Oct 15 2009
The History Of Wedding Veils
Wedding ceremonies are steeped in ancient traditions and old wives superstitions that have lost their popular meaning today.
Things like unique bridal veils and white wedding dresses are commonly followed traditions still today, but most of us don’t know what they really mean and why we still do them. So, consider some of these unanswered bridal traditions and superstitions to make these wedding practices more meaningful to you on your special day.
Wedding ceremonies are steeped in ancient traditions and old wives superstitions that have lost their popular meaning today. Things like bridal veils and white wedding dresses are commonly followed traditions still today, but most of us don’t know what they really mean and why we still do them.
Why do brides wear bridal veils? The bridal veil was meant to symbolize the subordination of the wife to the husband. Bridal veils were originally red or yellow in color and they covered the bride from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.
It is considered back luck for the groom to see his bride beneath the bridal veil until after the wedding because in some cultures the man only sees his new wife for the first time ever once he lifts her veil. In arranged marriages, the woman was veiled completely until her wedding day so her intended husband wouldn’t run away if he didn’t like what he saw.
Why do brides wear bridal handkerchiefs? Farmers once thought that the tears of a bride on her wedding day were good luck. It was though that these tears would bring well-needed water to their crops, so bridal handkerchiefs were used to collect the lucky tears.
Many families keep an unwashed bridal handkerchief and pass it down from mother to daughter on their wedding day to share the love and joy that is felt on each generation’s wedding day.
Afraid that a curse would be placed on the bride or the groom by a witch or a former love, the attendants would dress identical to the bride and groom in order to disguise their true identities. Having successfully made it to the wedding without a curse, the bride and groom could now like happily ever after.
Personalized wedding handkerchiefs can be designed any the way bride and groom like. The bride and groom will be giving these keepsakes to the people who are the most special to them and the ones that they know best. So the best way to personalize these handkerchiefs would probably be according to the style and taste of each recipient. Since the recipients are the people whom the bride and groom are closest too, it should be no problem at all because they would know exactly what their friends and family like best
Why do we wear our wedding ring on a specific finger? People used to believe that there was a vein that ran from the third finger on the left to the heart and by placing a ring there, it symbolized eternal love and commitment. In some cultures, the engagement ring is worn on this finger, but during the wedding ceremony, it is moved to the right hand.
