Ten Surprising Wedding Traditions

1. The veil was originally worn to frighten evil spirits

In ancient Rome, brides wore the flammeum, a long and heavy red veil which made them look as if they were on fire. They may have been steaming hot underneath it (in more ways than one), but the lore continued to be passed down generation after generation. Luckily, today’s veils are lighter and, for the most part, more practical.

2. Only the rich used to put on a show. Weddings were not always huge family pageants

We know you don’t want to offend your third cousin, twice removed, but the compulsion to invite every single member of the family is a recent one. While powerful dynasties would put on a big do, to rub other nobles’ snooty noses in it, more humble celebrations persisted amongst the middle classes. Whatever you decide, remember the day is about your love and nothing else.

3. Wedding souvenirs were given at all types of parties

Guests at birthday and other family events were also given little favours, called bonbonniere in France, to commemorate the day (quite similar to modern children’s festivities). It consisted mostly of a box made of porcelain, crystal, precious stones or metal, filled with sweet treats.

4. Almonds were a major part of the celebrations

OK, so that’s not exactly surprising but almond confectionaries, perlini in particular, were of great symbolic significance in Italy and France. Five of these coated delights, of Sicilian origin, are usually wrapped in tulle to represent the five wedding wishes: health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity.

5. Wearing white only became widespread in Malta during the British colonial period

Beforehand, most brides simply wore their best dress and black frequently made an appearance. In the UK, white wedding gowns became imperative when Queen Victoria wore one at her wedding to Prince Albert on February 10, 1840. But, locally, the traditional Maltese għonnella was the norm up until the 1950s.

6. The responsibility of a bride’s parents to pay for the wedding started out as a bribe

Women were considered as nothing more than cattle, which could be bought and sold and, in compensation for taking their daughter off their hands, her family used to pay a dowry to the groom’s relatives. With today’s wedding costs skyrocketing, many parents still find themselves forking out thousands of euros, even sinking under a pile of debt, in homage to this antiquated tradition.

7. Gift registries are a twentieth-century American invention

In the 1920s, the renowned department store Macy’s launched the first ever gift registry. All guests now had to do was pick off the list of items set by the bride and groom. Today, with more and more people living together before marriage, there is little need for linen wear and kitchen appliances, and most relatives and friends prefer to give cash or donate money to charity.

8. The mother of the bride traditionally ruled the roost, especially when it came to hats

She dictated when other ladies could remove theirs and the mother of the groom was compelled to choose a smaller one. Modern wedding etiquette still states that until the mother of the bride removes her hat, other female guests are expected to leave theirs on. The groomsmen should also remove them when speaking to her as a sign of respect.

9. In Ancient Greece, the bridal bouquet would often contain bulbs of garlic and herbs

It was formed from garland, symbolising love and happiness, and wreaths, worn by both the bride and groom. Dill, representing lust, and sage, symbolising wisdom, were commonly used to ward off evil spirits. Later, in Europe, the bouquet would mask the bride’s body odour, since people bathed very infrequently.

10. The engagement diamond tradition goes all the way back to…a 1930s De Beers advertisement

When diamonds were discovered in South Africa in the late nineteenth century, the market was suddenly flooded with the stone. To encourage sales, the company’s advertising agency, N.W. Ayer&Son, launched its “A Diamond is Forever” campaign slogan, written by a female copywriter. From then on, men around the world fell to their knees tentatively offering the precious rock to their beloved.