Looking for some classic wedding traditions to include in your big day? Look no further! Here is a list of our favorite classic traditions! If you are looking for a modern take on wedding traditions, stay tuned for our next post where we list some new traditions and some of the classics with a modern flair.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Many of us have heard this popular phrase of what a bride should be wearing on her wedding day. The famous rhyme lists all the items that were historically thought to bring a bride good luck and ward off evil. Now, the old, new, borrowed, and blue items have become the token four details that brides try to incorporate into their wedding attire for good luck on their special day.
Not Seeing Each Other Before the Ceremony
The tradition of the couple not seeing each other before their wedding ceremony likely dates back to the times of arranged marriages. In those days, the groom was not to see the bride before the wedding so that he wouldn't have a chance to change his mind. Now, not seeing the bride before the ceremony has become a great way to build up excitement and anticipation for the moment when the couple sees each other for the first time on their wedding day.
Flower Girls and Ring Bearers
Flower girls and ring bearers have traditionally been a part of the wedding processional. Ring bearers walk the rings up to the alter followed by flower girls who scatter petals on the aisle upon which the bride will walk. Having children carrying the rings and petals symbolizes innocence and hope for the couple. It is common for couples to have the children of relatives or family friends participate in their wedding as ring bearers or flower girls.
The Wedding March
The iconic "Here Comes the Bride" song that plays as the bride walks down the aisle is Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March". This is the stereotypical tune to which brides walk down the aisle, but many couples have gotten creative with this, substituting other melodies (sometimes songs with personal significance) for their processional.
Giving the Bride Away
Giving the bride away is an act in which the father of the bride hands his daughter off to the groom. Historically, fathers would hand off their daughters to the groom in exchange for a dowry. Even without the presence of a dowry, many individuals still elect to be walked down the aisle by their father. Others prefer an even more modern approach. Stay tuned for the next post where we will be sharing some modern-day twists to this tradition!
The Wedding Veil
The origin of wearing a wedding veil seems to date back to the times of arranged marriages. Back then, not only was the veil meant to symbolize the bride's purity, but it was also meant to hide her face from the groom until the moment in which they were married. Wedding veils have since evolved into a beautiful bridal accessory with many styles and lengths. They have also been known to create gorgeous wedding photos!
The Bouquet Toss
It has been said that the tradition of tossing the bride's bouquet came from England. Since brides were considered lucky, it was thought that guests would often try to grab something belonging to her. The bride would then throw her bouquet into the crowd of guests in an attempt to escape the frenzy. While this particular origin of the bouquet toss may or may not be true, at weddings, the bouquet is often tossed to the unmarried women in attendance. Whoever catches the bouquet is believed to be the next woman to get married.
The Garter Toss
The garter toss begins with the groom removing a garter from the leg of his new bride. Similarly to the bouquet toss, once removed, the garter is to be tossed to a group of unmarried men at the wedding. Traditionally, whoever catches the garter is not only thought to be the next man to be married but he is also often expected to put it on the leg of the woman who caught the bouquet.
Cans Tied to the Getaway Car
Watching the getaway car drive away with the words "just married" painted on the back and cans trailing behind is such an iconic wedding movie scene. There are many potential origins for this tradition, but Brides.com noted that this may have come from a time when guests would follow the couple home, banging pots and pans, making as much noise as possible to celebrate the newly married couple. The guests would continue to celebrate and cheer the couple on even after the couple retired to their room. Now, tying cans to the getaway car has become a nod to the celebration that the couple just got married.
Going on Your Honeymoon Right after the Wedding
While there are many possible origins of the honeymoon itself, traditionally the couple would go on their honeymoon immediately after the wedding. This is becoming less common as many couples choose to wait a little while after their wedding before taking a celebratory, post-wedding vacation.
We hope you enjoyed our list of some of our favorite classic wedding traditions! Stay tuned for our next blog post where we dive into some new wedding traditions as well as modern takes on some of the classics.