If you’ve recently become engaged you’ve probably already been warned of  wedding superstitions and told about any traditions you should be following. We recently covered a few wedding superstitions here on our Peter Edwards Wedding Photography blog. In Part 2 of Superstitions and Traditions we’ve focus on some the the traditions and the meanings behind these traditions that we see in this culturally diverse city of Perth.

The Hoopa

What is the significance of the “hoopa” (tent like structure on 4 poles held by men) held over the couple during a Jewish wedding ceremony? Also known as the Chuppah, this cloth wedding canopy has many layers of symbolism. It is said to represent a temple, creating harmony from all 4 directions of the wind. It is also said to represent the couple’s future home and that the spirital ancestors are with the couple under the Chuppah during the ceremony. The world is about the marriage of many elements and being under the hoopa or chuppah is very symbolic.

The Crowns of a Greek Wedding Ceremony

During a Greek wedding ceremony crowns joined by a ribbon are exchanged three times between the bride and groom. The crowns represent glory and honour and the silver ribbon that joins them is the symbolic union of the couple. After the couple have been adorned with the crowns they will walk around the church alter three times, this symbolises the couple’s first steps together as husband and wife. Greek weddings are always a lively affair and it’s the wonderful dancing that creates this atmosphere. During the Kaslamantiano dance at the reception the bride and groom are joined by guests dancing in a circle.

Chinese Wedding Traditions

Chinese wedding traditions are also fascinating and numerous and depend on many factors, including where the couple is from.

Here are just a few:

• Oranges often decorate the marriage bed, as do red dates and lotus seeds, that signify abundance and to welcome the bride. To have an even numbers of oranges is important.
• Eggs are often part of the ceremony. At times, a groom and groom would feed each other soup with a soft boiled egg. When the yolk broke, this was a symbol of breaking the bride’s family ties.
• In terms of wedding feast food, a suckling pig is a symbol of the bride’s purity and is presented to the bride’s family by the groom.
• Dates are important. It’s important to choose an even number date for good luck. The more even numbers in the wedding date (including double digit days, month and  year, etc) the better.
• Chinese weddings also have photography traditions. You can’t take a photograph with only 3 people, for instance.
• An important part of many Chinese weddings is the tea ceremony, where the vows take place. The groom comes to collect the bride from her home to go to the groom’s house and a person who is known as a ‘good luck woman’ will hold a red umbrella over them. The good luck woman is considered a woman blessed with living parents, a good marriage, and children.  Various things will take place, including the couple kneeling and serving tea to their parents and older relatives. They will wish the couple good luck and prosperity. Even the tea that the groom and bride drink is prepared in an effort to bring them good fortune and children (with lotus seeds and dates put in the tea). The tradition of the Chinese wedding tea is important to many families and a lot of care and attention to detail is put forth in this ceremony.

If you’re looking for information or meaning behind specific wedding traditions for your wedding, you’ll find an abundance of information online. Wedding professionals such as wedding planners and wedding photographers often have experience and knowledge of various traditions. Always be sure to discuss with your wedding photographer any special traditions you’ll be incorporating into your wedding day so that he/she can be on the ready to capture important events and so time is factored into the wedding day.