Wedding Traditions & Superstitions (around the world):
Weddings are the unification of a couple as they begin their lives together.
Many different traditions/rituals are performed in the belief the couple will have a good, wealthy, and healthy lives together.
Some of the Western Wedding Superstitions are:
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed,
Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.
This good luck saying dates back to Victorian times and many brides try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly.
Something Old represents the link with the bride's family and the past. Many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry or a mother's or grandmother's wedding gown.
Something New represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item.
Something Borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. The borrowed object might be something such as a lace handkerchief.
Something Blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. Often the blue item is the garter.
A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth. See here:
The Wedding Day Garter(s):
Throwing the garter began in France when pieces of the bridal attire were considered lucky. The bride would throw the garter to the guests at the wedding and whoever caught it could expect good luck. In the United States, the groom traditionally removes the garter from the bride and throws it to the unmarried men. The man who catches it is thought to be the next to marry. At some weddings the man who catches the garter will place it on the leg of the lady who caught the bouquet or they may start the next dance. It is also common for the recipients of the bouquet and garter to have a photograph taken with the bride and groom.
The garter is placed on the brides right leg, just above the knee.
Often the bride chooses to wear both a garter to throw as well as a garter that she would keep.
The Bouquet or Toss Bouquet
At its inception, the bouquet formed part of the wreaths and garlands worn by both the bride and groom. It was considered a symbol of happiness. Today the practice of tossing the bouquet is an offshoot of throwing the garter. The single woman who catches the bouquet is believed to be the next to marry.
These superstitions are maintained in the belief that they will bring good luck and happiness to the couple at a time when their lives are changing, hopefully for the better.
PROPOSAL
In the past when the marriage proposal was a more formal procedure, the prospective groom sent his friends or members of his family to represent his interests to the prospective bride and her family. If they saw a blind man, a monk or a pregnant woman during their journey it was thought that the marriage would be doomed if they continued their journey as these sights were thought to be bad omens.
If, however, they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves these were good omens which would bring good fortune to the marriage.
During Medieval times in Brittany the man proposed by leaving a hawthorn branch at the door of his beloved on the first of May. By leaving the branch at the door she accepted his proposal. She made known her refusal by replacing the hawthorn branch with a cauliflower.
SURNAMES
It was thought unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname began with the same letter as hers. The sentiment was summarised in the following rhyme:
To change the name and not the letter
Is to change for the worst and not the better
The bride should not practice writing her new name before the wedding. This is thought to bring bad luck by tempting fate.
CHOOSING THE DAY
Although most weddings now take place on a Saturday it was considered unlucky in the past. Fridays were also considered unlucky particularly Friday the 13th. The famous old rhyme advises a wedding in the first half of the week:
Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
Saturday for no luck at all
Advice on which month to marry in is given by the following rhyme:
Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.
Marry in May and you'll live to rue the day-
May has been considered an unlucky month to marry in for a number of reasons. In Pagan times the start of summer was when the festival of Beltane was celebrated with outdoor orgies. This was therefore thought to be an unsuitable time to start married life. In Roman times the Feast of the Dead and the festival of the goddess of chastity both occurred in May. The advice was taken more seriously in Victorian times than it is today. In most Churches the end of April was a busy time for weddings as couples wanted to avoid being married in May. Queen Victoria is thought to have forbidden her children from marrying in May.
Marry in Lent, live to repent-
Lent was thought an inappropriate time for a wedding as this was a time of abstinence.
June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in because it is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.
The Summer as a whole was considered a good time to marry and this is partly to do with the sun's association with fertility. In Scotland one popular custom was for the bride to "walk with the sun" to bring her good. She would walk from east to west on the south side of the church and then continue walking around the church three times.
THE WEDDING DRESS
It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stich on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.
WEDDING DRESS COLOUR
Most brides marry in white which symbolises maidenhood. This tradition started by the rich in sixteenth century, and was given a boost by Queen Victoria who chose to marry in white instead of silver which was the traditional colour of Royal brides. Before the white dress tradition started, brides wore their best dress. The colour was a matter of preference. The following is a traditional rhyme offering advice on dress colour:
Married in White, you have chosen right,
Married in Blue, your love will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Brown, you will live in town,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink,
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.
A green dress is thought to be unlucky unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a 'green gown' was used to imply promiscuity, the green staining being due to rolling in grassy fields.
THE VEIL
Traditionally, brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits and many of the customs and traditions associated with weddings are to provide protection. The veil was originally worn by Roman brides. It was thought that it would disguise the bride and therefore outwit malevolent spirits.
The veil became popular in Britain in the eighteen hundreds. In this country it is associated with modesty and chastity.
In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony.
In some Jewish weddings there is a ritual where the groom ensures that the bride is his intended before placing the veil over her face.
FLOWERS
Flowers have always been used for decoration at weddings.
Some people choose the flowers at the wedding on the basis of their symbolic meaning. For example orange blossom has always been associated with weddings because it signifies purity and chastity.
Peonies are avoided by some as they are believed to represent shame; azaleas represent temperance: roses symbolise love and snowdrops represent hope.
A combination of red and white flowers is avoided by the superstitious because they stand for blood and bandages.
However, people from different regions may attach other meanings to the same flower. For example lilies symbolise majesty to some but are thought unlucky by others because of their association with death.
The groom often chooses a flower for his buttonhole which also occurs in the bride's bouquet. This is a vestige of the time when a Knight would wear his Lady's colours to display his love.
BRIDAL SHOWER
The first gift the bride opens should be the first gift she uses.
ON THE WAY TO THE WEDDING
When the bride is ready to leave the house for the wedding ceremony a last look in the mirror will bring her good luck. However returning to the mirror once she has began her journey will result in bad luck.
Seeing a chimney sweep on the way to a wedding is though to bring good luck and it is still possible to hire one to attend wedding ceremonies. Other good luck omens when seen on the way to the ceremony include lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows.
Seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be omens of bad luck. Monks and nuns are also a bad omen. This may be because the are associated with poverty and chastity. They are also though to signal a dependence on charity by the newlyweds.
Bad weather on the way to the wedding is thought to be an omen of an unhappy marriage, although in some cultures rain is considered a good omen. Cloudy skies and wind are believed to cause stormy marriages. Snow on the other hand is associated with fertility and wealth.
BRIDESMAIDS
Bridesmaids were dressed in a similar way to the bride for the same reason as the origin of veil. The bridesmaids were thought to act as decoys to confuse evil spirits and thus protect the bride.
THE COUPLE'S FIRST PURCHASE
It is said that the first partner who buys a new item after the wedding will be the dominant one in the relationship. Many brides ensure that they make the first purchase by arranging to buy a small item such as a pin from the chief bridesmaid immediately after the ceremony.
WEDDING DAY
Good Omens:
-seeing a rainbow
-having the sun shine
-meeting a black cat
-meeting a chimney sweep
-A week before the wedding, it is considered good luck to have a cat eat out of your left shoe.
-Chinese superstitions state that carrying an open red umbrella over the bride will protect her from evil spirits.
-If the bride sheds a tear on her wedding day, she will never cry again for the duration of her marriage.
-Wear earrings when you are married and you will always be happy.
WEDDING DAY
Bad Omens:
-a pig, hare, or lizard running across the road
-seeing an open grave
-meeting a nun or a monk foretell barrenness
-If candles are lit on your wedding day, and they sputter out, it means an evil spirit is nearby.
-A woman should only propose to a man during a leap year, otherwise it endangers the marriage.
-It's bad luck for the bride to start down the aisle on time.
MISC. BELIEFS
-If the groom drops the wedding band during the ceremony, the marriage is doomed.
-The new bride must enter her home by the main door, and must not trip or fall - hence the custom of carrying the bride over the threshold.
-The spouse who goes to sleep first on the wedding day will be the first to die.
-Only a virgin can wear a white wedding dress.
THE WEDDING CAKE
Cutting the wedding cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception. The couple make the first cut together to symbolise their shared future.
Cakes have been associated with weddings throughout history. The Romans shared a cake during the wedding ceremony itself. This was not the rich fruit-cake we enjoy today. It was a plain confection made from wheat flour, salt and water. The Fijians and Some Native American tribes still incorporate cake in the wedding ceremonies.
In Britain early cakes were flat and round and contained fruit and nuts which symbolise fertility.
In the past the custom was to throw many small cakes over the bride in a similar way in which we throw confetti today. A modification of this custom was to crumble cake over the brides head and in some versions to break the cake over the Bride's head. In Scotland Oat Cakes were used for this purpose. This was done to promote fertility.
In Yorkshire, a plate holding wedding cake was thrown out of the window as the bride returned to her parental home after the wedding. If the plate broke she would enjoy a happy future with her husband -but if the plate remained intact her future would be grim.
Another old English custom was to place a ring in the wedding cake. The guest who found the ring in their the piece of cake would be ensured happiness for the next year.
The shape of the modern three tiered iced cake is believed to have been inspired by the spire of Saint Bride's Church in the City of London. It is said that unmarried guests who place a piece of wedding cake under their pillow before sleeping will increase there prospects of finding a partner and bridesmaids who do likewise will dream of their future husbands.
The top tier of the cake is often kept by couples for the christening of their first child.
CONFETTI
Confetti is Italian for sweets which in Italy are thrown over the couple as they emerge from the Church in that same way we use paper confetti. Raisins and nuts may also be used.
Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.
SHOES
In the past there have been a number of customs involving shoes which were thought to bring good luck. The best known, which is still upheld, is to tie shoes to the back of the newlyweds' car. This has evolved from the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit.
Less well known is for the bride's father to give the groom a pair of the bride's shoes to symbolise the passing of responsibility for the daughter to her new husband. A variation of the custom is for the groom to tap the bride on the forehead with one of the shoes to assert his dominance.
The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet shoulder, was originally performed by the bride throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.
BOUQUET
After the reception the bride throws her bouquet back over her shoulder where the unmarried female guests group together. Tradition holds that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one of those present to marry.
A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Again the one who catches it will be the next to marry.
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
After the wedding the bride must enter the new marital home through the main entrance. It is traditional for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold when they enter for the first time. The reason for this is uncertain. One explanation is that the bride will be visited by bad luck if she falls when entering. An alternative is that the bride will be unlucky if she steps into the new home with the left foot first. The bride can avoid both mishaps by being carried. A third explanation is that it symbolises the old Anglo-Saxon custom of the groom stealing his bride and carrying her off.
Hindu's have a similar tradition. The bride is carried by her new husband so that she does not touch the threshold when entering her new home.
THE BEST MAN
It is the best man's duty to protect the groom from bad luck. He must ensure that once the groom has began his journey to the church he does not return for any reason.
He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mascot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day.
When the best man is paying the church minister's fee he should pay him an odd sum to bring luck to the couple.
THE HONEYMOON
The term "honeymoon" is though to originate from the times when a man captured his bride. The couple would hide from the bride's parents before marrying. The couple would remain in hiding for a further cycle of the moon after the wedding. During this period they drank honey wine.
In Scotland the custom was for a woman with milk in her breasts to prepare the marital bed to encourage fertility in the newlyweds.
In Ireland a laying hen was tied to the bed on the first honeymoon night in the hope that some of its fertility would be passed on to the couple. Eating a double yolked egg was also thought to bring fertility.
For a COMPLETE view of how the wedding traditions differ, customs and rituals, see these great sites!
World Wedding Traditions:
It offers wedding trations in alphabetical order from all around the world!
and
Marriage during the Middle Ages
Middle-age view of wedding customs.
Even more, Wedding Superstitions!
Wedding Superstitions: some different takes on the one's above;
A SPECIAL KISS:
It's good luck for the bride to be kissed by a chimney sweep on her wedding day.
Bride:
There has always been a great deal of superstition attached to weddings and the bride in particular. There is hardly a country in the world where rites of some kind are not carefully observed so that marriage may go off happily. Superstition is, of course, at the back of the old verse dealing with the bride's ensemble:
'Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue.'
According to tradition, the 'something old' should be her shoes or hankerchief; while the 'new' and 'borrowed' speak for themselves. ( In some countries this latter word varies as something 'golden' or even 'stolen!' ). The 'something blue' is, of course, the only exception to the rule that the bride should wear nothing coloured - but it has to be stressed that for the good luck to be ensured the blue should be sky-blue, the colour of the heavens. Tradition decrees that the bride should be dressed in white the symbol of innocence and purity, and any bride given a dress which her mother wore is said to be lucky. Coloured dresses are usually given to the bridesmaids and the luckiest shades are believed to be blue, pink and gold. Red is said to be very unlucky, and if the bride spills even the tiniest drop of blood on her gown this is an omen that she will not live long. Green is also an unhappy colour because it represents jealousy, although the Irish take quite the opposite view! Silk is the most widely accepted material for the wedding dress, while satin is said to be unlucky, and velvet - of all things - is said to presage poverty! There should be no designs on the dress, or any vine-like pattern as this signifies death. Superstition also brought about the bridal veil for in years gone by it was felt evil spirits might try to snatch a woman whose charms appealed to them, and consequently the veil was used to hide her features until she was in the church and safely under the protection of her new husband. ( In many countries when the bridegroom raises the veil to kiss his new bride it is said to be important that she has a little cry or else married life will be full of tears ). Any bride will certainly court unhappiness if she makes her own wedding dress or tries it on before the wedding day, especially if she sees herself in a full-length mirror. Unable to resist this temptation, though, most girls leave off a shoe or glove out of respect for this old tradition. It is also said that to make sure everything goes without a hitch, a last stich should be added to the bride's dress just as she leaves for the church. Because flowers symbolized sex and fertility among the ancients, the bride carries a bouquet to ensure her own martial happiness. The ribbons knotted around the flowers are said to be good luck bringers, symbolizing the wishes for health and happiness proferred by the bride's friends. On the way to Church it is an ill-omen for a bridal party to meet either a policeman, a doctor, a lawyer, a priest or a blind man, and the party should enter by the door which it is planned to leave from or the signs are not good. When leaving after the ceremony it is an evil omen for a bride to meet a pig or funeral party, while it is a good sign if her path is crossed by a black cat, a chimney sweep or an elephant. Although few brides go to their receptions in a horse-drawn carriage, grey mares are said to be the best animals to pull it, but should they prove troublesome or difficult to start when the couple are on board then bad luck is in store for the newly weds.The throwing of confetti over the happy couple - it used to be rice - is another time-honoured superstition to bestow fertility on the couple. In some countries a slipper is also sometimes thrown at them - symbolizing the womb and a charm to ensure they have children. Although guests at a marriage take great trouble to make sure they hit the happy couple with their confetti, superstition originaly decreed that it should fall around them, and they would be unlucky if actually hit by it! Wedding gifts are also a continuation of the old idea of presenting the new couple with fruit to ensure fertility - in Germany, for instance, it is quite common for a bride to be given nuts and the phrase 'to go a nutting' is a euphemism for love-making. So to the final stage - the bride must, of course always be carried across the threshold of her new home to avoid bad luck. This tradition is said to come from the days when men carried off their brides and the girl might well still be struggling to escape when they reached their new home! Another superstition, found through much of Europe and Asia, says if the bride goes to sleep first on her wedding night she will certainly die first.
BRIDE IN HER BRIDAL DRESS:
The groom is not supposed to see the bride in all her glory until she walks down the aisle on the day of their wedding.
"BOW"-QUET:
Make sure you hold on to the bows and ribbons that you untie at your bridal/wedding shower. Thread the ribbons through a paper plate (any color) and decorate the plate with all the bows to make "flowers." On the day or night of your rehearsal, utilize your "bow"-quet in place of your real floral bouquet for good luck.
Bridesmaids:
The bridesmaids at a wedding, along with the best man, are actually relics from the days when marriage ceremonies were not infrequently attacked by enemies wishing to carry off the bride, and their presence was to prevent such an outrage. Bridesmaids, of course, always hope to catch the bride's bouquet when she throws it among them and thus ensure a wedding for themselves. There are other omens for them, too.
It is, for example, very unlucky for a bridesmaid to stumble on her way to the altar for this is said to be a sign that she is destined to become an old maid. Strangely, it is unlucky to be a bridesmaid three times - for unless a girl undertakes the job four more times she will never marry ( the lucky number seven again! ). A bride who has a matron of honour in her retinue is said to attract particular luck to herself for this married woman represent the happy state of matrimony.
Engagement:
American superstition claims that the day on which a couple buy their engagement ring holds important omens about their future. If it is on a Monday, for instance, they can look forward to a busy, exciting life; on Tuesday a peaceful and contented existence. Wednesday indicates a good-tempered relationship, while Thursday will able you to achive all you wish from life. Friday is a day which will demand much hard work, but there will be rewards in time, while Saturday is a day which will give much pleasure. Nice to know that there isn't a bad day among them! As for the ring itself, it is said to be unlucky if the one which is chosen has to be altered for any reason, and should the ring wear badly or become loose before the wedding ceremony this is an omen that the match is not going to be a happy one. Perhaps there is no need to add that is is very unlucky to lose or break an engagement ring. A British superstition says that it is unlucky for an engaged couple to hear their banns read in church together, and an old rural custom proposes that after two people have become engaged they should take a twig of laurel, break it in half, and retain a piece each - and as long as they keep these so will their love flourish. Interestingly, popular superstition even has a method for a girl to break off an engagement - she should present a knife to her discarted suitor. To cut his throat with, the cynic might ask?
FULL MOON:
Superstition has it that if there is a full moon 1-2 days before the wedding, then your married life will be filled with luck and good fortune.
HOUSE-CAT:
A week before the wedding, have a house-cat eat out of your left shoe for good luck.
"I'M ON THE LEFT AND YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT":
The bride is on the left side of the groom in Christian marriages so that the groom could have easy access to his sword to defend his bride from rival suitors.
Marriage:
The taboo against marrying someone from your own family or clan predates social or Christian ethics by many centuries, and arose among primitive men for two reasons. Firstly, he saw that by interoducing 'fresh blood' into his heards of animals he improved the stock, and so did likewise himself; and, second, it was considered unmanly, even cowardly, to take a woman of your own people rather than seek one from elsewhere. It has always been held to be unluckly for two sisters to marry two brothers - there is only so much luck to go round, says superstition, and one of the couples is going to lose out. Although it is unlucky to be married on your birthday, it is particularly lucky if you and your wife share the same birthday - although you must be a year or two apart. An old British almanac writer drew on local superstitions to devise the following rhyme about the most suitable month of the year in which to marry, and it embodies several ideas which are still widely held today:
'Married in January's hoar and rime,
Widowed you'll be before your prime.
Married in February's sleepy weather,
Life you'll tread in time together.
Married when March winds shrill and roar,
Your home will be on a distant shore.
Married beneath April's changing skies,
A chequered path before you lies.
Married when bees over May blossoms flit,
Strangers around your board will sit.
Married in the month of roses - June,
Life will be one long honeymoon.
Married in July with flowers ablaze,
Bittersweet memories on after days.
Married in August's heat and drowse,
Lover and friend in your chosen spouse.
Married in September's golden glow,
Smooth and serine your life will go.
Married when leaves of October thin,
Toil and hardship for you gain.
Married in veils of November mist,
Fortune your wedding ring has kissed.
Married in days of December cheer,
Love's star shines brighter from year to year.'
Apart from the fact that the weather is often very good in June, the popularity of this month is rooted in the fact that it is named after the goddess Juno, the adored and faithful wife of Jupiter, who is the protector of women and marriage and said to bestow especial blessings on those who wed in her month. The previous month, May, is the unluckiest as it is named after Maia, the wife of Vulcan, who was the patroness of the aged. Superstition even has something to say about the best days of the week for getting married on: Monday is good for wealth, Tuesday for health, Wenesday is said to be the best, while Thursday will doom you to a life of struggle, Friday, too, is not an easy day, and strangely, while Saturday is said to be the one day without any luck at all, it is still by far the most popular with most people! The marriage ceremony itself developed as a formal social acknowledgement by two people to their friends and of their establishing a life together - and that much used phrase about 'tying the knot' was an actual occurrence among the Babylonians who would take a thread from the bride's and groom's clothes and then symbolically 'tie the couple together.' The old adage 'Happy is the Bride the Sun shines on' is not so much a superstition as a throwback to earlier times, when it was the custom for marriage ceremonies to take place at the door of the Church, and doubtless no bride would be pleased to make her vows in the pouring rain! An American belief claims that as raindrops symbolize tears, a wet wedding will lead to a bride crying through her married life, and they add: 'Marry in Lent - live to repent.' Finally, there is one further piece of advice offered by superstition in this old British rhyme:
'Change your name and not the letter,
You change for worse and not for better.'
"NO KNIVES, PLEASE":
In the Jewish tradition, it's bad luck to receive knives as a wedding gift. In case someone should give knives, the bride should transform the exchange into a financial transaction by giving a penny or nominal sum for the knives.
"PENNY LOAFER":
Put a penny in your shoe for wealth in your marriage.
RAIN:
Rain on your wedding day means you will have many children.
STAND-IN BRIDE:
The bride is never supposed to practice walking down the aisle during her rehearsal or it will bring bad luck. The most popular alternative is to ask a close friend not in the wedding party to be your "Stand in Bride".
TEARS OF HAPPINESS:
If a bride cries on her wedding day, those shall be the last tears she ever sheds over her marriage.
TEARS OF PEARLS:
A superstition from Mexico has it that the bride can not wear pearls in her wedding day for the pearls are the tears she will cry in her marriage.
THE SECOND-HAND OF THE CLOCK:
Rumor has it that couples should marry when the second-hand of the clock is going up instead of going down. For example, 2:30 pm or 10:45 am.
'Tying the Knot':
The popular expression about a couple 'tying the knot' when they get married, originated with the Ancient Babylonians who believed that it ensured good luck for newly weds if a thread of cotton was taken from the clothes of each of them, and tied together - thereby symbolizing their union.
WEARING WHITE:
Only the bride should wear white on the day of the wedding. The bride should be the center of everyone's attention; therefore, guests should refrain from wearing the same color.
Wedding:
Many of the omens and superstitions related to weddings are dealth with under the headings 'Marriage' and 'Brides,' but it should perhaps be added here that there are still ill-omened times for weddings to take place. May has been thought unlucky since Roman times, when the month was reserved for making offerings to the dead - and there is a Scottish saying still widely heard, 'Marry in May, rue for aye.' Lent is also said to be an unlucky period, just as is Advent - though both seem to be objected to purely on religious grounds. The following is a list of the good days of the year - at least according to a much reprinted list compiled by the seventeenth-century almanac writer, Andrew Waterman, who 'assembled it from many sources.' These were supposed to be days when 'women will be fond and loving': January 2, 4, 11, 19 and 21. Feburary 1, 3, 10, 19 and 21. March 3, 5, 13, 20 and 23. April 2, 4, 12, 20 and 22. May 2, 4, 12, 20 and 23. June 1, 3, 11, 19 and 21. July 1, 3, 12, 19, 21 and 31. August 2, 11, 18, 20 and 30. September 1, 9, 16, 18 and 28. October 1, 8, 10, 19, 23 and 29. November 5, 11, 13, 22 and 25. December 1, 8 10, 19, 23 and 29. A wedding conducted after sunset is believed to be irretrievably doomed, acording to superstition, for not only will the couple's life together be miserable, but they will lose their children and both go to an early grave. And here is a wedding night tip. It should always be the husband who locks the front door before going to bed, not the wife, or there will be a quarrel during the night; and superstition adds that whoever falls asleep first on this night will be the first to die.
Wedding Cake:
The wedding cake has been a feature of the marriage ceremony since the very earliest of times, and it symbolizes fertility and good luck. The Romans sometimes used to crumble a slice of the cake over the newly-weds to ensure them prosperity, and the Ancient Chinese may well have started the custom of giving a slice of cake both to those friends who were present at the rites and to those who could not attend - thereby ensuring good luck for everyone. In England for some centuries there was a custom that guests at a wedding should each bring a small bun with them. These would be piled up in a mound in the room where the festivities were to be held. If the bride and groom could lean over the pile from opposite sides and kiss each other without disturbing the mound then they would enjoy a long and happy life together. Interestingly, in some Pacific Islands the actual eating of the wedding cake constitutes a marriage ceremony! It is said to be bad luck if the bride takes any part of the making of this cake, and indeed she should not even taste it before the wedding day or she will very quickly lose her husband's love. The custom of the bride and groom cutting the first slice of the wedding cake together is to show that they intend to share everything between them, and superstition warns that if the bridegroom attempts to do it on his own then the marriage will be childless. It is unlucky for anyone to refuse a slice of cake - both for the person concerned and for the newly-weds. The bride would be well advised to keep a slice for herself, for this will ensure that her husband will remain faithful. And, finally, if young, single girls sleep with a piece of wedding cake under their pillows, they will dream of their future husbands.
On an ending note to wedding cakes, it is a Puerto Rican superstition to preserve the top-most layer of your wedding cake by wrapping it with saran-wrap and aluminum foil and storing it in the freezer. On your one-year anniversary, unwrap the cake and feed each other a slice of it to ensure a good first year and luck to the marriage.
Wedding Ring:
Since the very earliest times the wedding ring has signified the uniting of man and woman, the circle shape representing eternity. The reason for wearing this ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is also a very ancient one - and not unassociated with superstition. Apparently for many centuries it was believed that a special vein ran from this finger direct to the heart, and it was therefore the most suitable finger to bear a symbol of love. It is said to be an unlucky omen if the ring is dropped during the wedding ceremony, and only the person conducting the service - the clergyman, priest or Registrar - should pick it up, or the life of the couple may turn out unhappily. Bad luck may also attend a couple if the wife loses her ring later in life, and to avoid trouble the husband should immediately buy another one, replace it on his wife's finger and at the same time repeat the lines of the marriage vow. ( I can see many women throwing their rings away knowing they'd get a new one! ).
VIRGIN MARY FIGURINE IN THE WINDOW:
If you want a sunny wedding day, it was a good idea to place a figurine of the Virgin Mary in your window the week before the date. This was to help guarantee that the day would be sunny and wonderful in many ways. Hope this is one that can be shared.
Some Culled from the book "A Dictionary of Omens and Superstitions" by: Pilippa Warning
