Some Wedding Traditions Explained

It seems like everything wedding-related goes back to some tradition, and that caught my curiosity. I used a number of different websites, and I'm admitting I'm not going to give credit to those pages for the information; good thing I'm not in school ;). Who knows if these are actually true, but in doing research, these were the traditions I was most amused/intrigued by:

• The word "bridal" - That word originated from beer! At some point, the bride and groom would drink together, and "bridal" evolved from "bride's ale."
• Throwing the bouquet - One of the explanations says that the bride threw a bouquet of flowers into a crowd in order to distract them so she could escape.
• Left side / right side - The reason the bride stands on the left goes back to the days when the groom would have to kidnap his bride. In case he had to fight someone, he held his bride's hand with his left hand - that left his right hand free to use his sword.
• Wedding rings - Why are wedding rings worn on the left hand on the second to last finger? Both Romans and Egyptians believed that there was a vein that ran from that finger directly to the heart.
• The toast - Why is it called that? An old French custom was to place a small piece of bread into a wine glass - for flavor.
• Throwing the garter - Anything brides wear is considered to be good luck. At one point in history, people would tear off pieces of the bride's dress so they could get good luck. In order to keep her dress unharmed, brides used a garter as a distraction.
• Veils - Arranged marriages were part of history, and there was a chance that if the groom saw his bride before the wedding, he could try to refuse to marry her. To avoid that, brides started wearing veils to hide their face until she was given away by her father at the altar.
• White dress - Even though the Japanese have always used white dresses in weddings, Queen Victoria is to thank for starting that popular tradition in the western world. Prior to her wedding, brides just wore their best dress.
• Something Old - Brides wear something old to symbolize that they're still connected with their family & past.
• Something New - Symbolized the bride's optimism & hope for her life ahead.
• Something Borrowed - The borrowed item is often from someone who is happily married; the item is said to pass on their good fortune in marriage. Another explanation is that it reminds the bride she can rely on her friends & family.
• Something Blue - The color blue symbolized purity, fidelity and love.
• ...and a Sixpence in Your Shoe - Apparently that's the last line in the "something borrowed" rhyme. It's meant to signify good fortune and prosperity.

Who knew!

-Lisa