DATING AND MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN BRITAIN

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Dating

Dating usually starts in the teenage years. Traditionally, boys started but

now boys and girls start.

Marriage

What is the legal age for marrying in the UK?

In England and Wales people cannot marry if they are aged sixteen or seventeen. In Scotland man and

woman must be at least sixteen years of age (you don’t need your parents’

permission).

A marriage can take place in

- A Register Office- A Church of England, Church in Wales or

Church of Ireland.- A synagogue or any other private place if

both partners are Jewish.- Andy other religious building provided that

the person marrying the couple is registered by the Registrar General.

- Premises approved by the local authority.- A place where on partner is seriously ill and

not expected to recover.- A prison, if one partner is a prisoner.

Marriages today

Nowadays people marry later. Many couples are living together first for all

sorts of reasons such as finance.

The Wedding DayIt is unlucky for the groom to see the bride on the wedding day before the

service. Traditionally the bride wears a white

dress and the groom wears a suit.The bride may be attended by

bridesmaids and pageboys.

After the wedding ceremony

After the wedding ceremony guests are invited to have lunch and

celebrations. This is the Wedding Reception.

Wedding Cake

It is traditional at weddings to have a special wedding cake at the reception, often with two or more tiers - each tier

may be made of a different type of cake to satisfy the tastes of all your wedding guests. It's also customary for the top tier of a three or four tier

cake to be kept aside for the christening of the couples first child.

Wedding Superstitions

Bride and groom must not meet on the day of the wedding except at the alter.

The bride should never wear her complete wedding clothes before the

day.

The husband should carry his new wife over the threshold of their home.

For good luck the bride should wear “something borrowed, something

blue, something old and something new”.

The Honeymoon

It is traditional for the bride and groom to go away on a holiday, called a Honeymoon, after the

wedding has taken place.

The End

Judit Soler and Èlia Xarles