Canadian Engagements
Canadian marriages are love matches although the nature of the proposal will be individual to each couple’s lives, heritage and influences. In most communities, family bonds are strong and the majority of couples will certainly want to involve their families in a celebration to mark the occasion, usually with a family gathering or special meal.
A gathering with friends too often takes the form of a special event, although the primary focus of this is not necessarily to celebrate the engagement, but to act as a fundraiser for the wedding itself! In some areas these are called “socials” or a “stage and doe” or “buck and doe” parties. Usually organised by the bride and her family, guests are charged a ticket price to come to the party, which then includes music, refreshments, games, prize draws, fun and games such as “silent” or “blind” auctions which raise additional cash for the couple.
The Canadian version of a bridal shower is what is known as a “Trousseau Tea”. Although it’s a gathering of the bride’s favorite females (just like that bridal shower), how it differs is that it’s specifically for those favorite females who are unable to come to the wedding or couldn’t be added to the guest list due to limits on number etc. As such, it’s particularly favored by brides who are having a small, intimate wedding as the Trousseau Tea is a chance to spend time with colleagues, neighbors and acquaintances who might otherwise miss the day.
The Trousseau Tea is traditionally held at the bride’s family home and is a very personal gathering because the bride-to-be and her family will spend a little time personally with each guest, making every effort to ensure that the guests gain something of the wedding experience – it’s popular at these events for the bride’s dress and accessories to be laid out for them to see. Although this tradition has had periods of seeming to slide perilously towards being obsolete, in some areas it has seen a recent revival – after all, it’s a chance to get together with girlfriends, eat cake, sweets and pastries and talk about the dress ~ what’s not to love about that?
Of course, depending on the area and influences, prior to the actual wedding a Canadian bride and groom might also enjoy a bridal shower and their respective hen and stag events, to say farewell to freedom!