What is the origin of some wedding superstitions?
Warding off the attentions of mischievous evil spirits and bad luck are not part of the modern bride’s long to-do list. However, many modern wedding superstitions and customs trace their origins to folklore and the belief that brides and grooms are especially susceptible to the workings of evil spirits and predictions of future bad luck. Even people who would normally scoff at superstitious behavior can’t resist throwing some rice or trying to catch a garter.
These and many other wedding mainstays are actually early rituals summoning luck and fortune. Most of us attend many weddings without paying attention to, or even really knowing, the significance of such commonplace rituals. From the dress to the receiving line, numerous elements of the modern wedding are infused with a history of lucky significance. Here are some modern wedding traditions that began as superstitious attempts to steer a newly married couple clear of misfortune.
The tradition of the bridesmaids wearing a similar style of dress to the bride was intended to confuse evil spirits and protect the bride from them. The best man is also supposed to mirror the groom in dress and remain at his side to mislead mischievous spirits. The tradition of the bridal veil began as a shield from evil. Shoes hold lucky significance in many cultural traditions, such as a bride’s father giving a pair of the bride’s shoes to the groom as a symbol of passing luck and responsibility from one to the other.
It was common knowledge that evil spirits cower from loud noise and strong odors. Tying cans to the back of the bridal car is a continuation of this belief. The wedding bouquet was to contain fragrant flowers and pungent herbs to deter spirits and poor health from approaching the bride. Roman brides wore flower wreaths on their heads for this same purpose.
A newly married couple has traditionally been thought to be fortunate for having succeeded at marrying. Likewise, guests at a wedding have always been seen as beneficiaries of this wedding luck. The receiving line began as an opportunity for guests to touch the recently blessed and lucky couple. The throwing of rice at the couple is believed to be based on an ancient fertility rite of showering a woman with handfuls of “seeds.”Getting a piece of the bridal attire has also been a sign of future fortune and health. In Medieval times, a bride was often in danger of having her dress torn by guests eager to share in her good fortune. To avoid this, a piece of the bridal ensemble was preemptively thrown to gathered guests. The piece normally “sacrificed” in this way was an undergarment or garter.
It was believed that a bride tripping as she entered the marriage household for the first time meant very bad luck. Being carried over that threshold by her husband was a logical way to avoid such a fall. While many traditions view the groom dropping his ring to be a bad omen, it was originally thought that the dropping of the ring could shake out any unwanted bad luck.
Ascribing significance to these traditions may or may not be your cup of tea, but having an understanding of their basis is both important and fun.
