Wedding Symbolism: What Does It represent?
Young couples planning a wedding have a lot of choices for their big day. It helps to learn about different wedding traditions and what they symbolize. There are a lot of wedding symbols to learn about. Which ones have meaning for the couple and which ones can be ignored? A wedding does not have to please parents, friends, bosses, or the community. It has to please the two people getting married.
The Wedding Bouquet
Most brides carry a wedding bouquet because it is a tradition. But, do they know what it represents? A traditional meaning for the bridal bouquet is joyful lovemaking and also fertility. The ribbons that often are part of the bouquet are for good luck with lover’s knots at the ends of them representing unity and two parts of a whole.
When a bride throws her bouquet to the ladies at the wedding, there is the hope that the person catching the bouquet will be the next bride. And we hope they will give the bouquet back to the bride to keep as a welcome memory. But, that bouquet can get dusty, damaged, and faded if not preserved properly. So part of the wedding planning should include plans for wedding bouquet preservation.
It is no fun to open that box or bag containing the wedding bouquet years later and find it crushed, eaten by bugs, and falling apart. Companies such as Pressed Floral will preserve wedding flowers under glass in attractive frames so they can be displayed and preserved for decades to come.
The Wedding Dress is a Very Important Symbol
Wedding dresses have a history that goes as far back as ancient Egypt. Those bridal dresses were sheer silk to expose all of the bride’s body. Since then, many layers have been added to wedding dresses in a bow to bridal modesty. Ancient wedding gowns were in various colors but Queen Victoria established white as the official wedding dress color at her royal wedding. The white wedding gown came to symbolize innocence and purity.
Modern brides can again wear any color they want, but white is still the most popular wedding dress color. The color of wedding attire might be influenced by the type of wedding. A bride being wed at the courthouse by the clerk of court or a judge might wear less formal clothing.
Along with the wedding dress, the bride is often encouraged to wear something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue. Something old should come from a happily married relative. Something new would be the wedding gown or other bridal piece of clothing. The borrowed item was usually a piece of jewelry loaned by a family member. The blue item symbolizes the moon, believed to be the protector of women.
The Bridal Veil
One popular belief is that the bridal veil was originally meant to hide the bride’s beauty from any evil spirits or an evil eye. Some believe the best bridal veil is one borrowed from a happily married friend. Modern weddings seem to use the veil being lifted as a symbol of a marriage ceremony completed. It is possible most brides wear a wedding veil as part of their wedding attire as tradition without knowing what it may symbolize.
The Wedding Ring
A wedding ring is a perfect circle with no end symbolizing a union, eternity, and even completeness. In ancient Roman times, the precious metal wedding ring was used to symbolize that a woman was married and that her husband trusted her with his riches. Wedding rings have been worn on different fingers during different periods of history.
Throwing Rice at the Bridal Couple
This is another ancient symbol believed to originate in the Orient. Throwing rice at the happy newlyweds was a way to wish them prosperity, health, and fertility. Another belief was that rice would confuse hungry evil spirits and keep them away from the bride. Today throwing rice over the happy couple is a way to express good wishes for them to have a happy marriage.
A Honeymoon
The symbolism of the honeymoon is quite interesting. At one time in ancient history, grooms captured their brides by force and carried them away to wed. Then, when things quieted down with her family, the groom would bring his new wife back with gifts for her relatives. Over time, a honeymoon became a time for the bride and groom to have time alone to bond and have a good start to their marriage.
Why Does The Bride Stand to the Left of the Groom During the Ceremony?
This positioning may have originated in history when the groom needed to have his sword hand free in case he needed to protect his bride from someone trying to kidnap her. Others believe she stands to the left to be close to the groom’s heart. Another thought is that when grooms captured or kidnapped their brides, they needed their right hand free to fight off any angry family members. They needed the best man to stand by their side in case of a battle over the bride.
Spring Flowers and a Spring Wedding Date
Couples often choose a spring wedding date and have spring flowers in the bridal bouquet or as decorations. Spring blooms like cherry blossoms or daffodils represent a sign of renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings. Another auspicious wedding day is New Year’s Day. This date can symbolize the couple starting a new chapter in their lives. A new year and a new beginning.
There are more symbols for weddings in every culture and within every family. The bride and groom must sift through all the possible symbols and traditions and choose the ones that mean the most to them. Since the wedding day is the first day of a loving couple’s life together as a man and wife, it needs to be special to them.
Some couples choose to have nontraditional weddings that they plan to fit their beliefs and experiences as a couple. A couple where one or the other has children from previous relationships might design a wedding to include their children. Some couples want weddings in unique settings like beaches, or favorite places. Just make that wedding special and happy.
