Brides have always dressed in white, right? Not so. In ancient times, brides wore bright colored wedding dresses to signify their joy. White for western brides did not become fashionable until Queen Victoria wore it at her wedding to indicate her status. White dresses never signified purity until Christian churches put that label on them. So feel free to add some color to your wedding outfit.
Wedding bands made of braided hemp or grass were the first rings. They eventually fell out of favor, replaced by durable metals until about the 15th century, when diamonds appeared on the scene, to signify a strong and worthy engagement, a tradition that most modern couples choose to uphold.
When the boyfriends “captured” their girlfriends, I feared evil spirits, they would drain the woman’s head to prevent them from recognizing her.
The bridesmaids’ dresses are all identical. Where did this practice originate? Long time ago, girlfriends of brides wore the exact same outfit as the bride to confuse evil spirits who wanted to destroy her happiness. It also helped prevent the bride from being kidnapped by a rival suitor.
The reception line developed from the ancient belief that on their wedding day, the bride and groom brought good luck to all who played. Modern couples often convey this and prefer to “do the rounds” by greeting their guests during the wedding dinner.
In ancient Rome, marriage was not legal until the couple kissed. The kiss was considered a necessary legal bond to seal all the contracts. This is believed to be the origin of the current custom of tapping a spoon against a glass until the newlyweds kiss.
Will you make your dad walk you down the hall? Do you know where this custom originated? Long ago, a woman was considered the property of her father until she married, and she was the property of her husband. At the wedding, the father would literally “give it away”, transferring the property to the husband. Now brides often have their parents or both parents accompany them, and the officiant asks “Who supports this couple in marriage?” Parents answer “Yes”.
It is not necessary to explain what the honeymoon is. But do you know where the term originated? In ancient Ireland, when a couple married, parents made sure they had a supply of a drink made from fermented honey called mead, which would last for a full moon cycle. It was believed that they would be blessed with a son within a year.
When a captor could force a bride to marry, the groom had to take her against her will to her new home. The Romans thought it was unlucky for a bride to trip over the threshold and to avoid it, the groom carried her.
During the Middle Ages, the length of a bride’s tail indicated her rank at court. The longer his train was, the closer he was to the King and Queen and the greater was his influence over them.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, gloves were the traditional wedding favor for guests.
Here are some more unusual traditions from around the world. The Greek bride shoves a sugar cube into her glove to “sweeten the union.” According to Hindu beliefs, the rain on your wedding day brings good luck. Some Western cultures believe that rain brings bad luck.
In the Netherlands it is traditional to plant a tree outside the house of the newlyweds as a symbol of fertility. Finnish brides traditionally carried a pillowcase from door to door, collecting gifts. An older married man went with her, symbolizing a long marriage.
Korean brides wear red and yellow gowns for their weddings. Danish brides and grooms used to confuse evil spirits by cross-dressing. Egyptian parents usually cook all the food for a week, so that the couple can relax.
In many cultures, including Hindu, Egyptian, and Celtic, the bride and groom’s hand is held together as a symbol of their new bond and commitment to marriage. This is the origin of the expression “Tie and then knot”.
In Roman mythology, the god Juno rules childbirth, marriage, and the home. This is believed to be the reason for the popularity of June weddings.
African American weddings often maintain the tradition of “jumping the broom”. Slaves in the United States were not allowed to marry, so they displayed their love by jumping on a broom to the beat of drums. It is now a symbol of the couple’s intention to establish a home together.
Japanese couples become husband and wife when they take the first of nine sips of sake. In Irish tradition, once the bride and groom were in church, the guests would lock the doors to ensure that the groom could not step back. It was also important that a man, not a woman, be the first to wish the newlywed bride joy.
There is an old English rhyme that brides have been obeying for years. “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” The royal rhyme also included this line “and six pence in your shoe.” Family members often offer something old, like your great-grandmother’s old cameo or your mother’s dress. These elements provide continuity from generation to generation.
The “new” symbolizes home for the future and can include your dress or veil, a pearl necklace, a bouquet of silk flowers, or a new coin to slip into your shoe. The options here are endless.
Borrowed happiness is symbolized by something borrowed. It should be something that brings happiness to the owner. Possibilities are your mother-in-law’s ruby brooch, your father’s silk scarf, or your parents’ wedding song.
The blue something symbolizes fidelity, love and good fortune. Often there is a blue ribbon on the garter. Other ideas are blue flowers, delphiniums or lilies in your bouquet, sapphire earrings and necklace, or even your lingerie.
You may want to consider incorporating some of these ideas into your wedding plans. There are books and magazines in which you can look up traditions from your own ethnic or religious traditions. Maybe you like something you have heard about from another culture that you can adapt for your wedding. If you are having children at your reception, you may want to borrow the Puerto Rican idea of piñatas, even adults can enjoy that one.