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)Wedding Rules Meant to be Broken
Weddings are laden with customs and traditions, many of which are quite meaningful and special. That does not mean, however, that every bride is obligated to follow each and every rule about the customary or “right” way to do things. These are some wedding rules which you can feel free to break with abandon…
The White Wedding Gown. For the record: wearing a non-white wedding gown does not mean that the bride is not “pure”, any more than wearing a white gown is proof that she is (which frankly, most brides and grooms aren’t). If the bride is a traditionalist, then by all means, a white bridal gown would be lovely, but every bride should have the right to wear the wedding dress that makes her feel the most fabulous – no matter what color it is!
Father Of The Bride Pays For The Wedding. Fathers of the bride, you can breathe a sigh of relief! While it was a long held custom that the father of the bride was responsible for virtually all of the wedding costs (excluding the bridal bouquet, wedding rings, rehearsal dinner, and honeymoon), these days, expenses tend to get spread around more equitably. Many couples contribute to the wedding costs or pay for the entire event themselves, especially if they are older with established careers. The family of the groom is also likely to become more involved than in the past, perhaps picking up the tab for the florist, the photographer, or the band. The wedding costs should be divided up based on willingness and ability to pay, not on the old custom.
No Sparkle Before Sundown. Once upon a time, it was considered “vulgar” for a lady to wear sparkly jewelry like diamonds or crystals during daytime hours. That old rule is completely outdated (no matter what your grandmother may tell you!), and brides today can indulge in Swarovski crystal earrings, necklaces, and bracelets at any time of the day. It is still true, however, that daytime jewelry tends to be a bit more modest than evening jewelry, so for an 11am wedding, you would select a more dainty pair of Swarovski crystal earrings than the big chandeliers that would be spectacular for a 4pm or 6pm wedding.
Filed under crystal bridal jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: non-traditional weddings, Swarovski crystal earrings, wedding customs, 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)Wedding Traditions: Keep or Discard?
Weddings are rich with tradition. In fact, many of the customs which a bride and groom may include in their own wedding are there because it “is the way things have always been done”, rather than because they specifically want those elements as part of their special day. Take a look at this look into some of the most common wedding traditions, as we answer the question: should they be kept or discarded?
White Wedding Gowns. It was Queen Victoria who started the craze for white bridal gowns. The white wedding gown has since taken on many connotations, especially as a symbol of the purity of the bride. There is a trend these days moving away from white (or ivory) gowns in favor of wedding dresses with either a little color or made entirely in a color like red. So as to the question of whether this tradition should be kept or discarded, the answer is to wear a traditional white wedding gown with classic pearl wedding jewelry only if you really want to. If you want to wear a red dress for your wedding day, by all means do it!
Bridesmaids. Did you know that the original purpose of bridesmaids was to dress in clothing similar to that of the bride’s to confuse the evil spirits who were believed to be drawn to brides? And bridesmaids today think they have it bad; at least all they have to ward off is unwanted advances from drunken groomsmen! Today the custom of having a bridal party has evolved into choosing to spend your wedding surrounded by your best girlfriends for support and to make the wedding planning process more fun along the way. Who doesn’t want her best friends around on one of the most exciting days of her life? Bridesmaids are a definite tradition to keep. Abuse of bridesmaids, however, is something that is definitely out, so remember to treat them like your friends, not your personal servants.
Garter Toss. The garter toss started out because of an old superstition that said grabbing a piece of the bride’s clothing would bring some of her good fortune to the bearer. After a while, brides tired of having their gowns ripped apart by their guests, and started tossing their garters to the crowd instead. These days, however, the garter toss has turned into nothing more than a tacky moment in what should be an elegant day. The point is no longer about catching the garter for luck, but rather in seeing how far the groom can push the borders of good taste. For that reason, the garter toss belongs on the scrap heap of wedding traditions!
So, what other traditions do you think are worthy of keeping or ditching? The dollar dance, the rehearsal dinner, or maybe the traditional marriage vows? Let the debating begin!
Filed under pearl bridal jewelry, Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: pearl wedding jewelry, wedding customs, wedding traditions | Comment (0)Do You Have to Include Every Wedding Tradition?
Weddings are tradition-laden occasions, of this there can be no doubt. It seems like so many of the customs are included in a wedding merely because they are traditional, long after the original meaning has been lost. To some modern couples, this may not seem like enough of a reason to do things in a certain way. These are some of the wedding customs that can easily be skipped, as well as those not to be missed.
Some parts of the wedding have very strong and clear symbolism, and should definitely be included. The biggest examples would be the exchange of vows and the wedding bands. This does not mean that these have to be handled in any particular way, however. Many couples forgo the traditional vows (especially the “obey” part) and write their own vows. Certainly, you can choose any sort of wedding bands that appeal to you, from the classic plain gold band to one-of-a-kind pieces handcrafted by a local artisan. Most men these days do also receive wedding bands in the ceremony, even if they decide not to wear one on a daily basis due to their work or simply personal preference.
A common complaint about weddings is the enormous expense for just one day. While having an affordable wedding is certainly reasonable, there are some customs that cannot be shed just to trim the budget. One of these is giving bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. If you choose to have a wedding party, giving bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts to thank them for their participation is mandatory, and is really nothing compared to the expense it costs to be in a wedding (attire, travel, gifts, parties, etc.). however, if the bride and groom both agree, it is acceptable for them to leave out the custom of giving one another a gift on the morning of the wedding.
There are lots of things that are done at nearly every wedding that are fine to omit from yours. Do you have to have a cake cutting ceremony? No; in fact, you do not even have to have a traditional wedding cake. If the cake cutting moment does not appeal to you, feel free to substitute a dessert bar, cupcakes, or even fresh fruit pies for the grand cake. Although many brides and grooms seem to relish the spotlight, a shy pair of newlyweds may certainly decide to skip the first dance and open the floor up to general dancing immediately. Certainly don’t give a second thought to the traditional bouquet toss if you think it is ditzy, and by all means, skip the tacky garter toss. Your wedding is a special day to celebrate your love, and by all means, make it your own.
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridesmaid Gifts, groomsmen gifts, wedding customs, Wedding Planning, wedding traditions | Comment (0)Meaningful Rites for Non-Religious Weddings
When a couple begins planning for their wedding ceremony, they will be looking for ways to make it meaningful. If you are being married in a religious ceremony, it is quite easy, as the time-honored rites and rituals will already be in place. Couples who prefer to have a secular service, however, will have to make their own choices about what to include in their ceremony. These are some ideas on how to add meaningful rites to a non-religious marriage ceremony.
One way that many couples decide to make their ceremony personal is by writing their own vows. This can be a wonderful way to express your love for your intended, as well as a chance to talk about just what it is that you find so special about your bride or groom. If you do not have a way with words, you can always turn to beautiful verses of poetry to make your feelings known.
There are a number of rituals that can be included in a wedding ceremony that are not based on any one particular faith. The unity candle is a popular symbolic rite that many brides and grooms choose to have as a part of their marriage ceremony. Each person will hold one candle, which they will use to simultaneously light the flame on another larger candle, representing the idea of two becoming one.
Often in second marriages, there are children from a previous relationship. One idea is for the couple to jointly present the children with gifts of wedding jewelry that symbolize their union as a family, much as the exchange of rings between the bride and groom symbolizes that they are being joined as one. Gifts such as lockets with family photos are particularly appropriate for these symbolic wedding jewelry gifts.
When you are looking for non-religious rituals to include in your wedding, don’t forget to research the customs in your heritage. Many nationalities and ethnic groups have special rites that they traditionally include in marriage ceremonies.
Filed under Wedding Planning | Tags: wedding ceremony, wedding customs, wedding jewelry gifts | Comment (0)