Weddings are filled with customs and tradition that still play a role in weddings today. While some come from sweet superstitions, others have pretty archaic roots. Nowadays, people are much more accepting and so the couple can decide which traditions, if any, they would like to include in their wedding.
Most wedding traditions are just accepted without actually knowing the reasons behind them. Let’s see if you still think these 5 traditions are necessary once you know their history:
Bride wearing white
White has always been associated with purity and so it became a traditional colour for virgin brides. However, before the 1800s, brides would generally wear red on their wedding day and it wasn’t until Queen Victoria wore white to her wedding in 1840 that it became a trend. While the bride wearing white is probably the most commonly followed tradition, it is not necessary and totally up to the bride.
Something old, new, borrowed and blue
This is quite a sweet tradition and totally understandable, especially if you’re a superstitious person, as it’s meant to bring good fortune to the bride. The ‘something old’ is a way to keep the bride connected to her past and her family. The ‘something new’ represents the start of her new family. The bride is also supposed to borrow something from a happily married couple so that their luck will be passed on to the newlyweds. And lastly, ‘something blue’ comes from the phrase ‘true blue’ and is associated with faithfulness.
Bride’s father giving her away
This tradition dates back to arranged marriages and was a representation of a transfer of ownership. This of course refers to how women were treated as property and, surely, everyone will agree that the roots of this tradition are outdated, thank goodness! Today it is a sweet way for the bride to honour her father.
Couple not seeing each other before the wedding
Also dating back to arranged marriages, it was believed that the couple could change their minds about the marriage if they met before the wedding. Recently, ‘first looks’ (couple meets with their photographer before the ceremony) have become popular and can help calm the nerves of the couple before they walk down the aisle. Those who still hold this tradition, however, see it as a way to build excitement before the wedding, and it definitely makes for good pictures!
Bride’s family paying for everything
An old-fashioned tradition that also comes from the bride being considered property. The bride’s parents would pay for the wedding as they were essentially paying the groom’s family to take their daughter off their hands. Thankfully we live in a world today where women’s rights have advanced and marriage is no longer the only way a woman can be taken care of. These days it is up to the couple and their parents – some choosing to pay for the wedding themselves and sometimes both sets of parents deciding to split the cost – it is completely dependent on everyone’s personal situations.
Regardless of all this, times have changed and the roots of these traditions are no longer valid. It’s your wedding and you should only include traditions that you feel comfortable with.
Picture: Unsplash
