Bring an Italian Flair to Wedding Season

The world is abuzz with the excitement surrounding the upcoming nuptials of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – a true royal wedding. The wedding is set to take place in England on May 19th at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. An invitation is most certainly hard to come by, but luckily the wedding will be televised for the nation to watch and celebrate along at home. Here at Diforti, we’ll be celebrating the Italian way and enjoying some delicious authentic Italian food. Not quite sure what that entails? Let us share with you some traditional Italian wedding customs so that you can celebrate the royal nuptials, Italian-style.

A Quest for Good Luck

The Italians are true believers in the importance of bringing luck into a new marriage, and that starts with the day chosen to celebrate the nuptials. Friday is the unluckiest day to get married, as it is known as the day when evil spirits are created. Sunday is the luckiest day to tie the knot, as it signifies fertility and prosperity. Continuing on the theme of luck, rice is thrown at the happy couple as they leave the church to bring them fertility.

The Wedding Feast

Something the Italians don’t hide is their love for food. It plays a part in all customs and rituals, which is why it should come to no surprise that when you attend an Italian wedding, you’re in for a delectable treat. A traditional Italian wedding can have up to 14 courses – of course, this level of feasting isn’t necessary, but there is some party food that is. Traditionally a pasta dish is served first – either a creamy risotto, a filled ravioli or some other pasta variation. This is followed by a meat course and then some delectable dessert – ‘bowties’ are customarily served, which are pieces of twisted fried dough covered in powdered sugar meant to deliver good tidings.

Drinks are also an important part of the night and prosecco is always a good idea, as is any other type of wine, which is the traditional drink served at an Italian wedding. The couple is toasted with the phrase ‘per cent’anni’, which translates to ‘for 100 years’, and ‘evviva gli sposi’, translating to ‘hurray for the newlyweds’. In typical Italian fashion, the night is rounded off with espresso for all.

For your royal wedding party, why not start the celebration off with some antipasto circulated amongst your guests? Served with Bottega Gold Prosecco Brut, it’s the perfect way to toast the happy couple. Continue the festive meal with a risotto, such as Casale Porcini Mushroom Risotto, followed by baked lamb with potatoes and finished off with a few cheeky bowties dusted in a hefty amount of sugar.

Dance the Night Away

The first dance is an immersive experience, with all of the guests incorporated into the dance. Guests hold colourful streamers that entrap the bride and groom in vibrant colours as they dance. To continue spreading their well wishes for the newlyweds, guests partake in ‘la tarantella’, a dance where everyone holds hands in a circle rotating clockwise and then counter-clockwise.

To help pay for the night’s festivities, the bride typically walks around the party with a satin bag where guests can deposit money for the couple. Another time-honoured tradition is one in which the groom cuts up his tie into small pieces to be sold off by his groomsmen for money.

While you may not be invited to the chapel for the royal vows (or to St. George’s Hall for the wedding luncheon reception hosted by the queen, or to the night reception at Frogmore House…), you can still celebrate in style at home and add a bit of Italian flair. Need some inspiration for your festive feast? Look no further than Diforti to buy Italian food online. You’ll find a delicious assortment of antipasti, pasta, dessert and espresso – everything you need to cater the perfect royal wedding celebration, all sent directly to you, without even stepping foot in an Italian delicatessen in London.

0

Leave a Reply

Basket

Top