Weddings are one of the oldest forms of celebrations and throughout the centuries, certain traditions have become obsolete, while others are still practiced today. We often wonder where these silly traditions come from – find out the meaning behind some of the many traditions common to American weddings and how they all began.
Something Old… We all know the saying; the “something old” represents the bride’s family and friends and the “new” represents the new life and bond created through marriage. During ancient times, bride’s often “borrowed” their mother’s veil or wedding dress, and the “something blue” is incorporated as a symbol of purity or happiness. The “six pence” is for good luck and fortune.
Left and Right – In accordance to ancient tradition, the bride is always positioned to the left of the groom at a wedding. This was so the groom could hold and protect the bride at his side while fighting off other suitors with the sword in his right hand.
Wedding Veil – Often times, during arranged marriages, the groom never saw the bride before the ceremony. It was only after the father of the bride gave his daughter away, that the groom was allowed to lift his veil to his new wife for the first time. Other tales of folk lore required the bride to wear a veil to hide and protect her from evil spirits.
You May Now Kiss the Bride – During Roman times, contracts were signed and sealed with a kiss as an act of legal binding. Hence, at the end of the ceremony, the couple kisses as a symbol of their legal joining.
Save the Cake – The top tier of the wedding cake is saved, frozen, and later eaten by the couple on their one-year anniversary. This is practiced in the hopes that the couple would be wealthy.
Tossing the Garter – Originating during the 14th century, obtaining a piece of the couple’s clothing was believed to be good luck and the single man who caught the garter would be the next to be married.
Thank you to AC Ellis Inc. for providing us with images from South Dakota and Minnesota Weddings.
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