Ever wonder WHY we toss the bouquet? Or walk the bride down the aisle? Or why do we wear rings at all? Weddings have so many traditions that date all the way back to the Romans. Often today, we don’t think about the reasons behind weddings that happen daily. We’re here to explain everything, and tell you the “why” behind it all.
Why are Rings Worn on Your “Ring Finger”?
You can thank the Egyptians for starting this tradition! The fourth finger on your left hand was chosen to be the designated “ring finger” because it was once thought that there was a vein that ran from that finger straight to the heart. In other cultures, the rings are meant to represent eternity with no beginning or end with your husband or wife.
Wearing a White Dress
While wearing a white dress is considered “tradition”, no one really wore a white dress until Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840. She wore a light-colored satin gown, and everyone raved over it. So many brides wanted to look like her from then on out and started wearing white. This is when the more common myth started that white represents purity. Before this time, women wore the best dress they had.
Wearing Veils
Wearing and covering your face with a veil can mean many different things in different cultures and religions. Ancient Roman brides wore yellow veils to symbolize light and warmth. While Muslims wore veils to show modesty and protect the bride from evil. During arranged marriages, brides were to wear a veil so as to not let the groom see her or meet her until they met down the aisle. This was because everyone feared the groom would see the bride’s appearance and not want to marry her after all! See what veils are trending today!
Shiny Diamond Rings
Diamonds didn’t associate with weddings until 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy. He had small diamonds shaped to spell out her first initial. Since she was the most popular bride of her time, everyone wanted to have diamond rings too. But at that time only the wealthy were able to afford it.
Bridal Bouquets, Boutineers, and Floral Arrangements
Back then, people didn’t have deodorant and rarely were able to keep clean. Even the wealthy were able to shower maybe once a week. Using potent flowers helped mask the smell from the bride, groom, bridal parties, and even the crowd attending the wedding. In other cultures, bouquets were known to ward off evil spirits as well.
While most of these traditions seems “normal” to us times change as well as the traditions. Just think, 15 years ago most weddings took place in a church while most of todays weddings take place at a wedding venue. Whether you are going for a traditional church wedding or getting married at a new trendy wedding venue we invite you in to Normans Bridal to shop for a dress to fit your style. Since 1980, Normans Bridal has served the brides of central and southwest Missouri. Follow Normans Bridal on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok to see the newest styles and trends.