New Zealand Wedding and Honeymoon Directory
Wedding Superstitions and Their Origins
|
Many of the superstitions that have evolved around weddings over the centuries started off as ways to ensure good luck, prosperity, happiness and fertility to the newlyweds. Another important aspect was to confuse or drive away any evil spirits who wanted to spoil the day. THE PROPOSAL While on the way to the bride's family, the groom's representatives had to avoid blind men, monks and pregnant women; although goats and pigeons were considered lucky. For the bride, practicing writing her new name was and still is thought of as being very unlucky, and taking on a surname that started with the same letter as her own denoted unhappiness to come. THE DAY Although most weddings take place on a Saturday now, it was once considered to be the worst day of the week. Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays were best, bringing you health, wealth and happiness. Many venues and suppliers offer a discount for a midweek wedding, providing extra wealth and happiness at the same time! THE DRESS It was unlucky for the bride to make her own dress, or wear the complete outfit before her wedding. Often a stitch was left unsewn until the big day. It was also unlucky for the groom to see his bride in her dress until the ceremony. The colour had to be right too, a white dress symbolised purity but a green one implied promiscuity! Wearing a veil was thought to hide the bride from evil spirits, and having bridesmaids dressed similarly to the bride was for the same reason. THE CHURCH On the way to the church, it was lucky for the bride to see herself in the mirror once before she left, but not to look in a mirror again after leaving the house. Seeing a chimney sweep was very lucky, and sweeps can still be hired today to bestow good luck on the couple. Lambs, black cats and rainbows were all good omens, pigs, crowing cocks monks and nuns were all bad. It was also unlucky for the groom to return home for any reason after leaving for the church. SHOES In Tudor times shoes were thrown at the couple, and if they were struck it brought good luck. Nowadays, shoes are often tied to the back of the couple's car. It used to be customary for the groom to tap the bride on the head with his shoe, to assert his superiority over her. SOMETHING BLUE Everybody knows the "something old, something new, something borrowed something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe" rhyme, which is Victorian. The" something blue" was traditionally a blue ribbon, but is more often a blue garter now. The sixpence was placed inside the left shoe for luck by the bride's father. An unusual and appealing picture for photographers to take is of the sixpence or silver coin inside one of the bride's shoes. Article by Derbyshire wedding photographer Neal Morgan Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neal_Morgan Article Source |
Actions
Related Listings
-
Abel Tasman Weddings and Events
Nelson/Marlborough
A personable full or part planning service specilising in the Tasman district and Abel Tasman National Park. -
The Wedding Whisperer's Corner Store
Nelson/Marlborough
The Wedding Whisperer's Corner Store: Nelson's one stop shop for everything for your wedding