The origin of our main wedding traditions (and curiosities from other parts of the world too)

We know the wedding rituals well: the bride wears white, the page brings the rings, we throw rice at the bride and groom and at the end of the party we delight in the sweets and well-married. But can you say where these customs that are repeated in all Brazilian ceremonies and celebrations come from? Most have very old stories, which may be from the time of the pharaohs!

O awesome.club researched traditions and superstitions and now you can lavish culture on your next celebration. Everyone will be in awe of all your marital wisdom! and not bonus At the end of the post there are several curiosities about the wedding in other countries.

In ancient Greece and Rome, the bride’s veil, worn over the face, was believed to ward off evil spirits and bring luck to the couple. The veil also prevented other suitors from lusting after the bride and prevented the groom from disapproving of the girl in the case of arranged marriages. Hence the superstition that the groom cannot see the bride before the ceremony. In Christianity, the white veil, no longer used to hide the face, became a symbol of connection with God.

We all know that white represents purity, but it wasn’t until 1840, when Queen Victoria of England asked William Dyce to design her very rich wedding dress, all lace. Until that time, in the western world, colors were valued in the bride’s attire, but the impact of white launched by Vitória was so strong that it became a tradition in almost the entire planet.

Fashion has extended to the catwalks: a couture show must end with the presentation of a white wedding dress.

In medieval times, it was common for the groom to kidnap the bride and take her to the altar, if the girl’s family was against the marriage. For him, having his right hand free meant he could defend himself more quickly with his sword in case someone tried to stop the ceremony on the basis of force.

The tradition of best men also comes from these heroic weddings and is believed to have been established in 16th century Germany. The groom would gather a group of young men he considered good at fighting. The best of them stayed at the altar to command the action, should the need arise. Hence the expression in English best man (best man), which designates the role of the best man.

As you’ve seen above, the custom of inviting groomsmen to the wedding didn’t come from a romantic inspiration. As for the bridesmaids, in Ancient Rome it was common for a group of women to accompany the bride to the ceremony. These escorts, however, were not allowed to attend the wedding. All 10 witnesses required by the ritual must be men.

Nowadays, when times are more airy, it is the friends of the heart who go up to the altar to witness this very special moment.

This is a very English tradition, from the 19th century, which began to be copied in Brazil after Kate Middleton’s marriage to Prince William in 2011. She strictly followed the recommendations and used each of these items in the ceremony:

Something old: an object that belongs to the bride’s family or represents her story, bringing protection to the children to come. In Kate’s case, her dress was made from traditional Irish Carrickmacross lace. Something new: a sign of optimism for the future. Kate wore a pair of diamond earrings by jeweler Robinson Pelham, a gift from her parents. Something borrowed: a superstition of good luck from a family member. Kate wore a tiara by French jewelry company Cartier that belonged to William’s great-grandmother, the Queen Mother. Something blue: Kate sewed a blue ribbon inside the dress, a sign of fidelity.

In ancient Egypt, alliances symbolizing the union of two people already existed. Made of papyrus or other fiber, they were worn around the wrist or ankle. In Rome, metal entered the scene in the making of rings. By their circular shape, which has no beginning or end, they represent eternal union.

Diamond is also a sign of longevity, as it is one of the toughest stones on Earth. It became fashionable to set diamonds in wedding rings when Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

The habit of wearing rings on the ring finger of the left hand also comes from the Romans. They believed that a vein began on this finger (come amoris) linked directly to the heart.

In the great celebrations in Egypt of the pharaohs, including weddings, the jewelry was presented on pillows, to highlight the beauty of the pieces and impress those who admired them.

In medieval Europe, there was the habit of taking the rings to the altar in missals (books with the readings of the masses). However, pillows were luxury items at the time, only the richest could afford them. It became a sign of status to imitate the Egyptians and display the rings on them.

The habit returned to fashion in Victorian England (1837-1901), as we know it today, with a little boy aged 4 to 8 years wearing the wedding rings on finely embroidered or lace mini pillows.

The Romans (almost always them!) created the tradition of placing a girl carrying a sheaf of wheat during the wedding ceremony, to bring fortune to the bride and groom. In the Renaissance, there was a fashion for the girl to bring garlic and other aromatic plants to weddings, which would ward off evil spirits. In Elizabethan England (16th century), flowers won the favor of the bride and groom and are still on the scene today. A wedding is never complete without bridesmaids carrying flowers down the aisle.

The two most famous wedding marches are that of Felix Mendelssohn, from 1842, and that of Richard Wagner, from 1850, both German composers. The curious thing is that they didn’t write these songs for weddings. Mendelssohn made his march to a staging of the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by Shakespeare. And Wagner’s music is part of the opera Lohengrin🇧🇷

The fashion for wearing them in ceremonies was (again!) Queen Victoria of England, who included Mendelssohn’s march at the wedding of her daughter, also named Victoria, in 1858. The Queen’s youngest daughter, Beatrice (pictured above), he got married in 1885 to the sound of Wagner’s score (the one in which we usually sing “at last, at last”). Both compositions are on the matchmaking charts to this day.

In ancient Rome, it was customary to break bread made of wheat or rye on the bride’s head, wishing luck and fertility. The bride and groom were supposed to eat a few crumbs together and this was the first act of union in the newlyweds’ lives.

In medieval England, guests piled bread and donuts and were amused to see the bride and groom trying to kiss on top of the pile, which would have given rise to the shape of modern cakes. In the 15th century, even among the English, the fashion was to serve, in honor of the bride, a pie stuffed with oysters, lamb testicles, animal entrails and many spices. Whoever ate would be lucky.

Sweet cakes only gained popularity in the 16th century, when refined sugar began to circulate in Europe. However, as it was still an expensive product, the rich liked to show off with monumental cakes, preferably with white frosting – a clear sign that they had enough money to buy a lot of refined sugar.

Despite all this evolution, cutting and eating the first piece of the wedding cake together still has the same Roman symbolism for modern couples.

It is believed that the origin of this sweet is Portuguese. The cookies, made up of two pieces of fluffy dough filled with dulce de leche, represent the couple’s union and their mutual respect. By distributing them to the guests, the bride and groom extend all their wishes for happiness.

It is another tradition that comes from Ancient Rome, when a marriage meant not only the union of two people, but also the hope of economic growth of the two families. In those times, wheat or rye were most often used, which symbolized abundance, good harvests, fertility and prosperity. As time passed, rice became popular.

In medieval Europe, single women used to carry a piece of the bride’s dress as an amulet for good luck and fertility. As time passed, smarter brides began tossing personal items to prevent single women from plucking their dresses. As the bouquet seemed to be the most expendable accessory, it was established that it would be the symbol of luck in love for whoever managed to catch it.

Before the 18th century in Europe, it was customary for friends to gather in the bedroom of newlyweds and help them undress to “encourage” them on their first wedding night. Over time, the guests became less intrusive, but kept themselves outside banging pots and pans. In the 20th century, when cars came on the scene, the noise of cans took on the shape we know today.

This tradition does not come from Rome, Germany or England. It’s really Brazilian! Do you want a better way to say goodbye to the bride and groom than samba on the foot?

There are several theories about the origin of the expression “honeymoon”. According to the English, the term has been used since the 16th century to designate the period of marriage most characterized by love and happiness. In 19th century England, it was customary to take relatives on a honeymoon trip, to visit people who were unable to attend the ceremony. It is also the habit of the English to drink mead, a fermented sweet, based on honey, in the first days of marriage.

In the 20th century, with the development of mass tourism, honeymooning became a popular habit. In Europe, destinations such as the French Riviera or the Italian cities of Rome and Venice used to be the most sought after, for their romantic atmosphere. Today, a beautiful beach in the northeast or the charm of Buenos Aires or Santiago can be the dream settings of newlyweds.

India: in some regions of the country, the groom arrives at the wedding venue mounted on a horse and drawing attention, in the midst of a lively procession, to the cheap (pictured above), with a music band, dancers and fireworks. Finland: Before the wedding, the bride leaves with a pillowcase and goes from door to door to receive gifts. She is accompanied by a man who carries an umbrella. This means protection for the future wife during their new married life. Armenia:🇧🇷