Christian Wedding Ceremony
Christian wedding is an auspicious occasion with enthusiastic and elegant celebrations. In Christian weddings, apart from the bride and the bridegroom, many others like the best man, the father of bride, the maid of honour, the flower girls etc. play an important role in the wedding ceremony.
In Britain, It is an elaborated affair with lovely wedding traditions. The entire celebration is divided as pre-wedding, wedding and post- wedding rituals. One of the most important pre–wedding rituals is the Bridal Shower, organized by the bride’s female friends. They play games and dance and there is a tradition of the bride serving a pink cake with a thimble hidden inside. It is believed that the girl who finds it marries next. A similar Stag Party is thrown by the groom’s male friends so that the groom enjoys his last night of bachelorhood. Raising a toast for the couple-to-be is a part of it and then there is drinking and enjoyment all night.
On the wedding day, the groom sends a beautifully decorated car or horses with chariot to bring the bride to the wedding chapel, in style. The wedding decorations are done in an elegant manner, with beautiful flowers, ribbons, wreaths, colourful clothes etc. Once the bride reaches the church, magnificently dressed up in a beautiful gown (generally white) with a veil and a wedding bouquet in hands, the father of the bride welcomes her with a kiss on her cheek. He takes her into the chapel and escorts her inside where he gives her hand in the groom’s hand. Then the groom and the bride gracefully walk towards the priest and the flower girls welcome them with beautiful flowers on their path. The rituals of the marriage are conducted by a priest or a minister who reads out the quotes from the holy bible about the sacredness and beliefs of marriage and asks for God’s benediction. The couple exchanges the wedding rings and wedding vows, and the priest showers his final blessings on them, pronouncing them husband and wife. The guests also bless the couple and the last formality is to sign the register.
A wedding reception follows as the post wedding ritual. It is a party for the newly wedded couple where they cut the wedding cake, followed by their first dance as spouses. A toast is raised in the honour of the couple, by the best man, maid of honour and father of bride and other friends. In certain customs, the bride also throws her wedding bouquet to the group of all unmarried women; according to folklore the girl catching it will be the next to wed. On the other hand, the groom may throw the bride’s garter to the unmarried men. Celebration follows and the couple starts a new life with enthusiasm. The rituals of Christian wedding ceremonies vary from country to country, but the main essence of the wedding, that is the unification of two people in front of God and their loved ones, remains the same. The wedding plans begin months before, to ensure that everything ends sophistically and elegantly.
