|
Weddings are filled with customs
and traditions.... "Something old, something blue..." and all that
stuff! Have you ever stopped to wonder what on earth it all really means and
where it all originated?
Most of these customs have
endured the test of time, having been begun centuries ago. How very fascinating
that is! How is it that they survive?
They have been maintained over
time because such traditions carry with them the promise that they will bring
happiness and good fortune to the couple at this transitional time in their life
- and who could be brave enough to tamper with that?
Did you know that:
In
times past, if a young man encountered a blind person, a pregnant woman, or a
monk on while on his way to propose to his intended bride, it was believed that
the marriage would be doomed if he continued along because these images were
thought to be bad omens.
On
the other hand, if he were to happen upon a pigeon, wolf, or goat, he would
expect extremely good fortune in the marriage.
According
to an old legend, the month in which you marry may have some bearing on the fate
of the marriage:
"Married when the year is
new, he'll be loving, kind and true;
When February birds do mate, you
wed nor dread your fate;
If you wed when March winds blow,
joy and sorrow both you'll know;
Marry in April when you can, joy
for Maiden and for Man;
Marry in the month of May, and
you'll surely rue the day;
Marry when June roses grow, over
land and sea you will go;
Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred;
Whoever wed in August be, many a
change is sure to see;
Marry in September's shrine, your
living will be rich and fine;
If in October you do marry, love
will come but riches tarry;
If you wed in bleak November, only
joys will come, remember;
When December snows fall fast,
marry and true love will last".
Ancient
tradition thought May to be an unlucky month to marry because in Romans times
the Feast of the Dead and the Festival of the Goddess of Chastity both occurred
in May.
For
centuries the month of June has been the most popular choice for weddings - but
the original reason might surprise you. You see, during the 1400-1500s, May was
the month in which the "annual bath" occurred. Yes, just as it sounds,
back then people were only able to bathe thoroughly once each year. As such, the
over-all population was smelling relatively fresh in June, making it a good time
to hold a special event like a wedding! Further, the month of June is named
after the goddess Juno, who was the Roman counterpart to Hera, the goddess of
the hearth and home, and patron of wives.
It
was thought that misfortune would come to those who married during lent -
"Marry in Lent, live to repent" - because lent was a time for abstinence.
The
tradition for the bride to wear white began in the 16th century and is still
commonly followed today. This is a symbol of the bride's purity and her
worthiness of her groom. The tradition became solidified during the time of
Queen Victoria who rebelled against the royal tradition for Royal brides to wear
silver. Instead, the queen preferred the symbolism which is expressed by wearing
white. The brides of the time quickly emulated the queen, and the tradition has
continued in full force to this day.
There
is an old saying that "the bride wore a green gown". This implies the
belief that she was promiscuous before marriage and refers to the image of her
rolling around in grassy fields with a young man.
Traditionally
brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits. Many
wedding customs and traditions were originated as an attempt to fight away such
evil. The veil was worn with the belief that it would disguise the bride and
fool the evil spirits. It was not until 1800 in Britain that the veil came to
symbolize modesty and chastity. Today, the veil remains the ultimate symbol of
virginity.
It
is held that a final look in the mirror right before the bride leaves her home
for the ceremony will bring good luck. However,
if she looks in a mirror once again before the ceremony, her luck will tarnish
to bad!
It
is believed to be bad luck for the bride to make her own wedding dress.
It
is believed to be bad luck for the bride to wear her complete outfit before the
wedding day. As an extension to this, some brides leave a final stitch on the
dress undone until the day of the wedding for good luck.
"To
change the name and not the letter, is to expect the worst and not the
better!" This little riddle conveys the notion that it is thought to be
unlucky to marry a man whose last name begins with the same first letter as your
own.
To
practice writing your new name prior to the wedding (and what bride doesn't
do this?) is believed to tempt fate and thus, is also believed to result in bad
luck during the marriage!
Seeing
a lamb, frog, spider, black cat, or rainbows on the way to the ceremony is
believed to be a sign of good luck!
Seeing
an open grave, pig, or lizard on the way to the ceremony, or hearing a crow
after dawn on the morning of the wedding are all thought to be omens of bad
luck.
Catching
a glimpse of a monk or a nun is also thought to be a omen of misfortune because
of their association with poverty and chastity.
Bad
weather on the way to the wedding is believed to signify unhappiness in the
marriage. Traditionally it is believed that cloudy skies and wind en route to
the wedding will result in a stormy marriage. However, snow on the way to the
wedding is a sign of fertility and prosperity!
The
tradition of tying tin cans to the back of the newlywed's vehicle originated
long ago when items which would produce noise were tied to the back of the
couple's carriage to scare away evil spirits.
Playing
pranks on the newlywed couple was also a tradition which began with the
intentions of warding off evil spirits. Loyal friends of the couple would do
this in hopes that the spirits would take pity on the couple for already being
picked upon enough, and would then leave the couple alone.
The
tradition of having members of the wedding party dress alike was started with
the hopes that this would cause confusion for the spirits and send them on their
way.
Tradition
says that the first member of the newlywed couple to purchase a new item
following the wedding will be the dominant force in the relationship. As such,
to this day some superstitious brides will pre-arrange to buy a small item from
one of the bridesmaids immediately following the ceremony!
Cakes
have played a part of weddings all through history. The Romans shared a plain
cake of flour, salt and water during the wedding ceremony itself, as Native
Americans still do today. The traditional fruit cake originated in Britain, with
the fruit and nuts being a symbol of fertility.
Cutting
the wedding cake together, still a predominant ritual at weddings, symbolizes
the couple's unity, their shared future, and their life together as one.
In
old England it was traditional to bake a ring into the wedding cake as a symbol
of bliss and happiness. The guest whose piece of cake contained the ring, it was
said, could look forward to a full year of uninterrupted happiness.
Another
old English custom was to throw a plate with a piece of wedding cake out of a
window on the occasion of the bride's first return to her family home after the
wedding. If the plate broke she could expect a happy future with her husband -
but if the plate remained intact, prospects for the future became grim.
The
custom of throwing rice at the newlywed couple was to symbolize fertility. In
some cultures, it was not rice which was thrown, but rather small cakes or
pieces of a crumbled cake. Today some still throw rice, but more commonly
confetti or rose petals are thrown in place of rice due to a number of practical
and environmental reasons - the symbolism remains the same! [Rice can be
hazardous and often fatal to birds who frequently attempt to eat it off the
ground. It is also very easy to slip upon, presenting potential for injury.]
The
three tiered cake is believed to have been inspired by the spire of Saint
Bride's Church in London, England.
It
is believed that an unmarried male guest who keeps a piece of wedding cake under
his pillow as he sleeps will increase his chances of finding a mate. An
unmarried bridesmaid who does the same will dream of her future husband.
"Something
old, something new, Something borrowed, Something blue, and a silver sixpence in your
shoe". This well known little rhyme originated during Victorian times
and is still commonly practiced for good luck. Traditionally, the
"old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, with the
thought being that her good fortune would be passed down along with it. The
"new" stood for the couple's new bright and happy future together.
"Something borrowed" was usually a much valued item from the bride's
family. It symbolized prosperity within the new union, but would bring that good
fortune only
if it was returned to the family. "Something blue" came from an
ancient tradition in which the bride would wear a blue ribbon in her hair as a
symbol for fidelity. Placing a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure
wealth in the couple's life. Today brides often slip a penny inside their shoe
before the ceremony in place of the difficult to acquire silver sixpence. As
such, the rhyme is often adapted to "...And a lucky penny in your
shoe".
It
is customary, near the end of the reception, for the single female guests to
gather around the bride who will throw her bouquet over her shoulder for one of
them to catch. Originally, the bride would actually throw one of her shoes over
her shoulder during this ritual. Tradition says that whoever catches the bouquet
shall be the next to marry. She keeps the bouquet to ensure this destiny.
A
parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and
throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Whoever
catches it will reportedly be the next gentleman to marry. |
