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The wedding superstitions which we are all familiar with have come down to us over hundreds if not thousands of years. These superstitions often became popular as ways of giving the couple both a blessing and tokens of good fortune. In that way, they are often superstitious in nature. As you consider your wedding, think of these traditions simply as interesting amusements and in no way as an omen of either bad or good luck. Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue Most of us know of the ditty, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." This popular saying for what the bride is to wear comes to us from the Victorian era. "Something Old" would probably represent the connection a bride has with the family she is leaving. "Something New" most probably is related to the new life she will be celebrating with her husband and his family. A bride has "Something Borrowed", is usually borrowed from a happily married woman, which will to bring success to her own new marriage. "Something Blue" likely is a symbol which represents her longing for faithfulness and success within her new marriage. Wedding Dresses for Brides The first recorded instance of a white wedding dress comes to us in 1499, when Anne of Brittany wore white for her wedding to Louis XII King of France. Up till that time, women would wear their nicest dress. This tradition also has roots coming from biblical times, because the "Church" was instructed to don in a white dress as a symbol of its purity as the "Bride of Christ." Christian women often believe that a bride must not wear a white dress if she is beginning a second marriage or if she is not pure. This is an interesting belief because the "purity" of the church is actually supposed to come from Christ. In far east brides have typically worn white. From ancient Roman times, white symbolized a celebration filled with happiness. Certainly, it is today a symbol of happy bliss and a new start from other cultures. The Bride's Wedding Veil The wedding veil wasn't originally white as is the modern tradition for almost all of today's wedding. In ancient Greece it was yellow. In ancient Rome it was red. Much of the symbolism has been lost but wearing a veil is still quite popular. Apparently, the veil was another symbol for a bride's modesty, and of course her virginity. Some hold today that according to tradition, it is not good luck for the bride to be seen by the groom before the ceremony. Remember that in history there were so many arranged marriages, it was often likely that the groom would not see his bride until the moment of ceremony. In several cultures, the veil hid the bride until the groom lifted it to see what his new wife looked like for the first time. In the United States, Nelly Curtis wore a veil at her wedding to Major Lawrence Lewis who was General George Washington's aid. Lewis had earlier seen his bride standing behind a filmy curtain and after he commented how beautiful she was, Nelly then decided to veil herself for their wedding. Follow whatever traditions sound right to you, not because of any worry about causing bad luck. More importantly, establish your own traditions, composing the meanings you want them to achieve, which you can then leave to your children. We see all of these traditions used by our couples when they come to Hawaii and use our Maui weddings services. It doesn't matter if the ceremonies are on the beach or performed in a chapel, the traditions seem to remain the same. I should tell you that for Hawaii weddings, you don't have to follow any traditions but your own. |