Wedding Traditions
There is a bundle of wedding traditions and superstitions out there which a lot of people like to follow, but do you know their true meanings or how they came to be?
Here is an outline of the more popular ones explaining there meanings and origins.
Wedding Veil:
It is suggested that the reason behind wearing a veil originates from the times where marriages were arranged by family members, who often exchanged a dowry for a bride, and the new couple to be were rarely allowed to see each other before the wedding. The family would cover the brides face with the veil until the groom was committed during the wedding ceremony, this way it was too late for him to back out of the wedding if he did not like the appearance of his bride.
The wedding veil is also said to be a symbol of virginity, modesty and privacy and was said to warn off any evil spirits. Early Greek and Roman Brides wore red or yellow veils to represent fire, and to ward off demons.
Bridal Flowers:
Bridal flowers date all the way back to ancient times, when they were used to keep away evil spirits, poor health and bad luck and would be made up of strong scented herbs such as thyme and garlic.
The Bridal Party:
Traditionally the bridesmaids and groomsmen are meant as protection for the bride and groom. It was believed that demons were out to get the newlyweds and so the wedding party would all dress similar to the wedded couple so that the evil spirits couldn't tell who was getting married.
Wedding Cake:
In early Roman times the wedding cake was baked from wheat which symbolized fertility. The loaf was broken over the bride’s head as a symbol of her fertility and the guests would eagerly pick up the crumbs and take them home for good luck.
It later became tradition for the newlyweds to kiss over a small cluster of cakes, of which later still a baker decided to cover these with icing and the modern style wedding cake was born.
White Wedding Dress:
Wearing a white wedding dress is a more recent wedding custom made fashionable by Queen Victoria in the 1840’s. Prior to this, the bride would just wear her best dress regardless of colour.
Since early Roman times white has been a symbol of joyous celebration and the modern white wedding dress symbolizes this happiness and joy.
Throwing Rice:
Rice thrown at the bridal couple symbolizes fertility and prosperity. Traditionally newlyweds were thought to bring good luck and were showered with nuts and grains to bring bountiful harvests and many children to work the land, until years of poor harvest meant rice was used instead. The tradition continues today with many substitutes for rice, such as bubbles or confetti and represents being showered with happiness and the good things in life.
The Honeymoon:
In ancient times the groom would kidnap his bride and hide her away from her family. While in hiding, they would often drink mead which is made from fermented honey and water and stay hidden for one full moon (about 30 days) so by the time the bride’s family found them, the bride would be pregnant – hence the word honeymoon.
Wedding Rings:
Dating back to the days of early Egyptians, the circular shape of the wedding ring symbolizes an unending love since the ring has no beginning and no end. The wearing of the ring on the third finger of the left hand is derived from many early cultures which believe that the vein running through this finger leads directly to the heart, so the wearing of rings on that finger joined the couple’s hearts and destinies.
