Episode 2: What Rituals Does A Christian Wedding Consists of?
In the second episode of #Wedblogs, we will discuss the beautiful culture and traditions of a Christian wedding. Christian wedding takes place in church or chapel where the couple takes the blessings of Lord Jesus in the presence of loved ones. The Christian wedding is mostly subtle with colors like white, silver, gold, etc. It consists of many rituals which are categorized into three parts, Pre-During-Post wedding rituals. As an event planner, you must have good knowledge of all the rituals that take place at the wedding. Below mentioned are all the rituals that take place in Christian weddings:
PRE-WEDDING RITUALS
ENGAGEMENT
The engagement is perhaps the most important pre-wedding event in a Christian wedding. After a formal proposal comes from the groom’s side, a date is set for the formal engagement ceremony. It may be a somber and small affair with just close friends and relatives participating, or it may be a gala bash where acquaintances are invited for a fun-filled exciting evening.
BRIDAL SHOWER
Following the engagement, the bride’s relatives throw her a bridal shower. Mostly young cousins and friends of the bride decide on a day and take the bride out for a merry night. They often host a party where they play a number of games, shower the bride with gifts that she might find useful in her upcoming conjugal life, and encourage her to sing and dance to her heart’s content. It is a tradition for the bride to have a pink cake served to her companions where she has hidden a silver thimble.
BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE PARTY
This is an event thrown for the groom by his male friends, celebrating his last days as a bachelor. It is a wild party with alcohol, naughty antics, and merriment. The bride also has a bachelorette with her female friends. It’s the wild version of the bridal shower. (The event can be a combination of both.)
THE ROCE CEREMONY
It involves the bride and the groom taking a ritualistic bath in their respective homes. The bride/groom is anointed with oil, where the participants, generally relatives, dip their forefingers in the oil and perform the sign of the cross on the forehead of the bride/groom. Oil drops are poured on the ears and head, followed by coconut juice or roce rubbed on the head, face, hands, and feet. After this, the bride/groom is bathed with water. The whole ceremony is followed by a roce prayer and then dinner with drinks.
WEDDING DAY RITUALS
BRIDAL ENTRANCE
On the morning of the wedding day, female relatives of the groom visit the bride’s home with her bridal outfits, some jewelry, and trays of dry fruits, sweets, and fruits. The priest is to bless the bridal dress before it is handed over to the bride. The bride gets ready in her house and sets off for the church in a car sent by the groom with some of her friends, generally bridesmaids. Her family follows. She is received at the church by the groom’s family and is escorted into the church by the groom’s best man.
EXCHANGE OF VOWS
After completion of the wedding mass, the priest starts the actual marriage rituals by uttering the Opening remarks where he gives a short speech about the virtues of marriage and in some cases about the bride and groom. The bride and groom then are asked to utter the vows of marriage. In India, the vows are mostly decided by the priest and the couple just utters them after him. They essentially promise each other that they will be by each other’s side through all phases of life till death do them part.
The "I DO"
The priest then asks “Do you *groom * take *bride*, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to share your life openly, standing with her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love forever more?” He replies by saying “I do”. The same question is asked to the bride, to which she replies saying “I do”. The priest then pronounces them husband and wife and they share a kiss.
BOUQUET TOSS
After the ceremony, the bride tosses her bouquet backward at a crowd of unmarried women. It is said that whoever catches the bouquet will be the one to get married next.
POST-WEDDING RITUALS
RECEPTION
After the wedding, a reception is held at a venue. The bride and groom perform their ‘first dance as husband and wife. They then cut a wedding cake. Toasts are raised and dinner follows. It is an occasion of fun, dancing, and celebrating.
THE GARTER TOSS
This takes place during the reception. The groom removes the bride’s garter from her leg with his hands or with his teeth while the wedding crowd watches. Just like the bouquet toss of the bride, the groom tosses the garter at all eligible bachelors at the wedding.
If you are really into event management and want to try it, the IEM-Institute of Event Management is the Best Event Management which provides a vast study structure in events, practical training, workshops, and internships. Get a free counseling session, which will help you solve your career-related doubts. Also to learn about the full details of Hindu wedding rituals, get enrolled in the Wedding Planning courses provided by IEM.
For more information you can call us at 0522-2396988, 8077626751 / Visit us: 2/156, Vivek Khand 2, Gomti Nagar Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 226010 or Follow us: https://linktr.ee/instituteofeventmanagement
If you are really into event management and want to try it, the IEM-Institute of Event Management is the Best Event Management which provides a vast study structure in events, practical training, workshops, and internships. Get a free counseling session, which will help you solve your career-related doubts. Also to learn about the full details of Hindu wedding rituals, get enrolled in the Wedding Planning courses provided by IEM.
For more information you can call us at 0522-2396988, 8077626751 / Visit us: 2/156, Vivek Khand 2, Gomti Nagar Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India 226010 or Follow us: https://linktr.ee/instituteofeventmanagement