Why Serve Goose At A Wedding Feast?
According to folklore, goose was served at weddings because the gander, always faithful to his original mate, became the symbol of marriage and fidelity. By serving goose, it was believed that the main dish would symbolize things hoped for and dreamed for in the marriage.

Why A Wedding Cake?
The tradition of the wedding cake has ancient roots. The Roman wedding ceremony included a simple cake made from salt, water and wheat flour. The cake culture may also be connected to the fertility rituals of many cultures. One custom, similar to that of throwing confetti, involved showering the bride with many small cakes after the wedding. Sometimes the cakes were even broken over the bride's head. In Shakespeare's time, sheaves of wheat were carried in the wedding procession and sometimes the bride wore weathers in her veil because this graceful grain is a symbol of fertility. In a later era, the wheat was ground to flour and little hearth-baked cakes were broken and eaten by the bride and groom. Gradually these loaves became more elaborate. The bridesmaids carried them to the church to be blessed, which led to the belief that the very crumbs under one's pillow would induce dreams of romance. At Elizabethan weddings, the bride and groom would kiss over a stack of small sweet buns. At 17th century French cef frosted the little cakes with white sugar to hold them together. White wedding cakes appeared in the United States around the civil war, replacing the British dark fruitcake. Elaborately decorated wedding cakes date from Victorian times. One customs in England involved throwing a plate holding a piece of cake, out the window as the bride entered her father's home after the wedding. If the plate remained unbroken on landing, the bride was destined to be unhappy or wretched. If the plate broke-- and it usually did-- she was sure to be happy. England also has the tradition of placing a ring in the wedding cake. The guests were invited to cut themselves slices of cake. The one who found the ring was said to be ensured happiness for a year. The bride and groom feed each other a taste of cake to symbolize the sharing of life's bounty. A small bit of icing on his face foretells a "rich and sweet life"; his face smeared with icing, "trouble"; and if a child under five snitches frosting, their first born will be tat sex.

Why A Wedding Toast?
What about the origin of "toasting"? As drink goes, wine has always been central to the wedding, even mentioned in the Bible. The first recorded toast was given at a Saxony feast in 450A.D. by a woman who became a bride herself before the end of the evening. British King Vortigern was so moved by the sentiment-- a simple "Lord King, be of health," offered by Rowena, daughter of the Saxony leader Hengist, that he proceeded to make passionate love to her. Intoxicated by the drink, possible love and definitely greed, he then bargained with Hengist for her hand. A deal was arranged whereby Hengist received the province of Kent in exchange for her hand. Vortigern and Rowena were married that same evening. From that time forth, "to life, to health, to love," has been a part of the toasting tradition, as glass touches glass and a chorus of clinks heralds a festive time for all. Once it literally involved scorched bread. In the days when wine was regularly decanted, it left much more of a sediment than our modern botles do. So the French cleverly placed a piece of toast in the bottom of the cup to absorb the dregs. A competent toaster drank everything to get to the toast at the bottom because decorum dictated that one drain the glass. So good wishes were often accompanied with the dictum, "Bottoms up!". Today the good wishes remain but happily the actual soggy toast has disappeared. And, clinking of glasses after a toast scares away the devil who is repelled by the noise.

Why Wedding Favors?
To share joy of day with guests, dating back to Elizabethan times.

Why Sugar-Coated Almonds?
In many cultures, almonds symbolize wishes for a happy and fertile marriage. The candy-covered nuts were often in elaborately-decorated small boxes and containers, looking for all the world like little gems. At any rate, it's a continental custom you may want to suggest to your American brides. What a sweet thought!

Why Dancing And Games?
Ancient wedding dances were communal and symbolic of life giving and beginnings. The first dance of the bride and groom leading to their dancing with the guests was to give them strength from the community before they retired to the bed chamber.

Why An Old Shoe?
In India, when a couple were honeymooning in a house, the bride's red slippers were thrown across the peaked roof as a discreet reminder that visitors were not especially welcome. Our custom of throwing old shoes after the departing newlyweds stems from this ancient sign-language. Old shoes tied to the honeymooner's car were once considered symbols of authority and possession. The bride's father would contribute one of the bride's shoes to the groom, thus symbolizing the transference of authority over to the husband.

Why Throw The Garter?
Guests invaded the bridal chamber and threw the bride and groom's stockings. The one whose throw landed on the bride or groom's nose was the next to marry. By the 14th century, the groom was throwing the bride's garter to prevent their being rushed at the altar.

Why Toss The Bride's Bouquet?
Traditionally, the woman catching the bouquet will be the next to wed.

Why Decorate The Car?
Traditionally, the guests escorted the couple to the bed chamber and tucked them into bed reminding them of their responsibility of the community to create a family. Old Shoes: As part of the dowry, a bride's slipper was given to the groom who nailed it to the wall above the bed as a symbol of his authority over the new bride. Tin Cans: To protect the couple form evil spirits while they traveled.

Why Throw Rice?
It is thought to have come from the Orient, where rice is a household symbol that signifies a full pantry. Thus, wedding guests through the ages have thrown rice to demonstrate their wishes for he prosperity of the new bride and groom. While nearly all cultures have showered the wedding couple with symbolic food to ensure fertility, for many years it was rice that was used in America. Today, however, this sport is considered dangerous as someone could slip and fall when walking on the grains. Environmentalists say that rice can harm birds, being hard for them to digest. However, there is also a biodegradable rice now on the market, making it possible to again use rice. We suggest that you use birdseed, confetti or bubbles. Tie the birdseed into the rounds of net. Coordinate the ribbon used to tie the packets with your color scheme. Or, packages of confetti can be passed out. For a different effect, non-staining bubble soap is available and the small bottles can be personalized with the couple's names. What apretty sight it is to walk beneath a canopy of bubbles on camera-- a beautiful sight.

Why A Honeymoon?
Long ago it was a period when the groom, having bought or captured his bride, disappeared with her so that h family could not rescue her. The couple hid for a month (moon) and partook of a honeyed wine, called meade, which was thought to have aphrodisiac properties. By the sixteenth century, honeymoon referred less to a time period and more to a feeling. Newlyweds were in the "honey," or full phase, of their love.

Why The Groom Carries The Bride Over The Threshold?
The Romans believed that the threshold was the sacred place of their goddess Vesta and that if the new husband did not carry his bride feet-first into their new home, the couple would risk Vesta's displeasure. And even today in some parts of India, the fear of evil spirits is so great that the groom himself is carried over the threshold before he turns and lifts his bride across after him!