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"Something old, something new, something borrowed,
something blue and a silver sixpence in your shoe." Many
wedding traditions originated in Victorian times, such as
this old proverb, which served to remind the bride of the
importance of the past (something old), future (something
new), the people who support her (something borrowed),
faithfulness (something blue) and lastly, a sixpence
to hope for a lifetime of prosperity.
White Wedding Dresses
Victorian brides also began the fashion trend of wearing
white dresses after Queen Victoria wore an elegant white
gown to her wedding. White was thought to symbolize purity
and virginity.
Flowers
Carrying a bouquet originated in ancient times when it was
believed that strong smelling herbs and spices would ward
off and drive away evil spirits, bad luck and ill health.
Veils
Covering the bride's face is also an ancient tradition,
originally done to protect women from evil spirits. In nineteenth
century Britain, the veil came to symbolize modesty and chastity.
Tossing the Garter and Bouquet
The custom of the groom removing the bride's garter and
tossing it to single men likely dates back to the fourteenth
century when overzealous guests, hoping to receive "luck"
from the couple, would rush to get pieces of the bride's
clothing. Because it was believed that the good fortune would
be passed along to others, the bride would throw her bouquet
to the single women.
Throwing Confetti
Ancient pagans began the ritual of throwing rice, flower
petals or confetti over newlyweds. This was meant to be a
rite of showering the couple with "seeds" of fertility.
The Wedding Cake
The common three-tier wedding cake is said to have originated
in London, a replica of the unusual shape of the spire o
Saint Bride's Church. The bottom layer represents the couple
as a family, the top layer the two as a couple, and each
layer in between, a child they hope to have. Cutting the
cake together is a symbol of the couple's sharing their future
together.
Wedding Rings
The early Egyptians are thought to have exchanged the first
wedding bands, the circular shape symbolizing eternal love.
Gold was chosen because of its enduring beauty and strength,
while every girl's favorite, the diamond engagement ring,
was chosen because of it being the hardest and most enduring
substance in nature. Fifteenth century Venetians alleged
that diamonds would make the marriage last forever. Ancient
Greeks believed that a vein ran from the third finger straight
to the heart, and began the tradition of wearing wedding
rings on this finger. |
