Eight Wedding Traditions and Their Meanings

Wedding Rings

Wedding Rings are traditionally seen as a symbol of a couple's commitment to each other, with the circle having no beginning and no end, representing the unending love between them. In Roman times, rings made of iron were exchanged, as a symbol of permanence.

In some European countries, such as Germany and Russia, wedding rings are worn on the right hand rather than the left hand while in Jewish tradition, the wedding ring is placed on the index finger rather than the ring finger.

Some couples choose to have a ring warming ceremony incorporated into their wedding ceremony. This involves the wedding rings being passed to guests or close family, who are asked to 'warm' the rings with their good wishes for their marriage.

White Wedding Dress

Queen Victoria is credited with starting this tradition when she wore a white lace gown for her marriage to Prince Albert in 1940. Before then, most brides wore their best dress, regardless of its colour.

Not all cultures share this tradition. In countries such as India, Korea, Singapore and many areas of China, a bride traditionally wears red, with red being associated with good luck and fortune.

Whether white or red is traditional in your culture, it is definitely not compulsory, so feel free to wear whatever colour you like on your wedding day.

Throwing the Bouquet

The tradition of throwing the bouquet is said to have started in England in the 14th century. Bouquets we’re not just decorative, they included herbs to ward off evil spirits.

Brides we’re believed to be lucky, so guests would try to grab something belonging to her, such as her flowers or even a piece of her dress, to improve their luck!

Rather than have her flowers and dress ruined, the bride would toss the bouquet to distract her guests while she made her escape, and this is believed to be where the tradition of throwing the bouquet started.

Wedding Cakes

The ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians are believed to have started this tradition, breaking a simple bread cake over the bride's head for fertility, fruitfulness, and good luck. Wedding guests would try to catch pieces of cake so they could share the good luck.

In Medieval England the custom had moved on to one where small cakes were stacked on each other, which was the beginning of tiered wedding cakes. Large elaborately decorated single tier cakes also became popular.

Modern wedding cakes include large single tier cakes, multi-tiered cakes, smaller individual iced cakes arranged in tiers, tiered cakes made of cheeses or charcuterie, and just about anything else you would like!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue

This is another English tradition believed to bring good luck to the bride for her married life.

Something old is a link to the bride’s past, while something new represents hope for the future.

The something borrowed should be from another happily married couple to borrow some of their happiness, while something blue represents purity, love and fidelity.

Throwing Confetti

This tradition is believed to have been around since pagan times, when grains, petals and flowers were thrown to bring prosperity and fertility to newlyweds.

Paper confetti became popular in Italy, where it was thrown to symbolise good wishes, joy and celebration. This tradition then spread to other parts of the world.

Many venues no longer allow paper confetti because of the mess left behind, however more environmentally friendly confetti made either from biodegradable materials or natural materials are now available.

The Bridal Veil

It seems that brides originally wore veils covering their faces to protect themselves from evil spirits, however this later gave way to the veil being seen a symbol of modesty or humility.

For many modern brides, the bridal veil is simply a traditional wedding accessory and is often not worn covering the face.

Veils come in many different styles, colours and length and for many, it completes the image of a ‘bride’ rather than just seeing a person in a pretty dress.

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

Bridesmaids and groomsmen might assist with wedding planning, help the marrying couple get ready on their wedding day, and provide emotional support to them before, during and after their ceremony.

The maid of honour and best man typically act as the couple’s witnesses during the wedding ceremony and are often asked to give a speech at the wedding reception.

Modern weddings often dispense with the tradition of having bridesmaids and groomsmen. Elopements typically have none while micro-weddings might have only a best man and maid of honour, but if you love the tradition and want to include a big wedding party, the choice of course is yours!