Did You Know?
Why does the Bride stand on the Groom's Left? The early Anglo Saxon groom
had to defend his bride from would-be kidnappers, she stood to his left, leaving his
sword-arm free. The "best" warrior in the tribe stood by the groom and was
responsible for helping defend the bride, thus the placement for the modern day
best man.
Why do we have a ‘best man’? The original duty of a "Best Man" was to serve as
armed backup for the groom in case he had to resort to kidnapping his intended bride
away from disapproving parents. The "best" part of that title refers to his skill with a
sword, should the need arise.
Why wear a veil? Originally worn to prevent a young man from seeing his bride
until after the ceremony – most useful in times of arranged marriages so that the groom
could not flee at the altar!
Tying the knot? In many cultures around the world - including Celtic, Hindu and
Egyptian weddings, the hands of a bride and groom are literally tied together to
demonstrate the couple's commitment to each other and their new bond as a married couple (giving us the popular phrase "tying the knot").
That takes the cake! The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
Who wore the first ever white wedding dress? Anne of Brittany(in 1499), for her
marriage to Louis XII of France.
Why do brides favor the color white? Queen Victoria (whose reign lasted from 1837-1901) made white fashionable. She wore a pale gown trimmed in orange blossoms for her 1840 wedding to her first cousin, Prince Albert. Everyone then started to copy her! It should be noted that a white wedding dress is no way indicative of the “purity” of the bride-to-be. Indeed, white is not accorded as a symbol of chastity, but of joy.
Why do the families sit on different sides of the aisle? In ancient days, fathers
would offer daughters as peace offerings to warring tribes. Because of the hostility, the
families were placed on opposite sides of the church to avoid bloodshed!
The Younger Sister. Legend says that if the younger of two sisters marries first, the
older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never finding a husband.
Why is the bride ‘given away’? Long ago, female children were deemed to be
the property of their fathers. When it came time for marriage he was actually
transferring ownership of his daughter to the groom. Today, often when the
question is asked by a clergy during the ceremony, "Who gives this woman to be
married to this man," the father's response is, "Her mother and I."
Why do we wear wedding rings? They represent a promise for eternal
and everlasting love. The wedding ring is placed on the fourth finger of the left hand
because it was traditionally believed that this finger was a direct connection to the
heart.
Is the first kiss just a normal kiss? Read on …. No ceremony is complete
without the kiss. In fact, there was a time when an engagement would be null and
void without one! From early Roman times, the kiss represented a legal bond that
sealed all contracts. The kiss that seals the wedding is much more than a sign of
affection. It has long been a token of bonding - the exchange of spirits as each
partner sends a part of the self into the new spouse's soul, there to abide ever
after. Aaaaaahhhhhh!
Why Toast? Toasting comes from an ancient French custom of placing bread
in the bottom of the glass - a good toaster drained the drink to get the "toast."
According to legend, when a bride and groom drink their wedding toast, whoever
finishes first will rule the family.
Why toss the bridal bouquet? With roots in England, it was believed the bride
could pass along good fortune to others. In order to obtain this fortune, spectators
would try to tear away pieces of the bride's clothing and flowers. In an attempt to
get away, the bride would toss her bouquet into the crowd. Tradition says that the
single woman who catches the bouquet is the one who will marry next.
Modern day Knights? The groom is supposed to wear a flower that appears in
the bridal bouquet in his button hole. This stems from the medieval tradition of a
knight wearing his lady's colors to declare his love.
Traditions from around the globe – who knew?
Germany - during the ceremony, when the couple kneel, the groom may kneel on the bride's hem to show that he'll keep her in line. Then, the bride may step on his foot as she rises to reassert herself.
Korea - wedding ducks are a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Cranes are a symbol of long life and may be represented on the woman's sash.
An early American custom-the bride pinned a small pouch to her wedding petticoat containing 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.
Poland - guests paid to dance with the bride and this money is used for the honeymoon
Japan - ducks or a goose and gander were included in the processional because they mate for life and are a symbol for fidelity.
Ireland - Irish brides used to carry a real horseshoe for good luck. (Turned up so the luck won't run out). Most Irish brides carry porcelain horseshoes, or one made of fabric which is worn on the wrist.
Bermuda - a multi-level fruitcake and included a small cedar tree on top. This tree was planted and is supposed to grow with the love of the bride and groom.
Denmark - brides and grooms traditionally cross-dressed to confuse evil spirits!
Trivia
Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the United States
Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheik Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum's son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.
The word “wed” is derived from the ancient Greek word for “pledge.”
Diamond engagement rings were given by medieval Italians in the belief that the diamond was created in the Flames of Love.
Ancient Spartan soldiers were the first to hold stag parties.
The longest engagement on record? That was between Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez. They were engaged for 67 years.
