wedding traditions and myths
Over hundred and hundreds of years, wedding traditions have been formed and passed on through the generations. But have you ever really thought about where these traditions and myths originated? Well I did, so I decided to do some internet research, and what I found was quite intriguing and some of it quite peculiar. I'd nevertheless like to share my findings with you.
Please remember that I am not suggesting that any of the information below is factual.
the 'bridesmaids curse'
I am sure every women has heard this saying at least once: 'thrice a bridesmaid, never a bride'. This is apparently an old charm that can be broken by being a bridesmaid seven times. Good luck ladies!
picking out your bridesmaids dresses
Take this into consideration: the tradition of bridesmaids dressing the same as each other and in similar style to the bride, comes from ancient days when it was believed that evil spirits found it more difficult to distinguish between them. It was therefore more difficult to put a curse on the bride. In Denmark, the bride and groom did it a little differently: both of them cross-dressed in order to confuse evil spirits.
something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
Blue is symbolic of the blood of royalty - both the bride and groom were once considered to be 'royal' on their wedding day. In a bridal ensemble, blue symbolizes purity, fidelity and love. Something old symbolizes continuity with the past. Something new guarantees optimism for the future and something borrowed brings eternal happiness.
the wedding ring
Ancient Egyptians believed that the 'vein of love' ran from the forth finger on the left hand, directly to the heart. The circular ring (without and end) represents eternity and worn around that finger, represents eternal love. This is said to be the reason for the tradition/custom that we still follow today.
picking out your wedding date
In English tradition, Wednesday is the best day to get married and Saturday is apparently the day of least luck [not sure why]. Monday is supposed to bring wealth and Tuesday health...how many people do you know that have been married on a Saturday?
Juno is the roman goddess of marriage, the heart and child birth. Hence the popularity of June weddings. Although, in the 1500's, a yearly bath was had in May. So in general women still smelt 'good' by June and this is why most women got married then. This is also the time when carrying a bouquet became a tradition, as flowers would mask body odour [perhaps they would have used some Blushing Brides like these].
your wedding dress
This is one of the most exciting and important parts of a brides wedding day. But have you ever wondered why the wedding dress is traditionally white? Well, except for in Japan, it was not always a white dress. The wedding dress was usually just the best dress the bride owned. It was not until the 1840's, when Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress that it actually became a fashion in the Western World. Red was a favourite in the middle ages in Europe. Other colours were worn for symbolic reasons, for example, blue represented loyalty and green, youth. So why not be adventurous and wear your favourite colour on your special day?the veil
The veil was said to hide the bride from evil spirits, as well as people who may want to take her captive.
so where did the word 'honeymoon' come from?
Back in the day, weddings entailed a groom taking his bride captive. He would take her somewhere hidden, so that her family and other villagers could not find her. They would stay in their hiding place for one moon phase and drank a wine made from honey. Well at least these days, instead of being captured, we are swept away to some romantic island getaway!
