Known as one of the most romantic countries in the world, France is host to thousands of weddings each year with a long history of traditional wedding customs. Some modern French weddings still implement these traditions today.
A wedding armoire, called trousseau, is a decorated chest filled with the bride's clothing and linens that she is transporting from her family's home to her new home with her husband. Traditionally, this item was hand carved with symbols of wealth and prosperity by the bride's father. Also, special craftsmen would build the armoires and give to the couple as a wedding gift. This concept is used today to describe the outfit the bride wears after the ceremony and the articles she will take on the honeymoon.
Still praciticed in smaller French villages is the charming wedding procession where the groom escorts the bride to the cermony. Children will block their path with streams of white ribbons that the bride will cut along the way. These symbolic obstacles are created for the couple to overcome together and signify their their common path in a new life.
When the ceremony begins, the bride and groom are seated in velvet chairs underneath a silk canopy called a carrel. The canopy protects the couple from any descending bad luck. The veil is saved and later used to baptise their newborn child.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds are showered with tossed grains of wheat or rice as a symbol of prosperity and fertility. In some parts of France, coins are tossed to children or dragees are thrown, which are sugar or chocolate coated almonds.
The French wedding cake is a pyramid of creampuff pastries, covered in sugar and a caramel glaze, called croquembouche. This traditional cake was the result of the aged custom when the bride and groom were challenged to kiss over top of a large stack of small cakes. They were granted with a lifetime of happiness if they could accomplish the feat. The couple will also drink from a toasting cup, called the Coupe de Marriage, where a small piece of toast is dropped in the wine to ensure a healthy life. This is the actual origin of toasting before a drink.
Dancing is a joyous celebratory activity at weddings worldwide. The traditional French dance is called rond and guests join hands and dance around in a circle. After a long night of eating, drinking, and dancing, the couple heads back to their new home, but are soon disturbed by loud singing and banging of pots and pans. This custom is the traditional wedding prank called chiverie, and the bride and groom invite the guests inside to enjoy one last snack and drink to culminate the end of their wedding day.
If you find a Frenchman to be your future husband, perhaps you will incorporate some of these traditional French customs in your big day.