Weddings & Where it All Came From !?

Weddings & Where it All Came From !?

Weddingsegypt August 26, 2018 General No Comment

Weddings routines are basically the only shape known for the spouse’s love celebration day. The very repeated actions and fashion styles at that day are significant, as a result if you asked a child “Do you have any idea what does a wedding look like?”.

The child would answer simply: a white dress, flower bouquets, wedding ring, wedding cake…… and so on.

But where did it all come from?

​​​​​THE DRESS

While fashions have changed throughout the years, bridal gowns often reflect traditions and customs of times past. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria of England wore a white gown on her wedding day in 1840 that the white wedding dress we know today became popular. ​

​THE WEDDING VEIL

When daughters were considered a commodity to their family, a marriage was a way of sealing agreements between families and increasing assets. A Bride and Groom would likely meet for the first time on their wedding day, at the altar. The veil was used to obscure the bride’s features, only being lifted after the marriage ceremony was completed. This was to keep the groom from backing out from the deal if he didn’t like what he saw.

Some historians say that Ancient Romans were the first to incorporate the veil into the wedding ceremony, believing the bride may attract evil spirits on her important day. 

 THE ENGAGEMENT RING ​

Engagement bands began in ancient Egypt with the circle symbolizing a never ending cycle and the space inside it as a gateway. The addition of a diamond was made popular by Sicilians who believed the stone was forged by the fires of love.

Why the fourth finger on the left hand? The placement of the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand stems from Ancient Greece. It was believed that the “ring” finger contained a vein which leads straight to the heart. This vein was known as the ‘vena amoris’ or the vein of love.

THE BOUQUET

The custom of flower bouquets has its origin in ancient times. Women carried aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits. ​

THE WEDDING CAKE

The wedding cake has been a component of weddings since medieval times. Originally cakes were made of wheat which was a symbol of fertility and prosperity. The once simple wedding cake has evolved into a multi-tiered extravaganza. The color of the cake is typically white, symbolizing purity. The joint task of the Bride and Groom cutting the cake was meant to symbolize their first joint task in married life. The gesture of feeding cake to each other is a symbol of the commitment the bride and groom are making. ​

THE THRESHOLD CARRY

This custom of carrying a bride over the threshold of their new home came from Medieval Europe with the belief that the bride was vulnerable to evil spirits through her feet. To prevent evil spirits from entering the house which may be lingering at the threshold, the groom would carry her into their new home. These days, it’s just fun! ​

Bride Throws the Bouquet ​

Back in 14th century England it was considered good luck (a fertility charm) to tear off a piece of the bride’s dress. Seriously. People would chase the bride and tear at her dress! Typically, the bride didn’t wear a fancy dress so at the time this was no problem. As dresses got fancier and brides didn’t want them torn they threw other objects like the garter. Ultimately the bouquet became the item always thrown. ​

THE WEDDING MARCH ​

“Here Comes the Bride,” or its official name, the “Bridal Chorus,” is part of an 1850 opera called Lohengrin written by Richard Wagner.

The “Wedding March,” composed by Felix Mendelssohn, was created in 1842 to accompany Shakespeare’s famous A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Mendelssohn’s wedding march was first played in a wedding in 1847, but it was Victoria, the Princess Royal and Queen Victoria’s daughter, who made it the song to play during a wedding ceremony by having it accompany her own wedding in 1858.

 Despite all these systematic traditions nowadays wedding ceremonies are somehow different. The spouses tend to make their day as unique as possible. Furthermore, some cancel their wedding day replacing it with a small beach party or a playground easy musical funny day. At the end ….

“Marriage is not a noun; it’s a verb. It isn’t something you get. It’s something you do. It’s the way you love your partner every day.”

_Barbara De Angelis_