The History of Wedding Traditions
The word “wedding:”, coming from the verb “to wed”, has not always meant marriage. Rather, the meaning of wed went from: to redeem a pledge, to betroth, to promise, to bet or wager, to marriage.
The Garter: This tradition comes from an old English custom. Guests would steal the brides stocking and fling it until it landed on the groom’s nose. The lucky flinger would be next in line to marry. Today, the groom just removes the garter from the bride and throws it to his friends who are bachelors. The old way seems way more fun.
The Ring: The ring is worn on the left hand on the second finger, the first being the pinky. The ring is also round and usually dons a large rock if you are the bride. The circular shape is said to represent love, while Archduke Maximillian of Austria started the trend of diamonds. The most intriguing custom is the placement of the ring. Ancient Egyptians believed that there was a vein in the ring finger, which led directly to the heart. Thus the wedding ring has been placed there for centuries.
Bride and Groom Do Not See Each Other Pre-Ceremony: Marriage wasn’t always a choice. In the past, and even in some cultures today, the parents arranged the marriages. Therefore, the bride and groom never really saw each other or knew who the other person was. This ensured that the bride was pure. Today, not seeing each other pre-ceremony is a small price to pay to remember the once more common arranged marriages.
May your wedding be filled with great happiness and tradition!
