Wedding Traditions: Where Did They Come From?

There are so many wedding traditions that it would be impossible to cover them all in just one article, but we can certainly bring you some of the best ones! Many wedding traditions have come from our ancestors and are continued to this day, some come from other countries and cultures and some are just plain modern.

Just about everything we do in relation to getting married is steeped in tradition, from choosing the rings, to the father of the bride walking her down the aisle and the tossing of rice. Most of the time, we don't even really think about it, but these traditions do have a purpose, or at least they did originally. And whether you are planning Toronto weddings, Hawaiian weddings or tying the knot anywhere else . . . chances are, there will be some wonderful traditions involved.

Common North American Wedding Traditions

There are certain traditions that are really quite common among North Americans and these tend to have their roots in the past. Let's take a look at a few:

Tin cans behind the car: This is a very popular way to see the newlyweds off, with tin cans rattling behind their car. This tradition originated as a method of keeping evil spirits away from the happy couple.

Colorful bridesmaid dresses: Believe it or not, bridesmaids were originally meant to distract evil spirits away from the bride, so they were all brightly dressed and kept close to the bride, dressed in spirit-repelling white, during her wedding day to prevent bad luck from befalling her.

Flowers: While you might imagine flowers at a wedding to be simply decorative, they actually symbolize fertility and a new life. Certain flowers even hold specific meanings, according those held in Victorian times.

You may kiss the bride: Closing the ceremony with a kiss stems from ancient Rome when all contracts were sealed with a kiss. The contract of marriage is also sealed with a kiss.

Tossing rice: Since this tradition is actually dangerous to birds and small animals that eat the rice, most wedding parties now toss confetti or blow bubbles, but the traditional rice was meant to signify fertility and plenty of food for the new couple.

Wedding Traditions from Other Cultures

If you don't want to be completely predictable, there's nothing wrong with spicing things up a bit with some fun wedding traditions from other cultures. These can be quite unique and are a great way to celebrate the bride and groom's heritage.

In Panama, the groom gives his new bride 13 coins as part of the ceremony, to symbolize his promise to support her financially. These coins are usually blessed by the priest who is officiating the wedding ceremony.

A Czechoslovakian wedding tradition dictates that a tree be planted in the bride's yard and decorated with ribbons and wedding finery. It's said that the bride will live the same amount of time as the tree. Another tradition is to put an infant on the couple's bed on their wedding night to bring fertility.

Polish parents of the bride and groom give the happy couple a glass of wine (symbolizing joy and good health) and slices of rye bread (symbolizing a full pantry) that has been sprinkled with salt (hard times) to show their blessing.

As you plan your wedding, you'll find that there are plenty of other interesting wedding traditions. While many are culture specific, that doesn't mean you can't use them in your own wedding. The traditions that have been created over the generations hold special meaning and this is why it's important to continue them.

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