Wedding Traditions

The origins of popular Wedding Traditions

 

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Weddings have existed to symbolize the union of two people since biblical times.  In this day and age, we perform many wedding traditions without knowing the original significance of those traditions.  Below are a list of the origins of many wedding traditions that most people do not know about, but may find interesting. 

Origins of Wedding Traditions

The wedding tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other on their wedding day stems from the ancient tradition of the bride not showing her face to the groom before the wedding.

Tossing the garter was a medieval tradition in which wedding guests invaded the bridal chamber to steal the bride's stockings for good luck. Grooms would toss the garter to his friends to prevent this from happening.

Using white as the color of the wedding gown is popular today because white was a color of celebration to the ancient Romans.

Tossing the bouquet - centuries ago, wedding guests would tear at the bride's flowers and clothes to share her happiness, so she tossed her bouquet to her guests instead to ensure she got away in one piece.

Groomsmen were friends of the groom that in ancient times were needed when the bride was often captured by force, as the new husband needed allies to help him fend off her family.

The bridal train dates back to the Middle Ages when the higher the bride's social standing, the longer the material she dragged down the aisle. 

The bride's veil was originally designed to hide the bride's face and intended to preserve her modesty.

Grain was originally believed to symbolize fertility, so throwing rice over the bridal couple ensured they'd have many children.

Husbands carrying their brides over the threshold after the wedding comes from an old superstition of avoiding any evil spirits that would invade the bride through the soles of her feet when entering the threshold of their new home.

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