Wedding Traditions
Bridal Garter Traditions and Wedding superstitions
‘Something Blue’ We have all heard the rhyme…
‘Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and a Silver Sixpence for Her Shoe.’
Why Blue? The blue of the rhyme signifies constancy…
Another quote from an old ditty… ‘Those dressed in blue have lovers true’
‘Something Old’
The wedding veil was traditionally handed down through generations of the family’s brides.
Having something from a happy bride was thought to bless the marriage and pass on some of their happiness and luck 🙂
This is the ‘Butterfly Kisses’ wedding garter and lucky horseshoe set. The soft cotton lace on the garter is made on 100 year old looms in Nottingham. The same way it’s been made for generations! A lovely ‘Something Old’…
“Catherine made a beautiful garter for my wedding day, the lace matched my wedding dress and had a hanging sixpence! (Something Old) Really unique and what I wanted with extra added sparkle! Truly gorgeous thank you once again xx”
Lindsay Orlowski-Hatton
‘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!
‘Something Borrowed’
One item is usually worn belonging to a happy bride, bringing the happiness of their marriage to yours!
Popular choices are earrings and other jewlery…
A ‘Silver Sixpence’
A dowry was given to the bride. But the ‘silver sixpence in her shoe’ was thought to secure future wealth.
Walking up the aisle with a coin in your shoe, may not be very comfortable, so you can have a sixpence stitched to your garter, or a little sixpence bag made to match your garter with a genuine sixpence inside 🙂
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
Valentines Day
In 19th Century London postmen claimed a special meal allowance to sustain them during the Valentines postal rush!
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.
Although we have a lovely selection of bridal garters ,we have sexy garters too……great for your Honeymoon!
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!)
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 gift 🙂
Wedding Anniversaries
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How about causing a giggle at an anniversary party with a custom made garter with their names/ initials and their wedding date or wedding anniversary! Oh…. Fun & Games…