When I was younger, I remember my mom bringing me back little bags of gold coins, dried nuts and cherries from weddings and making me eat them for good luck. Can you please explain the significance of these? I wanted to do this at my own wedding but could not find much current information on this tradition.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sincerely, Sepideh

Check the Iranian supermarkets in L.A. and ask for wedding Nogh-l, its a white, sweet coated almond candy, shaped like rice but larger. Then go to your nearest wedding supply store (Michales!!) and buy a whole bunch of small silk/net bags. Fill them with the Wedding Nogh-l and leave a few at each table. This is for guests to take it with them. You can also have extra ones in a basket and pass them on to kids during reception or after the wedding ceremony. I think the bags are called wedding rice bags. You can also have a basket of these bags filled with rice and ready to be handed out to guests outside of the church or reception hall. I went to a wedding last year where they had a whole bunch of bubble bottles setup for the kids. Kids had a great time and the air was just full of bubbles when the bride&groom stepped out of the church.

Back in Iran, small Kids were not taken to the wedding and therefore, moms usually brought something back for them. Girls were told to eat a piece of wedding cake or some sweets from the wedding, for good luck, so they would find a great husband at the right time. As kids, staying home, knowing that mom and sisters were in a wedding, we expected to get a gift and some sweets when they came back, or else.

Some wealthy folks gave out silver/gold coins as gift to guests.

Don't forget your Persian Wedding table => http://www.farsinet.com/persian_wedding/

I am also enclosing a larger picture of Sofreh Aghd, so you can see more details.

Best of luck, Mobarak and God's Blessings, A.