Italian Wedding Food
Traditional Italian Foods
Some
traditional Italian foods that have become famous all over the world are
the Italian pastries in the shape of bowties, called wanda,
and also white sugar-coated almonds known as confetti. Tulle
bags containing the confetti are placed alongside each place setting or
personally distributed by the couple at the bridal reception from a large
basket known as la bomboniera.
Italian Wedding Cakes
Italian wedding cakes are usually multi-layered with two little figures at the very top representing the bride and groom. These two plastic representations appear smiling and looking over with approval in the direction of all the guests at the reception.
Italian Wedding Traditions
It is inevitable at every Italian wedding party that a male individual, after about his fourth glass of wine, will get up and say these words in a loud and excited voice: "evviva gli sposi" ("hurray for the newlyweds"). This always triggers a thundering applause from everyone and a plethora of other well wishing comments. As the celebration continues if even the slightest decrease in the boisterous enthusiasm occurs someone else will then again get up and shout once more "evviva gli sposi" and the crowd will respond with another round of applause and with incredible enthusiasm.
A Kiss for the Bride
Next, as in any predictable series of events some young and mischievous individual, always a man, will say bacio, bacio... or "kiss, kiss, we want a kiss". Then the bride and groom will slowly and reluctantly stand up and oblige the audience.
In some regions of Italy, the tradition exists for couples to shatter a glass at the end of the function as is also done in Jewish weddings, but at a different time. The number of fragments are supposed to represent the years of happiness the couple will have together. In some locations of Italy a pair of doves may be released.
