Emma's answers to English traditions

Question

Please can you tell me what a few of the English traditions are when it comes to weddings. I am an American marrying an English man and I would like to include a few traditions in the celebrations.

Answer

Here are a few English wedding traditions:
*The wedding cake is traditionally a three-tiered fruit cake with white icing.
*The bride and groom sit at the top table with both sets of parents and often the best man and bridesmaids.
*Favours are a small gift given to guests. Traditionally they were five sugared almonds, given to symbolise the bitter/sweet life of a married couple. Each one had a meaning.
1. Health
2. Wealth
3. Fertility
4. Happiness
5. Long life
Now favours can be anything from chocolates to a candle or even a lottery ticket!
*Toasts and speeches. The father of the bride gives his speech first, followed by a toast to the bride and groom. Then the groom makes a speech saying how wonderful his new wife is and how lucky he is, before toasting the bridesmaids. The best man responds on behalf of the bridesmaids, tells a few stories about the groom and toasts the happy couple.
* The cutting of the cake is witnessed by everyone and the bride and groom cut the cake together, (make sure they leave the knife in and someone else removes it, this will bring the couple good luck.)
* The first dance takes place to a song that the bride and groom have chosen that is very dear to them. The dance floor is cleared whilst the new Mr and Mrs dance their very first dance.
* When the bride and groom leave the reception, the car is usually decorated with foam, toilet paper and tin cans on string hanging off the back.
* The best man and bridesmaids would usually have visited the first night hotel and the bed filled with rose petals and confetti!

Emma x