Tying the knot

A week after the serenade I walked round to the front of my neighbours’ villa (camera at the ready) to watch their lovely daughter leave for the church.  Although I know a serenade is more of a custom from southern Italy, I had completely forgotten another custom that southern Italians often follow when a bride leaves the house.  That of cutting the ribbon.  In the UK we often see ribbon cutting ceremonies on the News on T.V. when buildings or bridges are opened, but in some parts of Italy there is a ribbon cutting at weddings too.  Most of the view from the road where I stood was taken up with a large white Rolls Royce parked centrally on the drive.  I couldn’t see anyone I knew among the people milling around.  However the bride’s father happened to see me, and gestured that I should come into the garden where he offered me a drink from a nearby table before disappearing inside the house.  Looking around I saw two lovely flower arrangements

on either side of the front steps and noticed a ribbon draped across one of them.  That’s when the penny dropped!   I was so pleased I would be able to see the little ceremony take place!  Two tiny angelic bridesmaids appeared and were told to stand by the flower arrangements with the ribbon in their hands. The ribbon is held across the path of the bride and her father as they leave the house for church, barring the way. She stops and is then handed a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon so she can move forward.  This symbolizes the breaking away from her old life in her father’s house and embarking on the new.  It’s quite an honour to be asked to be a ribbon bearer as I found out many years ago in Puglia when a friend asked me to hold the ribbon when she left the house. In fact I got so carried away with the emotion of it all that I completely forgot to hand the bride the scissors.  She’d probably still be living with her parents now if it hadn’t been for Vito!  Realising I hadn’t heard the frantic hissing of “forbici!!” by the other guests he saved the day, calling out loudly in English “Nadine!  Scissors!!!”  

Fortunately for my neighbour, her little attendants were far more with it.  The bride made her entrance on her proud father’s arm.  I don’t know if hers is a match made in Heaven, but her dress certainly was.  Father and daughter stopped by the ribbon, the bride was handed the scissors and

cut the white silk as everyone applauded. Then wreathed in smiles, she got into the Rolls Royce and began the journey to the rest of her life.

If you want to know more about ribbon cutting ceremonies, see here.