Back in the day, it was custom here in the mountains for the groom to give a reception to the bride and the bridal party after the wedding. This was called the infare.
The wedding usually took place at the home of the bride. The ceremony was performed on the porch with kith and kin crowded about the preacher and the happy couple. Thoughtless couples who had stood contrary to the cracks in the floor had been known to be followed by ill luck.
Usually the couple was married late in the afternoon. And when the preacher had spoken the “word” which made them one, the bride hurried into the house and changed her wedding frock for her infare dress. Then they all piled into their buggies and wagons and headed for the home of the groom’s parents for the big infare supper and a night of music making, singing, dancing and games.
Sometimes the infare wedding lasted all of three days. If the parents of the groom lived any distance, the bride’s parents gave a wedding supper. Then the next day the party moved on to the home of the groom’s parents, and on the third day the celebration continued at the home of the young couple.
The supper was a feast indeed – backbones and ribs, fried chicken, beef, country ham, sweet potatoes, baked Irish potatoes, stewed pumpkin, cakes and pies.
Sometimes a little peartnin’ juice was passed out back of the house to the men folks, but mostly the infares were dry affairs.
After supper, the bedsteads were taken down and the furniture shoved into the corners to make room for the folic and dancing. And through it all, the young folks took the opportunity to tease the bride, while the young men went further by bussing her cheek. A kiss of the modest, proper sort was not out of order. Every groom knew and expected that. And even a most jealous fellow knew how to conceal his displeasure, for it would only add to further pranking on the part of the rest if he protested.
Sooner or later, some of the young fellows would slip out and return with a pole or a rail. Others would grab the groom and wrestle him outside for a ride on the rail. When they had their fun with him, they all came back inside and had another round of dancing or playing kissing games. When they were exhausted they sat around and listened to the fiddle and banjo music. The roosters were usually crowing for day before the broke up.
Then came the young couple’s first night in the new home. And that called for a serenade by their friends. They always waited until the young couple had gone to bed and the lamps were out. Then they showed up with bells, tin pans and guns – in fact, anything that would make a noise – and then proceed to wake up the newlyweds. They kept up the noise until they were invited in for refreshments.
But all that was a long time ago….the infare and the wedding night serenade are vanished customs.