VanDyke, very obviously, originated in Holland. Here are some of the Dutch wedding customs:
Follwing the ceremony, the Bride and Groom are seated under a canopy of fragrant evergreens, which symbolize everlasting love.
Lilies of the Valley are planted around the couple's home; the flower symbolizes a return to happiness and the couple renews their vows when the flowers bloom.
The Bridal Shower originated in Holland. Folklore says that a bride was denied her dowry when she intended to marry a poor miller. Her broken heart was mended, however, when the groom's friends "showered" her with the gifts she needed to set up her home.
Traditionally, dutch wedding feasts are very heavy, with plenty of liquor as the staple. Two very traditional foods are sweetmeats known as "bruid suikas" (Bridal Sugar) and a spiced wine containing thin gold leaves called "bride's tears."
Bridal sugar, a sweetmeat candy, is given to guests of the wedding in a tuule bag. The five pieces symbolize love, happiness, loyalty, properity, and virility.
It is said of the Dutch that they are as indulgent with wedding feasts as they are practical and staid in everyday life.
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