Which Bride Wears it Best?

My Sunday morning ritual is to get the paper and read the wedding page first. I love that the Richmond Times-Dispatch still does HUGE wedding & engagement announcements (where they list every little detail....back in Colorado they don't do this anymore). So when I opened my paper yesterday, I was surprised to see the first three brides all wore a Mantilla veil. Hmmm...interesting??? Only Bride # 2 mentioned that her veil was worn by two of her aunts, also from Richmond. I'm wondering about Bride number 1 and 3??

My mother wore a Mantilla veil, which was extremely popular in the '60's. Are they making a comeback? I love the sentiment of wearing your mother's veil (or a family member's). I would think this would be a lot easier than trying to wear their dress...One size fits all? Right? The only problem is.......this type of veil doesn't go with every gown. You would definitely have to go with a simple gown or one with only lace.

So I ask you- Which bride do you think wears it best? Bride number 1, 2, or 3?

Unity Candle Part II- The Story Behind the Picture

After I posted the picture yesterday, I realized it was kind of funny because I'm the only one lighting the Unity Candle (yep, that's me!). My mom and sister thought I better tell the story-

If I have any good wedding tips to give from my own experience, it would be to make sure you dig out the wick of your Unity Candle before the ceremony. Ha! I'm not sure how long it took us to light our candle, but it felt like ETERNITY! We could NOT get the candle to light. I finally took the matter in my own hands and lit the sucker (leave it to the woman to get it done, right? Ha! Ha!)! I remember jokingly asking Father while we were trying to light the candle if it was a "Sign"? Later, at the reception, someone came up to me and told me they couldn't believe I had said that during the ceremony. HA! That makes me laugh now thinking about it.... Ironically, not giving up on the Unity Candle truly represents our marriage today. We've been married for 10 years now; we've had our ups and downs like every marriage, but we never give up!

Unity Candle

{photo by Chad Mahlum}

The Purpose

The Unity Candle is a symbol of the individuals joining together in marriage to form one unit. Individual wants and needs still exist, but the good of the whole must be considered. A new edifice is created which is stronger for the combining. When this ceremony is added, it can give emphasis to the commitment and add drama to your service.

The Ceremony

The Unity Candle consists of two tapered candles representing the bride and groom and a large pillar candle that is lit from the tapers at the end of the ceremony to represent the two have become one. Some couples prefer to use colored sand and mingle into one. There is usually a song during this time. Since the lighting finishes before the song ends, it is best to add more to the ceremony.

Some couples will go to the Mother-of-the-Bride and present a single flower stem and an embrace and then to the Mother-of-the-Groom. It allows the parents the first opportunity to congratulate the couple and also includes family as being very important to the couple.

Another option is to have the marriage certificate on the altar and have the Best Man, Maid of Honor, the officiate, and the couple sign during this time. This allows the guests to be witnesses and gives a sense of completion.

Lifting of the Veil

How Did it Start?

In the not so distant past, marriages were arranged, sometimes before a person was born. The groom did not see his bride until after they were pronounced Man & Wife. The veil hid the bride's face from view. This was how Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel in the book of Genesis.

Symbol of Innocence

The veil is the one thing a second time bride is suppose to relinquish since it is a symbol of innocence, not the white dress. Many second time brides will wear the veil but do not cover the face.

Two Traditions

Many brides prefer to give their father the honor of lifting the veil. The bride comes down the aisle with her father with the veil covering her face. At the front of the church the minister asks, “Who gives this woman?” The father says, “I do,” lifts her veil, and gives her a kiss before taking his seat.

The second tradition is to keep the face covered until the kiss. The minister says, “You may kiss the bride,” The bride turns to her maid-of-honor and hands her the bouquet. The maid-of–honor lifts the veil. The bride turns back to her new husband for the kiss. The minister introduces the new Mr. and Mrs. ________ to the congregation. The music starts and they then proceed out of the church. This can be a very dramatic conclusion to the ceremony.