Most wedding traditions are so commonplace and customary that we don’t truly think about why we do them. For example, why do we do a garter toss and why does the bride walk down the aisle with a veil? These are just a few wedding traditions that have become so common that we sometimes don’t question them. In this blog post we’re going to dive into these sometimes wacky traditions and share where they came from and why they’ve withheld the test of time.

1 - The Bridal Bouquet

Did you know that back in ancient times the bridal bouquet was made with herbs, garlic and flowers and was there to ward off evil spirits? Again, we’re thinking of ancient times when people were a lot more superstitious and wanted to protect the couple from any harm. Not only that, but back when bathing wasn’t common, they also served as a potpourri to make the bride smell nicer as she walked down the aisle. Who knew!?

2 - The Wedding Veil

The wedding veil has a wild history and dates back to arranged marriages! Typically the bride and groom wouldn’t meet until the actual wedding ceremony. So, the woman would wear a veil over her face as she walked down the aisle. Once she was actually married, the veil would come off. This would help stop the groom from bailing from the engagement if he didn’t like her looks! Wow!

3 - The White Wedding Dress

This is a somewhat easier one to figure out, but since the white stands for purity, the white dress is typically linked to virgin brides. However, many years ago, brides wore red dresses. White didn’t catch on until Queen Victoria wore white at her wedding in the 1800’s and white has been common ever since.

4 - Something Old, New, Borrowed, & Blue

This is a tradition that goes back to the Victorian era where they thought that all four of these items would bring good fortune and luck to the bride. Something old was worn so that the bride could showcase something from her past, something new was to signify her new journey and new family. Something borrowed was supposedly taken from a happy married coupled so that their happy vibes could be transferred over to this couple. Lastly, something blue was the symbol for loyalty and faithfulness to the marriage.

5 - Flower Girl

Funny enough, the flower girl used to be a young virgin that would bring wheat down the aisle. At that time, wheat symbolized good fortune and was said to help the couple have a wonderful marriage. Nowadays flowers have been replaced by wheat.

6 - Wedding Cake

Did you know what cake and fertility have in common? Cake represents fertility! Back in Roman times, people would bake cakes to ensure fertility as a couple. They would also break the cake over the bride’s head or stack the cakes on top of each other so high and have the bride and groom kiss over the stacked cakes. If they could do it, they were awarded with a lifetime of happiness.

7 - Shower of Rice

Rice is a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. Showering rice on the couple after the wedding is a symbol of sending them off with good luck and fortune. Nowadays, couples have resorted to things like fireworks, bubbles and noise makers.

8 - Bridesmaids & Groomsmen

In ancient times the purpose of having bridesmaids were to protect the bride. All of the bridesmaids would dress the same as the bride in order to confuse evil spirits. That way the bride would be protected from evil spirits on her wedding day. The purpose of groomsmen came from protecting the bride. They were warriors set to make sure no one kidnapped the bride.

9 - Honeymoon

Honeymoon’s are now becoming more exciting to some couples than the actual wedding! Back in the day, many cultures used to use the moon cycle as their calendar. The newlyweds on their first moon of marriage would drink honey wine therefore deriving the word ‘honeymoon’. Our present day honeymoon’s sound a lot better don’t they?

10 - Bouquet Toss & Garter Toss

The bouquet toss trends back to the 14th century when couples used to consummate their marriage right after they said their vows. Throwing the bouquet was typically used as a distraction to the wedding guests and the single ladies would fight over the flower bouquet. The garter toss was usually a verification that the deed was done and the groom would throw it out to the crowd signifying proof that it happened.

11 - Wedding Ring

The circle of a wedding ring stands for eternity and it is placed on the 4th finger on the left hand because it’s the only hand with a vein connecting straight to the heart. Nowadays diamonds are used for engagement rings as they symbolize eternity because they are the hardest gems on earth.

12 - Walking Over the Threshold

In ancient times it was considered unladylike for women to outwardly express or show that she wanted to leave her family and father’s home. So this is where the threshold came into play where the groom would actually pick her up and force her across the threshold of his home.

There are so many fun traditions that all come together to create the special wedding moments we have today. What are your favorite traditions? Did I leave any out that you would have added? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to visit our site for more blogs and wedding tips!