【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 enough money to hold the , it is also an important event. People pay many attentions to it. Meeting the BrideThe marriage is finally held after the five procedures. In the past, the bridegroom wore wedding suit, riding on a horse, and guided the bridal sedan chair to marry the bride on the day. And the bride wore a red cheongsam waiting for the bridegroom. Now, the bridegroom wares western suit, and the bride wares wedding dress and usually in a car.2. Western Marriage CustomIn the middle ages children were married at a young age. Girls were as young as 12 when they got married, and boys as young as 14. The arrangement of the marriage was based on monetary worth. The family of the girl who was to be married gave a dowry, or donation, to the boy she was to marry. The dowry went with her when the marriage was held and stayed with the boy forever after the marriage. After the marriage was arranged, a wedding notice was posted on the door of the church. The notice was put up to ensure that there were no grounds for prohibiting the marriage. The notice stated who was to be married, and if anyone knew any reasons that the two could not marry, they were to e forward with the reason. If the reason was a valid one the wedding would be prohibited.There are many reasons for prohibiting a marriage. One reason was consanguinity, if the two were too closely related. If the boy or the girl had taken a monastic or religious vow, the marriage was also prohibited. Sometimes widows or widowers took vows of celibacy on the death of their spouse, and later regretted doing so when they could not remarry. Other reasons which also prohibited marriage, but were not grounds for a divorce, were rape, adultery, and incest. A couple could not be married during a time of fasting, such as lent or advent. Nor could a couple be married by someone who had killed someone.In the middle ages there were few reasons the wedding could be dissolved. One reason was if either the man or woman were not of legal age, 12 for girls and 14 for boys. If the husband or wife had previously made a religious or monastic vow or were not Christian, the marriage would be dissolved. The last reason a marriage could end was if the woman, not the man, was incapable of sexual relations. ProposalWhen the prospective groom had obtained his father’s consent to marry, a formal marriage proposal had to be made. The prospective groom did not propose in person but sent his friends or members of his family to represent his interest to the prospective bride and her family. If they saw a blind man, a monk or a pregnant woman during their journey, it was believed that the proposal would not be accepted as these signs were thought to bring bad luck. If, however, they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves, this was a good omen which would bring good fortune to the marriage.During Medieval times in western countries, the man proposed by leaving a hawthorn branch at the door of his beloved on the first of May. By leaving the branch at the door she accepted his proposal. She made known her refusal by replacing the hawthorn branch with a cauliflower. Changing SurnamesIt was thought unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname began with the same letter as hers. The sentiment was summarized in the following thyme: To change the name and not the letter is to change for the worst and not the better. The bride should not practice writing her new name before the wedding. This was thought to bring bad luck by tempting fate. Choosing the DayAlthough most weddings now take place on a Saturday, it was considered unlucky in the past. Fridays were also considered unlucky particularly Friday the 13th. The famous old rhyme advised a wedding in the first half of the week:Monday for wealthTuesday for healthWednesday the best day of allThursday for lossesFriday for crosses (= funerals) Saturday for no luck at all Advice on which month to marry in was given by the following rhyme: Married when the year is new, he39。ll love, kind and true.When February birds do mate, you neither wed nor dread your fate.If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you39。ll know.Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.Marry in the month of May, and you39。ll surely rue the day.Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you39。ll go.Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred.Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to seeMarry in September39。s shrine, your living will be rich and fine.If in October you do marry, love will e but riches tarry.If you wed in bleak November, only joys will e, remember.When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.Marry in May and you39。ll live to rue the dayMay had been considered an unlucky month to marry in for a number of reasons. In Pagan times the Feast of the Dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity both occurred in May. The advice was taken more seriously in Victorian times than it is today. In most Churches the end of April was a busy time for weddings as coupes wanted to avoid being married in May. Queen Victoria was thought to have forbidden her children from marrying in May. June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in, because it was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.The summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry and this was partly to do with the sun39。s association with fertility. In Scotland one popular custom was for the bride to walk with the sun to bring her good. She would walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then continue walking around the church three times. Holding the Wedding The wedding ceremony was finally church ceremony in the middle ages took place outside the church door before entering the church for a nuptial mass. During the ceremony in front of the church doors the man stood on the right side and the woman stood on the left si