Admit it, when you think of Italy, you think of amore (love). The land of romance, passion, beauty and love. An ideal setting for your unforgettable day. It’s even more romantic if you just went there on holiday and ended up marrying a dreamy Italian guy/girl. In that case, you should get to know more about Italian wedding superstitions, customs and traditions. You wouldn’t want to embarrass your new in-laws by not knowing what is expected of you as the bride/groom.

If you’ve never had the chance to learn a bit about Italian beliefs, it’s not safe to assume that they are universal and that common western traditions and superstitions apply, especially because Italy has many regions and customs vary in different parts of the country. For example, in Italy number 13 is a lucky number, but number 17 is considered bad luck, so don’t set the date on the 17th.

Also make sure you don’t seat 13 guests at one table. This is considered bad luck because there were 13 sitting at the table during Last Supper. In addition, never have someone single sitting at the corner of the table because it means that they will never get married. On your wedding day hold the le corna sign (the horns) behind your back facing downwards. Italians believe that this will keep bad luck away so it’s not unusual to see brides holding le corna at weddings.

If you’re about to be an Italian bride, don’t forget to put on a veil. It is bad luck for a bride to be without a veil, and it’s best if a happily married woman would lend you her veil for your wedding. According to some sources, the bride should rip her veil after the wedding for good luck, health and happiness. In some parts, it’s also common to wear something green the night before the wedding. It is a symbol of happiness and fertility.

An Italian bride should wear a veil and rip it after the ceremony for good luck.

After the ceremony, throwing rice at the bride & groom as they go out of the church is a must in Italy. The gesture symbolises a shower of fertility. We mustn’t forget to mention the timeless Italian tradition of giving confetti or the bomboniera to guests as party favours to say thank you for attending the wedding. The confetti are usually sugar coated almonds dipped in chocolate or some other form of icing for colour. They stand for the bitter-sweet future waiting ahead. At weddings, the confetti are usually white and packed a little white lace bags. There is usually five of them in each bag as this is also a lucky number in Italian tradition. In most parts of Italy the wedding cake is not part of the tradition.

Throwing rice at newlyweds for a fertile marriage – source: huffingtonpost.com

A superstitious Italian groom would most likely carry a piece of iron in his pocket because Italians believe that iron keeps away evil spirits and bad luck. If it rains on your wedding day, it is the best thing that can happen to an Italian bride. Rain is considered good luck for the bride. Finally, never buy the wedding rings at the same time as the engagement ring. Italians believe that they should be bought at different times.

It’s a good sign if it rains on you wedding day