Wedding Traditions

Culture is an important part of every day life, and even more so for weddings. Modern brides are not only keeping to their family traditions, many are taking a piece of various traditions to add a touch of their own history to their wedding these are just a highlight of some different cultures traditions.

African-American
Jumping the broom. Since African slaves were not permitted to marry in America, they would make a public declaration of their love and commitment by jumping over a broom to the beat of drums. The broom has since come to symbolize the newlywed act of setting up home.
Chinese
The color of love and joy in China is red, so during the ceremony the couple drink wine and honey from goblets tied together with red string. Find out more Chinese wedding traditions here.
French
The couple often drinks the reception toast from an engraved two-handled cup -- the coupe de marriage.
German
The bride carries salt and bread in her pocket to ensure bounty; the groom carries grain, for wealth and good fortune.
Indian
The groom's brother sprinkles flower petals over the couple at the end of the ceremony to ward off evil.
Japanese
The couple takes nine sips of sake, becoming husband and wife after the first sip.
Mexican
A traditional pinata is fun reception entertainment -- especially for kids! A sweet addition: Guests often form a heart-shaped ring around the couple before their first newlywed dance.
Polish
For village weddings, friends weave a crown of rosemary leaves, symbolizing remembrance, for the bride.
Turkey
Before the bride walks down the aisle, she asks her single bridesmaids and relatives to sign the sole of her bridal shoes. After a night of dancing and prancing, tradition states that the person's signature who has faded the most will be the next to marry.
Incorporating one of these acts into your ceremony is a great way to add originality, as well as to pay a special tribute to your background and heritage.

www.wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-customs/articles/9-favorite-wedding-traditions-from-around-the-world.aspx


-- The Knot

Name changes

After the wedding we generally receive several inquiries about the first step in the process of changing the bride's name. We did some research and have found the a quick and easy solution. We recently met the founder of the website www.missnowmrs.com This website offers a short questionnaire that will guide the bride through all the steps and paperwork needed to change her name. Each state has different requirements, therefore the research can be very trying. MissnowMrs makes it easy for the bride in a one stop shop.

www.missnowmrs.com

LEE National Denim Day

Since its inception in 1996, Lee National Denim Day has adhered to a simple philosophy: one day, one cause, one cure®. In 13 years, that philosophy has become a mantra for millions and has made an impact Lee Jeans never dreamed possible.
It all started when several Lee Jeans employees realized that each of them, in one form or another, had been touched by breast cancer. An everyday conversation sparked an idea and led to the creation of Lee National Denim Day, which has become one of the largest single-day fundraisers nationwide for breast cancer.
In its first year, Lee Jeans set a goal of raising $1 million on Lee National Denim Day. To do this, Lee Jeans invited companies to go casual for a cause, inviting employees to wear their jeans to work on Denim Day in exchange for a $5 contribution to the fight against breast cancer. The underlying concept behind the program was simple - by convincing enough people to take one small step, together they could reach an incredible goal.
The response to the inaugural Lee National Denim Day program was astounding. That year, more than 3,000 companies signed up to participate, raising $1.4 million dollars for the fight against breast cancer, setting the stage for what would become one of the most captivating social action campaigns in the country.
Since its first year, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $75 million for the fight against breast cancer and unites nearly one million supporters nationwide each year.

As contributer to this foundation annually for five consecutive years join us and wear your jeans on October 2nd!!


www.denimday.com

Our favorite wedding blogs

We are always trying to keep up with the current wedding trends so we would like to share where we go for the best ideas. Two of our favorite wedding blogs that always provide the most unique wedding ideas and beautiful photos that inspire us every day!

Wedding Chicks: www.weddingchicks.com
AND
Style me Pretty: www.stylemepretty.com

Give.gown.

Please join us by donating your gown to give.gown. an annual charity event. Give the gift of a gown and so much more. This charity event created by CLM weddings and events will take place in early 2010. " In most cases, your gown holds precious memories of your wedding day. You spent a lot of time, energy and dedication to find the perfect gown. There are many women who want to feel just as beautiful as you did on your wedding day, but simply cannot afford a wedding gown. This is your opportunity to give something back." Christie McCoy owner of CLM weddings and events and creator of this event. All of the gowns donated to the give.gown. event are auctioned or sold and the funds are donated to charity to aid in the research for children with incurable diseases. Please assist us by giving your gown and to give those children a chance to have a wedding of their own.

www.clmweddings.com

Lock your Love

Lovelock Nevada is a small town north of Las Vegas where shortly after the turn of the millennium, Lovelock adopted the ancient Chinese custom of symbolically locking one's love on a never-ending chain. Dedicated on Valentine's Day 2006, this custom has made Lovelock the nation's official love-locking destination. According to this ancient Chinese custom, as long as the lock remains on the chain, love will endure. No one knows how or when this ancient Chinese custom began, but the lock-laden chains, common in the Yellow Mountains and at the Great Wall of China, have begun to appear elsewhere in the world. Thousands of simple metal locks adorn chains and fences, placed with care by those who wish to symbolize their enduring love. Fasten a lock on the chain and throw away the key, thus uniting your love for eternity. So join those that have followed tradition for so many centuries and after your ceremony lock your love.

www.loverslock.com

Couple Celebrates their 81st Anniversary

A British husband and wife who say a little arguing and a "happy outlook" keep them together just celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary. Frank Milford, 101, and his wife, Anita, 100, were married on May 26, 1928. They are currently the longest-married couple in the United Kingdom, the Daily Mail said. Frank and Anita Milford celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary Tuesday, May 27th 2009. Frank, 101, and Anita, 100, live together at a nursing home in Plymouth, England. The couple, who met at a YMCA dance in 1926, celebrated their anniversary Tuesday at the nursing home where they live in Plymouth, southwestern England. "We're always here for each other. It is all about give and take on both sides," Frank Milford said last year. "You need a happy outlook and to just get on with it. I don't know where the years have gone to. It's marvelous really."
The couple also credited "a little argument every day" for their long union.
"They are happy," their 74-year-old son, Frank.Jr., told the Mail. "They spend most of their time together, with dad being almost completely deaf and blind, so it's very difficult for him. Mum is a chatterbox and nothing has changed there."
In addition to their son, the Milfords have a 79-year-old daughter, Marie, as well as six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
~Credit AOL News www.aol.com