Inspired by Dr. Drake’s thread, of course.
Just curious about traditional expressions to congratulate a new couple.
What other ones do we know? what about in other languages?
(For instance, I posted “Llongyfarchiadau!” for the two ducks, but I don’t know if it’s the right expression - just got it off a translator.)
So…?
I don’t think I’ve ever heard any specific ones, I’ve heard people come up with specific blessings on the spot but just the usual “¡Felicidades!” or “¡por muchos años!” as a standard formula. The literal meanings are “may you be happy”, “long years (of happiness)” but they’re just the Spanish multi-purpose ways to congratulate someone.
And if someone who just got married is a new couple, the officers involved should’a waited until the booze wore off…
Similar to **Nava’s **example, there were cries of “ad multos annos” after a traditional Catholic Latin mass wedding that I was at earlier this year. It seemed quite appropriate given that the bride and groom had exchanged their vows in Latin too.
I was taught that traditional etiquette is to say “Congratulations” to the groom and “Best Wishes” to the bride.
I toasted my brother and his wife with “May They Live Long and Prosper”!
In ‘The Godfather’ they say ‘(per) cent’ anni’, an expression of hope that the couple’s happiness should last a hundred years.
“Mazel Tov” (literally, “auspicious/lucky day”) is similar, and is used to remark on any good occasion.