But where did these traditions come from?
Some wedding traditions are rooted in some pretty bizarre superstitions.
With this ring
Medieval bridal parties wereveryintodeath omens.
If the bride dropped the ring, then she would be the first to perish.
That’s one surefire way to bring down the mood on a happy occasion!
But it doesn’t stop there.
If the ring landed on the gravestone of a woman, the bride would die first.
If it landed on the gravestone of a man, the groom would be the first.
Bad luck would follow those married in May.
So maybe it was worth waiting a month!
Never on a Saturday
Saturday was a bad day for a wedding, according to English folklore.
In Victorian times, they took it one step further.
Over the threshold
Carrying the brideover the thresholdseems like a cute tradition, right?
The origin of the tradition is a bit more scandalous, however.
The groom would carry the bride into the bridal chamber to preserve her maidenly shyness.
There was also the threat of evil spirits, which Western Europeans thought would target the happy bride.
What’s in a name?
That little guy is actually a good omen.
Despite this tradition, it’s probably not a good idea to let spiders loose on your wedding dress.
Your bridesmaids will not appreciate having to hunt down the critters.
This is a relatively modern tradition, however.
Black was considered to be bad luck, even then.
Brides were warned that being married in black would make you “wish yourself back.”
Other unpopular colors were red, yellow, green, and pink.
The money in the bride’s shoe is meant to bring prosperity.
Thwarting evil spirits
Belief in the supernatural had a great influence on weddings.
Many of these traditions remain with us today.
And veils were meant to further confuse the spirits by obscuring the bride’s face.
Ring the bells
Today, bells are still viewed as a symbol of matrimony.
In Ireland, many modern bridestuck small bellsin their wedding bouquets to honor this old tradition.
All that is really needed to make a weddingtrulylucky is love!
