Wedding Etiquette & Traditions

Your wedding day is so much more than just you and your spouse-to-be standing in front of God and family to declare your love for one another. It is a minefield of possible disasters that you must avert at all costs. It is a lovely chance to reconnect with family. It is a crisis-management gauntlet you must run while looking fabulous every step of the way. And it is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to express yourself. All of this, the good and the not-so-good, makes up your big day.

And here are the 12 things that you must absolutely get right.

Children can add so much to a wedding day - from the ring bearer toddling down the aisle carrying a pillow with precious cargo, to the flower girl who sweetly perfumes your path to the altar by dropping tender petals in her wake. As special as you feel on your wedding day, you'll want even your littlest helpers to share in the feeling and know that you appreciate them.

To ensure that your young attendants are happy campers on the big day, you'll want to help them look their best and make them feel that they have an important role. Here are some helpful hints that you can put in practice, whether the child is your own or the child of a loved one. Follow these tips, and you'll help ensure the youngest members of your wedding party have a positive experience that they - and you - will remember for a lifetime.

by David Jakubiak

Whether you are a lifelong resident of the area or you are a visitor who has decided to make Hilton Head Island the pristine setting of your destination wedding, any couple getting married in the Lowcountry can take advantage of Southern traditions.

Southern weddings are about much more than groom cakes and blinding white bridal veils. They incorporate a deep celebration of family and community, food and drink, beautiful settings, and, of course a party to be remembered. That said, here are five ways to add a little Hilton Head to your vows.

The rehearsal dinner is a time when family and friends of the bride and groom come together to celebrate and prepare for the big day. Usually the rehearsal dinner follows the ceremony rehearsal. A run-through of the wedding takes place and the bride and groom may practice their vows. The attendants are shown what to do and what to be prepared for.

Following the rehearsal is the dinner where everyone comes together to celebrate and relax before the wedding. Traditionally, the groom’s parents pay for the expense and its events. But with weddings becoming increasingly expensive, the bride and groom or even the bride’s parents may chip in. Be sure to send out personal invitations to friends and attendants who will attend the dinner.

You’ve gathered together some of the most important people in your life to be a part of your wedding. Naturally, you will want to give each one a token of thanks for his or her role in your special day. Some brides offer to absorb the cost of the bridesmaids’ gowns; this is particularly appreciated if the gown you selected is expensive. A spa day is another great gift. Arranging facials, manicures, pedicures, massages and even hair and makeup services for your attendants prior to the wedding is a magnificent treat and, at the same time, a way to ensure that everyone looks her best. When considering other gifts, think of activities and interests you and your attendants share, and let that guide your choice. When applicable, add engraving or personalization for a special touch.

We are all familiar with the typical wedding traditions, “something old, new, borrowed, and blue,” the throwing of rice after the ceremony, not seeing the bride in her dress before the wedding, even the tradition of the bride wearing a white dress. But what many may not know is where or why these rituals originated.

The Ring’s: Ever wonder why there is both an engagement ring and a wedding ring? Well that would be because of Pope Innocent III, who required a waiting period between engagement and marriage. He also required that a ring be used in the wedding ceremony.

The engagement ring symbolizes the couple’s promise of a future together. The diamond engagement ring has been around since the 1400s, and sometimes stood as a “payment” for the bride.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (and sometimes “a silver sixpence in her shoe”). This phrase is the most well known of all wedding traditions and is the custom that has remained unchanged throughout the years.

Something old represents the bond to the bride’s family and her old life that she is now leaving. This is often represented in the ceremony by a piece of antique jewelry such as a grandmother’s ring, or necklace. Some brides also choose to wear vintage dresses or shoes.