It’s no secret that weddings are a BIG deal – they’re celebrations that have been going on for centuries, traditions with roots as deep as the sea. Going through the motions of planning a wedding, you may start to wonder why you even have to do all of this stuff to begin with! We dug up some interesting origin stories so that you can see the purpose of some of the most common traditions!
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Attire
History of anything wouldn’t be history without a bit of superstition. 😉 Back in the day (Ancient Rome), many precautions were taken to guard the bride and groom from evil spirits that would come around during the wedding day. The tradition of bridesmaids and groomsmen dressing similar (and sometimes identically) to the bride and groom started as a way to confuse these spirits from targeting the couple getting married. The earliest bridal bouquets were made of garlic and other fragrant herbs to help ward off the spirits as well. You can never be too careful!
Luckily now, the traditions have evolved, straying away from their roots as fear-induced rituals and instead, the bridal party’s matching (or coordinating) attire and floral accessories only signifies their close relationship with the bride and groom and their involvement in the wedding ceremony.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Each old, new, borrowed, and blue item serves as a token of good luck for the bride! Some even throw in a sixpence in her shoe as a little something extra. Don’t have this planned out yet? The dress almost always counts as one item – whether it is a brand-new ballgown or your mother’s vintage sheath dress that originally had puffy sleeves that you toned way down. Wear a piece of jewelry with an age opposite to your dress, incorporate blue in your accessories or even your shoes (No one will even notice that they don’t ‘go’ with your colors if your gown is floor length :)), borrow literally anyone’s -insert small item here- on the day of and then you’ll have all the luck in the world!
A Ceremony Within A Ceremony
The term “tying the knot” supposedly has origins in a handfasting ceremony where the bride and groom would interlock their hands in front of witnesses and call it good! This was done in rural areas way back in the day before actual ceremonies were done with officiants. Another take on ‘handfasting’ is when the bride and groom’s hands would be tied together for a trial marriage period of one year and one day, literally. If the marriage lasted, a renewal of vows/an actual ceremony would take place.
Today, there are so many variations of this theme that are much more symbolic and practical – unity sand, anyone? One of our couples put their own adorable spin on this tradition and planted a unity tree together, complete with dirt from each of their childhood homes *swoon*.
Traditions in attire, ceremony, and more add meaning to your wedding and adding twists to the old With all the ways couples make their weddings meaningful today, it can be so easy to get lost in all the traditions and have a hard time figuring out which pieces will be important to you and your partner!