1. The wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic items, flowers, money) and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader.

2. The White Wedding Dress  The Western custom of a bride wearing a white wedding dress, came to symbolize purity in the Victorian era (despite popular misconception and the hackneyed jokes of situation comedies, the white dress did not indicate virginity, which was symbolized by a face veil).  Within the "white wedding" tradition, a white dress and veil would not have been considered appropriate in the second or third wedding of a widow or divorcee.

3. Origins of the White Dress  The white dress is used since the marriage of Queen Victoria Hannover. The queen weared a white dress for the event, adorned with laces. The official wedding photo was widely distributed, and the habit of the queen was taken by many brides.  The white dress became a tradition, although it should be pointed out that before the marriage of Queen Victoria, it was possible to choose any colour for marriage, except black (the colour of the funeral) and red (associated with prostitutes ). Later, it was a widespread belief that the choice of the white represents virginity, although since the earliest times, the purity was associated with the blue colour. Currently, the white dress is weared merely as the choice for traditional marriage, and not necessarily as a symbol of purity.

4. Bride’s Wearing Things  A modern tradition wants that brides wear or carry "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" during the service. It is considered good luck to do so. Often the bride attempts to have one item that meets all of these qualifications, such as a borrowed blue handkerchief which is "new to her" but loaned by her grandmother (thus making it old). Another addition to this custom is to wear a penny in your shoe, this will bring you prosperity.

5. From the Father to the Groom  The ritual requires that the husband always arrives first. According to our tradition, parents and relatives arrive first (those of the bride take place on the left and those of the husband on the right) and follow all the guests, then it is up to the husband, who is accompanied by his mother up to the altar. When all have taken place, it is the turn of the bride, who enters the church arm in arm with the father and, accompanied by the wedding march, reaches the groom. Then the father gives the bride to the bridegroom, shakes his hands and goes to sit down in the 1st line of seats behind the bride. The groom lifts the bride veil and kisses her on the forehead, then he takes her by the hand and makes her sittingdown on his left. At this point the priest welcomes the couple and the religious function begins.

6. Legal Value of Weddings Celebrated in Italian Catholic Churchs  Under the agreement between the Italian Government and the Holy See, marriages officiated in catholic churchs have also legal value and, therefore, it is no longer necessary to repeat the ceremony before the Lord Mayor.

7. The Wedding Rings Exchange  The main moment of the wedding ritual is the exchange of wedding rings after which the newlyweds say their vows. Since these rings are symbols of the marriage, the words said during a ring exchange should reflect the couple's hopes for their marriage. These words may be simply incorporated into the wedding vows, or treated as a separate ritual. Here is only an example of what newlyweds can say during the exchange:  I, ______, take you, ____, to be my (husband/wife), my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.  Of course, other formulas are possible, too.

8. The Wedding Reception  A wedding is often followed or accompanied by a wedding reception, at which an elaborate wedding cake is served. Western traditions include the newlyweds having the first dance, and cutting the cake. A bride may throw her bouquet to the assembled group of all unmarried women in attendance, with folklore suggesting the person who catches it will be the next to wed. A fairly recent equivalent has the groom throwing the bride's garter to the assembled unmarried men; the man who catches it is supposedly the next to wed.

9. The Pearls  Often the bride wears pearls, given her by her mother. The legend says that pearls are created by the rays of the goddess representing the moon, that’s Artemis or “Lucina” (=small light), which protects the wedding, favours fertility and assists during the birth. Precisely, because the pearls are daughters of the moon, it's customary that the mother gives them to the bride for the day of marriage as an auspicious sign.

10. The Bouquet  According to an old tradition, the bouquet is the ultimate tribute that the future husband gives to the bride. For the selection, the husband may ask the help of a close relative or a friend of her.

11. The Passing Bouquet  At the end of the banquet, the bride gives the bouquet to a single woman, as a hope for her wedding during the current year. If her friends are more than one, then proceed to launch it. If the wife wishes to leave a souvenir to each of them, the bouquet should be composed of many bunches that will be evenly distributed. Finally, if the bride wants to preserve the bouquet at the same time remaing true to tradition, it can take a smaller pack for the launch

12. Almond Comfits  The almond comfits are inevitable in any marriage, both civil and religious and should preferably be white, to be included always in odd number in the traditional bags of the “bomboniera”, which is a precious box given by the newly married to the guests, after the cutting of the cake. The traditional comfits can also be placed side by side with othersmost modern and original in shapes. The comfits are five because this number reflects the qualities that can not fail in the life of the couple: health, wealth, long life, fertility and, of course, happiness.  In addition, the comfits are with almonds because it was an ancient custom which the guests brought to the marriage almonds, walnuts and other fruits of the earth to wish happiness and prosperity to the newly married couple. After the discovery of the West Indies, and therefore the spread of the sugar, almonds began to be "dressed in white", thus becoming comfits and changing the custom, because from that moment the bride and groom started to offer them to the guests as a thank for their participation.

13. The Virtual Small Boxes  Today, the small precious boxes containing the comfits are becoming increasingly virtual. In fact, the newly married couple may decide to devote the money for the purchase of the small boxes to a social cause. In this case, a label is given to guests as a virtual box. In this label it is shown the cause to which money have been devolved.

14. The Virtual Wedding  In recent times there has been a widespread of the so-called virtual marriage. It is a rehearsal of all the ceremony that the bride may do on certain websites. Of course, these sites provide the opportunity to move from the virtual marriage to the true marriage on- line with a multimedial ceremony with a real priest and guests who can follow through video- conferencing.

15. Our Previous Works on Weddings