Traditions explained

The wedding ceremony is a joyous rite of passage, revered as much by modern folks as it was by our distant ancestors, but unlike couples in earlier times, couples today are free to create weddings that celebrate their individuality. “Your wedding will be an expression of your personalities, hopes, and beliefs,” says nationally renowned bridal expert and author Beverly Clark in her new book, “WEDDINGS: A Celebration.”
Today’s engaged couples are honoring their heritages by including traditional wedding customs from their countries of origin or adopting others that seem especially meaningful or suit their personalities. Here are some interesting facts about the origins of some familiar and lesser-known wedding traditions.

Flowers
Flowers have been part of wedding celebrations for centuries. In ancient Rome, the bride would carry herbs under her veil. This custom evolved into the carrying of orange blossoms as symbols of fertility. It was also a Roman custom to light the first fire of the couple’s house with a torch which was then tossed out to be caught by one of the wedding party. In the fourteenth century, the French substituted the bouquet for the torch and thus became the legend that whoever among the bride’s attendants caught the blossoms would be the next to marry.

Bridal Shower
It was believed that “bridal showers” originated in Holland. A Dutch father did not approve of the poor miller whom his daughter wished to marry. Her friends “showered” her with gifts so that she would have the necessary dowry to gain her father’s permission to marry the man of her choice.

Bridal Wear
Bridal gowns are traditionally white because the ancient Greeks and Romans believed white was the symbol of purity, innocence and joy. Recently, the white or ivory bridal dress has evolved as a symbol of the celebration of the ceremony itself. Lace, considered a work of art in Europe, was often used for festive celebrations and important occasions and has remained a popular gown ornamentation.

The Honeymoon
In ancient times the groom abducted the bride from her family and kept her in hiding from them. The couple would remain in hiding for 3-days until the moon waned and they would drink a form of honey wine.

The Wedding Cake
The tiered wedding cake symbolizes fertility and prosperity. Ancient Romans would bake a cake made of wheat or barley and break it over the bride’s head as a sign of fertility. In Anglo-Saxon times guests brought little cakes to the wedding and piled them into a heap over which the wedding couple would try to kiss. If they were unsuccessful, it meant a lifetime of prosperity. This was later turned into a tiered, edible confection iced with white sugar.

Wedding Rings
The history of the wedding can be traced to caveman days when a young man would bind his lady friends’ wrists and ankles to keep her under control until he married. Ancient Romans believed that the vein in the third finger ran directly to the heart, so wearing the ring on that finger joined the couples hearts and destiny. The Egyptians were the first ancient race to wear the ring on the finger – the circular band represented a heavenly sign of life, happiness and love, as the circle had no beginning and no end.

Tying Shoes to the Bumper of the Car
This popular tradition represents the symbolism and power of shoes in ancient times. Egyptians would exchange sandals when they exchanged goods, so when the father of the bride gave his daughter to the groom, he would also gibe the bride’s sandals to show that she now belonged to the groom. In Anglo Saxon times, the groom would tap the heel of the bride’s shoe to show his authority over her. Tied to the back of the “getaway car,” shoes signify the creation of a new family unit; they also cause a noisy clatter once intended to drive off evil spirits that lurk in the ground!

The Original Best Man
Legend has it that in tribal times the young groom would capture his fair lady from a neighboring tribe. He would take along his strongest and most trusted friend in case a battle ensued. Thus this trusted, strong friend became the best man among all his friends.

“Jumping the Broom”
In the era of slavery in this country African-American couples were not allowed to formally marry and live together. To make a public declaration of their commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom, to the beat of drums. Many African-American brides and grooms are bringing back this old tradition which symbolizes their crossing over into wedded bliss.

Rain on Your Wedding Day
Tradition holds that if it rains on your wedding day, it’s lucky. Carry a handkerchief or lacy family heirloom too! Early farmers thought a bride’s wedding-day tears were lucky and brought rain for their crops. A bride who cries on her wedding day is never supposed to shed another tear about her marriage.

“Something old, something new…”
This custom stems from an Old English rhyme, “Something olde, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in her shoe…” For decades brides have taken care to include these touches in their bridal outfit, minding age-old tradition and superstition. The symbolism: continuity, optimism for the future, borrowed happiness, fidelity and good fortune.