Guarding the Door Ceremony

Traditions are kept through generations and passed on to the younger generation.  One of the most common traditions kept and most popular is Guarding the Door tradition. With the many other events that take place at the bride’s house is this fun filled tradition which takes place before the couple head to the church for their ceremony.
Once the couple are heading out, the bride’s brother (or any other male relative) guards the door. The brother jokes and pretends to give the groom a difficult time for taking his sister.  This is an entertaining and a funny tradition, especially when the brother asks the groom to give him the impossible in exchange for his sister. Some grooms give a gift instead of money. The fun is to see how the denominations increase and how far the brother will go and collect from the groom.

At my younger sister’s wedding, my brother decided to add a new touch to this tradition.  He had put a brief contract together stating that he as the groom would take well care of my sister and that by signing the contact he was giving my brother his promise of being a wonderful husband and a best friend to my sister.  The groom had to sign this contract and initial in numerous pages to be able to take my sister out of the house.

They negotiate and finally the brother guarding the door gives his sister and soon brother-in-law a good luck charm for their journey.