2. The number of civil weddings in 2009 in Spain was higher than religious weddings: Civil weddings: 94.993 Catholic weddings: 80.174 Other religious weddings: 785
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5. SEPARATIONS AND DIVORCES IN SPAIN (1999 – 2008) In 2005 the divorce law changed. Now it´s easier and you don´t have to go to a previous separation for a year as before.
26. “ The Family register ” is a booklet delivered by the priest to a married couple for the registration of births and deaths in the family.
27. Wedding dress. The white colour of the dress represents virginity and purity . Significance of the bride's veil. It´s commonly believed that it is bad luck for groom to see his bride in her dress before the ceremony, and therefore a veil was used to hide her. Nowadays the veil is just another decorative item of the wedding dress.
28. Wedding Bouquet Flowers are incorporated into the wedding ceremony as a symbol of fertility . Tossing the Bouquet Tossing the bouquet is a tradition that comes from England.. Today the bouquet is tossed to single women with the belief that whoever catches it will be the next to marry.
29. The Wedding Ring The wedding ring has been worn on the third finger of the left hand since Roman times. The Romans believed that the vein in that finger runs directly to the heart. The wedding ring is a never-ending circle, which symbolizes everlasting love . A wedding ring is normally made of gold indicating the wearer is married. The ring is of course a circle and this was the symbol of eternity , it has no beginning and no end, like time.
30. Las arras (wedding tokens, or unity coins) are wedding paraphernalia used in Christian wedding ceremonies in Spain and Latin American countries. It is made up of thirteen gold coins and an ornate box or tray in which they are placed. After being blessed by a priest, they are given by the groom to the bride. The thirteen wedding unity coins symbolize Jesus and the twelve apostles . The exchange of the coins represent the groom's promise to provide for his family , and the bride's trust in his ability to do so.
31. Throwing rice at weddings. Since early Roman times some grain - usually wheat - has been associated with the wedding ceremony. Now rice is the symbol of fertility and of prosperity . By throwing rice at the bride and groom at a wedding, guests symbolically wish them a lifetime full of these blessings.
32. The hosts may provide a small gift for each guest. These include cigars, chocolates, candles, picture frames, or other small gifts. A wedding reception is a party held after the marriage ceremony. It is held as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding. There are music and dancing, and can last several hours.
33. The wedding cake. In the minds of most people, wedding cakes are "supposed to be" white. because white has always denoted purity. The history of the wedding cake goes back as far as the Roman Empire
34. Holding the bride when crossing the door. This is an ancient Greek tradition. It was a symbol of misfortune if the bride slipped on the floor while entering through the door so this is why the man held the woman in his arms. This tradition was also adopted by the Romans.
35. Honeymoon The original idea was that both the bride and groom would drink a "honey beer" or "honey wine" for a moon cycle (a month) in order to guarantee fertility in their marriage. Today, the honeymoon is pretty much just an excuse for a vacation and a time for the newlyweds to be alone.
