1/ Getting ready with your mother
The bride would traditionally be getting ready with her mother only (maybe some aunts and sisters). The getting ready would be a quiet time, spent with close family. The bride’s mother would be the one helping her put on her dress and accessories.
2/ Offering of the bouquet
The groom would see his bride before ceremony and bring her her bridal bouquet. Traditionally the groom would be the one to have chosen and ordered the bride’s bouquet.
3/ A processional that celebrates 2 families coming together
At a French wedding, the processional would include the groom and his parents, along with the both the bride’s parents.
First would be the bride’s mother walking with the groom’s father
Then the groom would walk his mother down the aisle
And then would come the flower girls and page boys, followed by the bride and her father.
Similarly, at the end of the ceremony the bride and groom would lead walking together up the aisle, followed by the bride’s mother with the groom’s father, and then the bride’s father with the groom’s mother.
This shows how the two families are now united.
4/ Congratulations line
After ceremony and at the beginning of the following reception, the bride, groom and their parents would form a line at the entrance of the reception area so that each guest can salute and congratulate them. This is a great way to ensure that the family has seen every and each guest on the day.
5/ The choux tower
The traditional French cake is called a piece montée or croquembouche. It consists of a tower of choux pastry filled with pastry cream. The higher the tower, the more successful, happy and wealthy the marriage will be!
6/ A long dinner!
A wedding dinner in France would usually last about 3 hours. The guests may be served an appetiser, a starter, a main course, cheese, and then dessert! The dance would often start around midnight and finish with the sun rise…
7/ Father and daughter dance
One of the French traditions we like most is the father daughter dance. At a French wedding the bride and her father would open the ball, dancing together alone for a bit. Then the groom would join the dance floor with his mother. Then, towards the middle of the song, the father would give his daughter’s hand (again) to his son in law, so that the bride and groom dance together. The father of the bride would then dance with the mother of the bride. At this point, the mother of the bride would join the dance floor with the father of the groom.
