If a wedding in the French Riviera is out of reach, but you still want to celebrate your heritage or bring culture and romance to your day, there are plenty of simple ways to add some unique French flair to your celebration.
The Ceremony
- Budget for beautiful blooms. Flowers are very important in a French wedding. For a unique approach to flowers, give each of your guests a single blossom and as you walk down the aisle collect them to make a bouquet. For an added touch, have your flower girl scatter laurel leaves down the aisle.
- Throughout history, French couples have cut white ribbons held across their path before the wedding. Start your ceremony by cutting white ribbons strung in front of or across the aisle prior to the processional.
- Add opulence to your ceremony by sitting under a traditional carré, a silk canopy believed to protect the couple from evil spirits.
The Reception
- France is renowned for its food and drink; so it goes without saying that it is easy to give your reception a French touch (or taste!). Enjoy a standard three or four course French meal including hors d’oeuvres, a main course and mouth-watering desserts (like crepes).
- Try croquembouche, the traditional French celebration cake, made of small, cream-filled pastry puffs piled in a pyramid and covered in a caramel glaze and spun sugar.
- For some added excitement, include the longstanding tradition of beheading a bottle of champagne with a sabre, which is specifically made for the occasion. Then toast to the night and your marriage with a coupe de marriage. Have a champagne glass engraved with your names or a line from your vows, and toast between courses or after each speech.
Tips and Tricks:
- If you don’t know where to start, Jodi Gagne, Toronto Wedding Planner for Simply Perfect, suggests starting with one basic element as your inspiration whether it be French cuisine, wine or favours. “Today it is so easy to slip into cookie-cutter wedding plans. You need to find ways to think outside the box and really put a personal stamp on your day.”
- Consider your guests and keep it simple because all of them may not necessarily understand or pick up on the symbolism of the traditions you incorporate.
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