should do it as they give their blessing with it for the married couple.

   

5. Heart-Cutting-Competition

   This was a tradition me and my part of the family may have been surprised with. Nevertheless we have joined it with excitement and enthusiasm. So this tradition is attributed to the Eifel region. Bride as well as groom are to cut a big heart painted on a sheet. Both are starting in the middle each one meant to cut one half. The tradition says that whoever finishes first has the trousers on in the marriage. Unfortunately I was told this in the middle of cutting when my husband as almost finished and I was in the middle of cutting. In the end the husband has to carry his bride through the heart.

   

   

6. Throwing The Bridal Bouquet

   The most hot sought-after tradition on each wedding all over the world – I am speaking about myself here – the throwing of the bridal bouquet which decides who is going to be the next bride. The bride is standing with her back to all unmarried girls who are taking part on the wedding (since this wedding had taken place within the circle of our closest family the unmarried boys were standing too). Then, without looking, the bride and guests are counting to are counting to three and the bride is throwing her bouquet. The one who catches the bouquet – so it is said – is going to be the next bride. Until I threw the bouquet I was afraid of not being able to throw the bouquet well and embarass myself on my big day, but, man, I was good! My best throw. I secretly wished my little sister-in-law to catch the bouquet, the answer to why is going to be my personal secret. My wish was heard.

   

   

   

   

   

Traditions Are Fun

We were as blessed with traditions as with our gift-hampers. But I must admit that if this traditions would not have been the wedding would have been half as funny, beautiful and entertaining as it was. Even though some traditions were strange to some of us we agreed to them and had huge fun with that. But not only were the traditions fun but as well a big blessing because they were so funny, fluently and trouble-free going.

Love, Johanna