| Show Wedding rites are are an ancient tradition with many symbolic practices Courting came from the Welsh custom o of f spooning r f Aimee Baumgartner Contributing Writer THERE INHERE ERE is the bride dressed sed i 1 l in white veil over her face flowers in hand But why does the bride wear white And what is t the e purpose purpose purpose pur- pur pose of wearing a veil Do the flowers represent something or are they just for show Marriage is an ancient institution institution in in- wrought with many customs and traditions but how did they get started and exactly what do they mean Marriage customs progressed through three general stages marriage by force capture or conquest marriage through purchase evolving into the custom of arranged marriages marriages of love Although the original meaning of wedding customs have be been n forgotten they are still relevant if somewhat more refined The liB Best est Man originates from the time when the groom would steal a desirable woman from a neighboring tribe using the help of a fellow fellow fel fel- fel low warrior to capture her This practice lead to what we now call the honeymoon The honeymoon originated from the necessity of the warrior warrior warrior war war- to hide his captured bride until her family tired of searching searching searching sear sear- ching for her Ano Another her custom that originates from the period of marriages by force is that of carrying the bride over the threshold This symbolized the grooms groom's conquest by force It was also said to be a sign of good luck The practice of wearing a veil was started by the Romans The Romans believed that demon spirits were jealous of happy events Therefore it w was s necessary to confuse them by having a bride wear a veil This would throw the demons off the track Another ploy used to deceive the devil was to have friends of the couple dress like them Throwing rice at a newly married couple was believed to ward off cantankerous spirits and convince the devil that the couple was unhappy Therefore the devil would consider it a waste of time to add any supernatural punish punish- men ments ts The word wed comes from the Anglo Saxon word for purchase of the bride The groom gave the father of the bride money to buy her The pra practice tice of keeping a hope chest originated from the custom of the brides bride's dowry An old custom which may be the equivalent of cuddling cuddling cuddling cud cud- today was bundling This custom involves permitting permitting permitting permit permit- ting engaged couples to privately wrestle in bed together without together without undressing undress undress- ing all ing-all all night long Courting came from the Welsh custom of spooning In Wales a man would carve a spoon from a piece of wood and then give it to his beloved She would then wear it around her neck as a sign of their engagement The expression expression ex ex- spooning means to court or to go steady The male custom of the bachelor party was started in Sparta where the bridegroom entertained his friends friends' at supper supper supper sup sup- per the night before his wed wed- ding This event was known as t the e mens mess Em Empress press Eugenie who wed Napoleon III is responsible for the introduction of the wedding gown She was con considered considered con con- on- on a H leader ader of fashion during her day At her wedding wedding wedding wed wed- ding she wore a white gown The color white itself represents represents represents purity according to European custom The wedding ring evolved from the Egyptian symbol for eternity The gift of a ring is isan isan isan an old custom used to seal important or sacred agreements agree- agree ments- ments ments-espe ments especially ments-especially especially ally in the case of co couples ples who marry for love The wedding ring is placed on the third finger of the left hand because it is believed this finger is connected connected connected con con- directly to the heart by the vena amoris or vein of love Most fingers of both hands including the thumb have been used for wedding rings For example in orthodox orthodox orthodox or or- Jewish weddings the ring is placed on the first finger of the left hand The use of flowers at a wedding wedding wedding wed wed- ding was introduced by the crusaders in Europe They used orange blossoms in wreaths and bouquets to symbolize symbolize symbolize sym sym- the hoped for fertility of the bride and groom The custom of the wedding cake may have descended from the Roman con a particular kind of cake which was broken on the r f 4 Ji 01 t ts i Ve w 7 jr F g J i r a 4 brides bride's head as a symbol of off f fruitfulness and plenty To this day a groom traditionally traditional traditional- ly rubs a little wedding cake into the face of his bride Another modern custom is to remove the small top layer of the wedding cake and keep it frozen to be shared by the couple upon their return from their honeymoon or on their first year anniversary Finally the custom of giving gifts to the n newlyweds ds started among the frugal Dutch who would provide the new couple wi with h their heir household gear and a sum of money with which to begin their new life In France today the practice of giving gifts is a little different The nearest kin will subscribe a sum of money which is sent to to the brides bride's mother She then invests it in gold silver a bridal trousseau or in furnishings furnishings furnishings fur fur- for the house Last but not least who would have thought that the practice of the kiss started in Scotland where the lithe parson who presided over the themar marriage marriage mar mar- ceremony uniformly claimed it as his inalienable privilege to have a smack at atthe atthe atthe the lips of the bride Immediately immediately immedi Immedi- after the perform performance nce of his official al duties |
