Why do brides carry bouquets? The strange origins of wedding rituals
Some wedding traditions aren’t as 'innocent' as you think
The traditions you love are a reflection of a society's cultural and spiritual beliefs, linked to historical customs passed down through generations. Here are some of the most surprising ones...
The bridal veil
In ancient Rome, the veil was used to protect the bride from evil spirits on her special day. It also served to hide the bride’s face until the marriage was completed, ensuring the groom wouldn’t back out, as marriages were often arranged for political reasons without the groom knowing his future wife.
Exchanging rings
This ritual originates from ancient Egypt, where rings were exchanged as symbols of eternal love, since the circle represents unending love. Finally, a sweet one!
Carrying the bride over the threshold
This practice of the groom carrying the bride through the doorway to where they will stay on their wedding night comes from ancient Rome, where it was believed that if the bride tripped while entering her new home, it would bring bad luck. So, the groom carried her to avoid this. But what if he tripped?
The wedding cake
Originally from ancient Rome, the tradition was to break the cake over the bride’s head to bring fertility and good fortune to the marriage.
The bride’s garter
In medieval France, guests would tear a piece of the bride’s clothing for good luck. To avoid this, the bride began tossing her garter to the guests.
Photo: Pixabay
Stepping on a glass
In Jewish weddings, the groom breaks a glass wrapped in cloth with his foot. This is done to remember the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem and symbolizes that marriage should be as difficult to break as it is to repair the broken glass.
Bride kidnapping
In some parts of Eastern Europe, friends of the groom play a prank by 'kidnapping' the bride, and the groom must perform tasks or pay a ransom to get her back, symbolizing the effort he will put into the marriage.
