By Beth Anne Piehl 

Have you ever wondered about the origin of some of a wedding’s most enduring traditions? Most of today’s ceremony and reception customs are traceable to ancient Egyptian and European affairs. Consider:

The Bouquet: They were originally made of strong herbs like thyme and garlic, which were meant to frighten away evil spirits, and to cover the stench emitting from people who had not recently bathed.

Bouquet Toss: It was believed that a bride was particularly lucky on her wedding day, and guests would sometimes tear at her dress for a souvenir piece of good luck to take home. The tossing of her bouquet grew from her desire to offer a good luck souvenir, and prevent guests from bothering her (and her dress!).

Bridal Veil: Newlyweds very rarely were allowed to see one another many decades ago. Family members exchanging a dowry were afraid that if the groom didn’t like the appearance of the bride’s face, he might refuse to marry her. This is why the father of the bride “gave the Bride away” to the groom at the wedding ceremony. Only after lifting her veil just prior to the ceremony did the groom see the bride’s face for the first time.

Garter: According to one legend, the garter toss in England evolved from an earlier tradition of “flinging the stocking.” On their wedding night, guests would follow the bride and groom to their bedroom, wait until they undressed, steal their stockings, and then “fling” them at the couple. The first person to hit the bride or groom on the head would supposedly be the next person to marry.

Ring Finger: Prior to the 5th century, the ring finger was actually the index finger. Later, it was believed that the third finger contained the “vein of love” that led directly to the heart.

Wedding Ring: According to some historians, the first recorded marriage rings date back to the days when early man tied plaited circlets around the bride’s wrists and ankles to keep her spirit from running away. Approximately 3,000 BC, Egyptians originated the phrase “without beginning, without end” in describing the significance of the wedding ring.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue:
This superstition of the bride wearing something that fits each of these four categories originated in Europe to ward off evil spirits. Something Old: Symbolized the sense of continuity while making the transition from a single person to that of a married couple. Something New: Symbolized that marriage represented a transition to adulthood. Something Borrowed: Symbolized the belief that by borrowing something from a happily married couple, good fortune would follow the newlyweds. Something Blue: In ancient Israel, blue was the border color of the bride’s dress, symbolizing purity, constancy and fidelity.

Shoes On Vehicle: Ancient Romans used to transfer to the groom his authority over his bride when her father gave the groom her shoes. In later years, guests threw their own shoes at the newlyweds to signify this transfer of authority. Today, this tradition is kept alive by simply tying old shoes to the back of the newlyweds’ vehicle.

Tuxedo: Until the 20th century, the groom simply wore his “Sunday best” on his wedding day. It is said that President Teddy Roosevelt popularized the modern tuxedo.

White Wedding Dress: This was made popular in the 1840s by Queen Victoria, who chose this instead of the traditional royal “silver” wedding dress. Prior to this, brides simply wore their best dress on their wedding day.

Tying The Knot: This comes from the days of the Roman empire when the Bride wore a girdle that was tied in knots. The groom untied the knots later that night.

Adapted from www.chicagomarriage.com