10 Popular Wedding Traditions and Their Origins

Many famous wedding traditions have their origins in dread of bad spirits and a notion that brides are appealing victims for these spirits. Due to the extremely diverse nature of weddings in the past, other traditions evolved. When it comes to wedding traditions, you have complete control over which ones you want to preserve and which ones you don't. In any case, it's fascinating to read about the origins of some of the most common wedding rituals. We, at Heck Design and Photography, are happy to assist you in planning the perfect wedding to match all of your specific wants and preferences. 

Here are the roots of some of the most popular wedding traditions.

1 | Bridemaids 

Bridesmaids have a long history of protecting the bride and groom from evil spirits. The bridesmaids were meant to deceive evil spirits or others who wanted to harm the bride. Instead of wearing different outfits as they do now, they would wear dresses that were identical to the bride to confuse evil spirits and protect the dowry. 

2 | The Best Man 

Having a best man was designed to safeguard the groom in case there were any issues with the bride's family or other potential issues. They were also supposed to keep any runaway brides at bay. The groom's brother or best friend was not chosen as the best man. He was chosen because he was the strongest or had the best swordsmanship, making him the perfect person to guard the transaction and guarantee that it went successfully.

3 | Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Something old: The bride wore the "something old" to connect her to her past and family.

Something new:  Symbolized the fact that she was about to embark on her own new family and journey.

Something Borrowed: Was supposed to be taken from a happily married couple so that the bride may benefit from the couple's good fortune. 

Something Blue: This was connected with the relationship's devotion and loyalty, similar to the phrase "true blue." 

Most people, however, skip over the line "a sixpence in my shoe," which encouraged the bride to tuck a sixpence coin into her shoe for good luck.

4 | Bridal Bouquet

Garlic, herbs, and numerous spices were used in the early bridal bouquets. This potion was created to ward off bad spirits that were rumored to be stalking the bride on her wedding day. Many people also believe it was used to cover up the bride's body odor, which could have been accurate before the widespread adoption of basic hygiene practices. This bouquet gradually transformed into the lovely flowers we see today.

5 | Honeymoon

The honeymoon began as an opportunity for the pair to get away from the bride's family. To keep her clan from finding them, the groom would normally take the bride to a hiding place for a month. They would then return to the groom's family after this month.

6 | Save the Cake’s Top

The top tier of the wedding cake was traditionally retained and kept frozen so that the bridal couple may enjoy it again at their future child's christening. Many people used to anticipate that the couple would have a kid within a year, so they would save money by preserving the wedding cake and not having to buy another dessert to mark the pregnancy or birth.

7 | Wedding Ring

The bride's ring has traditionally served as a symbol of ownership. Rings were used as collateral to compensate the bride's father in ancient Roman, Greek, and Jewish societies. With the expansion of women's rights, the ageless ritual has altered, and brides now exchange rings with the groom as well. The ring was placed on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was believed that there was a direct vein to the heart.

8 | The Threshold Carry

The custom of carrying a bride over the threshold of her new home originated in Medieval Europe, where it was believed that the bride's feet were vulnerable to evil spirits. The groom would carry her into their new home to keep evil spirits from entering the house who could be loitering at the threshold. It's only for fun these days.

9 | No First Look

First looks have grown increasingly popular as a pre-wedding activity. This can assist cut down on the amount of time it takes to take wedding photos following the ceremony. It can also provide some amazing images as well as some quality time with your loved one. However, to avoid bad luck, the bride and groom traditionally choose not to see each other before their ceremony. Arranged weddings established this custom. 

Before the wedding, the bride and groom were not allowed to see each other in case they found each other unattractive and decided not to marry. Wearing veils became popular as a result of this. After they exchanged vows, the groom wouldn't be allowed to view his bride's face until their first kiss.

10 | The Rice Throwing Tradition

Rice is the most recent in a long line of fertility symbols hurled at couples. Guests have tossed cakes, grain, fruit, sweetmeats, and biscuits over the years. Nowadays, it's customary to shower the pair with rice or birdseed, which is more environmentally friendly. Tossing dried rose petals is another option.

Final Words of Wisdom in Marriage Advice

Some have stated that to have a successful marriage, we must be willing to give more than we receive and that communication, compromise, cooperation, and compassion are the keys to success.

So much of what happens at western weddings is due to beliefs and traditions, some of which have disturbing origins. It appears that our wedding decisions are mostly influenced by what people think we should do, what our family members say they did, and what we've seen at other weddings. Any of these customs are acceptable if they seem appropriate for your wedding. They've done a lot of weddings in the past and will continue to do so in the future. 

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