WEDDING TRADITIONS

Bridal Garter Traditions and Wedding superstitions

Something Blue We have all heard the rhyme

Something Old

The Wedding veil was traditionally handed down through generations of the family’s brides.

Something New

The bride traditionally wore new unlaundered underwear, this was to emphasize their acceptance of a new life. NOTE: This is one tradition we recommend you don’t follow if you are wearing a basque, corset or control garment on your wedding day. Wear it beforehand and make sure you are comfortable, you don’t want to ruin your big day with uncomfortable underwear! [clear ]

Something Borrowed

One item is usually worn belonging to a happy bride, bringing the happiness of their marriage to yours! [clear ]

Sixpence

A dowry was given to the bride and the ‘silver sixpence in her shoe’ secures future wealth.

Yellow Garters superstition

Yellow garters were thought to attract lovers, remember ‘Twelfth Night’? In the 19c an obliging bride would wear a yellow garter placed there by a hopeful girl-friend, to ensure marriage for the friend within the year. One Boston bride went to the alter wearing 7 yellow garters from hopeful friends!

Throwing the bouquet / wedding garter

Flinging the stocking was a favorite wedding chamber sport: Men seized the bride’s stockings and girls the groom’s, each group took it in turns to sit at the bottom of the bed and in turn to toss the stockings over their heads to fall, for an early marriage, on the bridegroom if thrown by a girl, on the bride if thrown by a man.

Then all the younger folks in, With ceremony throw the stocking Backward, o’er head, in turn they toss’d it; Till in sack-posset they had lost it. Th’intent of flinging thus hose Is to hit him or her on the nose, Who hits the mark o’er the left shoulder Must be married be ere twelve monthes older. (Progress of Matrimony, 1733)

Throwing the garter and bouquet are believed to be direct descendants of ‘flinging the stocking’

It was customary for the bride to toss her garter to the male guest who had won the ‘race for the garter’ (from the church to the bride house). In 1820 Lady…. on stepping from her bridal coach, enquired who had won the race. She called to the lad, ‘come Tom and claim your prize. For I intend to be properly married, and to have the luck I am entitled to.’ Smiling she added ‘Take it off, Tom, and give it to your sweetheart, and may it bring luck to both of you.’

But frequently the men got too drunk, and would become impatient and try to remove the garter ahead of time. In the interests of decorum the custom changed to tossing the bridal bouquet. Recently the toss of the garter has been revived in America, where two garters will be bought one to toss and one to keep.

ref: Blakeborough, Richard, Wit,Character, Folklore and Customs of the North Riding of Yorkshire(1898), 100-1

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Valentines Day

A Dozen Red Roses

More red roses are bought at Valentines Day than at any other time of year. A custom said to have begun in France when Louis XV1 gave his Queen, Marie Antoinette red roses on 14th February.

Leap Year

In a leap year women can traditionally propose to men. If rejected the girl can claim a compensatory silk gown!( I don’t know if the men have heard the last bit!)

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Choosing 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts – Getting it Right

The first year of marriage is often described as the hardest and so it is vitally important to celebrate your 1st wedding anniversary in style, just so that your partner knows how much you love and appreciate them. Unfortunately, you may be too busy to think about finding the perfect anniversary gift and so a few favorites are listed below to give you inspiration. Most include some kind of paper product as this is traditionally considered to be the symbolic material for the 1st wedding anniversary.

For Him

You could name a star after him so that he has a lifelong certificate to remember the day by or alternatively you can order a commemorative newspaper from either the date of your wedding or the date of your 1st anniversary. If he is a family man then you may want to consider buying a special gift set that highlights the history of his family name, all on a framed certificate complete with his own coat of arms. Another idea, but this time for the more adventurous man, is to send him on a day out to a rally driving school or white water rafting for example. You can buy gift packs with a paper voucher that entitles him to a great day out doing something he wouldn’t generally do in day-to-day life.

For Her

It is no secret that women are generally more romantic than men and so a gift such as a personalised poem complete with your favorite wedding photos in a silver frame can be a great idea. Alternatively you might want to put your own photo album together for her that contains all of the photos that mean the most to you. This continues with the paper theme but is something that she can keep as a memento forever. Another idea is to buy her a piece of jewellery or something similar that comes with a certificate of authentication. If you are feeling really enthusiastic then you can arrange a treasure hunt day which has you both visiting the places that bring back special memories. The paper clues can either lead to the most special place where you can leave a bottle of personalised champagne or to a surprise party with all your friends and relatives.

Conclusion

With a little bit of thought you can easily find the perfect

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Wedding Anniversaries

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