Common Wedding Traditions and Their Origins Including The Wedding Ring

By Wesley Mathews


There are a number of components in a wedding that make it traditionally spectacular. These traditions did not originate in one place. According to an AllAfrica.com report, the modern day wedding event implements customs and traditions from all over the world. From your bridesmaid entourage to the wedding party, every one of these customs have a background and a reason behind them. Most often, marriage ceremonies are legalized in church or in a courtroom and a formal ceremony is held where engagement rings are exchanged. The wedding party subsequently moves to a amazingly decorated venue to rejoice in the wedding. Following a incredible buffet meal, the dance floor is open to guests.

The bridal traditions

The habit of the bride dressing in a lovely white dress originated with the beginning of Christianity. Having on white was thought of as classy in Europe, a fashion that rapidly spread all over the world. The white wedding dress is said to be made in vogue by Queen Victoria. The queen of England wore a white bridal gown when she was married to Prince Albert in 1840. This wedding day helped the white wedding gown earn an iconic reputation that has been duplicated since then. Most recently however, Vera Wang also revealed a brand new array of wedding dresses in black. Even though these striking blacks aren't based on tradition, fashion oriented brides from the world over will continue experimenting with their looks.

The start of the veil that accompanies the flowing white wedding gown can be tracked back to the Roman years where brides generally wore long veils that completely covered them. The delicate veil symbolized innocence, modesty as well as purity. The tradition of giving away the bride by her father was at first regarded as symbolic of authority transferred from the father to the new husband. In these days, the custom of the father giving away his daughter to her future husband is a indication of support (of her choice)! The flowers are worn by the bride to represent wisdom, fertility and also to ward off evil spirits.

Wedding jewelry

One of the more enduring marks of a successful marriage is the wedding ring. Determining the very best wedding jewelry is an expression of acceptance. The wedding ring is definitely worn on the left hand on the fourth finger as it's believed that the vein situated in the finger leads directly to the heart. It is suggested that grooms in ancient Egypt first commenced giving rings to their wives as symbolic of confidence in their ability to nurture a home. As Christianity came forth, the tradition of trading rings at a wedding was quickly established.

Other traditions surrounding a wedding

Astoundingly, bridal showers are proven to have started in Holland and were primarily held to raise dowry for the wedding. The wedding cake is a classic English tradition. These wedding cakes were never consumed by the wedding party and were instead used to toss at a bride to wish her fertility. The honeymoon was first a Teutonic tradition in which the wedding event happened on a full moon night. The bride along with the groom drank red wine for a month (full moon) as it was considered to be symbolic of fertility.




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