Ever
get to thinking about the meanings of different wedding traditions?
Rings
Engagement Rings
The ring, a perfect circle, has long been identified with the concept
of love having no beginning and no end. In Egyptian times, a gold
ring was thought to hold mystical powers. And a diamond, the hardest
substance on earth, symbolized a love that would last forever.
Wedding Rings
It was long believed that the third finger on the left hand contained
a vein that went directly to the heart. In ancient times, the wedding
ring was made of hemp or a vine, and was replaced whenever it wore
away. It was the Romans who created a ring from iron to symbolize
the strength of the couple’s union, and the British who decided
to create a ring from gold.
Fashion
Veils
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that a bride’s veil would
ward off evil spirits and magically protect her from harm. Brides
were veiled from head to toe, and only the husband could see the bride
unveiled - so he could make sure he was indeed marrying the correct
woman.
Wearing White
Brides wear white as a symbol of the bride’s purity and her
worthiness of her groom. The tradition solidified during the time
of Queen Victoria who rebelled against the tradition for royal brides
to wearing silver.
Cakes
And then there was Cake
Grains have long symbolized fertility. During ancient times, wedding
ceremonies were finalized by breaking a large loaf of bread above
the head of the bride. After the loaf was broken, the wedding guests
would gather the crumbs as tokens of good luck. Eventually, the bread
was replaced by cakes which became more elaborate over the centuries.
Cutting of the Cake
Cutting the wedding cake together symbolizes the couple’s unity,
their shared future, and their life together as one.
Superstitions
Seeing a lamb, frog, spider, black cat, or rainbows
on the way to the ceremony is believed to be a sign of good luck.
Tying shoes to the back of the newlyweds' car is
something guests will do to encourage luck. This has evolved from
the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple.
It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit.
Traditons
Showers
The tradition of showers derived from the time when men would prove
their love by bringing gifts such as livestock and land to a woman’s
father. Today, friends “shower” the bride - and sometimes
the groom - with gifts to start their new life together.
Tin Cans
Tying tin cans to the back of the newlywed’s car recalls the
ancient tradition of making loud noise to frighten away evil spirits.
Tying Shoes to the Honeymoon Car
The custom of tying shoes to the car bumper stems way back to Ancient
Egypt, where a father would give the groom his daughter’s sandal,
marking that an exchange had taken place. Since shoes were considered
a phallic symbol, it was also thought to promote fertility for the
newlyweds and later shoes were tied to the getaway car.
Coordinating Wedding Party
The tradition of having members of the wedding party dress alike was
started with the hopes that evil spirits will become confused and
have a more difficult time distinguishing which one is the bride and
prevent putting a hex on her.
Bouquet Toss
After the reception the bride throws her bouquet back over her shoulder
where the unmarried female guests group together. Tradition holds
that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one of those
present to marry.
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