Wedding Traditions

With all the wedding traditions that exist, it's a wonder people even get married! If brides and grooms had to observe every single custom, tradition and expectation, there'd be triple the amount of planning and far more anxiety than already inflicted! Still, some are fun, some are touching and some are a little superstitious.

Wedding Traditions Ain't What They Used To Be

At Italian weddings, the best man cuts the groom's tie into many pieces, and sells them to guests. The money raised goes towards the couple's honeymoon. Too bad if the groom hired his tux! Do you know how the expression "tying the knot" came about? In ancient tribal days when the bride was wrapped in a sheet with a knot tied in the front. This announced to the groom and his family that the girl was a virgin. The groom was then given the privilege of "untying the knot" on the wedding night.

Modern takes on old wedding traditions

In the new millennium, the idea of a traditional family has changed. So too has the expectation of the bride to be a demure, sheltered virgin. With these and many more considerations, many old wedding traditions have been modified to suit the era, just as they have been for generations before. What we celebrate today may have been unheard of centuries ago in the same way that we are incredulous at the kinds of things that used to take place to celebrate marriages back then.

Giving the bride away Back in the days of arranged marriages, the bride's father would symbolically give his daughter away to her new husband. Nowadays, if a bride is estranged from her father, her mother or a brother can take his place, and also, some brides choose to have both parents do the honor.

The veil Also in the times of arranged marriages, the groom was not permitted to view his bride until after the ceremony. The veil was both a way of concealing her face and a means to ward off evil spirits. The belief was that if the bride could not be recognized, no harm would come to her. Today, wedding traditions don't necessarily include a veil at all, but they are popular with brides who feel they are not "a real bride" unless they wear one. The veil is a way of turning a gown into a wedding dress.

Throwing the garter Imagine if the old wedding tradition was followed in the same way today! Centuries ago, guests would follow the newlyweds back to their marital bed and would wait for them to undress. The couple would throw their stockings at the guests and whomever they would land on, would be next to marry. Today, of course, the garter is a fun, lively part of the reception proceedings, where the groom mischievously removes the garter from his bride's leg and tosses it into a crowd of waiting single men.

Throwing the bouquet The history of this wedding tradition says that many years ago, female wedding guests would tear a piece from the bride's dress for good luck. Nowadays, the bride tosses her bouquet into the assembly of single women and whoever catches it, is believed to be the next to marry. With many brides choosing to preserve their bouquet, it is popular to have a special throw-away one made up for the purpose.

In these modern times, wedding traditions have adapted to accommodate mixed marriages, dual-religion ceremonies, second, third and subsequent marriages and so on. There are even a plethora of stores and designers offering maternity bridal wear.

The magic and romance of a wedding depends less on observing wedding traditions and more on making your own. With celebrities including their dogs as ring-bearers and middle-aged couples having their sons and daughters give them away, pretty much anything goes - as long as it feels right and makes you happy.

See Also:

Russian Wedding Ceremony Traditions