By Dominic Donaldson

Weddings vary wildly around the world as each culture is steeped in its own traditions that influence everything from the way a couple courts to the way they live together in wedlock. The Masai have two wives, the Cypriots fire loaded shotguns and a Malay wedding will feature the bride having her eyebrows shaped during the ceremony. To celebrate all that is English however, we take a look at the type of Wedding ceremonies you will find in the quintessentially English county of Essex.

Traditional English wedding ceremonies feature a number of customs that most people take for granted. For example the bride will wear something old, such as a piece of jewellery; something new, which is usually a wedding dress or tiara; something borrowed, this is often jewellery that has been lent; and something blue, often a garter. There is a lesser known addition which states that wearing a silver sixpence in the shoe will bring prosperity to the married couple.

Traditional wedding ceremonies in Essex will also see the bride throw her bouquet to a waiting group of single ladies. It is said that whoever catches the flowers will be next to marry. Once again, there is another part to this tradition, but it is becoming less well known. The groom is supposed to throw his wife’’s garter to his bachelor guests, and once again, whoever catches it is next in line to walk down the aisle.

Although some of the customs are fading away, many wedding packages inherently include all aspects of a traditional English wedding. Toasting the bride and groom for instance and having an elaborate wedding cake are practices that are peculiar to European weddings, as is having a reception after an official service with the bride and groom having the first dance. However, as more people choose to have a civil ceremony and reception as opposed to a church wedding, these traditions are changing.

The popularity of religious services is being replaced by non secular wedding ceremonies as fewer people attend churches and yet still want to get married. It is likely that the traditional wedding dress style will change with the bride choosing to wear an evening dress rather than a dress with full train and veil; and the formal practices observed at standard ceremonies will be replaced by a more relaxed and bespoke type of reception. Keeping an eye on the activities of wedding ceremonies in Essex will be an indicator of how our culture is slowly but surely changing from religious based weddings to a wedding that celebrates love and a lifelong bond.

About The Author

Dom Donaldson is a wedding expert.
Find out more about Wedding Ceremonies Essex and the variety of packages available at Three Rivers.