Meaningful Wedding Customs and Traditions
We have all heard the old saying “Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue”, but did you know that each part of the old custom has a special meaning? Something old is usually a family heirloom like wedding jewelry and it indicates that even as the bride begins a new phase in her life, her bonds with family and friends will remain important. Something new obviously refers to the new life which the bride and groom start when they get married.
Many people do not realize that the something borrowed should be lent to the bride by a happily married woman, all the better to “borrow” some of her good fortune in marriage. It could be a veil borrowed from a sister, a piece of Grandma’s wedding jewelry, or perhaps an aunt’s special rosary to carry with the bouquet. The something blue is often one of the most fun things to come up with. Blue has stood for fidelity since Biblical times, so its significance for a wedding is clear. The touch of blue often comes in the form of blue crystals in the wedding jewelry, a blue garter, blue sash on the bridal gown, or even blue shoes.
Another meaningful custom is the ringing of church bells at the end of the marriage ceremony. In ancient times it was believed that evil spirits were drawn to brides, so many steps were taken to ward them off. Ringing the church bells is not only a joyous way to mark the conclusion of the ceremony, but was believed to protect the bride from the evil spirits. By the way, this is the same reason for making noisy by tying tin cans to the back of the newlyweds’ car, ringing small hand bells, and any other wedding custom that involves making a lot of joyful noise. We may not believe the reason behind the customs anymore, but they are still fun to include in a wedding.
At the conclusion of the marriage ceremony, the officiant will usually invite the newlyweds to kiss. Did you know that the words “You may now kiss your bride” are about more than love and romance? Dating back to Roman times, a kiss was considered a seal that cemented a deal, much like in later times business deals could be sealed with a handshake. This is the origin of the kiss at the altar; not only do the bride and groom get the joy of sharing their first kiss as husband and wife, but they are officially sealing the deal. So be sure to pucker up at your wedding!
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: something blue, something borrowed, something new, something old, wedding customs, Wedding Jewelry, wedding traditions | Comment (0)Good Luck for Weddings
Weddings are joyous occasions, full of the promise of starting a wonderful new life together. Why not increase your chances for future happiness by including some traditional symbols of good luck in your special day? These are some of the things said to bring good luck for weddings.
The best known “good luck package” is the something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Most every bride knows this expression, but did you know the specific ways in which each item is intended to grant you good fortune? The old item represents your ties to your family and the past, and shows that even as you move towards a new life, your family will still be there to love and support you. The new, of course, represents the newlyweds’ new union and life together, and is most often the wedding gown or bridal jewelry.
Something borrowed can be any item that the bride can wear or carry, such as a friend’s veil or a piece of her mother’s bridal jewelry. What many people do not realize is that the borrowed item should ideally come from a happily married woman, the idea being that the bride is borrowing some of her wedding bliss. The color blue has symbolized fidelity and faithfulness since ancient times, making its purpose in the good luck package obvious. It might be even luckier if the groom wore some blue too!
Brides with Chinese heritage will want to bring some red into their weddings, as it is the good luck color in China. Of course, the double happiness symbol is a natural element to include in a wedding. Meaning “joy and happiness”, the symbol is one of the most powerful good luck charms. Feature it throughout the wedding, on the cake, the invitations, even on the bridal gown. There is no such thing as too much good luck on your wedding day!
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, double happiness symbol, lucky wedding, something blue, something borrowed, something new, something old, wedding customs | Comment (0)