The Traditional Italian Wedding Reception
Since Italy is a Catholic Christian country many Italian descentants in the United States are Catholic or Christian. The wedding ceremony usually takes place in the morning at Mass or a Christian religious service. The reception begins in the late afternoon and it is truly a festa for all the guests.
Before any food is served, women are served sweet liquors like Amaretto, Sambucca, Kahluah, Bailey and Frangelico. The men usually enjoy stronger drinks - Cognac and cocktails. The reception consists of feasting and dancing for hours. The traditional wedding circle dance at the reception is called the Tarantella - a fast and lively dance which originated in southern Italy. - Having fun is the name of the game.