INDEX

A

Africa, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1, 10.1. See also specific countries

Alabama

American South, intro.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1

Arabic customs, 1.1, 6.1

Argentina, 1.1, 4.1

Armenia, 5.1, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2

Asia, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 10.1. See also specific countries

Australia

Aztec

B

Bahá’í

Bahamas

Balkans, 8.1, 8.2

Bangladesh, 5.1, 10.1

Bavaria

Belgium, 5.1, 7.1

Berber

Bermuda, 7.1, 10.1, 10.2

Biblical traditions, 1.1, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2

Brazil, 2.1, 7.1, 11.1

Buddhism, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 8.1

Bulgaria, 4.1, 8.1, 10.1

C

Cajun

Cambodia, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2

Cantonese 29

Canada, 2.1, 7.1

Caribbean, 10.1, 10.2, see also individual countries

Catholicism, 2.1, 2.2, 5.1, 8.1, 9.1

Celtic traditions, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 6.1, 8.1, 10.1

Cherokee

China, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 11.1

Christianity, 5.1, 8.1, 8.2 see also specific branches

Corfu

Croatia

Czech, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2

D

Denmark, 5.1, 7.1, 10.1

Djibouti

Druid, 1.1, 2.1

E

Eastern Europe, 5.1, 5.2, 8.1, 10.1, 11.1

Egypt, ancient

Elizabethan customs, 3.1, 5.1, 7.1

engagement ceremonies/parties, 1.1, 1.2

engagement gifts

engagement news

engagement rings, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

all-metal

blessing of

gemstone symbolism

England, intro.1, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 11.1, 11.2

Ethiopia

F

feng shui, 2.1, 5.1, 6.1

Fiji, 1.1, 5.1

Finland, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 8.1, 11.1

France, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2

G

Germany, 1.1, 4.1, 7.1, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2

Ghana, 1.1, 5.1

Greece, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 9.1, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2

ancient Greece, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 11.1

Guanajuato

Guyana

H

Hawaii, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 9.1

Hinduism, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 9.2

Hindi

Hispanic customs, intro.1, 3.1, 8.1, 8.2

Holland, 1.1, 2.1, 4.1, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 11.1

Hong Kong

Hopi, 5.1, 5.2

Hungary, 5.1, 7.1, 10.1

I

Iceland

Igbo, 5.1, 5.2

India, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 11.1, 11.2

Indonesia, 2.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

Irelend, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 9.1, 9.2

Iroquois, 1.1, 10.1

Islam 1.1, 2.1, 4.1, 5.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 10.1, see also Muslim

Israel, 2.1, 6.1

Italy, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

J

Jainism

Jamaica

Japan, 1.1, 2.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 11.1, 11.2

Judaism, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

K

Kabbalist tradition

Kentucky, 2.1, 2.2

Kenya

Khmer, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2

Koranic traditions 74

Korea, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 7.1, 10.1, 10.2, 11.1

L

Latvia

Lithuania, 10.1, 10.2

London

lucky colors, 1.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3

lucky numbers, 2.1, 6.1

M

Mandarin 32

Masai

Mediterranean countries, 6.1, 10.1

Mesopotamia

Mexico, 8.1, 11.1

Middle East, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1

Midwestern United States

Moravia, 8.1, 8.2

Morocco, 5.1, 8.1, 10.1

Muslim customs, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 4.1, 5.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 10.1

N

Native American customs, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 8.1, 10.1 see also specific tribes

Naples

Navajo, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 8.1, 10.1

Neo-pagans

New Orleans, 6.1, 8.1

New Zealand

Nigeria, 1.1, 5.1, 5.2, 10.1

Norse traditions

Norway, 5.1, 10.1, 10.2

O

Orthodox Christianity, 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 10.1, 11.1

Orthodox Judaism

Ottoman traditions

P

pagan/Druid customs, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2

Pakistan

Palestine

Persia, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1, 10.1

Philippines, 3.1, 11.1

Poland, 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 10.1, 11.1

Polynesia, 1.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1

Portugal, 5.1, 11.1

Protestantism

Puerto Rico

Q

Quaker customs, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3

R

Roma people, 7.1, 8.1

Romania, 8.1, 11.1

Rome, ancient, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.1, 10.1, 11.1

Russia, 3.1, 5.1, 10.1, 11.1, 11.2

Rwanda

S

Samoa, 5.1, 11.1

Scandinavia. See also specific countries

Scotland, 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 10.1, 11.1

Serbia

Sephardim, 4.1, 10.1

Shinto, 5.1, 5.2

Sicily

Sikhism, 4.1, 8.1

Slavic

Southern United States 8, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, see also American South

South Africa

Spain, 5.1, 7.1, 11.1

Sri Lanka

Swahili

Swaziland

Sweden, 2.1, 2.2, 5.1, 7.1

Switzerland, 5.1, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3

Syria

T

Taiwan, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 7.1

Thailand, 1.1, 5.1, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1, 11.1

Tibet

Tudor customs

Tujia

Turkey, 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2

U

Ukraine, 8.1, 8.2, 10.1

United Kingdom 53, 11.1, see also individual countries

United States, intro.1, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

V

Venezuela

Victorian customs 47, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 10.1, 10.2

Vietnam, 5.1, 8.1, 10.1

W

Wales, 1.1, 7.1, 8.1, 9.1

wedding bouquet, 3.1, 7.1

wedding cake, 3.1, 10.1, 10.2

wedding ceremony

exchanging rings

final steps/tossing objects

processions/processional

transition rituals

unity rituals, intro.1, 1.1, 8.1

vows, 8.1, 9.1

wedding coins and

wedding clothes

accessories

bridesmaids’ dresses

hair and makeup

headpieces/crowns

jewelry with, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3

shoes

veils

wedding dress colors

wedding contract or certificate

wedding date, intro.1, 2.1

astrology and

day of the week and, intro.1, 2.1

month and

phase of the moon and

season of the year and

time of day and

wedding décor

animal spirit/mascot

bad luck busters

color theory

natural symbols

symbolic objects

wedding entourage

absent loved ones

attendants

best man and groomsmen

bouquet or garter toss and

maid or matron of honor/bridesmaids

parents and

wedding favors, 7.1, 11.1, 11.2

wedding flowers, 2.1, 3.1, 7.1

alternatives

bouquets and boutonnieres

floral crowns

meaning of specific varieties

See also wedding bouquet

wedding food, 2.1, 7.1, 10.1, 11.1

ceremonial snacks

desserts

drinks

food symbolism

for party or reception

See also wedding cake

wedding guests, 3.1, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1

wedding invitations

wedding locales, 2.1, 2.2

wedding music

wedding photo taglines

wedding presents

wedding reception

dances, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3

farewells and getaways, 11.1, 11.2

wedding rings

wedding showers and other events

bachelorette and stag parties

bread baking

henna, drumming, or crying parties, 4.1, 4.2

making up the marital bed

pre-vow practices

purification ceremony

rehearsal dinners

shower presents, 4.1, 4.2

wedding souvenirs and mementos

wedding toasts

West Africa, 5.1, 6.1, 8.1

Western Europe, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 9.1, 11.1

Wiccans

Y

Yemen, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1

Yiddish, 4.1, 11.1

Yoruba, 1.1, 5.1, 5.2, 10.1

Z

Zoroastrianism, 6.1, 7.1

Zuni, 5.1, 6.1