Choosing your date
All though Saturdays and in the past few years Fridays or Sundays have been the favourite old traditions had Wednesday as the luckiest day to marry.
Nowadays there’s not an definitive “favourite month” but originally June was considered to be a lucky month to marry in because it is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage.
Something…
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe
The rhyme originated in Victorian times although some of customs referred in it are much older.
The "something old" represents the couples’ friends who will hopefully remain close during the marriage. Traditionally this was an old garter, which was given to the bride by a happily married woman in the hope that her happiness in marriage would be passed on to the new bride.
"Something new" symbolises the newlyweds' happy and prosperous future.
The "something borrowed" is often lent by the bride's family and is an item much valued by the family. The bride must return the item to ensure good luck.
The custom of the bride wearing "something blue" originated in ancient Israel where the bride wore a blue ribbon in her hair to represent fidelity.
The placing of a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe was to ensure wealth in the couples married life. Today some brides substitute a penny in their shoe during the ceremony as silver sixpences are less common.
The Dress
It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress.
It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before she arrives at the ceremony.
The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.
Most brides today marry in white, which symbolises maidenhood. This tradition started by the rich in sixteenth century. The tradition was given a boost by Queen Victoria who chose to marry in white instead of silver, which was the traditional colour of Royal brides. Before the white dress brides wore their best dress. The colour was a matter of preference.
A green dress is thought to be unlucky unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a 'green gown' was used to imply promiscuity, the green staining being due to rolling in grassy fields.
The Veil
Traditionally, brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits and many of the customs and traditions associated with weddings are to provide protection. The veil was originally worn by Roman brides. It was thought that it would disguise the bride and therefore outwit malevolent spirits.
The veil became popular in Britain in the eighteen hundreds. Where it is associated with modesty and chastity.
In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony.
In some Jewish weddings there is a ritual where the groom ensures that the bride is his intended before placing the veil over her face.
On The Way To The Wedding
When the bride is ready to leave the house for the wedding ceremony a last look in the mirror will bring her good luck. However returning to the mirror once she has began her journey will result in bad luck.
Seeing a chimney sweep on the way to a wedding is thought to bring good luck and it is still possible to hire one to attend wedding ceremonies. Other good luck omens when seen on the way to the ceremony include lambs, toads, spiders, black cats and rainbows. Snow on your journey is associated with fertility and wealth.
Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids were dressed in a similar way to the bride for the same reason as the origin of veil. The bridesmaids were thought to act as decoys to confuse evil spirits and thus protect the bride.
The Best Man
It is the best man's duty to protect the groom from bad luck. He must ensure that once the groom has begun his journey to the church he does not return for any reason.
He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mascot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day.
When the best man is paying the church minister's fee he should pay him an odd sum to bring luck to the couple.
The Couple's First Purchase
It is said that the first partner who buys a new item after the wedding will be the dominant one in the relationship. Many brides ensure that they make the first purchase by arranging to buy a small item such as a pin from the chief bridesmaid immediately after the ceremony.
Money
So this is probably the most delicate part of any wedding. If someone has offered to contribute ask him or her to transfer it into a dedicated wedding account from the start, then you know what you’ve got to plan your budget with.
Traditionally the brides parents would pay for most of the wedding and the groom would be in charge of the transport, men’s attire and honeymoon but everyone is different so don’t worry it won’t jinx a thing if the groom parents or even you want to pay for some of it.
Excel will be your lifeline, keep track of everything so you know where you stand. Predicted costs, actual costs and running totals.
While some companies will be able to give you set prices from the start, others will have to wait and see closer to the time. For example, the transportation, by next summer petrol may be 10 times the price. These are things you just can’t count on so all ways try and keep some emergency funds.
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Please don't hesitate to contact Jessica, our wedding coordinator if you have any enquiries.
