Wedding Traditions and why
1) Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
D) Represents the bride’s past and the couple’s happy future
Explanation: We’ve all heard this rhyme used when someone gets married, but what does it mean?
Wearing “something old” represents the bride’s past, while the “something new” symbolizes the
couple’s happy future. The bride is supposed to get her “something borrowed” from someone who is
happily married in the hope that some of that person’s good fortune rubs off on her. “Something
blue” denotes fidelity and love.
2) The bride is wearing a veil
H) Fearing that evil spirits are jealous of her happiness
Explanation: This custom traces its roots back to Rome. Fearing evil spirits were jealous of her
happiness, the bride would wear a veil down the aisle to disguise herself from them and avoid any ill
will they would bring upon her.
3) Carrying the bride over the threshold
I) Protection from evil spirits through the soles of her feet.
Explanation: This superstition began in medieval Europe, when many believed that a bride was extra
vulnerable to evil spirits through the soles of her feet. To avoid bringing in any evil spirits, the groom
carried the bride into their new home. Or, maybe, her feet just hurt from dancing the night away.
4) Breaking glass
J) It reveals how many years the couple will be married.
Explanation: In Italy, many newlyweds smash a vase or glass at their wedding, and they put a lot of
muscle into it, too! Why? According to tradition, however many pieces the glassware breaks into will
symbolize how many years the couple will be happily married.
5) Seeing each other before the wedding
L) A chance to change their minds about the wedding
Explanation: This superstition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, when people believed
that if the couple saw each other before the ceremony, it would give them a chance to change their
minds about the wedding. Today, however, many couples choose to meet up and even have portrait
sessions before saying their I do’s.
6) Tossing the Garter
A) To distract the mob
Explanation: Back in the Dark Ages, the garter was considered a hot item. It’s said that family and
friends would wait outside the nuptial bedchamber until they were shown evidence—sheets,
stockings, a garter—that the marriage had been consummated (seriously!). In time, the garter came
to symbolize good luck, and rowdy guests began making a game of trying to strip the bride of that
little fabric band. To distract the mob, brides began tossing it into the crowd. Today, the practice
usually involves the groom throwing the garter to a group of single men; whoever catches it is
believed to be the next to marry.
7) Serving a Wedding Cake
B) Guests would place pieces under their pillow
Explanation: It was common for grooms to take a bite of bread at the wedding, crumbling the rest over the
bride’s head for good luck. Guests would then scramble around her feet to pick up the crumbs, in order to
absorb some of that good luck. Later, the tradition evolved into the bride pushing pieces of her wedding cake
through her ring to the guests. Those in attendance would take that piece of cake home to place under their
pillows for, again, good luck. It’s a great thing, today, that we can just enjoy a slice (or two) at the wedding
without picking up crumbs off the floor.
8) Having a Bridal Party
G) To confuse snubbed suitors and bad folks
Explanation: Marriage by capture was a thing in ye olden days, with the groom and his pals “kidnapping” the
bride. Since posting nasty comments on Facebook wouldn’t happen for centuries, people who didn’t approve
of the marriage did the next best thing: they tried to steal the bride away from her intended. Posse to the
rescue! In later years, a group of the bride’s friends accompanied her to the groom’s house on the wedding day
with everyone dressing like the bride to confuse snubbed suitors and bad folks who wanted to do her harm.
9) Wearing a white dress
E) Indicates wealth
Explanation: Well, it had nothing to do with virginity. Thousands of years ago, white symbolized celebration;
later, it represented affluence. The thinking was you had to be wealthy to wear a white dress, which would get
soiled and thrown out after only one or two wearings.
10) Throwing the Bouquet
K) To ward off evil spirits
Explanation: This ritual didn’t originally have a marital spin attached. The bride was simply throwing her
bouquet—made of flowers pungent enough to ward off evil spirits—to her favourite gal pal to ensure luck and
protection, not the promise of a medieval hunk’s marriage proposal.
11) Determining the “Ring” finger
F) Contains the vein that leads to the heart
Explanation: Grooms put a ring on it because a ring is circular and symbolizes never-ending love. The reason
those shiny bands are placed on the fourth finger during the ceremony is because the fourth finger was
believed to contain a specific vein that leads to the heart. The myth has since been debunked by physiologists,
but couples still abide by it today.
12) The father walking the bride down the aisle
C) Transfer of Ownership
Explanation: The tradition dates back to a time of arranged marriages, where the “giving away” of the bride
represented transfer of ownership. Back then, young women were used as collateral to settle debts or
disagreements with neighbouring tribes, as well as for the father to elevate his status by marrying his daughter
off to a wealthy family. Today, though, many brides look forward to having their father walk them down the
aisle simply to honour him.
