World of Traditions

The tradition of bridesmaids dressing the same as each other and in similar style to the bride comes from ancient days when it was believed that evil spirits have a more difficult time distinguishing which one is the bride and putting a hex on her.

Thrice a bridesmaid, never a bride is an old charm that can be broken by being a bridesmaid seven times.

Queen Victoria made white the bridal color of choice when she wore it to wed Prince Albert in 1840.

The custom of throwing rice at the newlywed couple was to symbolize fertility. Today some still throw rice, but more commonly confetti or rose petals are thrown in place of rice due to a number of practical and environmental reasons - the symbolism remains the same! [Rice can be hazardous and often fatal to birds who frequently attempt to eat it off the ground. It is also very easy to slip upon, presenting potential for injury.

In the 1st century B.C. in Rome, the cake was thrown at the bride or broken over her head as one of the many fertility symbols which then were a part of the marriage ceremony.

Cutting the wedding cake together, still a predominant ritual at weddings, symbolizes the couple’s unity, their shared future, and their life together as one.

"Something old, Something new, Something borrowed, Something blue, And a silver sixpence in your shoe". This well known little rhyme originated during Victorian times and is still commonly practiced for good luck. Traditionally, the "old" would have been the garter of a happily married woman, with the thought being that her good fortune would be passed down along with it. The "new" stood for the couple's new bright and happy future together. "Something borrowed" was usually a much valued item from the bride's family. It symbolized prosperity within the new union, but would bring that good fortune only if it was returned to the family. "Something blue" came from an ancient tradition in which the bride would wear a blue ribbon in her hair as a symbol for fidelity. Placing a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couple's life. Today brides often slip a penny inside their shoe before the ceremony in place of the difficult to acquire silver sixpence. As such, the rhyme is often adapted to "....And a luck penny in your shoe".

The most widely known African American wedding tradition is the jumping of the broom. This tradition started in the colonies in the southern United States during the time of slavery. Before a bride was married, she would use a broom to clean her mother-in-law’s house. Marriage was prohibited for slaves who worked in the fields. However, marriage was sometimes permitted for house and yard servants and for artisans, but without legal authorization. To legalize the ceremony, the couple would jump a broom. This ceremony is used today to remind couples how their forefathers were married.

In Zambia, a Katawa Mpango (wedding planner) was arranged by the groom’s family to mediate the engagement process. He would present a hoe wrapped in cloth (symbolizing earth, cultivation, and fertilization) and white beads and money to the girl’s family by falling on his back dramatically and clapping his hands. The girl’s family would accept the hoe and money if the match was suitable or just keep the money and beads and return the hoe if the match was not agreeable.

Similar to a Katawa Mpango, the Nakodo (Wedding planner) would assist in the Japanese Shinto wedding ceremony process. He would make sure the ceremonial exchange of drinks with the bride’s family was done when the proposal was accepted. Yui-no betrothal is still being observed today.

At the Japanese Yui-no ceremony, gifts are exchanged between the bride and groom. The bride is presented with an obi (as large sash) representing female virtue. The groom receives a hakama (long, pleated skirt of white Sendai silk) which signifies fidelity. Up to 9 other gifts are exchanged during this ceremony which express happiness and fortune. These gifts are exchanged between families with a Nakodo present to mediate.

An umbrella is used in the Chinese wedding to cover the bridal couple. This ancient tradition is done to honor and potect the bridal couple as they begin their new life together.

The Chinese tradition of using umbrellas to cover the couple is similar to the tradition of marriage under a Chuppah in the Jewish wedding. The public marriage ceremony takes place beneath a chuppah or a wedding canopy. This canopy is symbolic of the home the bride and groom will create. Much like the tent of Abraham, the chuppah is open on all four sides to signify that loved ones are always welcome in our hearts and home. The parents are located around the chuppah to share their love and support for the couple.

Prior to the Jewish ceremony the marriage contract or ketubah is signed in a private ceremony. The ketubah is the legal document that sets the terms of the marriage and the commitment to each other. It is a declaration of love and lifelong commitment. Once signed, the marriage is legal and valid under Jewish law.

In a Phillipine wedding, aside from the exchange of rings, the giving of the arrhae (earnest money in the form of 13 pieces of gold or silver coins) is a part of Filipino weddings as the groom's pledge of his dedication to the welfare of his wife and children. The arrhae (or thirteen coins) are carried by a coin bearer who marches with the ring bearer during the processional and recessional.

The exhange of coins is traditional for Mexican weddings as well. The madrina de arras holds the 13 coins the groom will present to the bride. The groom presents these coins to the bride as a symbol of his unquestionable trust and confidence. The bride vows to take that trust and confidence unconditionally and with total dedication and discretion.

In a traditional Hindu Weddings, after Adan Pradan takes place, the wedding date is set according to the Indian calendar. (According to the Indian calendar, there are several timeperiods during which a wedding cannot be conducted.)

The Aashirwad is a confirmation of the Hindu marriage union. The Aashirwad takes place in the evening, a day or two before the actual wedding day, usually at either the bride’s or groom’s home. The entrance door is decorated with a string of mango leaves. These leaves will remain on the door for one year after the wedding. The bride is given a sari (a garment worn by southern Asian women that consists of several yards of lightweight cloth draped so that one end forms a skirt and the other end forms a head or shoulder covering). The groom is presented with a ring, gold buttons, and a watch. The day before the wedding, the priest visits the house of the bride and the groom and offers a prayer to their ancestors. This ceremony is called Vridhi.

On the day of the Hindu wedding, early in the morning, before sunrise, the Dodhi Mangal ceremony is conducted. Eight to ten married women accompany the couple to a nearby pond. At the pond, the married women invite the Goddess Ganga to the wedding and bring back a pitcher of water from the pond, which they use to bathe the bride and groom. The bride and groom are offered the only food they’ll eat that day—fried fish, curd, and flattened rice. Gifts are exchanged between the bride’s family and the groom’s family before and after the wedding. The morning after the ceremony, the groom applies vermilion (a bright red coloring) on the bride’s forehead. This is a symbol of her marriage status.

In a Muslim wedding The Mangni, or engagement ceremony, is an exchange of rings between the couple. At the Manjha ceremony, the woman is anointed with turmeric paste. The Manjha ceremony takes place at the woman’s house a day or two before the wedding.Unmarried women are able to put the chameli oil on the bride-to-be. Henna (a reddish-brown dye from the leaves of the henna plant) is then put on the bride’s hands and feet. The henna is also used to put a symbolic token, in the form of a spot, on the groom. After the Manjha ceremony, the woman doesn’t leave her house until the wedding. Throughout the Muslim world, a shade of cherry red is chosen as the color for bridal robes. Traditionally, the men and women are seated in separate rooms at the ceremony, or there’s a curtain that separates them. The nikaahnama, or marriage registration, is signed first by the groom and then two witnesses. The men and women are served dinner separately. The groom’s family also eats separately. After their first meal, the bride and groom are seated together and a long scarf is used to cover their heads. With the scarf covering their heads, they recite prayers that the priest gives them. The Koran is placed between the bride and groom and they’re allowed to see each other only through their reflections in mirrors, which are placed in the room. The groom then spends the night in a separate room at the girl’s house, usually with a younger brother. In the morning, the bride’s parents give the groom clothes, money, and gifts. That afternoon, his relatives come to accompany the bridal couple to their new home. The Rukhsat (farewell given by the bride’s father) is done when the father of the bride gives his daughter’s hand to the groom and asks him to always protect her. The bride is the first person to enter the couple’s new home. The wedding reception is conducted when the husband goes to his in-law’s house and brings his wife and her family back to a reception hosted by his family. At this point, the two families become one.

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