Marriage has been a part of human history for as long as we can remember. Every culture has its own way of celebrating this union. Some of the traditions we still continue go back in time farther than you would think.
Dresses
The first wedding dress could easily have been a bearskin or a toga. However, the history of the wedding gown as we know it today began in more modern times.
- White did not become the most popular color for a wedding gown until after Queen Victoria’s wedding in 1840.
- The color white originally represented wealth because white cloth was more expensive. The color blue was a symbol of purity.
- During the Great Depression era, brides who couldn’t afford an expensive wedding dress went back to the tradition of wearing their best dress.
- Until the 1960s, wedding dresses didn’t look that different from the styles of the decade. After that, they started to imitate the style of the Victorian Era.
Cake
Every celebration provides an excuse for a feast. At most weddings, the cake represents a centerpiece for the reception. However, the elaborate cake creations we see today started out as something much simpler: a loaf of bread.
- In Ancient Rome, the groom broke a loaf of bread over the bride’s head for good fortunes.
- In Medieval times, the bride and groom would try to kiss over a stack of loaves of bread.
- In the 19th century, weddings would serve a pie known as the “bride’s pie” with a glass ring in it. The first lady to find it was said to be the next to get married.
- In the late 1800s, the modern wedding cake with all its tiers and towers started to develop, resembling what we see at many weddings today.
Rice
After the wedding ceremony, every departing bride and groom is showered with something on their way out the door, whether it is the traditional rice or sensational sparklers.
- Throwing rice on the newlyweds as they left the wedding was a way of wishing the couple good fortune and fertility.
- According to urban legend, rice is harmful to birds, so people searched for new ways to celebrate.
- Today, people use anything and everything: sparklers, balloons, bubbles, confetti, birdseed, color sprinkles and even silly string.