Traditions

The Good Luck Saying

A good luck saying dating back to Victorian times is “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.

“Something Old” represents the link with the brides family and the past things in their family like a piece of antique family jewelry or a mothers or grandmothers wedding gown.

“Something New” represents good fortune and success in the bride’s new life.

“Something Borrowed” is to remind the bride that all her friends and  families will be there for her when any sort of help is needed. The borrowed object may be something such as a lace handkerchief. 

“Something Blue” is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Often  the blue item is the garter.

“Silver Sixpence in her Shoe” is to wish the bride wealth.

TRADITIONS & THEIR ORIGIN  

Altar Positioning:

 

This tradition has been in practice right since marriages are done. By having the bride stand to the groom’s left, the groom can have his right hand free for his sword if he needed it for defense any time of crisis.

 

Arch of Swords following the Ceremony:

 

Its a custom that the couples are made to walk through the arc of swords following the ceremony. This was done to ensure the couple’s safe passage into their new life together.

Breaking of Glass: 

To recall Jewish tradition that represents the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, the couple save the pieces of glass from the ceremony in a symbolic box.

Best Man:

  

As marriages were historically accomplished by capture, warrior friend was often employed. This friend, called the Best Man of the groom helps
the groom to fight off other men who wanted the captured woman.

Bridal Party:

  

The bridal party has many origins. When the groom was about to abduct his bride, he needed the help of many friends, the “brides men” or “bride knights.” The bride also had women to help her. They were known as the “bridesmaids” or “brides women.”

  

Bride on the left, Groom on the right:

  

The groom will fight with other warriors for the bride. When he does so, he holds her on the left hand and his sword on the right hand. This is why the bride stands on the left, and the groom on the right.

Dowry/Hope Chest and Trousseau: 

During the marriage ,the couple’s family will exchange their property. The groom’s family would pay a price as a symbol of love to the bride’s family for the bride. The bride’s family in turn would provide the couple with a dowry of various household items for their new family life. All these gifted items will be kept in a special Hope Chest built by the bride’s father for the purpose of holding the dowry. 

Diamond Engagement Rings:

  

These lavishing gifts were given by medieval Italians with the belief that the diamond was created in the flames of love. 

Garter Toss / Bouquet Toss: 

 

It was customary for the bride to toss her garter to the men, but sometimes the men got too drunk, and would become impatient and try to take the garter off her ahead of time . All the same, it got to be less trouble for her to toss her bridal bouquet instead. 

Honeymoon

  

Following the abduction, the groom will hide himself with the bride, which is now called the Honeymoon, so that by the time the bride’s family found them, the bride would already be pregnant.  

Huppah:

 

In the Jewish religion, the ceremony takes place as the couple stands under an ornamental canopy. This canopy symbolized nomadic tents of Israel and the new home that the couple would soon share. 

Incense

 

Incense has been used in many cultures as an aromatic practice for purification of the air and carrying prayers and wishes to the heavens or gods at the ceremony site.

  

Shoes on the Bumper:

  

Tying shoes to the bumper of the car represents the symbolism and power of shoes in olden. Egyptians used to exchange sandals when they exchanged goods. In Anglo-Saxon times, the groom would tap the heel of the bride’s shoe to show his authority over her. Some years back, people had the practice of throwing shoes at the couple. Now folks just tie shoes to the new couple’s car.  

Something Blue:

  

In Biblical days , blue represented purity. Thus the bride and groom would wear a blue band around the bottom of their wedding attire. Hence their wedding occasion will include something blue to notify this.  

Stag Parties:  

The groom would feast with his male friends on the night before his wedding. In this event, he would say ” goodbye ” to the carefree days of bachelorhood and swear continued allegiance to his comrades.  

The Taking of each others Right Hand: 

An “open right hand” is a symbol of strength, resource and purpose. The couple holding their right hands together is a symbol that both the bride and the groom can depend on each other. It also represents the merger of their lives together into one. 

Tie the Knot:  

This wonderful Roman custom in which when the bride wore a girdle that was tied in knots which the groom had the fun of untying. This also refers to the tying of the knot in Hand fasting Ceremonies, which were often performed without the benefit of a clergy.  

Ties That Bind

 

Throughout the world, there are many cultures that recognize the idea of matrimony as the “ties that bind”.In African cultures, long grasses are braided together and used to tie the hands of the groom and bride together to symbolize their union. Delicate twine is used in the Hindu Vedic wedding ceremony to bind one of the bride’s hand to one of the hands of the groom. In your own ceremony, consider symbolizing your commitment to each other by adapting some of these cultural practices that would enrich you life after marriage according to ancient believes. Silk ribbons, garland of flowers or just holding hands can be a romantic way of showing your ties that bind. 

Veil:

  

Along with these kidnappings and bartering, there were also arranged marriages. In these, the groom’s family informed him that he was to marry…but they very rarely let him see the bride. After all, if the groom didn’t like the bride’s looks, he might not agree to the marriage. With this in mind, the father of the bride gave the bride away to the groom who then lifted the veil to see his wife of all eternity for the first time. 

Wedding:  

In ancient times, quite often the bride was exchanged for land, political alliance, social status and/or currency. Indeed, the Anglo-Saxon word “wed” meant the groom would vow to marry the woman — and that the bartered goods and/or currency would go directly to the bride’s father. In short, a wedding seemed little more than the purchase of a bride for breeding purposes and not for a liberated point of view in particular. 

 

Wedding Bands:  

It is still an unknown story of why and when the wedding bands were first worn. They were probably made of a strong metal such as iron. As far back as the ancient Romans, there was a belief that the vein in the third finger ran directly to the heart. So, by wearing a ring on that finger it joins the couple’s hearts and destinies together. 

 

Wedding Cake:

A wedding will not be complete without fertility symbols, like the wedding cake. Ancient Romans break a cake made of wheat or barley over the bride’s head as a symbol of her fertility. And nowadays, it became traditional to stack several cakes , as tall as possible. The bride and groom would then be charged to kiss over this tower without knocking it over. If they were successful, a lifetime of good fortune was certain for the newly married couple.

White Wedding Dress:  

The white wedding dress was made popular by Anne of Brittany in 1499. Indeed, white is not accorded as a symbol of chastity, but of joy.  

LEAP YEAR Proposals 

For more than many hundreds of years to when the leap year day had no recognition in English law, every woman had the right to propose on 29th February each leap year . It was considered, therefore, that as the day had no legal status, it was reasonable to assume that traditions also had no status. It was also strongly believed that since the leap year day corrected the discrepancy between the calendar year of 365 days, it was considered as an opportunity for women to correct a tradition that was one-sided and unjust.

Throwing Confetti 

Throwing confetti over newly weds is a very old custom. It originated from the ancient Pagan rite of  showering the happy couple with grain to wish upon them a ‘fruitful’ union, since they believed that the fertility of the seeds would be transferred to the couple on whom they fell. In recent years, small pieces of colored paper have replaced sweetmeats, grain and nuts. There is no specific reason for such a sudden change, but papers are used as an inexpensive substitute.

Unity Candle

The unity candle is a symbol of family unity. Usually a single candle represents the newly married couple is lit with two individual candles, each representing the bride’s and groom’s families.  

 

FOLLOWING THE RECEPTION 

Carrying the Bride over the Threshold:

 

This is a custom that is done to protect the bride from any evil spirits which may be unknowning to others hiding beneath the threshold. The groom would carry his beautiful bride to safety and happiness so they could start their new lives together. 

Honeymoon: 

This was a chance for the new couple to hide themselves from family and friends for a period of time and enjoy their newly married life for pretty few days. 

Shivare: 

This custom dates back from the Middle Ages till the present. A group of friends gather and bang on pots and pans, shoot off guns, to disturb the newly married couples on their wedding night.

 
 

INTERNATIONAL TRADITIONS

 

Following is a list traditions, customs and rituals throughout the world. Some of these are still followed at weddings today.  

 

1. In England, if an English bride passed a chimney sweep on her way to the church,and the chimney sweep kissed her, it was considered as good luck.
 
2.In Holland and Switzerland, pine tree was once planted outside a new couple’s home, as a symbol of luck and fertility. 

3.In South Africa, the couples’ parents carried a fire from the hearths of their own homes and took this fire to the new couple’s home to begin the fire in their home. 

4. In Armenia, two white doves were set free to symbolize love and happiness. 

5. In Japan, brides change their bridal attire several times throughout the wedding day. 

6.In Italy, the groom’s tie was cut into pieces and was sold to the guests during the reception. The money earned from this was used for the honeymoon.

7. In Japan, ducks or a goose and gander were included in the processional because they mate for life and are a symbol for fidelity. 

8. In Poland, guests paid to dance with the bride and this money is used for the honeymoon.

9.During the reception in Spain, wedding guests danced a special dance and then present gifts to the bride. 

10.In an early American custom ,the bride pinned a small pouch to her wedding petticoat. This pouch contained a small piece of bread, cloth, wood and a single one-dollar bill. This ensured that there would be enough food, clothes, shelter and money for the future couple.