Traditions are the center of wedding celebrations, whether or not you abide by them. Everything from the ceremony, wedding rings, attire, and the wedding cake are considered traditions, but do you know where they came from? We’ve put together a list of 5 wedding traditions and some interesting facts about them!
The White Wedding Dress
In history’s past, most brides wouldn’t buy a dress just to wear on their wedding day. Instead, they would wear the finest gown in their wardrobe to exchange vows. A white dress didn’t come onto the scene until the mid 1800s when Godey’s Lady Book, a woman’s magazine, announced that white was most appropriate for a wedding dress. This trend took a sharp decline around The Great Depression, but in the 20th century after an economic boom, white became the color of choice again and was worn by iconic women such as Grace Kelly and Princess Diana.
The Bride’s Flower Bouquet
Origins of this wedding tradition are a little difficult to nail down. The most logical reason is that the flowers were used to cover up odor when bathing was an infrequent task. Warding off evil spirits by carrying herbs, garlic, and spices in their bouquet is another way brides would walk down the aisle. Brides would also toss their bouquet to wedding guests to share the good luck of her day.
The Best Man
The best man’s duties have changed quite a bit since the origins of the role. In Judaism, the best man’s duties are to ensure the groom has a worry-free wedding. In the Gothic Germanic period when weddings were seen as a transaction, the groom would act as a swordsman to fend off angry family members or watch over the soon-to-be-bride before the wedding.
The Wedding Cake
The extravagant multi-layer cakes that we see at weddings today first appeared at Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s wedding in 1840. Their cake was an absolute show stopper – weighing in at nearly 300 pounds and measured 9 feet in diameter! The wedding cake has humble origins dating to ancient Rome when a loaf of bread was broken over the wedded couple to symbolize fertility. Cake icing became popular in Europe when sugar was widely available and white frosting was used to symbolize purity.
The Wedding Bells
Church bells ringing is a common occurrence after a wedding ceremony is over. Ringing of the bells dates back to the Celtic lands, or modern day Ireland, when bells were rung to ward off evil spirits and provide good luck to the newlyweds. Even though many couples choose to opt for venues other than churches, bells are still commonplace at weddings today – symbolizing happiness and celebration.
Do you know the origin of other wedding traditions? If so, we want to hear all about it. Contact us today!
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