When it comes to nuptials, it’s up to you and your partner to decide which traditions to adopt, adapt, and abandon for your special day. Religious and ethnic marriage rituals are common for engaged people around the world. Some couples incorporate ideas from literature, film, and television. And whether you’re getting married in Canada or simply want to incorporate something Canadian into your ceremony, Canada offers some old and new traditions to inspire and influence your marriage celebration. Here are some distinctly Canadian wedding customs worth considering.
Canadian Crowdsourcing
Are you and your partner looking for ways to fund your special day? Consider a pre-wedding party or dance where guests pay to participate. Depending on which part of Ontario you’re in, this party is either known as a “stag and doe” or a “shag.” In Manitoba, this party is called a “wedding social.” Expressly for raising money, the festivities often include games and other fun activities where attendees pay, not unlike a Spring Fling or local festival. Some stag and doe parties also include auctions, in which guests can bid on various prizes. Proceeds go directly to the couple to pay for the wedding or honeymoon.
Canadian Nuptials and Tea
A much older Canadian wedding tradition is what’s called the “trousseau tea.” Geared towards casual friends and acquaintances who might not be invited to the actual wedding, a trousseau tea was typically held by the mother of the bride. This was a dinner party or luncheon where the bride’s trousseau, usually the bridal gown and other accessories, was on display. In Western Canadian provinces, various desserts, known as dainties, would also be served. The trousseau tea is quite old-fashioned and is nearly obsolete, but it could be modernized to reflect your tastes as a couple and family.
All Aboard
A celebration train is a Quebecois tradition where the groom and his friends and family meet the bride and her loved ones at her house on the day of the wedding. Everyone then heads to the wedding venue in a procession of cars. Participants will honk their horns and yell out of their windows, letting passersby know about the impending union. Bystanders will usually offer well wishes and advice in return. The train ends with the arrival at the venue, and everyone enters together. This is a fun way to increase excitement about the occasion, but it may not work for couples who want to avoid seeing each other in wedding garb before the ceremony.
Sensational Sock Hop
Another fun Canadian tradition involves the unmarried siblings of the couple. At the reception, these single siblings will wear funky or silly socks and dance together. The sillier the dancing, the better. Other guests typically throw money at the dancers, which eventually goes to the couple to use as they start their lives together. This custom is a great idea for fun-loving wedding crowds and siblings who are good sports and don’t mind being silly for the sake of the newlyweds.
Nuptials and Wedding Wheel
The wedding wheel involves guests making a small donation of cash (e.g., a dollar) to dance with the bride at the reception. All the cash goes to the new spouses for their use. A variation of this tradition historically involved guests dancing with the bride and putting coins in her shoes. Cutting a rug with shoes full of coins is impractical, so some brides will keep a bag for collecting coins instead. The point is that participants donate small amounts of cash and have a little fun dancing with the new bride.
Wedding-day inspiration is wherever you and your partner find it. Canada offers soon-to-be-spouses some quirky yet fun ideas for making their big day one to cherish. Feel free to read up on these and other customs and tweak them as appropriate for your nuptials.
As the world continues to turn, love continues to bloom between couples all over the globe. While the past year and a half and have dramatically altered many aspects of our lives, two hearts continue to come together, resulting in a lifelong pledge to love each other for better or worse. While love springs eternal, wedding ceremony trends continue to shift and evolve for many, including Canadians. Here are some to keep an eye on, especially if you plan to tie the knot soon.
Simpler NuptialTrends
Where time and budget allow, the over-the-top lavish ceremony will never truly go away; however, there is definitely a trend toward more relaxed, understated luxury. Many couples will say farewell to formal, black-tie affairs and hello to laid-back weddings that feel more like fun get-togethers with families and friends. Think of alfresco nuptials in a cozy garden setting with an emphasis on simple, natural fabrics and finishes instead of the glitz and glamor of precious metals, gems and crystal. Put a ring on it, kick off your shoes and tuck a stalk of your favorite wildflower behind your ear as you head to the altar.
Multi-Day Celebrations
Traditionally, weddings take place on one day, with the reception immediately after or later the same day. A global pandemic has made many couples re-imagine their one big day as several special days with events spread throughout. Imagine a weekend with different events involving guests from your various social circles. From bowling to a backyard party to a Sunday brunch, a multi-day celebration provides you the opportunity to host casual yet intimate functions that are more accommodating to the various people who are happy to celebrate this new phase of life with you.
Trends;Everything Old, Very Little New
A growing trend with weddings is the use of vintage furniture, finishes and fashion. Older furnishings evoke feelings of nostalgia and a love for all things timeless. While the trend of wearing family heirlooms is hardly new, more partners are choosing classic styles that inspire fond recollection of the good old days. This trend isn’t just limited to attire and decor. Look for a classic approach to wedding gifts, menus, invitations and more.
All the Way Live
As couples push for ceremonies that have a relaxed or organic feel, another emerging trend is a push toward the use of live music. From folksy acts that emphasize acoustic guitars and strings to rocking bands with unique renditions of some of the world’s most beloved love songs, a live act brings a sense of accessibility and intimacy that helps to make the celebration special. Do you know singer-songwriters or musicians? Make the wedding even more memorable with a commissioned expression of love in song.
Perfectly Imperfect
When it comes to the big day, a couple may feel pressured to look perfect and have everything just so. Increasingly, many partners are ditching perfection for a more natural approach. Instead of picture-perfect captures of the newlyweds in forced poses, you can expect to see more candid shots that feature the glow of love between the new spouses and the ones who have come together to celebrate them. There’s magic in laughter, embraces, eyes closed in happiness and pure smiles, and capturing these moments is paramount.
Inclusive Celebrations
You can also expect to see ceremonies that are more inclusive and degenderized. Don’t be surprised if you get invited to a ceremony featuring a best woman, a man of honor or grooms-maids. On your very special day, you get to choose who’s in your ceremony. Reception traditions of tossing a bouquet or garter may also go the way of the dodo in modern celebrations.
The weddings of tomorrow will continue to shift and change as society progresses. More couples are choosing to prioritize simplicity and comfort. The joy of marriage is in the journey, and many star-crossed voyagers are setting a course for relaxation over fuss.
When couples plan their weddings, they must decide what traditions to include. How do Canadian weddings stack up in the 21st century?
When couples plan their weddings, they must often decide what traditions to include. These celebrations incorporate basic ceremonial elements such as exchanging vows, but many also feature customs that add layers of meaning or are passed down through families or cultures. Meanwhile, some trends become new traditions while old customs slowly fall out of favor. How do Canadian weddings stack up in the 21st century? You may be surprised once you find out.
The Role of Gender in Western Weddings
It’s no secret that many wedding customs were influenced by older social norms. As cold as this sounds, marriages were less about love and more about finances, inheritances, and sometimes political concerns. Unions were arranged in many parts of the world, with women frequently losing any legal rights they had once the ceremonies took place. The Encyclopedia Britannica explains the concept of “coverture,” in which married couples were considered single legal entities, with husbands wielding the most power and decision-making responsibilities. The idea was introduced into English law after the Norman Conquest beginning in 1066. The Canadian Encyclopedia mentions that British cultural influences on marriage and property statutes codified coverture into Canadian law in many areas.
Some wedding traditions are leftover legacies from these societal realities. For instance, you may remember that the bride’s family used to pay for the wedding. Vogue’s Priya Rao reveals that this stems from old dowry customs in which the bride’s family provided physical wealth before a marriage could take place. The Spruce’s Nina Callaway adds that the practice of fathers giving away their daughters during wedding ceremonies is also tied to dowries. This act was a sign that the father was pleased with the marriage negotiations and gave his blessing.
As Societies Change, So Do Weddings
Money Versed writer Liz Collins offers a basic breakdown on wedding traditions that are slowly being abandoned. Unsurprisingly, she listed customs that were once commonplace even in the 20th century:
The bride’s family paying for the wedding
Grooms not seeing their brides before the ceremony
Gendered wedding showers
Bouquet and garter tosses
Wedding Wire’s Alice Prendergast discusses more ways in which Canadian nuptials have changed. For instance, more couples are living together before marriage and fewer choose religious ceremonies. At the same time, a few recent trends are slowly becoming traditions. For instance, the Emily Post Institute details that high-tech weddings are the norm. That’s not a surprise to anyone getting hitched in 2019 or 2020, but what’s interesting is how this resulted from the development of some key innovations over the last few decades. Wedding websites began appearing in the late 1990s, but Pinterest and Instagram were both launched in 2010. Technological developments in photography, music playback, and even e-commerce have roots back in the 1990s or earlier.
Not All Traditions Have Disappeared
While many customs change, others remain the same. In her Wedding Wire piece, Prendergast discloses a few traditional practices that are solidly here to stay. The white wedding dress continues to be a staple, although it’s being reinvented with new details and silhouettes. The first dance is a timeless classic, along with asking for parents’ blessings and popping the question. You’ll also find alcohol at nearly every reception, with everything from signature cocktails to Canadian craft beers. Honeymoons remain popular, although some busy or cash-strapped pairs opt for mini-moons or staycations.
Customized Nuptials Are the Norm
Canadian weddings can be traditional, modern, or somewhere in between. While some old practices remain, couples craft their nuptials to fit their values, purposes, and lifestyles. No matter what customs each chooses to incorporate, these celebrations are ultimately both community events and personalized reflections of both spouses’ creativity, philosophy, and outlook.
When it comes to nuptials, it’s up to you and your partner to decide which traditions to adopt, adapt, and abandon for your special day. Religious and ethnic marriage rituals are common for engaged people around the world. Some couples incorporate ideas from literature, film, and television. And whether you’re getting married in Canada or simply want to incorporate something Canadian into your ceremony, Canada offers some old and new traditions to inspire and influence your marriage celebration. Here are some distinctly Canadian wedding customs worth considering.
Canadian Crowdsourcing
Are you and your partner looking for ways to fund your special day? Consider a pre-wedding party or dance where guests pay to participate. Depending on which part of Ontario you’re in, this party is either known as a “stag and doe” or a “shag.” In Manitoba, this party is called a “wedding social.” Expressly for raising money, the festivities often include games and other fun activities where attendees pay, not unlike a Spring Fling or local festival. Some stag and doe parties also include auctions, in which guests can bid on various prizes. Proceeds go directly to the couple to pay for the wedding or honeymoon.
Canadian Nuptials and Tea
A much older Canadian wedding tradition is what’s called the “trousseau tea.” Geared towards casual friends and acquaintances who might not be invited to the actual wedding, a trousseau tea was typically held by the mother of the bride. This was a dinner party or luncheon where the bride’s trousseau, usually the bridal gown and other accessories, was on display. In Western Canadian provinces, various desserts, known as dainties, would also be served. The trousseau tea is quite old-fashioned and is nearly obsolete, but it could be modernized to reflect your tastes as a couple and family.
All Aboard
A celebration train is a Quebecois tradition where the groom and his friends and family meet the bride and her loved ones at her house on the day of the wedding. Everyone then heads to the wedding venue in a procession of cars. Participants will honk their horns and yell out of their windows, letting passersby know about the impending union. Bystanders will usually offer well wishes and advice in return. The train ends with the arrival at the venue, and everyone enters together. This is a fun way to increase excitement about the occasion, but it may not work for couples who want to avoid seeing each other in wedding garb before the ceremony.
Sensational Sock Hop
Another fun Canadian tradition involves the unmarried siblings of the couple. At the reception, these single siblings will wear funky or silly socks and dance together. The sillier the dancing, the better. Other guests typically throw money at the dancers, which eventually goes to the couple to use as they start their lives together. This custom is a great idea for fun-loving wedding crowds and siblings who are good sports and don’t mind being silly for the sake of the newlyweds.
Nuptials and Wedding Wheel
The wedding wheel involves guests making a small donation of cash (e.g., a dollar) to dance with the bride at the reception. All the cash goes to the new spouses for their use. A variation of this tradition historically involved guests dancing with the bride and putting coins in her shoes. Cutting a rug with shoes full of coins is impractical, so some brides will keep a bag for collecting coins instead. The point is that participants donate small amounts of cash and have a little fun dancing with the new bride.
Wedding-day inspiration is wherever you and your partner find it. Canada offers soon-to-be-spouses some quirky yet fun ideas for making their big day one to cherish. Feel free to read up on these and other customs and tweak them as appropriate for your nuptials.
As the world continues to turn, love continues to bloom between couples all over the globe. While the past year and a half and have dramatically altered many aspects of our lives, two hearts continue to come together, resulting in a lifelong pledge to love each other for better or worse. While love springs eternal, wedding ceremony trends continue to shift and evolve for many, including Canadians. Here are some to keep an eye on, especially if you plan to tie the knot soon.
Simpler NuptialTrends
Where time and budget allow, the over-the-top lavish ceremony will never truly go away; however, there is definitely a trend toward more relaxed, understated luxury. Many couples will say farewell to formal, black-tie affairs and hello to laid-back weddings that feel more like fun get-togethers with families and friends. Think of alfresco nuptials in a cozy garden setting with an emphasis on simple, natural fabrics and finishes instead of the glitz and glamor of precious metals, gems and crystal. Put a ring on it, kick off your shoes and tuck a stalk of your favorite wildflower behind your ear as you head to the altar.
Multi-Day Celebrations
Traditionally, weddings take place on one day, with the reception immediately after or later the same day. A global pandemic has made many couples re-imagine their one big day as several special days with events spread throughout. Imagine a weekend with different events involving guests from your various social circles. From bowling to a backyard party to a Sunday brunch, a multi-day celebration provides you the opportunity to host casual yet intimate functions that are more accommodating to the various people who are happy to celebrate this new phase of life with you.
Trends;Everything Old, Very Little New
A growing trend with weddings is the use of vintage furniture, finishes and fashion. Older furnishings evoke feelings of nostalgia and a love for all things timeless. While the trend of wearing family heirlooms is hardly new, more partners are choosing classic styles that inspire fond recollection of the good old days. This trend isn’t just limited to attire and decor. Look for a classic approach to wedding gifts, menus, invitations and more.
All the Way Live
As couples push for ceremonies that have a relaxed or organic feel, another emerging trend is a push toward the use of live music. From folksy acts that emphasize acoustic guitars and strings to rocking bands with unique renditions of some of the world’s most beloved love songs, a live act brings a sense of accessibility and intimacy that helps to make the celebration special. Do you know singer-songwriters or musicians? Make the wedding even more memorable with a commissioned expression of love in song.
Perfectly Imperfect
When it comes to the big day, a couple may feel pressured to look perfect and have everything just so. Increasingly, many partners are ditching perfection for a more natural approach. Instead of picture-perfect captures of the newlyweds in forced poses, you can expect to see more candid shots that feature the glow of love between the new spouses and the ones who have come together to celebrate them. There’s magic in laughter, embraces, eyes closed in happiness and pure smiles, and capturing these moments is paramount.
Inclusive Celebrations
You can also expect to see ceremonies that are more inclusive and degenderized. Don’t be surprised if you get invited to a ceremony featuring a best woman, a man of honor or grooms-maids. On your very special day, you get to choose who’s in your ceremony. Reception traditions of tossing a bouquet or garter may also go the way of the dodo in modern celebrations.
The weddings of tomorrow will continue to shift and change as society progresses. More couples are choosing to prioritize simplicity and comfort. The joy of marriage is in the journey, and many star-crossed voyagers are setting a course for relaxation over fuss.
When couples plan their weddings, they must decide what traditions to include. How do Canadian weddings stack up in the 21st century?
When couples plan their weddings, they must often decide what traditions to include. These celebrations incorporate basic ceremonial elements such as exchanging vows, but many also feature customs that add layers of meaning or are passed down through families or cultures. Meanwhile, some trends become new traditions while old customs slowly fall out of favor. How do Canadian weddings stack up in the 21st century? You may be surprised once you find out.
The Role of Gender in Western Weddings
It’s no secret that many wedding customs were influenced by older social norms. As cold as this sounds, marriages were less about love and more about finances, inheritances, and sometimes political concerns. Unions were arranged in many parts of the world, with women frequently losing any legal rights they had once the ceremonies took place. The Encyclopedia Britannica explains the concept of “coverture,” in which married couples were considered single legal entities, with husbands wielding the most power and decision-making responsibilities. The idea was introduced into English law after the Norman Conquest beginning in 1066. The Canadian Encyclopedia mentions that British cultural influences on marriage and property statutes codified coverture into Canadian law in many areas.
Some wedding traditions are leftover legacies from these societal realities. For instance, you may remember that the bride’s family used to pay for the wedding. Vogue’s Priya Rao reveals that this stems from old dowry customs in which the bride’s family provided physical wealth before a marriage could take place. The Spruce’s Nina Callaway adds that the practice of fathers giving away their daughters during wedding ceremonies is also tied to dowries. This act was a sign that the father was pleased with the marriage negotiations and gave his blessing.
As Societies Change, So Do Weddings
Money Versed writer Liz Collins offers a basic breakdown on wedding traditions that are slowly being abandoned. Unsurprisingly, she listed customs that were once commonplace even in the 20th century:
The bride’s family paying for the wedding
Grooms not seeing their brides before the ceremony
Gendered wedding showers
Bouquet and garter tosses
Wedding Wire’s Alice Prendergast discusses more ways in which Canadian nuptials have changed. For instance, more couples are living together before marriage and fewer choose religious ceremonies. At the same time, a few recent trends are slowly becoming traditions. For instance, the Emily Post Institute details that high-tech weddings are the norm. That’s not a surprise to anyone getting hitched in 2019 or 2020, but what’s interesting is how this resulted from the development of some key innovations over the last few decades. Wedding websites began appearing in the late 1990s, but Pinterest and Instagram were both launched in 2010. Technological developments in photography, music playback, and even e-commerce have roots back in the 1990s or earlier.
Not All Traditions Have Disappeared
While many customs change, others remain the same. In her Wedding Wire piece, Prendergast discloses a few traditional practices that are solidly here to stay. The white wedding dress continues to be a staple, although it’s being reinvented with new details and silhouettes. The first dance is a timeless classic, along with asking for parents’ blessings and popping the question. You’ll also find alcohol at nearly every reception, with everything from signature cocktails to Canadian craft beers. Honeymoons remain popular, although some busy or cash-strapped pairs opt for mini-moons or staycations.
Customized Nuptials Are the Norm
Canadian weddings can be traditional, modern, or somewhere in between. While some old practices remain, couples craft their nuptials to fit their values, purposes, and lifestyles. No matter what customs each chooses to incorporate, these celebrations are ultimately both community events and personalized reflections of both spouses’ creativity, philosophy, and outlook.
