english weddings slide

8/6/2019 English Weddings Slide

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French Tradition

Wedding


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French Wedding Traditions and Customs

Some of early French weddingtraditions have persisted today,transplanted to other parts of the

world and influenced modern wedding

ceremony as it is known today.


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French Wedding CostumeDuring the medieval and renaissance periods, wedding dresses were basically more elaborate

versions of contemporary dresses and did not require any distinctive coloring. The brides best

dress was transformed into a wedding dress, embellished by jewelry, embroidery, laces and small

bits of finery such ornamental tags, bow knots, tassels, ribbons, beading etc. In fact, up until the

late 19th century, brides wore just about any color for their wedding, including black if the intended

bridegroom was a widower.

The white wedding dress as a token of the brides purity and innocence, is a relatively new concept.

In biblical tradition, the color white symbolized joy whereas blue represented purity.

The French custom of the all-white wedding gown had been introduced with Ann of Brittany,

daughter of Francis II. She wore white at her third marriage in 1499 to Louis XII of France in 1527.

However, it did not come into popular vogue before19th century.. Along with the impact of neo-

classic fashion, brides from French aristocracy and bourgeoisie are reported to wear all white

dresses, trimmed with golden or sliver embroidery. Major social weddings such as described by the

gazettes, from then on, were always seen in white.The elaborate styling of modern wedding gown

is attributed to Empress Eugenie, her wedding to Napoleon III in 1853.


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Bridal trousseau and wedding armoire

French term, trousseau literally refers to a bundle of linens, clothing. The trousseau

usually would contain clothing for Sundays, everyday dresses, lingerie and embroidered linens

she had prepared with initials of her future family..

According to French tradition, wedding armoire, also known as hope chest is used for the bride's

trousseau. It is hand-carved with symbols of wealth and prosperity by the father of a future brideand is given to her when she is still an adolescent. As she grew up, she would fill it up with her

own wardrobe and take it with her to her new home.

During the 18th century wedding armoires were manufactured by craftsmen and offered to the

newlyweds as a wedding present. Over the years the trousseau has evolved to denote the special

outfit she will wear after doffing her gown and take with her on her honeymoon. Also the concept

of trousseau has given rise to the modern bridal shower, designating all the chief householdarticles to raise her future family.


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Wedding procession

Still practiced in small villages today, it is a traditional French custom for the groom to call on his

future bride at her home on the morning of their wedding. The groom escorts her to the wedding

chapel in a procession, headed by musicians, followed behind by the bride with her father, guests

and the groom with his mother at the end of line. It is also customary that French village childrenblocked the bridal couples route with white ribbons which the bride must cut. In Brittany

beggars plaited a hedgerow briar across the newlyweds until bribed to remove .All these

symbolic obstacles are created for the wedding couple to overcome together and thus to signify

their common path in a new life.


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Wedding ceremony

In a church filled with incense and flowers, the couple stands beneath a silk canopy. A

predecessor of the veil, a square of silk fabric,"carre'," is held over the head of the bride and

groom as the couple received the priest's final blessing. They were designed to protect the

couple from descending malice. The same veil is used for the baptism of their new born child.

Outside the church, rice or wheat as a symbol of prosperity and fertility, is showered over the

couple.In Southern parts of France, wedding guests toss drages and coins at children waiting

on the doorsteps of the chapel Drages, dated as early as Roman Empire, are French delicacy,

almond covered with chocolate , sugar or nougat. As symbol of happiness and festivity, they

accompany all major French ceremonies. As the bridal couple leaves the chapel, they walk

through flower arch or over laurel leaves scattered in their path.

The custom of using fragrant flowers as decorations ,bridal bouquets and adornments has been

popular for centuries. Fragrant flowers were believed to ward off evil spirits and helped freshen

up atmosphere before the invention of perfumes and deodorant. The popular orange blossoms

represent fertility and prosperity


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Wedding reception

During the Middle Ages, wedding guests would bring small cakes and stacked in a pile, as

high as possible, in the center of a table. If the bride and groom could kiss over them without

knocking them over, it was thought to symbolize a lifetime of prosperity. The traditional

French wedding celebration cake, known as croquembouche or today's common term, "la

pice monte" was invented by a French chef at the end of 17th century. The cake is made of

small, creme-filled pastry puffs piled in a pyramid and covered in a caramel glaze and spun

sugar.

At the traditional French wedding reception, the newlyweds toast each other from an

engraved, two-handled cup (la coupe de mariage), usually a precious family heirloom

passed down from generation to generation


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French Cake / Croquembouche


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Menus & Food !Menu one

Buffet Froid - Cold cuts

Pause Glace - Ice cream with alcohol

Poulet de Bress au vinaigre de framboise et sa garniture printanire - Bress chicken

with a raspberry souce and vegetables

Formages - Cheese

Le Moulin des maries et sa suite fruite - Wedding cake of cream-filled pastry puffs that is

made to look like a mill, covered in a caramel

Caf - Coffee

Menu two

Dlice du Prigord - Prigord duck liver

Assiette du Pcheur- Fisherman's plate

Halte du Vigneron - Sorbet with Brandy topping

Traditiion de Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving plate

Croquante du jardin - Garden salad

Dlice du Berger- Shepherds cheese

Gteau des Maris - Wedding cake made of cream-filled pastry puffs piled in a pyramid

Caf- Coffee


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