Wedding Articles: Wedding Traditions

by
Robbin Montero of A Dream Wedding

gold wedding ring, a tall, tiered cake with cream flourishes, the blushing bride's long, white gown -- all are traditions we associate with modern weddings. But these traditions have their roots in practical, romantic and even odd ancient customs. Where did these wedding practices come from?
Let's begin with the wedding cake. The sweet, iced cakes served today spring from more humble "grooms-cakes". These were long, flat cakes made by a family member. As young un-married girls left the reception, they took a piece of grooms-cake wrapped in a piece of bridal veil, displayed on the table. The single lady placed it under her pillow that night and dreamt of her future groom! The actual wedding cake was a pound cake that was broken up and sprinkled over the couple as a sign of fertility. This evolved into the tradition of throwing rice.

Then, stacking the wedding cakes started. The number of stacks the bride and groom could reach over for a kiss represented the number of children they would have! Around the 13th century, a Frenchman began icing stacked cakes, beginning the style of wedding cakes we know today. Now, we look upon cakes as delicious good luck symbols, rather than signs of fertility.

You've heard the phrase "tying the knot"? In ancient tribal days a girl was wrapped in a sheet with a knot tied in the front, signifying to the groom and his family that she was a virgin. The groom had the privilege of "untying the knot" on their wedding night.

Did you know that a bride and her bridesmaids used to dress identically? In tribal times, superstitions ran wild. It was thought to confuse evil spirits if the parties were dressed alike. The ringing of church bells and the release of doves also warded off these spirits. And, the color of purity was...blue!

The best man's duties were somewhat different, too. In the days when women were scarce it was the job of a tribe's best warrior to steal potential brides from neighboring tribes. The potential groom and the warrior would steal off under cover of darkness. The warrior would then club the chosen bride over the head and literally abduct her! The "best man" from a tribe could adeptly fight off angry relatives, should the girl awaken prematurely! Later in Europe, the best man stood to the right of the groom, ready with his sword to stop intruding and unhappy clan members.

Flower girls and ring-bearers are newer additions to wedding parties. Flower girls first appeared in the middle ages, bearing wheat to symbolize fertility. The ring-bearers were added mainly for symmetry.

The circular wedding ring symbolizes eternity. Ancient rings were forged of iron, to last forever like marriage. The ring is still placed on the third finger of the left hand. It was thought a vein ran directly from the heart to this ring finger. Thank Anne of Brittany for the white wedding dress. In 1499 she donned a white gown to marry King Louis VII of France. Prior to this, women just wore the best dress they owned.

Whatever traditions you plan to incorporate in your wedding, why not hire a wedding coordinator to assist with the details? Create the glorious wedding of your dreams, traditional or modern!