Christian weddings and receptions are very similar to the traditional Italian wedding. The specific customs and traditions can vary based on the ethnic group, social group or what part of the country the wedding is in.

First, engraved invitations are sent out to the wedding guests and hand addressed for a personal touch. The guests then send or deliver wedding gifts to the bride’s home before the wedding day. The wedding ceremony takes place at a church or other special location of choice such as a botanical garden or a back yard. The wedding reception will follow either at the same place or somewhere else.

At the reception the bridal party lines up in a receiving line and the wedding guests file past and introduce themselves. Snacks and a meal are usually served while the guests and newlyweds spend time together. Usually the best man and maid of honor will then toast the bride and groom with best wishes, stories and personal thoughts and some of the other guests will follow with their own toasts. Champagne, or some kind of nonalcoholic option are used for the toast.

The bride and groom will then take the first dance together. Often the bride and groom will exchange dances with their respective parents, then sometimes dance with the wedding party then the bride and groom will dance together again while the wedding party joins in and then the rest of the guests will follow. Some cultures will have a money dance where guests will actually pin money on the bride and groom to help them get started with their new life and home. Some other cultures would considered this to be vulgar. Music is usually provided by a live band but sometimes a disc jockey or stereo are used.

After the meal is served and the toasting done the cake-cutting ceremony takes place. The bride and groom both hold a cake cutter, usually a gift given as a keepsake, and cut the first slices of cake. An enjoyable highlight of the cake cutting ceremony in Christian weddings is after cutting the first slice, the bride and groom will feed each other cake and often this will lead to smearing cake on each other’s faces. In some groups this would be considered vulgar.

After the cake-cutting the bride at some point will toss the bouquet. She will turn her back toward a group of all the unmarried women at the wedding and toss the bouquet backwards over her shoulder. Superstition says that the lucky woman who catches it will be the next to marry. In some groups the groom will do the same with the brides garter, throwing it to a group of all the unmarried men with the same intent.

Gifts are usually opened ahead of time and sometimes displayed at the reception and guests that bring gifts will place them on a gift table for the bride and groom to take home and open later.