Italian Wedding Blessings
Whether you are planning to travel to Italy for your wedding or just want an authentic Italian feel, make sure to include an Italian wedding blessing. The vast majority of Italians are Roman Catholic, so wedding ceremonies in Italy are elaborate affairs that include not only the vows but also a Catholic mass. The priest will bestow a blessing that Italians feel sets the marriage up for success.
Weddings in Italy
Steeped in tradition, even the engagements are a formal affair in Italy. Once the couple has set the date, the flurry of activities begins. Diamond engagement rings were a custom in medieval Italy and are still used today. In addition to the common wedding planning checklists such as budget, venue, cake and dress, Italian couples must also meet with their priest to begin their vow confirmation. This vow confirmation process demonstrates the couple's maturity and convinces the priest the couple will make a suitable marriage.
The wedding ceremony itself also contains many time honored traditions. In Italy, the bride always wears a veil to cover her face before the ceremony to ward off evil spirits. Other Italian customs dictate the groom should carry a piece of iron in his pocket for good luck. During the wedding reception, Italian wedding candy is almost always served. Made of chocolate covered almonds that are covered in a pastel sugar coating, Italian wedding candy is usually given as a wedding favor in small mesh bags the guests can take home. The candy is meant to symbolize both the bitter and sweetness of life by having a bitter almond and sweet chocolate coating. Other reception customs include having the bride and groom break a glass for good luck and a large Italian meal for the guests.
Blessing for an Italian Wedding
Since most Italians are Roman Catholic, the Italian wedding ceremony typically includes a mass. Due to the length of the service, the ceremony is most often performed in the morning with a full course dinner reception following. On the morning of the wedding, the bride and groom meet at the church for mass. The custom includes having the bride walk to the church instead of driving or riding in a car.
The actual Italian wedding blessing is called "fede" which means faith. This is a part of the ceremony where the priest speaks of the importance of marriage and what each vow means. As the priest proceeds, he also holds up the wedding bands, which are usually plain gold bands with little or no adornment, and explains their meaning. The priest further discusses how the simple gold ring symbolizes the couple's relationship and how there is no beginning or end but just a full circle of love. At the conclusion, the priest has the bride and groom place the rings on each other's fingers and blesses their union.
The ceremony continues with the nupital blessing. During this blessing, the priest blesses the couple and charges them with living a life that includes worship and serving God. After the blessing, the couple participates in communion and a final prayer and is proclaimed married. The couple is then escorted to the reception where a full course meal is served.
Symbolic Italian Blessing Ceremony
Symbolic blessings are also popular in Italy. Couples may choose to have a civil service and then a blessing ceremony elsewhere, such as a vineyard, courtyard, or garden. Some couples have a civil ceremony and travel to Italy for a symbolic blessing ceremony. A blessing ceremony celebrates the couple's union, but is not a legal marriage. This unique ceremony is popular for when one or both members of the couple have Italian heritage or other ties to Italy. This is also an option some couples choose if honeymooning in Italy. Many Italian wedding planners offer symbolic blessing ceremonies, including:
When planning your wedding, do not feel you have to include all aspects of a traditional Italian wedding to carry off the theme. Instead of fretting over every minute detail, choose the customs that fit your personality and lifestyle. Whether this involves a traditional Italian wedding blessing, or traveling to Italy for a symbolic blessing ceremony, you can have a wedding that reflects what is special to you.
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