Wedding Trivia

June seemed a good time to share some wedding trivia I learned while doing some "bridesmaid research." These are explanations of some of the bridal traditions. Lots of "beware of evil spirits" going on in wedding traditions. . .

The Veil
The wedding veil has evolved over the centuries, and has signified youth, virginity, and modesty. Roman brides were married in swathes of brilliant yellow, while Viking queens wore metal skullcaps. Many Japanese brides still wear the traditional tsuno-kakushi -- a white hood that supposedly hides the horns of jealousy.

Something Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
The tradition of the bride wearing something old (for continuity), new (optimism for the future), borrowed (happiness), and blue (fidelity, good fortune, and love) on her wedding day stems from an Old English rhyme. The "something borrowed" comes from the superstition that happiness rubs off, so the bride borrowed something from a happily married woman. "Something blue" comes from the notion that the shade denotes fidelity, purity and love.Many brides consider their dress to be their something new, but here are a few options for the other three requirements.
Something Old: A family heirloom such as your grandmother's wedding band or string of pearls; a lace handkerchief; an old hat pin secured on the inside of your gown.
Something Borrowed: A family member's or friend's headpiece or veil; a piece of your mother's jewelry.
Something Blue: Your garter; blue toenail polish; lingerie.
There's also a fifth, though often dropped, line of the rhyme: "A penny in your shoe" (or, in England, a sixpence). Each is said to help ensure a lifetime of fortune. Additional customs relating to luck include: sewing a small pouch filled with a piece of bread, a sliver of wood, a bit of cloth, or a dollar bill into the hem of a bride's petticoat to protect against future shortages of food, shelter, clothing, or money. Sewing a small horseshoe into the dress's waistband heralds good luck. Brides in Greece also believe a lump of sugar tucked into one of their wedding gloves will bring sweetness to their married life.

The Garter
Throwing the garter is derived from an old English custom called "flinging the stocking." Guests would invade the bridal chamber and steal the bride's stockings, then take turns flinging them. Whoever threw the one that landed on the groom's nose, would be the next to marry. (Can we do this for Eric?) By the 14th century, possession of the garter had become highly esteemed and the bride would often be rushed at the altar by hordes of guests competing for the prize. These days, the groom removes the garter -- generally worn at the sexier mid-thigh level -- from her leg and tosses it to his bachelor pals.

Identically Dressed Attendants
Keeping evil spirits away from the couple on their wedding day is a recurring theme in wedding tradition. If your attendants complain about having to wear the exact same thing, tell them this: Bridesmaids used to wear the exact same outfit as the bride so that evil spirits would be confused as to just who was the actual couple. (I think I know some of these easily confused evil spirits they speak about. . .)

The Ring
The circular shape of a wedding ring symbolizes eternal love. Gold represents enduring beauty, purity, and strength, all appropriate marriage sentiments. Why wear the ring on the third finger of the left hand? The ancient Egyptians believed that the vein in that finger ran directly to the heart. As for that big rock of an engagement ring, brides have the Archduke Maximilian of Austria and Mary of Burgundy to thank for that: In 1477 he offered his beloved a diamond as a betrothal gift -- the first recorded diamond engagement ring.