The saying, “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” is a popular rhyme that has been used since Victorian times. The “something old” represents the bond to the bride’s family and her old life; “something new” represents the couple’s new life together and their future hope for happiness, prosperity and success; “something borrowed” from a happily married woman is meant to impart similar happiness to the bride; and “something blue” represents fidelity and constancy.
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
May 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Invite Equitte
May 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Inviting partners and guests
If an invited guest is married, engaged or living with a significant other, that partner must be included in the invitation. A single invitation addressed to both individuals should be sent to spouses or couples who live together, while separate invitations should be sent to each member of an engaged or long term couple who don’t live together. Inviting single guests with a date is a thoughtful gesture, but one that is not required. If you are inviting a single guest with a date, try to find out the name of your friend’s intended date and include that person’s name on the invitation. Otherwise, inner envelopes may include “And Guest,” indicating that he or she may bring any chosen escort or friend.
Wedding Traditions, Why?
April 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Today’s popular wedding traditions, like that of cutting the cake, have evolved over hundreds, even thousands of years of people joining together in some form of matrimony. Some wedding traditions that have endured are based on blessing the couple with good luck; others are a means for the couple to convey their feelings for one another. Regardless of the wedding tradition itself, all wedding traditions share the same essential symbols of unity, happiness and prosperity; messages that stand the test of time.
The groom wears a boutonniere, because
April 29, 2011 By 1 Comment
The wedding tradition of the groom wearing a boutonniere originates in medieval times when a knight wore his lady’s colors (through flowers) as a statement of his love. Flowers and bouquets have long been used in weddings. In addition to adorning the bride with flowers to promote good luck and good health flower meanings allow the bride to express her feelings for the groom. Orange blossoms signify purity, daisies loyalty, violets modesty and red roses signify true love
A Wedding without a Cake?
December 31, 2010 By 1 Comment
The ancient Romans used to make a cake of barley or wheat and then break it over the bride’s head as a sign of fertility. The wheat from which it was made symbolized fertility and the guests eagerly picked up the crumbs as good luck charms. It also became customary to pile several small cakes to create one large tier. The bride and groom would then try to kiss over the tower of cakes without knocking it over. If they succeeded, it was a sign that their marriage would be long and prosperous. Later, a clever baker decided to amass all these small cakes together, covering them with frosting. Thus, the modern tied cake was born.
Do I have to have my Dad walk me down the aisle?
December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The bride should not feel locked into traditions that are not meaningful for her and her beloved. For example, if she has not seen her father in years, why should she be obligated to ask him to walk her down the aisle, or feel bad if she doesn’t want to? The bride should walk down with whomever she chooses or by herself and without any objections from people in her party. It is her choice.
Did you know that the toast desides who rules?
November 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Wedding Toast
Toasting comes from an ancient French custom of placing bread in the bottom of the glass – a good toaster drained the drink to get the “toast.” According to legend, when a bride and groom drink their wedding toast, whoever finishes first will rule the family.
A very lovely English toast goes like this:
Love, be true to her,
Life, be dear to her,
Health, stay close to her,
Joy, draw near to her,
Fortune, find what you can do for her,
Search your treasure house through for her
Follow her footsteps the wide world over
And keep her husband always her lover.
Favors, Favors & More Favors
November 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Wedding Favors
Additional meanings have become attached to the wedding favor as time has passed. In total, the wedding favor is a symbol of well wishing for the five most important ingredients of a marriage bond: Health, Wealth, Happiness, Fertility and Long Life.
Essentially, the wedding favor is a symbol of love and respect from the bride and the groom, and a token of well wishing for their deliriously happy future together. In addition, they add to the décor and overall theme of the wedding itself.
Wedding favors have become increasingly popular over the years as more and more people want small keepsakes to remember special occasions by. The actual monetary ‘value’ of the gifts is relatively small now in comparison to our ancient Ancestors. Common favor include ribbons, candies, picture frames, personalized book marks, laminated plaques, candy, seed packets, pillows, balloons and potpourri.
The First Kiss
November 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment
First kiss as a married couple
No ceremony is complete without the kiss. In fact, there was a time when an engagement would be null and void without one. Dating back from early Roman times, the kiss represented a legal bond that sealed all contracts.
The kiss that seals the wedding is much more than a sign of affection. It has long been a token of bonding – the exchange of spirits as each partner sends a part of the self into the new spouse’s soul, there to abide ever after.
Measuring Does Matter
August 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Heart Shaped Measuring Cups
An important factor in being a good cook is to understand how to properly measure ingredients. With many recipes, the correct measurement of ingredients can either make or break a recipe. This is especially true in baking where every tiny teaspoon counts!
There was a time when cookbooks did not use terms like teaspoon, tablespoon or cup. Instead, they used phrases like “nice leg of spring lamb” or a “handful” of beans. Sometimes, a recipe would reference the size needed to another item, such as “the size of a walnut.” Recipes would also indicate personal preference by terms like “sufficient” salt. After all, what is sufficient for one person may not be sufficient to another.
It wasn’t until 1896 when Fannie Farmer introduced the “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book” when exact measurements were introduced. In the United States, we generally measure liquid ingredients and dry ingredients by volume. Elsewhere in the world, cooks usually measure dry ingredients by weight. In fact, worldwide weight is typically the universal way of measuring.
