Italian wedding traditions

With fairytale castles, sweeping green hills, bountiful vineyards, and incredible food and wine, it’s little wonder Tuscany is a popular place for lovers to tie the knot. 

 

Of course, getting married in Italy should also mean a few of the local traditions rub off on the doe-eyed bride and groom, including the tendency for epic meals (you can expect a wedding banquet to last at least 4 hours). 

When it comes to bridal wear, there are also some traditions worth knowing about. 

 

The last gift a bride should receive from her groom before the wedding should be the bouquet, hand delivered by the person that chose it. 

As in many cultures, she’ll traditionally wear a lucky garter under her dress, but things get interesting after the ceremony, when it’s the garter, not the bouquet, that is thrown into the crowd – by the groom. If the bride has no garter, you’d better watch out, as the groom will be forced to throw a shoe. 

 

The concept of veils originates in Italy too. Traditionally, the veil was a symbol of purity worn by Roman brides. In southern Italy, the veil’s length is an indication of the length of engagement, with one meter of fabric for every year. Not all Italian wedding traditions will be quirky and unfamiliar to visitors, we still practice something old, new, borrowed and blue.