10 Wedding traditions unravelled

We’ve all heard about the traditions that come along with every wedding, but have you ever stopped to think about what they really mean?

Is there more to just the toss of a bouquet or the catching of a garter? Perhaps there’s a deeper meaning or symbolism…

Well, we’ve managed to get answers adapted from Babble, to what some of these unexplained traditions really are:

1. Sealing the deal with a kiss – In Roman times, it was believed that a kiss was a legal bond that sealed all contracts, this being the contract of marriage. In many ceremonies today though, a kiss is not necessarily part of any religious or specific beliefs.

2. The bride’s garter – Back in the day, believe it or not, people would accompany the newly weds back to their rooms to spend their first night together. This was to ensure that the two were together after the ceremony and were safely in each others company. Many would try and grab the bride’s garter in the process as it was believed to be good luck, but as you can imagine, it started to get a little too steamy in their so the ‘catching the garter game’ was moved to the wedding reception area for the best and to prevent any awkward scenarios for the newly weds and for the guests who would’ve been with them in the room.

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3. Save the cake – Many people have heard about couples saving their wedding cake to eat a year later. Why? Well, one of the many possible reasons is because it was believed that the top tier of the cake should be served at the couple’s first child’s christening – which expected to happen a year after the wedding – as it was not just for good luck of some sort, but because cakes are expensive so you may as well recycle!

4. Throwing the bride’s bouquet – Initially, in England around the 14th century, the bride’s dress was torn by guests as they believed that getting a piece of it would bring upon fertility to them. As the years went buy and wedding gowns became pricier, the tradition faded and they turned to the next best thing being the bouquet.

5. Daddy’s little girl – Ever wondered why it had to be a father giving away his daughter to the groom? This is because there was a time when brides were sold to their husbands by their fathers in arranged marriages.

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6. The bride’s veil – A veil was believed to symbolise a bride’s modesty, virginity and purity according to Roman traditions.

7. The traditional white wedding dress – This was initiated by Queen Victoria’s wedding that set the ongoing trend since 1840. Before that, the most popular wedding gown colour was actually blue which initially represented purity.

8. The ultimate bachelor party – Lots of alcohol, girls and just a totally wild night overall is what most guys expect for their ‘big night’. The Romans practiced this night by bringing together all the men for a feast to toast the groom… and then kidnap the bride afterwards (not as a crime, just a game).

9. Bridal Shower – Started in Holland, it was believed that the bride’s father didn’t approve of her husband and also refused her dowry. So, all her bridesmaids and friends got together to give her a fun and joyous night and shower her with gifts to potentially pay for her dowry. Whether this is true or not can’t really be confirmed, but today’s bridal showers are all about girls just having fun and enjoying the bride’s last moments of freedom together as the guys would do too.

10. The official ring – It was believed that men would offer the bride’s father a precious stone to pay for the bride, and this evolved over the years into a ring along with the tradition of metal bands used for traditional weddings. Two and two together, the metal bands were fitted with a stone thus creating the wedding ring.

Information adapted from Babble

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