- The word "bride" comes from old English for the name for "cook," while the word groom comes from from "male child." (cook...really?...I don't know too many girls that dream about being cooks their entire lives)
- The tradition of a best man has its origin with the Germanic Goths, when it was customary and preferable for a man to marry a woman from within his own community. When women came into short supply "locally," eligible bachelors would have to seek out and capture a bride from a neighboring community. As you might guess, this was not a one-person operation, and so the future bridegroom would be accompanied by a male companion who would help. Our custom of the best man is a throwback to that two-man, strong-armed tactic, for, of course the future groom would select only the best man he knew to come along for such an important task.
- The wedding veil has a bit eerier history. It is a tradition believed to have developed from the Roman custom of having the bride wear a full-length veil that was later used as her burial shroud. And, back to that capture theme . . . another theory is that the veil is reminiscent of the act of throwing a sack over the prospective bride's head while she was being carried off. Roman superstition also held that wearing a veil would confuse the evil spirits that loomed near the bride. It was said that the spirits might be jealous of the new couple's happiness and that covering the bride's face would keep them from recognizing her.And yet another explanation . . . In ancient times, marriages were arranged by families and were often nothing more than good business deals. It happened more often than not that the first time the couples saw one another was standing at the altar on their wedding day. To ensure the groom wouldn't have second thoughts at the sight of a bride perhaps less attractive than he's assumed, veils were used to cover the bride's face. The veil was not lifted until the very end of the ceremony, only after the groom had already said, "I do." This may also be the reason why traditionally the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other the day of the wedding.
- The custom of a "First Dance" harkens back to ancient times when the "Bride Kidnapper" would show off his "hunting" skills by parading his "stolen" bride around, in front of his warrior friends, so they could see how well he had done. The feasting would begin immediately after this display. Today, the "First Dance" still traditonally marks the beginning of the reception. (Woo-hoo! We stole her!)
Sometimes people should realize that these overblown, "important" things are derived from silly incidences that happened a long time ago...and maybe they aren't so relevent in today's society. If you choose to do these traditions, then great. Have fun...but don't get so worked up over them. Don't get me wrong...weddings are lovely occasions for all to enjoy. It's a pleasure to be there for a couple and celebrate their love. But, at the end of the day you are getting married...and I'm sure even if the DJ never shows up...you'll get married anyway. I've witnessed so many people get so stressed about it, and in the end no on cares. God doesn't care about that unity candle...as much as Grandma thinks so...I beg to differ. I remember a happy bride and groom much more than what flowers were used as centerpieces. Come to think of it...I don't remember any of the centerpieces of any of the weddings I have been too...and I've been to a lot. I cry during the vows...not when I see the cake. Get my point? Now spread the word!
Thanks to http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/customs.htm for the info and MS Weddings for the photo.
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