History behind couples stomping on a piece of glass in Italian weddings

In some traditional Italian weddings ceremonies, the bride and the groom break a vase or a glass, and the number of the shattered pieces predicted is the number of years of married bliss.

Italians love their traditions and a wedding is one event in which Italian customs are still very much alive. Although these traditions differ from one region to another, many couples follow these today, both in Italy and in the US.

Some of the oldest traditions dating back to the 19th century are no longer followed today, yet are very interesting, particularly in how they differ from region to region. For instance, years ago, in Tuscany, the bride wore a black wedding dress and a white hat, and carried a fan, even in the winter months. Since no unmarried girl was allowed to witness a wedding ceremony, the bride’s “bridesmaids” consisted of married women, who accompanied her to the church.

In Sicily, there were two ceremonies, a civil followed by a religious, and the religion was considered to be more significant. The groom would not consider himself to be married until after the religious ceremony and the date of that ceremony was considered to be the wedding date. Many times the bride would arrive at the church on horseback, with the ceremony frequently occurring at night, and the way is lit with torches.