It’s June and that means wedding season is in high gear. For many of us, save-the-dates and wedding invitations have made their way to our mailboxes. The cadence of shopping, planning, traveling, toasting, celebrating, dancing, and drinking has just begun. While our heads spin with those inevitable years when everyone seems to be getting hitched around the same time, making it difficult to simply enjoy a celebration, it is fun to witness familiar traditions, sometimes reinvented for modern brides.

We talk a lot about traditions here at Modigliani because they mean so much to Italians. For Americans, traditions more often come from something started in our own families, whereas Italian traditions are steeped in religion, history, culture, and even superstition. And many incorporate symbolic meanings. Weddings are a great example where superstition and symbolism are significant in Italian traditions. While today’s modern Italian bride may not carry over many of these traditions, there are some that remain.

Grooms used to be the ones that selected and paid for the bridal bouquet as a final gift for his beloved and would often present it to her at the church. Today the bride likely selects the bouquet, but they may still continue with the tradition of the groom presenting it to her as a gesture of love.

Small but meaningful actions to bring luck and abundance to the couple were prominent in the past. Brides used to wear something green the night before the wedding for good luck and grooms were known to carry a piece of iron in their pockets to ward off evil spirits. The bride would never wear anything gold on her wedding day, other than her wedding ring, as that too would bring bad luck.

While in the U.S. we say it’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding, in parts of Italy it was seen as bad luck for the bride to see her own reflection in the mirror. If she really wanted to see herself in her gown, she would have to remove a shoe or glove before gazing in her mirror. And in some cases, a bride would even rip her veil for good luck.

Speaking of shoe removal, the tradition of the groom removing the brides garter is also a tradition in Italy. However, if the bride did not wear a garter, one of her shoes would be removed and tossed to the crowd for luck instead.

Another tradition that has mostly gone the wayside is the cutting up of the groom’s tie. Once destroyed, the pieces would then be passed to guests in exchange for money.

And one tradition that has been mostly upheld is the carrying of la borsa, or satin bag, by the bride during the reception. The purpose is for guests to place envelopes of money into the bag to help pay for the wedding and the couple’s new life together.

The giving of bomboniera is also something that continues. These are small pouches or boxes of candy coated Jordan almonds meant to symbolize the bittersweetness of marriage. Each pouch must contain an odd number, usually 5 or 7, which are considered lucky numbers.

During the reception, there is a dance called La Tarantella, or the tarantula, which again, is how guests wish the couple good luck. Participants stand in a circle surrounding the couple while holding hands and moving in a clockwise direction. As the music plays, it eventually kicks up tempo which signals reversing the direction and repeating until everyone collapses together at the end – very popular even today.

There are a number of other traditions that Italians across various regions have upheld over the years or have modernized for today’s world, but the importance of celebration and bringing luck and love to the couple continues in a myriad of ways.

One thing that never changes is marking the occasion by showering gifts on the happy couple. If you’re a bride-to-be or buying for one, Modigliani offers a gift registry for unique items anyone would love. Starting a new life together with beautiful, handmade Italian dinnerware is perfect. Preparing meals and hosting dinners for family and friends is something many look forward to as a new couple. Let us help make that experience even greater with the art and artistry of our distinctive ceramic dishware, flatware, and one of a kind pieces.

And to all the soon to be and recent newlyweds, buona fortuna e auguri (good luck and best wishes)!

Register with our Gift Registry today!

Photo credits:
Bride and Groom:  iStock Photo Credit: Hreni
Wedding Favors:  iStock Photo Credit: budrio

Modigliani invites people to celebrate the everyday – so when it comes to life’s special milestones, like weddings, we are first in line to celebrate alongside our customers. Nothing brings us more joy than helping couples select the dinnerware and serving pieces for their future table, or assisting guests in picking the perfect gift from a bridal registry.

Since we also take joy in creating tablescapes and serving unique culinary creations, we also keep an eye on current wedding trends, particular those around our headquarters, Kansas City. We have a soft spot for KC’s own bridal publication EA Bride, as their aesthetic and creativity aligns well with our own proclivity for handcrafted, unique, and artful celebrations.

With the summer issue due out any day now, we are glancing back at some of our favorite spring wedding trends highlighted in the spring 2015 issue of EA Bride (order a physical copy here) and exploring how you can incorporate Italian stylings with these trends.

Bringing Italian Stylings into Spring Wedding Trends

Bright, Fun, and Eclectic

EA’s “A Fair to Remember” feature photographed by Melissa & Beth reveals an ongoing wedding trend: a move away from the more traditional and formal event toward a fun, colorful, and eclectic affair that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

In this styled engagement shoot, the bride- and groom-to-be frolic at a fair with a carousel and cotton candy truck as their backdrops. Bright and playful shades of mint, teal, salmon, and marigold mingle with royal blue. The couple sips from glass soda bottles and holds a balloon bouquet. The vibe is flirty and fun.

Echo this wedding trend in your own tablescapes (bridal or otherwise) with our bright dinnerware collections. Pair the POP collection’s Lines dinner plate with the Circle soup bowl.

Or for more centralized color, pair a solid colored plate, like our Laccata Puro, with a mix of tall, rainbow-hued vessels for florals, like the Check Large Twisted POP vase or the coordinating Circle Vase. The mix of complementary colors but alternating patterns will inject fun and energy into your tablescapes.

Bohemian Vibes

The “Glitz and Gypsy Glam” photo shoot by Jana Marie and styled by Amani Skalacki encapsulates another trend: a Bohemian-chic aesthetic achieved by blending bright colors (aqua and coral) with moodier jewel tones (magenta and sangria) and lush greenery. Gold accents add a touch of glamour, while mismatched dinnerware and serving pieces add frivolity to a traditional farmhouse table. Small bites are served atop an ottoman under fabric draping.

You can easily achieve a similar look at your wedding or next gathering with our Italian ceramics. A mix-and-match approach to the table reigns, but make things feel united by picking a few colors to emphasize, then combining plates, bowls, and servingware in that colorway. Our website makes it easy to determine complementary pieces – just select a collection and scroll down to the “COMPLEMENTARY PRODUCTS” section.

We also love the idea of serving up a smorgasbord of cheeses, crackers, grapes, spreads, and other cicchetti for guests to munch on as they mingle during cocktail hour. We carry a number of serving platters perfect for artful appetizer display, as well as pitchers and carafes for wine, sangria, or liqueurs.

Earthy Colors, Natural Patterns

The July wedding shot by Lark Photography featured in “Magic in the Mountains” exudes rustic-casual elegance thanks to a palette of sunny yellows and oranges, nude-peach, pale grey, gold, and earthy brown. Natural elements like succulents, wildflower bouquets, and wooden boxes lend a charming outdoorsy ambience to the indoor tablescapes, echoing the natural feel of the venue’s exposed beams and wooden floors.

Though largely photographed outside, this real-life wedding can be emulated even in indoor events. Ground your tablescape with earthy colors, choosing one brighter color as your primary accent. Select plates with florals and other natural patterns to bring the outside in – we’re partial to the Festa line or Terre di Chianti. 

Use some of the larger serving pieces to arrange desserts and small bites, like the shooters and cupcakes this couple clustered among florals and photos.

Make Time to Celebrate "La Grande Vita"

Even if you are not planning any nuptials, we invite you to try your hand at these spring wedding trends. Make the ordinary a celebration in the true spirit of our philosophy, “Embrace la Grande Vita.” Create memorable tablescapes and food to savor. Every moment can be special with a little care.

If you are a soon-to-be-newlywed, we extend our warmest congratulations. Modigliani would love to be a part of your table for years to come. We would be honored to personally help you select the handcrafted, one-of-a-kind dinnerware, flatware, glassware, or serving pieces that you’ll use at family gatherings for years to come. To start your own registry – or peruse a loved one’s list and select a piece as unique as their relationship – click here or contact us today at (816) 659-1400.