December 2, 2014 - Tuesday

Class Work

You are invited to a wedding! Let's look at "The Forest Bride," a story from Finland for homework. The story is in your Folklore book - pp. 387-394. Be ready to discuss on Thursday.


Now, let's visit some weddings!

How about Shrek: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud9qgl2mics
Five Disney Weddings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0ykxKbNTgo
Sleeping Beauty Wedding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHB0o8G3sU8
Cinderella: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYN-k9qamvc



Many stories end with, "And they lived happily ever after!" However, few tell us much about the actual wedding. Today we will begin research about wedding customs around the world.


1. Select a country, religious, or ethnic group to use as the focus of the study. Tell me your choice before leaving class today. There are plenty of countries to go around. I do not want more one person reporting on the same topic.
2. Describe the dating customs first. In some cultures the bride and groom do not meet prior to the wedding. How does one go about looking for a mate?
3. What are the engagement practices?
4. How are people invited to the wedding? Who must come? What are the preparations? Are there invitations?
5. Where do typical weddings take place? How does the place look? Are there special preparations for the wedding. For example, in some Christian American weddings that take place at a church, there are often flowers in the chapel.
6. What happens at the official wedding ceremony? Who officiates? Is there music?
7. What does the bride wear? What does the groom wear? Describe. In some cultures, the bride wears red! As recently as the turn of the last century, blue was a color of choice in weddings in America.
8. Are others in the wedding party? Identify those people.
9. How is the hopefully happy couple presented to those present?
10 What are some after-wedding celebrations? Is there a reception? If so, what happens? What does the place look like?
11. Is jewelry involved? What about a dowry to the family of the bride or groom?
12. How is the happy couple sent off to their "happily ever after?"

Plan to present this report as a PowerPoint or other presentation mode.  Be sure to include all 12 elements listed above. Answer and explain the answers.

Be prepared to present on Tuesday. We will explore other traditions on Thursday.