Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part III
Are you a superstitious person? You may think not, but if you have ever attended a wedding, whether your own, or somebody else's, chances are that you did or wore something due to superstition - you may not have realised it, but you probably did.
Read through this and the other sections of our Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition articles to see which superstitions you unwittingly followed....
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part I
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part II
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part III
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part IV
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part V
Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part VI
Stag Party
This custom originated from Ancient Greece where Spartan soldiers would celebrate with their male friends the night before their wedding day. The idea behind this was to offer reassurance that although he was about to embark on married life he would not forget their friendship.
On the night much merriment would be had in the smashing of glass and the making of noise in an attempt to ward off evil spirits which were thought to gather around the bride and groom on the wedding day.
Funny how that sounds like many stag nights in the 21st Century!
Hen Party
The Hen's Night was originally an opportunity for the bride's family and friends to visit where the bride lived and have a good poke around all her personal belongings, from her clothes to her cooking pots.
I am not quite sure why this went on, but perhaps it was so that they could repeat the process once the bride was married and therefore be able to check how much better, or worse, off the bride was as a married lady.
In recent history the Hen Nights was always a quiet affair, leaving the more adventurous antics to the men on their Stag Night. However recent times have seen the Hen Night turn into a party every bit as raucous as the men!
Other Participants
Apart from the bride and the groom there are many other wedding traditions or superstitions that affect other people involved in your wedding. Here are a few.
Best Man
During the Middle Ages young women were invaluable to their families as they provided an extra pair of hands to work, that is why most families were reluctant to allow them to leave home and get married.
The result of this was that a single man who had his eye on a single lady would have to kidnap her with the help of his best friend, or as we know him, his Best Man.
Bridesmaids
We visit the 'evil spirits' again with this one. The bride’s best friends would wear the same outfit as the bride on her wedding day, the cunning plan was to confuse those nasty evil spirits who had plans to spoil the happy couple’s big day.
Evil spirits they may be, but they were obviously thought to be rather dim as well!
Flower Girls
During times gone by a little girl would walk ahead dropping flower petals in the path of the bride on her way to church. The practice was thought to ward off evil spirits.
What was it with people and their evil spirits? I wonder if they are still around today.....
