The simple guide to
Traditions and Etiquette on
the Big Day
2
Summary
Hi my name is Ashleigh and I have created a
simple guide on how to plan your wedding and
give you a little history lesson on what use to
be done and what we still do today.
This ebook will cover the traditions and the
correct etiquettes of weddings.
Happy Planning.
3
Content
Summary P.2
1. History of weddings P.4
2. Traditions around the world P.5
3. Bridesmaids and Best Man P.6
4. Wedding cakes P.7
5. Wedding rings P.8
6. Something Old, Something New P.9
7. Planning the wedding P.10
Invitation P.11
Cancelling, proposing the wedding P.12
And 2nd marriage
Seating Plan P.13
Who pays for what? P.14
Speeches P.15
The Ceremony Etiquette P.16
8. Bibliography P.17-18
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History of Weddings
Nearly every girl dreams about their wedding day with
their man of their dreams with a fairy tale ending, but
have you ever stopped and thought how did weddings
start in the first place?
Back in the Anglo-Saxon time, getting married was not
a happy time that we know of it today; back in those
times it was when a man kidnaps a woman of his
choosing with or without her consent.
By the Middle Ages girls as young as 15 where seen as
their fathers property to do what they wanted, mostly
married off for power, money or alliances.
To make matters worse did it ever cross your mind
where did wearing a vail come from?
A vail was worn in the Roman times to guard off evil
spirts while if it was a arrange marriage it was worn to
hide the brides face until the vows where finished
just in cases he didn’t like what he saw.
Not a fun time to be a bride.
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Traditions
around the
world
Hundreds of couples from around the world get married each year and every one of those weddings is
completely different but I bet you didn’t know certain countries had unique customs when it came to
weddings.
Ancient Rome: The groom bought his bride from her parents.
Holland and Switzerland: It was known to plant a pine tree in front of your home because it was seen as
happiness and fertility.
Italy: The groom would cut up his tie to pay for the honeymoon.
Germany: The best man would kidnap the bride and basically take her to a pub until the groom would come
and rescue her and pay for the tab.
Chinese: They only get married on the half-hour because the hands are moving up and not down.
Greece and Cyprus: While the bride and groom are dancing guest would pin paper money on them.
What one would you like if you had the chose?
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The History of bridesmaids is pretty interesting.
The reason behind a bridesmaid is of course to
help the bride get ready but also to protect her
from evil spirts by dressing just like the bride so
the evil spirits will get confused who the bride
was.
The best man basically the same as the
bridesmaid to protect the groom from bad luck
and to make sure the groom arrives in one piece
to his wedding.
Bridesmaids and
Best Man
7
The traditional richness of the wedding cake was a symbol
of fertility from Roman times. It is still usual for the bride
and groom to cut the first slice together to ensure a
fruitful marriage.
At one time, the cake was broken over the bride's head
while guests scrambled about for pieces which were thought
lucky. An old custom suggested unmarried girls should sleep
with a slice of wedding cake beneath their pillow if they
wished to dream of their future husband.
The familiar three-tier wedding cake we see so often today
is said to have been originally inspired by the unusual shape
of Sir Christopher Wren's 70-metre-high spire on St
Bride's Church in Fleet Street, London.
Wedding
Cakes
8
Wedding Ring
Choosing an engagement
ring or wedding ring is
one of the hardest parts
of this wedding journey
and it hasn’t even begun.
Have you ever thought to
yourself one the left
hand on the third finger
and is Gold?
The reason why dates
back to the Egyptians
and the early Greeks
because they believed
that an artery ran to the
heart from the third left
finger.
The beliefs behind having
your wedding ring Gold
was to believe it had
magically powers and
rubbed on warts to make
them disappeared.
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Something borrowed: This could be anything, it
represent the link to her old friends.
Something old: Usually a piece of jewellery from her
grandma so she doesn’t forget where she came from.
Something new: This item is usually the
wedding dress.
Something blue: Represents purity. These days’
brides wear a blue garter.
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Planning the
wedding
Planning a wedding is hard work from guest list, venue, seating
arrangement, cake, djs the list goes on and on. Hopefully this next section
will show you how easy it is to plan your dream wedding step by step.
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Invitation
There are so many types and styles to choose from that would
make any couple go a bit crazy.
After choosing your invitation the next question is who do you
want to come?
Here are a couple of tips to help you through this journey.
1. Guest over the age of 18 should receive their own
invitation.
2. You must add your RSVP address and when the cut off is
3. You must ask all guest for their dietary requirements
4. If someone hasn’t RSVP 1 week past the cut-off date call
them.
5. Family should receive an invitation as a memory.
6. If you do not want children at your wedding here are a
few tips to address your request in a proper manner.
Don’t mention the children in the invitation.
We hope a and b will be able to attended
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Things always come up or don’t work out. Here are some guidelines to
help you through these stressful times.
1. The engagement ring should be returned straight away.
2. Out of town guest should be contacted first so they can cancel
their travel arrangement.
3. All gifts should be returned even if they have given you money
with a reason why the wedding has been cancelled.
4. If the gift has been personalized you do not need to return it.
If you’re postponing your wedding you should contact your entire
guest asap. You also have to send out new invitations out with the new
details.
If you’re walking down the aisle again there’s a few do’s and don’ts you
should be aware of.
1. You can still wear a white wedding dress.
2. You should not wear a veil or have a train
3. Parents do not need to pay for anything.
Cancelling, proposing the wedding and 2nd marriage
13
Seating Plans Where to sit your guest? You don’t want people fighting or feeling awkward on your big day so here’s
some tip to keep in mind when you’re planning your setting plan.
1. Do not put relatives together if they’re not talking to each other.
2. Don’t force guest to get along with each other if they don’t know each other.
3. Sit guest by ages eg. Teens with Teens, Aunty and Uncles together so they can get along with
each other and be able to have a good time.
The rules for the head table have changed so many times there isn’t any rule.
A typical head table would be the bride and groom followed by Best Man and Maid of Honor then
Bridesmaid and Groomsman.
14
Who pays for what?
The cost of weddings these days are
getting more expensive and family members
do not need to help pay but in some cases
families are old school and feel obligated
to pay.
Bride's Family
1. All Reception Costs
2. Church Fees
3. The Groom's Rings
4. Invitations
5. Flowers for Church, Bridesmaids and
Reception
6. Music for Ceremony
7. Bridal Party Transport
8. Gifts for Bridal Party
9. Groom's Gift
Bridal Party
1. Their Attire
2. The Shower
3. If from out-of-town, transportation
to the town the wedding is in
4. Gift for the Couple
Groom's Family
1. Bride's Ring
2. Clergy Fees
3. Bride's Bouquet, Corsages and
Boutonnieres
4. Rehearsal Dinner
5. Transportation for Groomsmen
6. Gifts for Groomsmen
7. Bride's Gift
Groomsmen
1. Their Attire
2. The Stag
3. Gift for the Couple
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Speeches
When it comes to speeches only the best man
needs to do one, followed by the couple.
If your bridal party would like to make a toast
this is the order you should try and follow.
1. Best Man toasts the couple and the
bridesmaids
2. Groom's parents
3. Bride's parents
4. Maid of Honour toast the couple and
the groomsmen
5. Groom toasts his wife, his groomsmen
and both sides of parents
6. Bride toasts her husband, her
bridesmaids and both sets of parents
The Do’s and Don’ts while you’re doing your
speech.
DOs
o Make it short, there’s nothing worse
than a speech which keeps on going.
o Practice your speech, be relaxed
o Add a funny story but nothing to
personal or embarrassing.
DON’Ts
o Don’t be drunk
o Don’t have anything in your mouth, eg.
Gum or food.
o Don’t bring up past relationships
o Make it about the couple not you
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The Ceremony Etiquette When it comes to the ceremony there are a few
un written rules which need to be followed.
The brides’ guest and family sit on the left hand
side of the church while the grooms’ side is the
right.
What is the correct order to walk down the
aisle?
There are many different ways but the more
traditional is as followed;
o The groom and best man are already at the
altar
o Groomsmen first
o Bridesmaids follow
o Maid of honour
o Flower girl and ring bearer
o Bride walks with her father or other.
17
Bibliography 1. Front page:
http://www.playbuzz.com/greenfieldsevents10/what-type-of-wedding-will-you-have
2. History of Wedding:
http://www.victoriana.com/bridal/bridal6.htm
http://www.phildweddingphotography.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/
3. Traditions around the world:
http://www.knotforlife.com/planning/basics/5-strange-wedding-traditions.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_customs_by_country#/media/File:Greek_Wedding_Photography_Money_Dance.jpg
http://www.onewed.com/photos/show/stunning-indian-bride-shows-off-wedding-day-henna-on-hands
4. Bridesmaids and Best Man
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-a-best-mans-duties.htm#
http://blog.weddingpaperdivas.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/bride-getting-help-getting-ready.jpg
https://kentuckykindred.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/scan_pic0729.jpg
https://au.pinterest.com/pin/556053885212542784/
5. Wedding cakes:
http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/58511386.html
http://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-cakes-pictures/
http://www.zankyou.us/p/our-favorite-wedding-cake-trends-for-2016
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6. Wedding rings:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_ring#/media/File:Wedding_ring_Louvre_AC924.jpg
http://apracticalwedding.com/2016/02/online-engagement-ring-shopping-james-allen/
http://popularwedding-ring.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/gold-wedding-rings-2013.html
7. Something old, something new:
http://zenadiadesign.com/something-old-something-new-history/
8. Planning the wedding:
http://www.lovewedbliss.com/wedding-ideas/7-hot-wedding-gift-trends-of-2013
http://blovedblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/bloved-wedding-blog-its-all-in-the-details-obsessions-place-settings-menu-bag-
band.jpg
https://dreamerseventplanner.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/wedding-drape-drapery-draping-pattern-print-reception-tent-48.jpg
https://au.pinterest.com/pin/180918110004278309/
9. Invitations:
http://amorluxuryweddingstationery.co.uk/PhotoAlbumsPro/pearlweddinginvitationsamy/#/0
10. Cancelling the wedding:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-2446083/TONY-HETHERINGTON-Reception-called-hotel-demanded-3-500.html
11. Seating Planning:
http://www.toptableplanner.com/top_table_seating_arrangements.php
12. Speeches:
http://www.ghostwords.com/custom-wedding-speeches/
13. The Ceremony Etiquette
http://www.bridalpulse.com/uploads/2015/11/bride-walking-down-aisle1.jpg?12cb30&12cb30