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| Why We Do What We Do |
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- The term "spooning" was coined by lovesick men of Wales. A suitor carved a spoon of wood and presented it to his beloved. If she wore it around her neck on a ribbon, she returned his love and they were engaged.
- Chivalrous gentlemen sent a pair of gloves to their true loves. If the woman wore the gloves to church on Sunday, it signaled her acceptance
of proposal.
- In mythology, Prometheus smelted a ring from the fire of the gods for
mankind, out of love.
- The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transferred ownership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom's worth.
- The diamond in the engagement ring is said to have been chosen for its durability, signifying enduring love. The diamond's fire is now also associated with love's clear flame.
- Because the early Anglo Saxon groom so often had to defend his bride from would-be kidnappers, she stood to his left, leaving his sword-arm free. The "best" warrior in the tribe stood by the groom and was responsible for helping defend the bride, thus the placement for the modern day best
man.
- In ancient days, fathers would offer daughters as peace offerings to warring tribes. Because of the hostility, the families were placed on opposite sides of the church so the ceremony could go on without bloodshed. The ceremony united the two warring factions into one family, and danger of
war was resolved.
- Good luck symbols for the bride include wearing a sixpence in her shoe to ensure wealth in her future life, and a kiss from a chimney sweep is supposed to bring good luck as he has magical associations with the family
- the hearth of the fire symbolizing the heart of the family. A horseshoe
carried by the bride is considered a symbol of fertility. Bad luck for
the bride who looks in the mirror wearing her complete outfit before her
wedding day - old beliefs say that part of yourself goes into the reflection
and therefore, the bride would not be giving all of herself to her new
husband.
- The tying of old shoes on going-away vehicles is a Hindu custom of good luck.
- Loud noises were said to chase away evil spirits, and during the ceremony, the guests would make noises to keep the spirits away. Today, it's traditional that the bridal party honk their car horns while leaving the ceremony.
- By taking a piece of wedding cake home and placing it under your pillow, you were to dream of the person you would wed.
--This section was presented by Lisl M. Spangenberg, author of the book Timeless Traditions.
Click here to order Timeless Traditions.
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