[RT pic] Robert
Treborlang
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The Australian Wedding

The world is familiar with the colourful traditions of Jewish and Greek weddings. Glasses and plates are broken, elaborate rituals accompany every word and there's a great deal of chanting. Not to be outdone, Australians too have devised a complex wedding ritual, as rich in meaning and prescribed behaviour as anything you'll find among the Berbers of the Atlas Mountains or the Uzbeks of Tadjikistan.

  Traditionally, each aspect of an Australian wedding is redolent with symbolism. Each stage leading up to the actual tying of the matrimonial knot is the source of subtle diplomatic coups between the bride and groom and their eager families.

  "I'm not having Peter as the best man."
  "But he's my brother!"
  "He's an airline steward!"
  "Mum and Dad will be disappointed."
  "What about my Mum and Dad?"
  "They hate me anyway!"
  "Because you won't be nice to them!"

  As this is a frontier country with a strong pioneering background, such struggles are symbolic representations of the plucky spirit that typifies the Australian way of life.

  Every step of the preparations, the feud about the date, the tussle about the guest list, the brawl regarding venue, the hysteria over the band, the disparaging of the presents, the jousts about the food, the duel of the wine list, the skirmish of the cake, wrestling with the weather, sparring with the in-laws, should be regarded therefore as a chance to renew the national spirit.

  Make sure the bride and groom have their own chance to be directly involved in the action every step of the way.


Copyright © 1991-2002 - Robert Treborlang

[RT pic] Robert
Treborlang
Australia		 Roddy The Rooster
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