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Wedding traditions and facts.
Why the ring goes on that finger, why the dress is white, and why somebody is about to tie tin cans to the back of your car.
Almost every part of a wedding day is inherited from somewhere much older than any of us. Here is where a few of the familiar ones come from.
Rings
The ring, a perfect circle, has long been identified with the idea of love having no beginning and no end. In ancient Egypt gold rings were thought to hold mystical powers, and the diamond came to stand for eternal devotion.
A widespread belief held that the third finger of the left hand contained a vein running directly to the heart. The earliest wedding rings were made from hemp or vine and replaced as they wore out. The Romans introduced iron rings to represent the strength of the union, and the British later settled on gold.
Veils
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed a veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides were veiled from head to toe, and only the husband could see the bride unveiled — which also ensured he was marrying the woman he had been promised.
Wearing white
Brides wear white as a symbol of purity and of worthiness of the groom. Queen Victoria fixed the tradition in place by rejecting the royal custom of silver in favour of white.
Cakes
Grain has symbolised fertility for as long as anyone has recorded it. Ancient ceremonies ended with bread being broken above the bride's head, and guests collected the crumbs for good fortune. Cake eventually replaced bread, and grew steadily more elaborate.
Cutting the cake together symbolises the couple's unity, their shared future, and their life together as one.
Superstitions and customs
Good luck on the way to the ceremony was said to come from meeting lambs, frogs, spiders, black cats or rainbows. Tying shoes to the back of the departing car encourages fortune — a custom that evolved from the Tudor habit of throwing shoes at the couple.
- Showers gift the newlyweds the things they need to start their life together
- Tin cans tied to the car recall the ancient practice of making noise to drive off evil spirits
- Dressing the wedding party alike was meant to confuse malevolent spirits
- The bouquet and garter tosses are said to predict who marries next
- Throwing rice is a symbol of fertility
- 'Honeymoon' comes from the Northern European and Babylonian custom of newlyweds drinking fermented honey for about thirty days
Facts and figures
- June is the most popular month for weddings
- The average wedding budget is around £20,000
- A typical guest list runs to about 180 people
- First-time brides average 25 years old; grooms, 27
- The average honeymoon costs around £5,000
- The average engagement ring costs around £3,165
Figures are indicative industry averages and will vary considerably by region and year.
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