The document summarizes marriage traditions and customs in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and modern Canada. In Mesopotamia, marriage was arranged through a contract negotiated by the father of the bride and groom. Wedding ceremonies involved the groom declaring the bride his wife after removing her veil. Divorce was allowed if a wife did not bear children. In Egypt, Greece and Rome, marriage was also usually arranged, though sometimes couples were in love. Wedding customs involved ceremonies, feasts, and the bride moving into the groom's household. Divorce was permitted in some situations. In modern Canada, marriage laws allow those over 19 to wed with parental consent below that age. Wed

1. Marriage
Weddings in Ancient Civilizations
and modern Canada

2. Mesopotamia
The Beginning of a Relationship
• Men proposed to women then a marriage contract was
signed
• The bride would have been proposed to just after puberty
the groom a little older
• The groom and father of the bride agreed on a contract
• A price was paid to the father of the bride, the dowry for
the future wife
• Then the wedding occurred

3. Mesopotamia
Wedding Ceremony
• The bride was delivered to the groom
• The groom took of her veil
• Then he would say “ she is my wife”
• Then groom would then pour a perfume over
his new wife

4. Mesopotamia
Babies
• If the couple did not create children and the
wife passed away the father of the deceased
return the husbands gifts
• The amount of children was determined by the
area that the couple lived in
• The father had total authority over the children

5. Mesopotamia
Divorce
• If the wife did not produce children then the
husband could divorce her and take another
wife and his gifts back
• Although some husbands had other women in
the house who did produce children
• The ex-wife kept one gift

6. Mesopotamia
Widows
• If the husband died the money given to his wife
before house maintenance was for her own use
• Since the wife was part of the family she would
re-marry her husbands brother or near relative
• If the wife didn’t remarry into the family she
would return her gifts to her sons (if any) or her
husband brothers

7. EGYPT
Bride and Groom
• The bride is between the ages of 14
and 15 at the oldest
• The groom is between 17 and 20 at
the oldest
• They were usually in love, they
would hope their parents could agree
on a contract
• The husband would only be married
to one woman at a time

8. EGYPT
Wedding Day
• Bride would take her things to her fiancé's
house
• The bride would usually wear a long linen
tunic or dress with as much jewelry as she
owned
• Their was no official ceremony aspect, just
food, dancing and celebration

9. EGYPT
Contract
• It was the father of the bride and the
husband’s job to discuss and agree on a
contract
• The poorer couples didn’t create a
contract because the cost of a scribe was
to expensive
• Contents of an average contract: couple’s
names, the date, names of
parents, witnesses, name of the scribe
who wrote it

10. EGYPT
Contract Cont.
• Originally the husband would pay about the worth
of a slave to the father of the bride
• Then years later the father would pay to the
husband
• If a divorce occurred the ex-husband would still
pay to support his ex
• A divorce might have occurred if the bride did not
produce children

11. GREECE
Marriage Arrangements
• an agreement was formed between the parents of
the couple
• The dowry was decided upon as part of the
agreement
• The bride would be of ages 14-18 the groom 20-
30
• If the brides family could not provide a dowry
they would give her to the groom as a
concubine, some men might have multiple

12. GREECE
Wedding Day
• There was a set of customs that needed to be
followed, priests did not attend
• Both the bride and groom went to the baths
• Then the groom would go to the bride’s home for
a feast
• The couple would then go to the grooms
home, taken to the fire showered with nuts by the
grooms parents

13. GREECE
Ceremony and Rituals
• The bride would take her clothes and toys from
childhood and sacrifice them to the goddess
Venus
• A pig would also be offered on the day of the
wedding, along with prayers to Juno
• The wedding contract would be signed by the
father of the bride, the gifts would be given
• The groom would then take the bride away from
her mother ( in a pretending kind of way)

14. GREECE
Divorce
• The husband would give back the dowry (or
what's left of it) to his wife’s parents
• Divorces were caused for many reasons
• one reason would be if the wife hadn’t
produced offspring and she had reached
adulthood

15. ROME
General Info
• Most marriages were arranged by the couples
parents
• The bride would usually be about 13 the
groom a few years older
• No man or woman could marry more than
person at any time

16. ROME
Ceremony
• The couple would say their wedding vows, a
roman quote
• Then they would make sacrifices to various gods
and goddesses
• Then the whole wedding prossession would return
to the father of the brides house for a feast
• The happy couple would then return to the
husbands home to be united

17. ROME
Brides
• When roman woman were married they did
what their mothers in law told them to
• After the birth of a first child especially a boy
the wife gained more power
• If a divorce occurred children would stay with
their father and no their mother
• The bride would wear a veil

18. CANADA
Marriage Laws
• Anyone above the age of 19 is allowed to be
married
• Anyone between the ages of 17 and 19 must have
both parents agree
• People 16 and younger have to permission from
supreme court
• One half of the couple has to apply for a marriage
license

19. CANADA
Brides
• Usually between the ages of 19 and 50 some
exceptions
• Wear any type of dress really but mostly long and
white
• Are proposed to by their boyfriend or spouse
• Has a bachelorette party the night before the
ceremony
• Has a maid of honor and bridesmaids

20. CANADA
Grooms
• Usually wear tuxedos or suits
• Similar ages to brides
• Buy engagement rings and propose to
girlfriend or spouse
• Has a bachelor party the night before
ceremony
• has best men

21. CANADA
Ceremony
• Sometimes in a church, but other locations too
• The couple say their vows sometime self-
written
• A priest usually present
• The bride will walk up the isle led my her
bridesmaids, guided by her father
• The groom waiting at the alter

22. CANADA
Reception
• Usually held at a restaurant
• Dinner and beverages are served
• The new couple with share a first dance
• Then the guests will dance too
• The cake is brought out, new trend cupcakes!

23. CANADA
Divorce
• The custody of children is decided in court
• Sometimes children spend all the time with
one parent, sometimes parents get equal
amounts of time, rarely are the children split
up some with each parent
• All these decisions are based on the best
interest of the child or children

24. CANADA
Divorce Cont.
• The value of the couples properties are divided
• If a divorce is not agreed upon in court it’s
called a seperation agreement
• Divorce is only official according to the
government if it’s taken care of in court

25. Bibliography
• Works Cited
• "Child Custody; Property Division; Divorce Procedure." Canadian Divorce Laws. canadiandivorcelaws.com, 2003. Web. 13 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.canadiandivorcelaws.com/divorce-procedure/>.
• "How To Get Married." Vital Statistics Agency. Government of B.C., 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/marriage/howto.html#eligible>.
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marriage.htm>.
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Egypt.htm>.
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marriage.htm>.
• Naranjo, Roberto. "Marriage in Ancient Mesopotamia and Babylonia." Ehistory.com. N.p., 1954. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
<http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/articles/articleview.cfm?aid=58>.
• - - -. "Marriage in Ancient Mesopotamia and Babylonia." Ehistory.com. N.p., 1954. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
<http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/articles/articleview.cfm?aid=58>.
• "Women." Ancient Mesopotamia for Kids.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2013. <http://mesopotamia.mrdonn.org/women.html>.

26. Picture Bibliography
• Works Cited
• Artist, Unknown. Marriage in Ancient Egypt. N.d. unknown.
• - - -. Unknown. N.d. Free Egypt. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.freeegypt.info/Pages/421/Wedding-Festivals-
Ancient-Egypt.html>.
• - - -. Unknown. N.d. Tour Egypt. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/marriage.htm>.
• - - -. Unknown. N.d. Museum. History Link 102. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.historylink102.com/greece3/marriage.htm>.
• - - -. Unknown. N.d. Museum. Get Married in P Town. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.getmarriedinptown.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ancient-roman-wedding-betrothal-jg1.jpg>.
• "Four Weddings Canada Recap." Weddingsbells. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.weddingbells.ca/fun/why-you-need-start-watching-four-weddings-canada/attachment/four-weddings-
canada-episode-4-recap/>.
• Jess. "Unknown." With a Flourish. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
<http://withaflourishevents.blogspot.ca/2009_07_01_archive.html>. A really Canadian wedding cake.
• Lang, Edwin. Babylon Marriage Market. N.d. Oil on Canvas. Royal Holloway Collage.
• Leopoldo Costa. Unknown. N.d. S T R A V A G A N Z A. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.
<http://stravaganzastravaganza.blogspot.ca/2011/12/sumerian-family-life.html>.
• Unknown. N.d. Louvre. Mahanas. Web. 14 Apr. 2013. <http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Marriage.htm>.