Ever Wonder About the History 

of Some of the more Popular 

Wedding Traditions ?

Read about the intriguing background

of some of our most treasured wedding customs

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Styles to match any Wedding Motif

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Flower Girl

Flowers are part of the wedding tradition from ancient times to present day. Flowers have a variety of different symbolism, i.e. roses representing love, lilies symbolize virtue. Herbs were carried in ancient times to represent fidelity. In Ancient Greece, brides carried ivy to symbolize eternal, never-ending love.

The traditional orange blossom was introduced by the Spanish. The orange tree both blossoms and bears fruit, thus symbolizing happiness and fulfillment.

Some cultures used noxious smelling herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits.

Today's brides use flowers for color schemes and to add elegance and beauty to their wedding ceremony.

The flower girl spreading rose petals before the processional of the bride comes to us from English tradition. The bride often walked to the church with her bridesmaids. The younger members of her party led the way with a path of flowers to symbolize that the bride's path through life be happy and filled with joy.

Usually the flower girl is a young female relative who the bride wishes to honor by including in her wedding party. The little ones are always thrilled to be dressed up just like the older girls and ladies. What girl can resist a beautiful new dress?

They practice their processional walk and solo performance with a sense of duty and add many an "oh, how cute!" from the guests. Have more than one special little girl? Why not consider having several spreading rose petals from lovely baskets, and one slightly older child to help with the train during the processional?

There is no doubt that flowers and flower girls are all part of the wedding tradition that adds beauty and style to your nuptials.

Something Old, Something New

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe

This saying comes from Victorian times, but includes many old customs. The symbolism can have a great deal of meaning even for today's modern brides.

Something old may represent the couple's oldest friends who usually are included in the wedding party. The hope is that these friendships will continue throughout the marriage. Sometimes, an older happily married woman would contribute something from her wedding, such as a garter, to symbolize the continuity of long and happy marriages.

Something new represents the hope for a bright and happy future. The symbolism of a new beginning to the couple's life can be jewelry, shoes, or any new item worn for the first time on this wedding day.

Something borrowed usually is a traditional item of value from either of the couple's families. It can be a valuable necklace, an antique locket, or your grandfather's watch. Tradition states that the item must be returned after the wedding to ensure good luck.

Something blue comes to us from ancient Israel. Brides wore bands of blue around the bottom of their wedding dress to symbolize fidelity. The tradition continued with blue bands in the hair of brides. The bride may want to include small blue flowers in her tiara, or a small swatch of blue fabric pinned to the inside of the wedding dress.

Although it would be difficult to find a silver sixpence today, most modern brides will put a new penny in their shoe for good luck and prosperity in their marriage.

All of these traditions are meant to bring happiness, prosperity, and good fortune to the newlyweds. Rather than cast these aside as superstitious or out-date, why not have fun with them and focus on the traditions you may be starting in your own family with your wedding.

Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is almost a universal wedding tradition that crosses many cultures and histories. The cutting of the cake by the bride and groom symbolizes their shared future.

In Ancient Rome, the bride and groom shared a plain wedding cake during the ceremony. The tradition of feeding each other with the first piece cut may emanate from that. This is symbolically seen as the couple's first meal. Feeding each other, aside from the comic aspects and silliness, may characterize the marriage vows as caring for each other and providing support throughout their lives.

Throughout history the cake has been prevalent, but in many different forms. The Roman wedding guests threw small flat plain cakes at the happy couple. Anglo-Saxons brought loaves of bread to the wedding ceremony and the overabundance was shared with the poor and needy. In later times, sweet cakes or buns were brought by the guests and piled up. The happy couple was thought to bring good luck by kissing over the top of this pile. Apparently some enterprising baker thought to improve this messy tradition with a more formal pile or tiered cake.

Many cultures use the cake as a symbol of fertility. Breaking the cake over the brides head, be it oatcakes in Scotland, or plain bread in earlier times, carried on this symbolism.

In the past, the cake ingredients often demonstrated the wealth of the family. Rich and lavish fruit cakes were the epitome of this custom. White refined sugar was a very expensive ingredient in past days. Through the years the tiered white cake has become the custom, probably starting with the wedding of one of Queen Victoria's daughters.

Today's wedding cake can add your own personal touch. They need not be the tiered white confection. Add some fruit or fresh flowers for elegance and individuality. Traditional cakes are white or fruitcake according to family or ethnic customs. Buttercream icing can be replaced with fondant or even chocolate….have fun with it! Cheesecake confections are very elegant and popular with guests. How about a carrot cake? It's your wedding…..choose your favorite and start your own tradition.

There is an old English custom of placing a ring inside the wedding cake. The guest who finds the ring is thought to have good luck. It adds a bit of whimsy to the sharing of the cake and will add fun to the reception.

The three-tiered cake may have been originally created as a replica of an English church in London. The three tiers may have been based on tradition also. The first layer was served at the reception, the second was given away to the guests upon leaving, and the third tier saved for the christening of the first child.

In many weddings, the bride and groom take the small top tier and freeze for sharing on their first anniversary.

Unmarried guests are invited to sleep with a piece of wedding cake under their pillows to increase their prospects of finding their own mate. Bridesmaids in particular are said to dream of their future husband. Perhaps the symbolism in this custom is that the events of the happy day will carry forward with a feeling of warmth for all who participated.

The wedding topper origin is lost somewhere in baking history. Many couples use this decoration for their child's christening ceremony. There are beautiful porcelain toppers that can be kept as family heirlooms. There is no right wedding topper. The first gift bought for each other such as a lovely vase could be used. Comic characters have been used.

Just remember, it's your wedding….have fun…start your own traditions.

The Kiss

The wedding ceremony is an exchanging of vows, a public and private contract. In ancient times the kiss was a formal seal for contracts and agreements. A kiss was legally binding, much as the handshake today. In earlier times, no engagement was valid without the seal of a kiss.

When a bride and groom have exchanged their vows in front of all their assembled witnesses, the symbolic kiss, by custom, is the final public sealing of those promises.

Many cultures believe the kiss to be the exchanging of souls. The kiss represents bonding, the sending of a part of oneself into the other's being.

The traditional end of the ceremony, the wedding kiss is the ultimate "photo-op". After this symbol of marital unity, the bride and groom can now be officially introduced as "Mr. and Mrs." for the first time.