Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue....
Something
old represented past ties and family and was usually a family heirloom.
Something new symbolized the new life ahead. Brides borrowed something of
value and returned it after the wedding to symbolize trust and thoughtfulness.
Something blue was worn for the bride's protection against bad luck or
unhappiness.
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Victorian Wedding Rehearsal
Victorians did
hold rehearsals for the nuptial ceremony. However, it was considered bad luck
for a bride to participate so a friend would take her place in the wedding
rehearsal.
Victorian Wedding Dress
Victorian
weddings are usually very colorful and most brides did not originally wear
white. Color was an important part of men's clothing as well as women's.
Later on, lavender, gray, white, ivory and off-white became some of the
popular colors for the wedding dress. Red and black were considered
inappropriate.
Ever since Queen Victoria wed in 1840,
white has remained the traditional color for wedding gowns and flowers.
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Victorian Wedding Dress
Victorian
weddings are usually very colorful and most brides did not originally wear
white. Color was an important part of men's clothing as well as women's.
Later on, lavender, gray, white, ivory and off-white became some of the
popular colors for the wedding dress. Red and black were considered
inappropriate.
Ever since Queen Victoria wed in 1840,
white has remained the traditional color for wedding gowns and flowers.
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Wedding Veil
The veil itself
is Eastern in origin. Eastern women wore it to ward off the evil eye, and it
protected not only the face, but the whole body as well. It was not removed
until after the wedding ceremony, and the wearing of it to that time was a
sign to the groom that the bride was pure and innocent.
Ring Finger
There are several
origins for wearing the ring upon the fourth finger of the left hand.
The first one, comes from the Roman explanation that this finger best protects
the valuable ring. Another reason comes from the Christian Church, to
impress the seriousness of the ceremony upon the bride and groom, lectured
that the thumb and the first two fingers of the hand stood respectively for
the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, and that the fourth stood for the
earthly love of man for woman, their marriage together, and the hope of Heaven
to follow. |
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Calla Lily Satin Pillow Sachets in Calla Lily Print Gift Box
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Victorian Wedding Day
Also, on the day
of the wedding it was considered bad luck for the bride and groom to see each
other prior to the ceremony. On the wedding day it was considered good
fortune for a gray horse to pull the wedding carriage and a good sign for a
happy marriage. A country bride and her wedding party walked to church
on a carpet of flowers to assure a happy path through life. Church bells rang
back and forth as the couple entered the church, not only to make the
community aware of the ceremony taking place, but also to scare away any evil
forces lurking nearby.
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Throwing Rice
From a custom
dating back to Roman or Egyptian times when nuts were thrown after the
departing couple, the practice continued, but in the form of rice, grain or
birdseed, a symbol of fertility and abundance. While tossing rice became most
popular in America, other countries have their own traditions. For
example, in Morocco, figs, dates, and raisins are thrown. Italians throw
sweets and sugarcoated nuts, in Korea red dates are thrown, and in France,
wheat seems to be the confetti of choice. In Ireland, pots and pans are
"thrown" in honor of the new couple's domestic life.
Victorian Links
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