The ring, the cake, the bouquet, the bridemaids...why do people do what they do at their weddings?
Here are the meanings behind 5 of the most common wedding customs:
The History of The Wedding Ring According to Today I Found It:
Some believe that the oldest recorded exchange of wedding rings comes from ancient Egypt, about 4800 years ago. Sedges, rushes and reeds, growing alongside the well-known papyrus were twisted and braided into rings for fingers an other decorative ornaments worn by the women in those days.
The circle was the symbol of eternity, with no beginning or end, not only to the Egyptians, but many other ancient cultures. The hole in the center of the ring also had significance. It wasn’t just considered a space, but rather a gateway, or door; leading to things and events both known and unknown. To give a woman a ring signifies never-ending and immortal love. READ MORE
The History of the Veil According to How Stuff Works:
The veiling of the bride has origins in the idea that she's vulnerable to enchantment, so she must be hidden from evil spirits. The Romans veiled brides in flame-colored veils to actually scare off those spirits.
Perhaps the most evil of spirits, in an arranged marriage, is the threat that the groom, who is perhaps seeing the bride for the first time, won't like what he sees. The veil saves everyone some embarrassment in the short term. READ MORE
The History of the Bouquet According to How Stuff Works:
Until modern times, brides did carry garlic and dill. The practice probably originated from the time of the Plague, when people clutched the herbs over their noses and mouths in a desperate effort to survive.
Survivors of great tragedy can affix tremendous protective powers to anything that has provided comfort, and the herbs made it into the ceremony marking renewal. Over time, brides added better-smelling flora to the arrangement, and a whole dictionary of meaning arose to define each type of blossom. READ MORE
The History of Bridesmaids According to eHow:
While in modern times a bridesmaid is expected to assist with anything the bride requests or needs, apparently her duties were of a more serious, if not at least supernatural, nature in earlier days. A custom once existed where maidens dressed similarly to the bride would accompany her as her protectors on her way to the groom's village. This would deflect spurned suitors from kidnapping the bride or from stealing her dowry. Roman law once required witnesses to come to weddings in order to confuse evil spirits as to the identity of the bride and groom. This meant that female wedding attendants came to a marriage ceremony in garments akin to the bride's, while male wedding attendants--the forebears of ushers--wore attire that resembled the groom's own clothing. This supposedly threw off bad luck that could be directed towards an easily identifiable bride and groom. READ MORE
The History of the Wedding Cake According to Let Them Eat Cake:
The wedding cake is a tradition that began back in the Roman Empire. At the time, it was a loaf of bread that the groom broke over the bride’s head as a symbol of his dominance in the marriage. The color of the cake was typically white to symbolize purity. The joint task of the bride and groom cutting the cake was meant to symbolize their first joint task in married life. The gesture of feeding cake to one another was a symbol of the commitment the bride and groom are making. READ MORE
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The song you choose for your first dance will be with you for the rest of your lives. You will play it at your 50th anniversary party and your grandkids will ask you what song you danced to at your wedding when they are planning their wedding. How can you pick a song you will be proud of for the rest of your life? It's a big decision...here are a few tips:
