Wedding Day Gift Exchange Between Bride and Groom

There has been a pretty hot thread in the marriage forum where a lady is asking what she should get her future husband on their wedding day. I have not looked into any formal rules or practices on the subject. One reader commented that the gift was to be given at rehearsal dinner. I had always thought that the gift was to be given on the wedding day. I also have assumed that the gift is not to be personally delivered but left in the room or delivered by another person. I think that the gift should be something personal. … Continue reading →

Grooms and Wedding Plans

Weddings are typically thought to be a ‘woman’s thing’. Many little girls begin to think about their wedding long before they begin to think about their spouse. They imagine themselves all dressed up and walking down the aisle. Some women have their entire wedding planned before their partner even proposes. Women begin to look through magazines and pick out dresses and flowers, and such. So how do men feel about all of this? In general, men are not thought to be wedding planners. Most men had rather not interfere with their fiancé’s planning. They realize how emotional and stressful she … Continue reading →

Wedding Traditions, Symbolism & Superstition

Weddings are fun. Or they should be. We’ve talked about wedding superstitions before, but did you know that many parts of the actual ceremony and the set up are directly related to historical ideals and superstitions? For example, did you know: Traditionally, a groom would kidnap his bride and hold her with his left arm? This would keep his right arm and sword arm free to battle other suitors. Today, modern brides walk down the aisle to join their groom, but they still stand on the groom’s left Marriages and weddings were a diplomatic means of ending strife between two … Continue reading →

Writing Your Own Vows

Ever thought about writing your own wedding vows? Sounds like a real tough prospect. Can you possibly sound as poetic as one of those television programs or even the most traditional of vows: ‘for richer or for poorer, in sickness and health?’ Of course you can. The idea behind writing your own vows is not about sounding better than someone else, but about sounding more genuine and honest. It’s also about knowing ahead of time what to expect, because there’s nothing more unnerving than standing in front of the minister, priest or justice of the peace and having them recite … Continue reading →

More on Runaway Brides

We were talking about Runaway Brides – Why Do They Flee? earlier today. We talked about cold feet and nervousness, but are those the only reasons why a bride might abandon her groom at the altar? I remember during my wedding preparations, all the hoopla was getting to me and I shared the story of when one of the coordinators approached me and told me that if I wanted to call it off, now was the time before we approached the actual area for the ceremony. The question flabbergasted me then and amuses me now. A wedding is a rite … Continue reading →

Runaway Brides – Why Do They Flee?

I was watching The Runaway Bride this weekend, you know the movie that stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Roberts’ character attempted and fled from three separate wedding ceremonies to men she cared a great deal about. When we meet her, Roberts character is preparing to walk down the aisle for the fourth time, but in each of those relationships – she remade herself to be someone that would appeal to her partner and she wasn’t herself. Runaway Brides So why do brides run away? When Jennifer Wilbanks fled her wedding in 2005, she made up a story about being … Continue reading →