Drew and I got married three years ago! (Whoa! Is it weird that I still consider myself a recent bride?) We got married before Pinterest and Instagram, which makes me sound like an old lady talking about the good old days. Weddings weren’t as crazy creative as they are today because the resources to share ideas weren’t easily accessible. Sure, I browsed magazines and wedding blogs but since the day we said “I do” the wedding world has totally changed, thanks to the cultural shift in sharing images. Our wedding was a little “out of the box” from the normal celebration: we had gourmet pizza, beer, a folk band, and did a “first look.” Although those things sound relatively normal now, they were pretty cutting edge at the time. We wanted to have a day that reflected us as a couple and shared our favorite things with our favorite people! Looking back, I would have done a few minor things differently and many of these have been influenced in my years as a wedding photographer.
I am not a superstitious person but I though it would be fun to share the background behind some of the most common wedding traditions (still be practiced every weekend) recognized by couples. Now, most people just do these things because they feel they have to, but with a shift towards more non-traditional weddings, I wanted to shed some light (with the help of a CNN article) on the history of these traditions and why they might not be the right fit for you and your wedding day. Don’t want to see each other, wonder why were cut cake, where did wedding veils come from? Here are the answers to our most common wedding traditions!
1.) Not seeing one another before the wedding.
This tradition dates back to arranged marriages when the fear was that if the bride and groom saw one another before the ceremony, it would offer them a chance to back out of the marriage and change their mind (whoa!) I am assuming most couples aren’t partaking in an arranged marriage, so if this tradition isn’t up your alley, you should opt for a “first look” so that you can hang out on your wedding day, get your photos done, and be present with your guests for the remainder of the evening!
2.) Wearing a wedding veil:
Wearing a veil is a custom that originated in Rome. Bride’s would wear a veil down the aisle to disguise herself from all of the evil spirits who were jealous of her happiness. Ummm… yeah, I just think wedding veils are pretty and they create some really fun photography opportunities. My goodness, ladies, did you know this was why they used to wear them? Not for the glitz or glam but to ward off evil spirits? Ay karumba, that’s crazy!
3.) Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue:
Some girls do this, some girls don’t. I’m pretty sure I skipped this one (unless I searched long and hard for each item after the fact!) We’ve all heard this say but where did it come from? The “something old” represents the bride’s past, with the “something new” symbolizing the couple’s bright future. Bride’s are supposed to get the “something borrowed” portion from someone who is happily married in hopes that the good luck will rub off on her and the “something blue” piece is for fidelity and love.
4.) Throwing the Garter:
Most of my couples skip this tradition (we did too!) because we wanted to keep the dance party going and we didn’t want to put single people on blast. (I also didn’t want Drew going up my dress in front of my dad and grandparents…. no, thanks!) But did you know how this started? (You might want to google this one on your own, it’s both disturbing and fascinating.) This tradition started in the 14th century in England. Wedding guests had considered it lucky to get a piece of the bride’s clothing. Guests would literally try to tear off a portion of the bride’s dress so to avoid this, brides started to throw the garter to the male guests instead. As the men got rowdier, they would try and get the garter off of her leg themselves. Groom’s trying to protect their wife’s dignity, started to remove the garter himself and then would toss it out to the single men who saw it as a piece of good luck.
5.) The Wedding Bouquet:
If you’re a sucker for beautiful bouquets like I am, this tradition might surprise you! Most of you envision a beautiful arrangement of florals and greenery for walking down the aisle but did you ever consider a bouquet of garlic and dill (I am sure you haven’t.) They believe wedding bouquets originated from the time of the Plague, when people would hold herbs over their mouths and noses in an effort to survive. Survivors of the tragedy thought these herbs had great protective powers and provided comfort, so they made their way into the wedding world as part of the ceremony. Over time, bouquets have evolved into pretty blooms and less pungent options!
Sources: CNN – Wedding Superstitions // Al’s Formal Wear // HowStuffWorks
I loved this! I had no idea the history of these traditions. I am a sucker for tradition, so it’s fun to hear more about the history of these. So crazy about not seeing each other before the wedding! And the garter and veil was so interesting too. I love the idea of borrowed, blue, old & new 🙂 Great Post!