Weddings can be steeped in tradition but do you know where those traditions came from? To find out a little more and to help you to decide if you’ll be including them in your big day, I’ve been looking at some of the UK’s most popular wedding traditions and where they started.
So, to start with, why do brides have maids?
Traditionally, the role of the bridesmaids was to walk down the aisle (naturally, looking beautiful!) in order to confuse evil spirits so they didn’t curse the bride. Luckily bridesmaids have a much more fun role today... with minimal witchcraft involved!
Kneeling in front of someone is an age-old sign of respect, loyalty and obedience- in medieval times, men would kneel in front of women they adored! The gesture continues today as proposals are often made on bended knee, showing love, veneration and fidelity to their partner.
The concept of a hen party originates from the Ancient Greeks, where wedding celebrations were split into three parts, the first of which being an all-female feast. However, the term ‘hen-party’, was first used in 1881 to describe a dinner party hosted by Queen Victoria for her daughter Princess Alice and other young women of noble birth.
The idea of stag parties was also created by the Ancient Greeks where it represented a toast to the groom to mark the end of his youth. The term stag party was first used in the 1930s to describe an evening of entertainment and drinking typically held by men… a tradition still going strong today!
Nowadays, the most important part of hen and stag parties is giving the opportunity for the bride and groom to enjoy the last moments as an unmarried couple amongst their closest friends!
An old Victorian rhyme by an unknown English poet, but is a tradition that still holds fast today. The something old represents a link with the bride’s family and her past. Something new, represents good fortune and success in the bride’s future. Something borrowed reminds the bride that her family and friends will be there for her when help is needed. Something blue symbolises faithfulness, loyalty and purity… and is also said to ward off evil spirits! (There were so many evil spirits in the old days!)
A silver sixpence is said to bring the couple happiness, prosperity and good luck during their life together. It’s also a sign to show that the bride’s father had sent the couple well wishes and links to the wealth bestowed upon them.
The tradition dates back to the days of arranged marriages, where the couples couldn’t see each other before the wedding in fear that they would run away!
A wedding veil was used for much the same reason, to hide the bride’s beauty and ward off evil spirits! It also meant that the groom couldn’t see the bride’s face until he had committed to the marriage!
Today they are both lovely ways to build the excitement and make for a great surprise!
Giving the bride away, dates back to the times of arranged marriages, where the bride would be handed over to her new family, in exchange for money or dowry…. That’s right the father literally sold his daughter to the groom! It's also said to be a Roman custom, to ensure the future husband was a worthy suitor- if the bride’s family weren’t happy with the groom, they could take the bride back and offer her to another man!
However today, giving away the bride is an honour and a beautiful moment in the ceremony- often taken on by other members of the family.
… so that the groom can protect her with his left arm and use his sword with his right! He would need to protect his bride from anyone trying to steal his future wife!
The exception to this rule is in Jewish weddings where the bride traditionally stands on the right.
The circular shape of the ring originated from the Ancient Egyptians, who believed that the circle symbolised eternity. Wearing your wedding ring of your fourth finger of your left hand was a tradition held by both the Egyptians and the Romans who believed the “Vena Amoris” (the vein of love!) ran from the fourth finger, straight to the heart! Thus, the wedding ring has become a symbol of eternal love
Traditionally, brides would wear the best (or most expensive!) dress they had and it could be any colour. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840, where she wore a cream silk dress adorned with delicate Honiton lace, that white dresses (or ivory in more recent years) became popular. It’s also a symbol of the bride’s purity, being such since Roman times… but today you will find brides getting married in dresses of every colour!
Wedding cakes were traditionally made to bring good luck to the wedding couple and their guests.
The first connections to wedding cakes were in the ancient Greek and Roman times, when grain and wheat were thrown to shower the bride and promote prosperity & fertility. Over thousands of years, the grains became the wheat-based cakes that we are more familiar with today.
Cakes gradually began to be stacked in more numerous and elaborate designs, as a sign of prosperity and affluence. During the middles ages, the couple would kiss over the cake- if they could do this without the cake toppling over, they were destined to have a long and happy marriage!
We have the Victorians to thank for the traditional white icing on Wedding cakes, to symbolise the purity and virginity of the bride. But today you will find wedding cakes in every colour, size, shape and design and they will more likely reflect the personality and character of the couple and the theme of the day.
Bridal bouquets were originally made of fragrant flowers, herbs and garlic- the idea of this being to ward off evil spirits! There are several suggestions from which throwing the bouquet originated, but my favourite is from 15th century Britain, where it was a tradition to tear off pieces of the bride’s dress, hair or bouquet, after the wedding, in the belief that it would pass on some of her good luck to them. So, the tradition evolved that the bride would toss her bouquet to save herself from the ravaging mob!
But the custom still exists and so often the bride will blindly throw her bouquet to a group of unmarried, female wedding guests and whoever catches it, is said to be next to marry! Though many of today’s brides choose to keep their bouquet as a beautiful reminder of a perfect day.
Traditionally rice was thrown at the newly married couple to encourage good health, fertility, wealth & prosperity and was started in Ancient Greece and Rome. White rice was also used as another symbol of purity- throwing rice into the air was believed to ensure good luck for the newlyweds. But it was the Victorians who first used shredded paper. Today however, there are lots of biodegradable and environmentally conscious alternatives- flower petals are my favourite!
Carrying the bride over the threshold protects her from any evil spirits that may be lurking in the new home, especially since the soles of her feet were known to be at the greatest risk of evil… It also prevents her from stumbling on her dress!
A German tradition where the tribal-groom would hoist his bride over his shoulder and carry her to his hut, making her look less enthusiastic about the wedding night and was therefore regarded as a guarantee of her chastity! It’s also a lovely symbolism for entering a new life together.
The Vikings introduced the notion of the honeymoon where newlywed couples were sent to live away for 30 moons, during which time a family member would visit and bring them honeyed wine- hence honeymoon!
In many cultures, the hands of the bride and groom are literally tied together, to demonstrate the couples commitment to each other and their new bond as a married couple- giving rise to the popular phrase of “tying the knot”!
If you’re looking to plan your own, unique Wedding in Essex and the surrounding areas, you too can experience the perfect Wedding Day with the help, support & guidance of a professional Wedding Planner.
I can help you to unravel your ideas, develop you dreams & bring your Wedding vision to life. Connecting you with the very best and most trusted, local Wedding Professionals to craft your day; I can help you to create a more sustainable Wedding, without compromising on the style, elegance & luxury of your event.
With luxury & dedicated Wedding Planning support, you can enjoy a fun, relaxing & stress-free Wedding Planning Journey. You can also rest assured that every detail will be taken care of and your journey from start to finish will be in the safest hands.
No matter where you are in your Wedding Planning journey, I can offer support and guidance to help you achieve your perfect Day. To learn more about the Wedding Planning services available to you, follow the links below or contact me to discover how I can help.
