Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. A lucky sixpence for your shoe… This timeless phrase is associated with the tradition of marriage. "Something Borrowed". Is symbolic of borrowing past ideals for married bliss, and the borrowing of an item is said to rub off on others; "Something Blue", Blue symbolizes purity, fidelity and love. "A lucky sixpence for your shoe", the charm is for good fortune and prosperity. There are many traditions that brides and grooms follow on there wedding day, but does anyone really know why we do these so-called traditions? Within this section you will find out the meaning and symbolism of many of these ancient customs.
The White Wedding
White has been a symbol of celebration since Roman times. In other cultures such as Asian cultures, red is the color traditional color because it symbolizes joy. White in our culture has also come to be synonymous with purity and joy. This is why it has become a favorite color of brides.
The Throwing of Rice
Rice symbolizes, wealth, fertility or bounty depending on which culture you choose to look at. The tossing of rice, birdseed or confetti is used to wish the newly married couple a large harvest, abundance in life or many children. Today many churches do not allow the throwing of these materials for safety or environmental reasons. A new tradition has begun to emerge, that of blowing bubbles instead. This makes a festive send off of cheer and best wishes and makes the wedding as a time of joy and celebration.
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The Kiss
Originating during the time of the Romans, the kiss was used to bind a legal agreement. A kiss was the seal of a betrothal. Later this was adopted in Christian ceremonies, using a kiss to mark the union of man and wife. In the agreement of marriage, it was also believed that when two people kissed a part of their soul was left in one another with the exchange of breath, symbolic of the union of those two people. The kiss, occurring at the end of a ceremony is an announcement of the status of the newly formed couple and their public commitment to one another.
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Tossing of the Bouquet
Originally the bouquet was given by the bride to one of her friends for good luck or protection. It has come to signify the transfer of luck in marriage or luck in being the next to marry. It is tossed on the departure of the bride and groom at the end of the wedding celebration. It marks the transition from being a single woman to being part of a couple. The woman who catches the bouquet will be the next to marry.
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The Wedding Bouquet
The first wedding bouquets carried were not of blossoms but of herbs. The aroma of the herbs were though to ward off evil spirits. Later meanings became associated with the meanings of the different herbs. Rosemary signified remembrance. Other herbs such as dill were included to evoke lust and were meant to be eaten by the bride. Flowers were added. Like the herbs each flower had a special meaning or significance. Here are a few flowers and their general meanings.
Today a bride will often choose the flowers for her bouquet based on the traditional meaning of the flower.
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The Ring Finger
For centuries the wedding or engagement ring has graced the second finger of the left hand. This traditional goes all the way back to the time of the Egyptians. They believed that a vein ran directly from the 2nd finger to the heart.
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The Unity Candle
The lighting of the unity candle symbolizes the merging of two lives into one. In some ceremonies the lighting of the unity candle will also incorporate the families of the bride and groom. There it symbolizes the joining together of two families, as well as the union of the couple, in a marriage. It marks the transfer of commitment from their families to the new commitment in establishing their own family in their life together.
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Wedding Favors
Wedding favors are thank you gifts to each guest of family for sharing that special wedding day. It is the brides way of giving each guest a share of her good fortune, sending it home with them for their own enjoyment. Suitable wedding favors vary from culture to culture and with the means of the bride and her family. Commonly accepted favors are small frames, sugar coated almonds, candies, specially made cookies, porcelain boxes or tulle bags with small keepsakes.
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Jumping the Broom
Jumping the broom originated during the time of slavery in the United States. Slaves, not having rights as citizens, were denied the legal or religious rite of marriage. The tradition of jumping the broom was the slaves way to recognize the commitment of two people to one another. It was a commonly accepted by both the slaves and the slave owners, who would sometimes participate in this celebration. Jumping the broom signified leaving single life and the transition into a new life together.
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Shoes, Honking Horns and the Loud Send Off
Shoes represented the transfer of property from the Father to the Groom. The honking of horns of the tying of cans had it’s roots in the notion that loud noises would scare off evil spirits. Originally it was to protect the innocent young maiden when traveling. Ringing of bells or setting off firecrackers are still other ways of this tradition is still being carried out. The ringing of bells however is done more often as an announcement of the marriage than is a superstitious act to ward off evil spirits.
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