Here Comes The Bride

I was reading the latest issue of The List Magazine, which happens to be the Wedding Issue. All the wedding talk got me wondering, where do some of our wedding traditions come from? So this is what I found:

1- The Bouquet:

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.

2-Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue:

Something old is to signify continuity, and could be a piece of lace, jewelry, or a handkerchief. Something new signifies optimism for the future, and is often an article of clothing, or the wedding rings. Something borrowed represents happiness, which is often a piece of jewelry or handkerchief from a happily married relative or friend. Something blue signifies fidelity, loyalty, and love. In biblical times blue, not white, symbolized purity. Both the bride and groom wore a band of blue material around the bottom of their wedding attire.

3-Cake:

In ancient times, the breaking of cake, like the breaking of bread, was seen as a fertility rite when performed during a joining ceremony. The practice of layering several cakes, one on top of the other, just to the tipping point, began much later. The bride and groom were expected to attempt a kiss above the precariously-perched cake. Their success in kissing without toppling the layers would result in a lifetime of good fortune.

4-The Rings:

The unending circle of a ring was thought to symbolize eternity; a wedding ring held the hope that love would last forever.

5-The Bridesmaids Dresses:

Believe it or not, bridesmaids were originally meant to distract evil spirits away from the bride, so they were all brightly dressed and kept close to the bride, dressed in spirit-repelling white, during her wedding day to prevent bad luck from befalling her.