Guide To 16 Wedding Traditions

1. Bride Carrying Bouquet Of Flowers

Historical reasons for this one include when people did not bathe in the olden days the bouquet of flowers would make hide the smell of body odour coming from the bride

Another idea is that it is supposed to ward off evil spirits in a church, Bridal Bouquets in the past were made from herbs, garlic and grains and these ingredients were to ward off these evil spirits.

Also the bride was seen as good luck and Wedding Guests would pull her dress to take scraps away for good luck so the bouquet would be tossed instead.

Bridal Bouquets are made up of different types of flowers which have different meanings in cultures across the world.

2. The Couple Not Seeing Each Other The Night Before The Wedding

In the old days arranged marriages were commonplace and the couple were kept away from each other until the time of the wedding in case either of them decided not to go ahead with it if they did not like their other half.

Nowadays it is thought to be unlucky to see your partner on the morning of the wedding and most people choose to be apart the night before too, it also helps to build on the momentum and anticipation of the Wedding Day by keeping apart from each other and ends in the surprise of the moment when they finally meet at the altar.

3. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

This old traditional rhyme dates back to the Victorian times.

Something Old is a representation of a link to the bride’s family and history.

Something New is about the future and the bride’s new life and represents good fortune and success

Something Borrowed is a reminder to the bride that friends and family are there to help

Something Blue is symbolic of loyalty and faithfulness and blue represents purity in the Bible.

4. Silver Sixpence In Your Shoe

A Silver Sixpence would come from the Bride’s Father and represents wealth and happiness for the future couple.

5. Tin Cans Tied To The Car Bumper At The End Of The Night

This is an adaptation of the French Custom called a “Charivari” in which a celebration takes place the night before the Wedding and neighbours would walk down the street banging on pots and pans to make as much noise as possible to ward off evil spirits.

6. Giving The Bride Away

In the old days the bride would have been the property of her father and so the father would then give her away to the groom and sell her.

These days giving the bride away is seen as a very special moment normally shared between a parent and child as the last moment before they get married.

7. Wearing Wedding Rings

Wedding Rings have been in use for some time to signify marriage, unity and being circular they are a sign of eternity.

Rings are worn on the left finger of the left hand where it is believed the vein of love the “vena Amoris” begins and leads to the heart.

8. Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids were in Roman Times there to protect the Bride when all the bridesmaids would wear the same colour as the bride in order to confuse and ward off evil spirits.