Marriage in Italy is not just a sacrament but it was, and perhaps knowingly or unknowingly still is, the most important social event in a girl's life. Brides-to-be dream of the day of wedding from an early age and fanstastic on every detail, especially on the dress they will wear. But nothing is left to chance, the uses and customs related to best day have deep roots and there are so many details and curiosities that make it so special, magical and unforgettable. Did you know, for example, that the groom's family buys the bride's dress and that the bride's family buy the shirt for the groom? ItCittà would like to tell you this and many other curiosities about marriage and local traditions: from the preparations to the ceremony.
The wedding of the past
It all started with the engagement and the exchange of rings. Then there was the trousseau that began to be prepared when the future bride was still very young. Everything it was important: the invitations, the room, the menu, the guests, but the undisputed protagonist was la wife. Her hairstyle, her dress, were and still are under the gaze of all.
Of course, many things have changed, but many have remained the same. Getting married ed organizing a wedding always remains an unforgettable stage in a couple's life.
The bride is always at the center of the event, she must arrive late, her dress must be fairytale, the mother and mother-in-law must cry, the Church must be full of flowers and so on.
We're Italian…
We Italians have deep-rooted traditions which we do not know and do not want to give up.
For this reason, even those who emigrated have always been celebrated the wedding according to the customs and traditions of beloved Italy. One of the prerogatives of marriage was the Photos. Those of the wedding were among the very few photos that a family could afford and were preserved and handed down with care and attention. How many times have we seen old wedding photos, are beautiful!
In the past it was used to take photos from photographer because you didn't own the equipment. The bride and groom posed for the photographer and was behind them a drawn background. The thick background featured heavy velvet curtains or antique furniture. The wealth and beauty of the clothes depended on the social class of the spouses. One thing was certain, the bride had to be dressed in white and the groom had to be wearing a dark suit and tie.
…also abroad
Even those who emigrated abroad married their daughters taking into account the traditions of their land of origin. From Argentina to Canada, from Spain to Africa, the embroidery of the trousseau, the choice of invitations and the menu, the pillow with the rings, the ring companion, the guest list, the style of the clothes, everything spoke and speaks Italian!
