The best man is next to enter, followed by the groom, escorted by his parents. The bridesmaids enter, followed by the maid or matron of honor. Next come the ring bearer and/or flower girl and finally, the bride, escorted by her mother and father. Informal weddings or those with a small wedding party may opt to choose a single file processional or none at all. Making a wedding scrapbook is also an attractive gift, a chance to highlight the important moments in the couple’s life. You can decorate it with some personalized details, or provide them with a kit to make their own. A wedding quilt will be remembered and cherished forever, and can be handmade or bought tin the local crafts store. A Venerable Tradition: The History of Marriage The history of marriage has its origins as least as far back as antiquity and evidence of marriage traditions and ceremonies have existed among people of almost all cultures. While today when we think of marriage our thoughts turn to notions of love and romance, this has not always been the case. The lawyers involved will make sure that each party to the contract understands the terms and conditions contained in the document. If necessary, they will arrange for the signing of the contract to be witnessed. Financial Issues Generally speaking, a marriage contract deals with financial issues, namely how assets will be divided in the event of a divorce. This part of the marriage ceremony would seem to be part of an older tradition in which the husband became the new owner of any property or valuables owned by the bride before her marriage. He would also have sole custody of any children they would have in the event that the marriage broke down in the future. Apparently, Cicero’s wife and daughter made the choice of spouse for the daughter, all the while assuming that Cicero would be in agreement. He was. Ancient Roman Marriage in the Lower Classes Lower class women were generally married a little later in their lives. By later in their lives, this means that they were married in their late teens or early twenties.