THE TRADITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH WEDDINGS
The bride traditionally brings a “dowry” with her; this is a collection of “goods” that the bride’s family gives to her when she marries. It used to be the tradition that the family worked for years to build up the girl’s dowry, for example, embroidering sheets and linens that would then be part of the newlyweds’ household.
BOUQUET
At the end of the ceremony, the bride tosses her bouquet towards a group of single women who compete to catch it; according to tradition, the woman who catches the bouquet will have the good luck of being the next to marry.
THE GROOM CARRIES HIS BRIDE OVER THE THRESHOLD
A very common tradition is that of the groom carrying his bride over the threshold of their home the first time they enter. While investigating the origins of this tradition around 100 A.D., Plutarch came up with three different hypotheses. The first maintained that the act of picking up the bride was a symbolic gesture from the Rape of the Sabines. Another maintained that it symbolised the bride’s reluctance to remove her clothes, which she would only do under duress. The last suggested conjugal happiness—having been carried into the home by her husband, she would only leave in the same fashion. This was certainly the framework in a patriarchal society, in which it was supposed that a woman could only leave her home when she was so old that people no longer asked whose wife she was but whose mother. There was also the hypothesis that this tradition originated in a Roman belief that perhaps it was better if she didn’t trip up while entering her new home.
RAIN
In Italy they say “Wet bride, lucky bride,” while in Northern Europe and in the United States, rain during a wedding ceremony brings bad luck.
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW...
According to some traditions, in order for a bride to have luck on her wedding day, she should wear something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
EXCHANGING WEDDING RINGS
In Christian culture countries, the bride and groom exchange wedding rings, which are usually worn on the ring (third) finger of the left hand.
Author: Staff Galvan Sposa
