While traditional weddings are becoming a thing of the past, there are some specific traditions that we just can’t do without. There are some rituals that have been passed down that have become an integral part of the marriage ceremony. We LOVE weddings here at Schupepe Tents & Marquees. So we decided to do a little investigating and this is what we have found…
- In ancient Rome, wedding guests traditionally broke a loaf of bread over the bride’s head as it was supposed to bring her good fortune when it came to fertility. This evolved into the wedding cake getting smashed in her face.
- It was once believed that your ring finger (the fourth finger of the left hand) contained a vein that led directly to the heart.
- The phrase tying the knot came to be because several cultures around the world – Hindu, Celtic and Egyptian – to name a few – actually tied the hands of the bride and groom together to signify their commitment to each other.
- Wedding veils were worn in ancient Greece and Rome because it was supposed to protect the bride from evil spirits.
- Apparently the bride was especially susceptible to evil spirits. She was traditionally carried across the threshold so that her groom could protect her from those pesky demons which the groom is inexplicably immune to.
- Even the bridesmaids were recruited to protect the bride from these pesky devils by wearing matching gowns in order to confuse the demons and bring good fortune to the marriage. To be fair, the groomsmen dressed in similar attire – but this was not to confuse the spirits but to thwart jealous suitors that may attempt to high-jack the bride.
- The bridal bouquet was originally made up of bunches of garlic, grains, and herbs to drive off Beezlebub and his minions.
- Shoes tied to the car bumper evolved from the bride’s father giving the groom the bride’s shoes before the ceremony to prevent her from running away and to symbolize that the father was now handing over the possession of his daughter to his son-in-law.
- The best man’s job was not to guard the ring but to guard the future bride (who was often captured due to a lack of available women in the groom’s clan or tribe) – just in case her family tried to come steal her back during the ceremony.
- One of the oldest surviving customs still practiced during wedding ceremonies – is the tossing of the garter. This custom came about because witnesses were required to make sure that the marriage was consummated. They would come back and use the garter as proof that the deed was done.
While many of these wedding traditions have evolved to fit the times, the one factor that remains constant is that weddings certainly can stretch the budget. Schupepe Tents offers marquees and stretch tents to allow you to have your wedding anywhere, at any time you choose. This significantly reduces the cost of an expensive venue so that you can buy the cake, the veil, the rings, and extra shoes to tie to the bumper of your car!
