WEDDINING WISE

WEDDING WHYS

 

 

The Aisle Runner:

Walking down the aisle in the runner is symbolic of Old Testament times representing the covenant that the couple makes between themselves and God.

 

Best Man:

At one time, the groom had to literally “steal” his bride away from her family. A “best man” or attendants helped defend the would-be groom from any who might thwart him from this goal.

 

The Bride Standing on Groom’s Right:

The groom needed to always keep his right hand or sword hand free to protect his bride and himself from vengeful family members (see above) or even from other rival suitors.

 

The Bride Wearing White:

The white wedding gown did not become popular until the nineteen hundreds when Queen Victoria broke the royal tradition of wearing silver and wore a white wedding gown when she wed her beloved Prince Albert.  Until then, brides wore their best dress

 

Bridesmaids:

The bride’s attendants would wear the same outfit as the bride in order to confuse evil spirits looking to wreck havoc on the happy couple as to who the actual bride was.

 

 

The Bouquet and Garter Toss:

The bride would toss her bouquet to a friend to pass on “good luck” as getting married was thought to be very good luck indeed.  Eventually this came to mean that the person who caught the bouquet would be the next to marry.

Along with this thought of “passing on luck”, guests would literally tear off pieces of the bride’s wedding gown for good luck, so to save herself, the barter to them instead.

 

 

The Cake:

The cake dates back to Roman times when little wheat cakes or buns were broken over the bride’s head promising good luck and fertility. 

It is said that a French baker during the 17th century was the first to frost the cakes together-creating the first tiered wedding cake.

The couple makes the first cut together to symbolize the sharing of their new life together.  Tradition says that if an unmarried girl sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow, she’ll dream of her future husband.  

 

Carrying The Bride Over The Threshold:

Tradition dictated that a new wife must enter her home by the main door so the groom carries his bride over the threshold so that any evil spirits lurking near the entrance could not get to her. Also, it was considered very bad luck should she trip or fall.

 

The Flowers:

Flowers date back to the Romans and Greeks who carried bouquets of herbs to symbolize such ________ as love, fidelity, fertility and prosperity.  The Victorians were very popular for the use of the meanings of various blooms.

The groom wearing a flower from the bride’s bouquet stems back to medieval times when a knight wore his lady’s colours as a declaration of his love.

(See the flowers and their meanings page)

 

The Honeymoon:

The newlywed couple would spend a month enjoying their new life together and drinking mead, which was made from fermented honey.  From this, we get the term-honeymoon.

 

The Kiss:

The kiss dates back to Roman times when it was used to seal a legal contract.  It is believed that when a couple kisses they exchange part of their souls.

 

The Ring:

The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes unending love.  The ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, as ancient Egyptians believed there was a vein in that finger that ran directly to the heart.

 

Double Rings:

Double ring ceremonies became popular during WWII when soldiers going to war wished to take this memento of their loved one at home.

 

Signing The Guest Book:

The wedding guests are witnesses to the covenant established between the couple God.  By signing the guest book, they testify to the validity of the marriage and the vows made therein.

 

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, And A Sixpence For Her Shoe:

This rhyme dates back to Victorian times when the bride traditionally wore something old symbolizing continuity and the passing from an unmarried woman (old state) to a married one (new state), something new symbolizing happiness, health and prosperity for the future, something borrowed as a symbol of love and approval of the marriage (the item must be returned to its owner to ensure continued good fortune), something blue which symbolized purity and fidelity, and a sixpence in her shoe to ensure the couple prosperity during their married life.

 

Throwing Rice:

At one time, guests threw wheat, nuts or other “life-giving” seeds over the newlywed couple which symbolized fertility and prosperity. Today guests

Also throw flower petals which symbolize love, happiness and prosperity.

(See flowers and their meaning page)

 

Transportation:

At one time, brides considered walking to the church to be the best mode of transportation as it increased her chances of spotting lucky symbols such as a black cat, a chimney sweep or just having the sun shine on her.  Unlucky symbols included monks or nuns as they symbolized bareness and dependence on charity, spotting an open grave or animals such as the pig, hare or lizard.

 

The Veil:

Brides wore a veil to wear off evil spirits.  Later, it became a symbol of purity and modesty.  Martha Washington’s daughter is said to be the first bride to wear a lace veil.  Her fiancé had commented on how beautiful she looked standing behind a lace curtain and she wanted to re-create the effect at her wedding.