Wedding Customs
Have you ever wondered where some of our time honored wedding traditions came from? Wedding trends have changed quite a bit over the years but there are certain customs that have been around for centuries. Here are five wedding traditions that have stood the test of time despite their unusual, albeit interesting, origins.
1) Wedding rings were not always apart of ceremonies, ancient Egyptians actually started the trend of wearing a “ring” on the third finger believing that the vein located in this finger runs directly to one’s heart, however, the “ring” isn’t the sort of ring you would find a bride wearing now a days. The rings back in ancient Egyptian culture were made out of hemp or rush, which is a leafless grass-like plant.
2) Wedding veils were also an addition to the attire of bridal fashion. The wedding veil was invented to ward off evil spirits from the bride on her wedding day. The veil was also a symbol for purity and chastity. We have the Romans to thank for this tradition.
3) Bridal Parties were meant to protect the groom and the bride at all costs, the bridesmaids dressed similar to the bride to act as decoys to any potential threats of jealous parties whether it be a kidnapping, or someone looking to upset an arranged marriage. It was very common in the Middle Ages when arranged marriages were not only about love but about political alliances. The term “best man” actually comes from the groom selecting the best friend or family member who was most skilled with a sword or sabre. Nowadays there is a lot less on the line and the duties of the best man and maid of honor have now been narrowed down to assisting the bride and groom with little errands and making sure their wedding day runs smoothly and in a timely manner.
4) Throwing of Bouquets was not always a fun tradition for the bride to take part in with her bridesmaids. The throwing of the bouquet actually started as a distraction from people ripping and tearing away at the bride’s wedding dress. Taking a piece of the dress was considered a good luck token to find love and marriage in the defacer’s life, so instead it became customary for the bride to throw the bouquet behind her back and over her head for one person to catch it and receive the good luck of finding love.
5) Boutonnieres were meant as a symbol of a groom showing his love and respect for his bride to be by wearing her colors upon his chest. Back in this time wedding dresses weren’t necessarily white and could consist of many different colors, so the boutonniere showed that the groom was representing his future wife and that he was a taken man.
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