ASSIGNMENT # 16

ASSIGNMENT # 16
Pamela Aparicio

Royal Dutch Wedding: Maxima and Willem Alexander
This is the royalty from Holland, she comes from Argentina, when she got
married, the played a tango in the religious ceremony, so if I mention to you, I
come from Panama but my husband is from Holland, so when we was planning
the wedding, was a trouble of culture and customs, and this is really normal in
Holland, there are many “mix marriages”, as we say. But in this assignment I
will explain you, how is developed a Dutch wedding, and you will see is very
different from a American wedding. Let’s go !

Dutch Wedding Traditions
Pre wedding Party
Dutch custom holds that before the wedding day, the
family and closed friends are going to the bride’s
house, and they will a traditional sweetmeat called
“bruid suikas” accompanied with spiced wine.
They do bachelor\bachelorette party, but is more
going to dinner with friends, boys like to do
something fun together.
Dutch Wedding Rings
They don’t have the tradition to of the man getting
down on one knee to ask the woman to marry him
with a big diamond ring. Some girls ask to the man
for marriage, very modern I think, but they use also
gems like Emerald, sapphire. I have received a
sapphire, because is my favorite stone.

Dutch Wedding Traditions
Wish Tree
This typical Dutch tradition is display on the
reception , so the guests can write their special
wishes on the papers leaves, and then the bride and
groom can read peacefully. Nice to remember the
most of the people, who assist to your wedding.
Reception Food
Two traditional items served at a wedding, are
sweetmeat called “bridal sugar” and “bride tears”,
bridal sugar consist of five sweets wrapped in tulle.
Dutch customs uses the five number representing
the five wishes of love, happiness, loyalty, prosperity
and virility. Bridal tears is a small bottle of spiced
wine, that contains real gold leaves that represents
tears.

Dutch Wedding Traditions
Reception Décor
The venue is decorated with evergreen leaves, which
means everlasting love. The wedding auto is also
decorated with a lot of flowers, but this cost a lot of
money. Flower decorations are really expensive in
Holland, that’s why many people choose balloons, as
table centerpiece, civil and religious ceremony.
Clogs, traditional tales say that when a boy wanted
to ask a girl for marriage, he would hand-carve a pair
of clogs with beautiful designs. He would then place
them secretly at the girl’s doorstep during the night.
The boy would go back to the girl’s house the next
morning and if the girl was wearing the clogs, that
was the sign that she had accepted his marriage
proposal.

Wedding Photos, “The day
itself”.
Wedding couples like to
take pictures the day of
the wedding, before they
have the civil ceremony
with high tea, they go to
a landscape, modern
location, castle, beach,
everywhere they want,
and do a photo shoot,
sometimes modern in
industrial locations or
vintage with children,
mirrors, parents. They
like a lot black and white
photos, special effects,
but to choose the correct
photographer for you in
Holland, is really difficult,
I recommend you to do a
research with references,
not every photographer
is professional.

There is family receiving
you…? Where?
Yes, when your photo shoot is finished
you are going back home or to the civil
location and your family is receiving
you with balloons, everybody happy
for you. So everybody have seen you
before you are saying “Yes”.

Civil Ceremony and then
High tea
You can have your civil wedding in a
garden, beach, or in the city council,
like me, I am in the photo behind with
my husband. In this case is a official
from the government in the city, and
he or she, can tell a little story from
you, where you meet each other?
How? You can play music in the
ceremony, something romantic. The
most of the people here are family and
closed friends. They like to engrave the
rings with the name of the partner and
the date of the wedding.
Finally you are received with a high tea
by the wedding location, high tea
consist on a buffet full with croissants,
puff pastry , cupcakes, mini
sandwiches.

Religious Ceremony
There is a lot of churches in Holland,
the Calvinist religion, found by John
Calvin, is one of the most bigger
religions in Holland, the family from
my husband is from this religion, and
in the province where I leave, there
are many followers, So in this religion
in particular, they don’t use any
decoration in the church, the bride
must come with a wedding dress
covering her arms and a veil, symbol of
purity, almost no they don’t use make
up, no sandals, closed shoes. The
ceremony is 90 minutes, in which the
couple listen the word of the
clergyman. The instrument behind this
picture is in each church, is common to
sing, and the ladies guests needs to
come with hat, very English style. Also
covering their arms, and with skirt, not
too short, at the knee. For them
religious wedding is a commitment
with God.

The Toast
After been in the church, then everybody comes to toast, cava or
prosseco, are the common ones. Dry bread with Pesto, Serrano Ham or
Prosciutto. Bride and gown cause use this moment for a speech, parents
and family. After this everybody congratulates you, give you gifts. In
Holland is typical three kisses, so at the end you have received and give a
lot of kisses

Cut of the cake, coffee time and family photos
They cut the cake too, some couple choose cupcakes, and have on the
top just one cake, this is cheaper and also nice option. Then everybody
goes to eat the cake and drink coffee/tea, and finally a photo shoot with
the family.

Dinner and Reception
With the food, is almost the same like in
America, you have the option to select
from a buffet, menu a la carte, this one is
chose by the couple. There is another
option like barbecue, you can do this, if
you have nice weather. They use circular,
rectangular and square tables, this
depends on what the location offer, and
the maximum of capacity. In the
Netherlands you have the possibility to
invite your family to the diner and
friends, and then people from your work,
neighbors to the reception. The reception
is more like a little party, where everyone
goes to you for congratulations, they eat
a piece of cake, drink coffee or tea, and
then little appetizers, this option from
diner reception is good because you can
organize your budget better, and invite
the persons you want. The reception is
from one hour and 30 minutes, they can
stay for the party or not, that’s op to you.

Dutch Wedding Party
Some people rent a discotheque,
orchestra with romantic music, or
tribute band, rock. But is not like
everybody is going to dance, is more
for everybody to enjoy the party. In
addition, at 10:00 o’ clock, they have a
little table with fast food, fries, chicken
nuggets, sausage, Dutch appetizers
with potatoes and meat and puff
pastry. Because everybody is
drinking, and nobody wants to get
drunk. Many religious people don’t
use music, or artists, but they play
games, more familiar and less party. I
have been in one wedding like this,
and was more to enjoy with the family,
making jokes, laughing a lot and the
are at 2:00 o ‘clock finished. We went
outside to wait for the couple, they
was having lane with candles and they
go to their new house, with their own
auto. Totally different from what is
usual to me.

“Bedankjes” or Thank you cards.
Is really Dutch, give to the guests a Thankful card, with or without a gift,
this can be cookies, or chocolate, or if the budget permit, wine. Creative
ideas, and nice for your guests.