What Everyone Should Know About Wedding Traditions

Have you ever observed something at a wedding and wondered where these traditions originated? Wedding traditions date back to ancient times and most likely began in ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece, when the origin of marriage was introduced some 4350 ago. Since then, different cultures have created, adapted and altered these practices into their wedding customs, and many of these customs still exist and have evolved into the wedding traditions we are familiar with today.

The idea of marriage dates to when hunter-gatherers became farmers, and gender roles around the household started to form. Males became responsible for foraging and harvesting food, while women remained at home to bear and raise their children. Hence, the concept of marriage soon became vital as a way to ensure the survival of their offspring.

In Pagan societies, the tradition is referred to as “handfasting” and is a common practice amongst various cultures around the world. The tradition of handfasting is an ancient Celtic ritual in which the couples’ hands are tied together to symbolise the binding of two lives. Although it is most seen in Wiccan or Pagan ceremonies, it has become more mainstream and appears in both religious and secular vows and readings. The couple could not be released until the marriage was official.

The idea of a wedding veil tradition dates to the origin of arranged marriages as well as ancient Roman times when they would wrap the bride in a veil to hide her away from anything that could prevent her happiness. People also saw that delivering a bride in a veil represented her being a “pure and untouched bride’. In arranged marriages of the Far East, customarily, the groom’s family would ban him from seeing his bride until the wedding in case he didn’t like her looks, there may be a chance that he would refuse to marry her. Therefore, the veil was used to conceal the bride’s appearance up until the very moment in which they were to be married.

The circle of a wedding ring represents eternity since it has no beginning or no end. During ancient times, women would wear rings made of papyrus, before the Romans then began to utilise different materials especially iron, which ultimately led to the introduction of gold to make the first betrothal rings. Archduke Maximilian of Austria started the tradition of a diamond engagement ring when he proposed to Mary of Burgundy. Like circles, diamonds are considered symbols of eternity because they are the hardest gems on earth. The placement of the ring on the fourth finger descends from the Egyptians who believed that was the finger that contained the vein that connects to the heart.

The longstanding wedding tradition of flower girls originates from an Ancient Roman tradition where young virgin women carried sheaths of wheat, which was believed to bring well-being and good fortune to the newlyweds. Over time these wheat sheaths have been replaced with flowers that are scattered along the path that leads up to the altar.

In Ancient Rome, the purpose of introducing bridesmaids at a wedding was to shield the bride and keep her safe from any ill-doing. The bridesmaids would generally wear the same dress as the bride to confuse the evil spirits and prevent them from finding her. As a result, the couple would avoid being cursed on their wedding day. Today bridesmaids dress in colours and styles to compliment the bride.

The wedding tradition of tying cans to the rear of the wedding car originates from the French custom of Charivari - throwing a celebration that took place on the night before the wedding. Neighbours would descend on their streets, banging their pots and pans to make as much noise as possible throughout the village to scare away evil spirits. Since cans make noise when dragged behind a moving car, the classic “charivari” was adapted to simply tying cans to the wedding car bumper.

Wedding Cakes customarily represent fertility, It is believed that Ancient Romans would bake wheat cakes and break them over the bride’s head to wish fertility for her future. Soon it became customary to stack these wheat cakes one on top of the other, as tall as they could go. The bride and groom were challenged to kiss over the tower without knocking it over. They’d enjoy a lifetime of good fortune as a couple if successful.

Rice and other grains have also long been thought of as signs of prosperity and fertility. Therefore, the practice of throwing rice at a wedding is symbolic of showering the couple with good fortune. Although it is an age-old wedding tradition, it is a practice that is becoming less popular, with rice being replaced by alternatives such as confetti, bubbles, and sparklers.

It is widely believed that the colour white represents purity. However, it is the colour blue that is the true symbol of purity as well as fidelity. The symbolism of the colour blue dates to early Christianity, when the colour was associated with the Virgin Mary, who is often depicted wearing a blue cloak.

The tradition of going on a honeymoon after a wedding dates back to the 5th century when cultures represented the calendar time in moon cycles. Once married, a newlywed couple would drink mead, an alcoholic beverage made of honey, a tradition that would take place during their first month of marriage.

The first recorded bridal bouquets were said to have been made out of aromatic bunches of herbs, garlic, and grains, which were all ingredients believed to have the power of warding off evil spirits. Over time, the herb bouquet was gradually replaced by flowers which carry special symbolism in different countries and cultures around the world.

The tradition of having a group of men assist the groom at the wedding comes from the distant tradition of kidnapping the bride. Before a couple could get married, a man had to employ his fellow friends or warrior companions to help him ward off other warriors and prevent the bride’s family from locating the couple. The groom’s main companion would be the equivalent role to that of a “best man” at a modern-day wedding.

The custom of the bride tossing her bouquet dates back to the 14th century. It was usual for the bride to toss her garter into a crowd of men at the wedding party. Unfortunately, it was the groom’s responsibility to save his bride from the mob of men, and hence a new tradition was born in which the bride would simply toss her bouquet into a crowd of women to avoid all the trouble. Subsequently, the issue of tossing the garter shifted to the groom.

During the Victorian era, a pageboy would hold the task of carrying the bride's dress train down the aisle. At around the same time, to show their wealth and grandeur, Victorians began to tie the rings onto small ornate pillows. This is because pillows were seen as very expensive and were luxury items that only the highest members of society could afford. Eventually, it became the pageboy’s responsibility to carry the ring pillow down the aisle and is a tradition that has evolved into the ring bearer that we are familiar with today.

The origin of the wedding registry dates back to around 1924 when they were introduced in America. Also known as a bridal registry, it was a way for the couple to choose their fine china and silver for their big day. Soon the idea spread across the world and was then that the retail industry began to provide bridal lists as a way for the couple to manage the gifts they were to receive.

Whether you’re planning your wedding ceremony and reception, attending one soon, or just want to learn more about the history of marriage, you’re sure to be surprised by how much these wedding traditions have changed since they originated! Although traditions play an important role, history has shown us that it’s okay to get a little creative when it comes to planning your special day.