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.

Veil or not................

The Veil :

Traditionally, brides have been thought to be particularly vulnerable to evil spirits and many of the customs and traditions associated with weddings are to provide protection. The veil was originally worn by Roman brides. It was thought that it would disguise the bride and therefore outwit malevolent spirits. The veil became popular in Britain in the eighteen hundreds. In this country it is associated with modesty and chastity. In some Eastern ceremonies the bride is veiled and the groom is not allowed to see the bride's face until after the wedding ceremony. In some Jewish weddings there is a ritual where the groom ensures that the bride is his intended before placing the veil over her face. The choice is yours as to whether you wear a veil or not...

There are many different lengths and styles now that will match your wedding dress and your venue.

Winter wedding flowers

It is traditional in winter for the brides bouquet to consist of evergreens and berries. But many bridal flowers are available year round - but some are even winter blooms, but which are suitable winter wedding flowers ?

Flowers for a Winter Wedding

There are some great tips and help with winter wedding flowers in this article.  Their advice about the bouquet, buttonholes and even the wedding reception venue is very welcome .  I really liked that they also list what flowers should be available for November to February brides.  Much nicer than looking in a book only to find that the florist can't get them.  However, your flowers should keep better, in the cold.

Thanks to Arena Flowers who are based in London, W3
for guiding us in the right direction.