Wedding Tradition or Just Superstition Part IV
Whether you are a superstitious person or not wedding tradition is shrouded in superstition. Have you ever wondered why you wear a wedding dress and why tradition says it must be white? Are you having a veil and if so do you know the history behind it? For these and other traditions and superstitions read on...
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
The Wedding Dress
It was believed to be unlucky if the bride wore her complete wedding outfit before the wedding day and particularly so if she happened to glance at herself in the mirror and see herself wearing the outift!
To avoid the bad luck the bride was supposed to save the moment she looks at herself in the mirror until the last moment, just before she left the house on the wedding day itself.
The colour of the brides wedding dress too had its own significance. The Romans and the Greeks wore white wedding dresses and, contrary to popular belief, that white was worn as a sign of virginity and purity, they were worn more as a sign of joy. When people got married they dressed in their best attire, however it was Queen Victoria who became a trend setter when she broke with tradition and wore a white gown at her own wedding rather than the tradition silver gowns associated with royal weddings.
From that day forth white wedding dresses became fashionable and were also worn as a sign of wealth for the simple reason that they were worn once - and only the wealthy could afford to do that.
There was a well known rhyme which no doubt would have influenced many a bride as to the colour she should choose for her wedding dress.
Married in White, you have chosen right
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, you spirit will sink.
Today’s bride however isn’t so influenced by the rhyme as her predecessors were. Fashions have changed so much so that we even have trouser-suit wedding outfits, something I’m sure the Victorians would have had something to say about!
The Veil
The wedding veil is thought to have two possible reasons for its incarnation. The first could have been due to ward off evil spirits which would attempt to spoil the day.
The other possibility could have been down to the Romans who were keen on arranged marriage. In these times it was customary for the bride to be covered from head to toe on her wedding day. This was to prevent the groom from seeing his bride until the ceremony was complete, after which either the father of the bride, or the groom, would lift the brides veil. If he were given the opportunity to see her before, he may not have found her attractive and declined to marry her!
Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blue
This leads us onto the well known Victorian rhyme relating to what clothes people should wear when they get married.
Something Old,
Something New,
Something Borrowed,
Something Blue,
and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe
A garter was often given to the bride by a married woman to represent Something Old.
A wedding dress was often purchased as a symbol of Something New.
A valued item borrowed from your family or close friend would represent Something Borrowed. One would have to return the item to ensure good luck. In a custom thought to date back as far as Ancient Israel the bride would wear a blue ribbon in her hair to symbolise her fidelity. Today, brides will often wear a garter which is either blue, or has a small blue ribbon.
The Garter
The wedding garter is an essential wedding accessory to any bride. It was used to hold up her stockings and she would toss it to the male guests and the luck man who caught it would then in turn would present it to the lady of their choice in the hope they might marry the following year.
In the 14th Century it was thought lucky to literally have a piece of the brides wedding dress. The only way the bride the bride could pacify her guests was to offer them her garter. However drunk and over zealous male guests would become impatient and attempt to remove the brides garter before she was ready. To the relief of many a bride the custom of tossing the garter changed to tossing the bouquet instead.
The Wedding Purse (Dorothy Bag)
The purse is carried by the bridesmaid and would contain the confetti or the personal effects of the bride, such as make-up.
The Bouquet
A tradition of tossing the bouquet originated from America. Once the wedding reception had concluded the bride would throw her bouquet over her shoulder into the crowd of female guests. Whoever caught the bouquet was believed to be next in line to marry. Tossing the wedding bouquet replaced tossing the wedding garter.
