Most people attend weddings, but they don't understand some of the customs, traditions and superstitions associated with the occasion. What happens at weddings depends a lot on the culture, country, ethnic groups, and religious preferences. June is a popular month for weddings because the month is named after the Roman goddess Juno who represents marriage. Most weddings take place on Saturday so more people can attend the community event. Tying the knot is an expression based on brides of the Roman empire when brides wore girdles that were tied in knots.
Grooms had to untie the many knots of the girdle on the wedding night before the couple could consummate the marriage.
Before the official ceremony starts, the father or designated person gives the Bride away. This tradition goes back to the time of arranged marriages that still exist in some countries today. The bride was literally given away in exchange for money or live stock. Today, it is a symbol of the bride leaving the protection of her father and going to be protected by her husband.
The bride
The bride wears white as a symbol of purity dating back to Roman times. Today, brides wear any color they want. Last April, Omarosa wore a gorgeous pale pink gown. Brides still wear veils but not to cover their face.
Brides throughout the ages have believed in the saying: something old, something blue, something borrowed and something blue that dates back to ancient Israel. Those things represent going from an old life to a new one.
Brides carry flowers because in ancient times it was said that the smell would ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
Today's brides choose flowers for their beauty. During Victorian times, flowers were used to send messages to each other because flowers have different meanings.
Wedding ceremony
An usher will ask guests if they are family members or friends of the bride or Groom. That's because the seating arrangement in the church is significant.
Everything dealing with the bride is on the left, and everything dealing with the groom is on the right. The bride enters and walks down the aisle on the left arm of the father. She stands at the altar on the left side of the groom and after marriage, she walks down the aisle on the left arm of her husband. That's because during medieval times, men wore their swords on their right side to protect the bride.
The bride walks down the aisle on a runner because long ago Wedding ceremonies were held outside and runners were used to protect the bottom of the bride's dress from getting dirty or muddy. Today, the runner is used to symbolizes a path into the bride's new future. During the ceremony the bride and groom exchange rings after they are blessed.
The rings are worn on the third finger because of an ancient Greek belief that a vein from that finger goes directly to the heart.
The kiss at the end of the ceremony and is more than a display of public affection. The kiss is patterned after the earliest days of civilization in the Middle East where a kiss was used as a formal seal to agreements and contracts. The kiss is symbolic of sealing the marriage vows.
