I wasn’t planning on a second installment of “Wedding Traditions” until I came across some more neat stuff while reading what else? Wedding magazines.

Here ya go. Enjoy!

Handfasting - this is an ancient Celtic tradition symbolizing the joining of two people in marriage. There are many versions of this gesture illustrating the union of husband and wife and is the origin of the phrase “tying the knot”. Since this ritual is not universally allowed at all religious ceremonies, you should first check with your officiant and church, if applicable.

Handfasting

Breaking the Glass - this Jewish tradition in which the groom steps on a glass symbolizes many things, among them life’s great joy and sadness, a hope that your happiness will be as plentiful as the shards of glass and the couple being forever changed by the marriage and taking on a new form. P.S. I just found this cool website where not only will you find LOTS more information about this tradition, but they also do really cool things with the shards of glass. Check it out! MazelTovGlass.com. Be sure to use thin glass and wrap it in a napkin so the shards don’t fly.

Jumping the Broom - In this African-American tradition, the couple jumps over a broom to symbolize the sweeping away of the old and starting anew. This custom dates back to the days when the slaves weren’t allowed to marry. It represented “jumping” into the bonds of domesticity.

Jumping the Broom

Sand Ceremony - Representing the merging of two families (or two people), the family members (or just the couple) combine sand from different vessels into one bowl. Perfect for a beach wedding!

Sand Ceremony

Here at the Paperie, I get lots of inquiries about programs. Programs are wonderful because not only do they help your guests follow along with the ceremony, they make your guests feel welcome and involved. Plus they are a wonderful keepsake!

Cami’s Paperie offers a wide range of highly customizable programs. We can match your wedding colors, coordinate with your invitations and even create a one-of-a-kind custom monogram for you!

Not sure what you should include in your program? Here’s a helpful list of some items you can include:

• Your Names, wedding date and ceremony location.
• The elements of the ceremony, such as prayers, readings and musical pieces.
• The Participants including your officiant, wedding party, readers and musicians.
• An Explanation of any cultural traditions
• Thank-You’s to your guests of family.
• A tribute to deceased relatives

Here’s a general guideline of Cami’s Paperie program offerings (click twice on each pic to enlarge):

Looking for a different way to distinguish your tables at your reception? Try one of these snazzy ideas:

1. Name your tables after famous poets. Include a line of their poetry somewhere on the table number.

2. Name your tables using the word “love” in many different languages.

3. Name your tables after famous people from your state.

4. Numbers are fine too! Include photos of you or your spouse at the age that corresponds with the table number.

5. Name your tables after special places you’ve been together.

6. Name your tables after your favorite movies.

7. Here’s one of my favorites. I recently worked with a couple who named each table after a category (for example, “Sports”). On the back of the table number we listed 20 trivia questions on that specific subject. The answers were in an envelope on the table.

Did you ever wonder why do the things we do at weddings? I certainly do, so here’s a little education for all you brides and grooms out there. Enjoy!

The Toast - This comes from the Greek and Roman way to honor their guests: floating a piece of toast in the wine to reduce the acidity.

Wedding Favors - Traditional in Greece, guests would receive sugarcoated almonds packaged in odd numbers to symbolize the newlywed couple would stay undivided.

Throwing Rice - In Asia, throwing rice signifies prosperity and good luck. Other cultures believe it brings fertility since rice is a “life-giving” seed.

The Invitations - In the middle ages, weddings were announced by the town crier. Later, when more people could read, invitations were sent by horseback. Since the outer envelope would often be damaged en route, the inner envelope served as the formal envelope. Today, many couples choose to do away with the inner envelope since it means extra waste and heavier envelopes.

The Wedding Cake - In Rome, the end of the wedding was marked with a piece of barley cake being broken over the bride’s head, a symbol of fertility. Yummy edible sugary cakes began showing up during the seventeenth century.

The Bouquet - In ancient times, it was believed that a bouquet of herbs and garlic could ward off evil spirits.

credit: The Knot

There are something like 100 gazillion trillion websites out there. I’m working on looking through all of them. Here are some cool one’s I’ve found. Enjoy!

My Glass Slipper

Groom Groove offers straight talk for the guys on planning, duties, fashion and LOTS more. Send your guy there NOW.

Sara Gabriel Hair Jewelry & Headpieces. Offering fabulous hair jewelry, headpieces, accessories and more.

Go ahead, fake them out. They’ll never know the difference. Emitations.com carries a wide selection of replicas worn by A-list celebrities. Check it out!

Need help writing your vows? Try My Wedding Vows

Seating arrangements got you crazy? Toptableplanner.com is a super helpful site. You can drag and drop names, tables and chairs until you’ve got it all figured out. Try it!

Know the marriage laws in your state. Visit USmarriagelaws.com

You may have heard these terms before and have no idea what they mean. Really, the only time you really hear these phrases is when you’re planning a wedding, so you’re not expected to actually know what they mean. Here’s a little glossary of some words that you may not know the meanings of:

At Home Cards: These are small cards giving the newlywed’s address after the marriage. They are sometimes included with the invitation or announcements or provided at the reception. They can also be included with the thank you note.

Within the ribbon cards: aka Pew cards. If you would like to be sure certain people are seated near the front, you may use a ribbon on the pew or seats to indicate reserved seating. If the ushers won’t know who’s seated in that area, you may enclose with your wedding invitations small cards with the words “Within the ribbon” which the guest will present to the ushers.

Kalogram: A type of monogram in which the entire name is used rather than the initials. (See example below).

Escort Cards: place cards

Here’s an example of a Kalogram:

Q: Should we send invitations?

A: Absolutely. You won’t be inviting every single wedding guest to your rehearsal dinner, so it’s important to send separate invitations to avoid confusion.

Q: When should we send invitations?

A: No later than four weeks before the date.

Q: Any special rules about the invitations?

A: Nope. The rehearsal dinner is typically less formal than the wedding reception so you definitely have a lot more room for creativity with the design and wording on the rehearsal invitation. Just don’t forget to give credit to the hosts.

Q: How big of a meal is expected?

A: If you’re inviting someone to “dinner,” then you should serve them dinner-sized portions.

Q: Is it appropriate for people to speak at the rehearsal dinner?

A: Yes! It’s a great time for your friends to share stories and memories. Speeches at your rehearsal dinner are also a great alternative to those long speeches at your wedding reception.

Q: Is it okay to offer to split the cost of the rehearsal dinner with the groom’s parents.

A: Of course. If you’re worried that the expense is too much for one family, splitting the cost is perfectly appropriate. Remember, you want this night to be fun, not stressful.

Credit: The Knot