MarriageWeddings in Ancient Civilizations

and modern Canada

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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>.

• "Marriage and Family in Ancient Rome." History Link 102.com. N.p., 2000. Web. 13 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historylink102.com/Rome/roman-

marriage.htm>.

• "Marriage in Ancient Egypt." King Tut Shop. Google, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013. <http://www.kingtutshop.com/freeinfo/Marrage-in-Ancient-

Egypt.htm>.

• "Marriage in Ancient Greece." History Link 102 .com. N.p., 2000. Web. 13 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historylink102.com/greece3/marriage.htm>.

• "Mothers in Ancient Mesopotamia." History Link 102.com. N.p., 2000. Web. 13 Apr. 2013. <http://www.historylink102.com/Rome/roman-women-

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>.

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>.