June Wedding

June is the most popular month for weddings.

Originally June was associated with Juno, Roman goddess of marriage. In later times around the 1500 's June was considered a good month. To get ready or May spring harvest celebrations, many folk took their annual bath. In June the bride smelt better than other months, also there were plentiful flowers to mask body odours. (This is where the tradition of the bride carrying flowers originates)

Another benefit of the June wedding was if the bride got pregnant she would still be able to help[ with the fall harvest and once the baby was born would have recovered enough to help with the spring harvest.

June Weddings were held for very practical reasons and is still considered to be lucky.

If you're getting married in June - Congratulations
We hope you have a beautiful day and a long and happy marriage

Best Month for your Wedding

The results of our survey  -

Which month did you pick for your wedding ?

- are in 



Most picked Month was

 

Which was  quite fitting as June was named after Juno (Iuno) who was a  Roman Goddess, the protector of women and the goddess of  marriage. Making a June a popular month for weddings, a tradition that still exists to this day as June is considered lucky.

Your new home!!!!!!!

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

After the wedding the bride must enter the new marital home through the main entrance. It is traditional for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold when they enter for the first time. The reason for this is uncertain. One explanation is that the bride will be visited by bad luck if she falls when entering. An alternative is that the bride will be unlucky if she steps into the new home with the left foot first. The bride can avoid both mishaps by being carried. A third explanation is that it symbolises the old Anglo-Saxon custom of the groom stealing his bride and carrying her off. Hindu's have a similar tradition. The bride is carried by her new husband so that she does not touch the threshold when entering her new home.

Shoes

SHOES

In the past there have been a number of customs involving shoes which were thought to bring good luck. The best known, which is still upheld, is to tie shoes to the back of the newlyweds' car. This has evolved from the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit. (I wouldn't call it lucky if I was hit would you.)

Less well known is for the bride's father to give the groom a pair of the bride's shoes to symbolise the passing of responsibility for the daughter to her new husband. A variation of the custom is for the groom to tap the bride on the forehead with one of the shoes to assert his dominance. (oh really!!!!).

The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet over her shoulder, was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.

Wedding Cake...very nice...........

Wedding Cake or Cupcakes ?

Cutting the wedding cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception. The couple make the first cut together to symbolise their shared future. Cakes have been associated with weddings throughout history. The Romans shared a cake during the wedding ceremony itself. This was not the rich fruit-cake we enjoy today. It was a plain confection made from wheat flour, salt and water. The Fijians and Some Native American tribes still incorporate cake in the wedding ceremonies. In Britain early cakes were flat and round and contained fruit and nuts which symbolise fertility. In the past the custom was to throw many small cakes over the bride in a similar way in which we throw confetti today.(Think of the dress!!!) A modification of this custom was to crumble cake over the brides head and in some versions to break the cake over the Bride's head.(You could knock her out, poor girl) In Scotland Oat Cakes were used for this purpose. This was done to promote fertility. In Yorkshire a plate holding wedding cake was thrown out of the window as the bride returned to her parental home after the wedding. If the plate broke she would enjoy a happy future with her husband but if the plate remained intact her future would be grim. (I never did this!!!) Another old English custom was to place a ring in the wedding cake. The guest who found the ring in their  piece of cake would be ensured happiness for the next year. The shape of the modern three tiered iced cake is believed to have been inspired by the spire of Saint Bride's Church in the City of London. It is said that unmarried guests who place a piece of wedding cake under their pillow before sleeping will increase there prospects of finding a partner and bridesmaids who do likewise will dream of their future husbands. The top tier of the cake is often kept by couples for the christening of their first child. (Not if it's a sponge cake I hope!!!) Photo Credit: Image: Rosen Georgiev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Confetti or sweets.....I know which I would rather have...

Confetti, Candy, Cakes and Sweets

Confetti is Italian for sweets which in Italy are thrown over the couple as they emerge from the Church in that same way we use paper confetti. Raisins and nuts may also be used.

Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.

Bridesmaids and More Maids

Bridesmaids were dressed in a similar way to the bride for the same reason as the origin of veil. The bridesmaids were considered lucky, as it was thought that they would act as decoys, to confuse evil spirits and thus protect the bride. So the more bridesmaids you had the more favourable the wedding omens.

Snow is good - Let it snow on your wedding day

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.

Seeing an open grave, a pig, a lizard, or hearing a cockerel crow after dawn are all thought to be omens of bad luck. Monks and nuns are also a bad omen. This may be because the are associated with poverty and chastity. They are also thought to signal a dependence on charity by the newlyweds.
Bad weather on the way to the wedding is thought to be an omen of an unhappy marriage, although in some cultures rain is considered a good omen. Cloudy skies and wind are believed to cause stormy marriages. Snow on the other hand is associated with fertility and wealth.

Best Month to get Married ?

According to an old English rhyme :

Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you will go.
Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bread.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see.
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

With a special mention  for Lent - Marry in Lent, live to Repent.

The rhyme suggests there is more than one best month to get married. I'm sure each culture has their own wedding omens, lucky months, days and wedding dress colours.  I'd love to hear what's lucky for you.

Wedding Dress Colours

Most brides today marry in ivory. Wedding dress colours have changed over time. 

Although the tradition was to marry in white which was started  by the rich in the 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, often incorporating their lucky colours. The colour was a matter of preference. The following is a traditional rhyme offering advice on dress colour:

Married in White, you have chosen right,
Married in Blue, your love will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Brown, you will live in town,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Pink, your spirit will sink,
Married in Grey, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back.

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. 

Just remember it is entirely up to yourself as to the colour of your gown............