Cookies, Weddings and Dancing

No Italian wedding is complete without some of those delicious cookies that the Italians are well known for.  Italian Wedding Cookies are light and fluffy round cookie balls coated in white and flavored with Anise. For any of you who are not familiar with this traditional Italian flavoring, Anise is like licorice. Or you may have had Anisette liquor as an after dinner aperitif. Italian Wedding Cookies are traditionally flavored with Anise which sets them apart from all other traditional wedding cookies.

But in addition to consuming those goodies there's also the tradition of the Wedding Cookie Dance.  The cookies are built up into a cake and set up in the middle of the dance floor. With the bride and groom leading the dance off, everyone dances around the cookie/cake table and takes a cookie. This traditional wedding cookie dance originated in Italy but has become increasingly popular at Italian Weddings in the United States. And the fun thing about the Italian Wedding Cookie dance is that even if you can’t dance, you can still bounce around the table and eat a cookie!

Italian Wedding Cookies are sold year round so you can buy prepackaged ones at almost any supermarket. It might take a bit of patience to build one into a cake, but if you can buy the cookies you can build the cake. At least you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen baking the cookies!

Make Confetti, and Not the Kind You Throw!

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Confetti are ribbons filled with Jordan almonds that are typically given at Italian weddings.  These pretty gifts have been adopted by brides of all nationalities.  You can either make your own confetti or buy them ready made.  It's possible to make your own for under $1.25, premade confetti start at $3.50 with some of the more complex designs costing $7.50.

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(Photo courtesy of http://www.ilbelloitalianfavors.com/)

If you are making your own be sure to read the descriptions carefully since different roles of ribbon make different numbers of confetti. 

Below are some ready made confetti for the bride who lacks the patience or doesn't want to make the favors herself. 

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Below is a centerpiece made from multiple confetti.  It would be a great decoration for your placecard table.

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What Could Be More Italian than...

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"According to the Amaretti di Saronno legend, almost three centuries ago, the Cardinal of Milan unexpectedly visited the town of Saronno in Italy. To honor him, two young lovers, Giuseppe and Osolina, quickly baked up a mixture of sugar, apricot kernels and egg whites, creating crisp, airy cookies with an unusual bittersweet flavor which they wrapped in pairs to symbolize their love.


The Cardinal was delighted and blessed the young couple, who married and lived happily ever after. Since 1718 this ancient and secret recipe has been preserved by the Lazzaroni family. Unwrap a legend and begin your own happy ending.

Each box contains 15 pairs (each cookie is paired with another and then wrapped in colorful paper) of Amaretti di Saronno cookies (7.5 oz. net wt.).  Order enough to offer a pair of cookies to each guest and box and tie with a bow.  Add a copy of the legend on the tag.  Everyone loves these quintessential Italian cookies.