Incorporating wedding traditions in your wedding day is a wonderful and fun way of celebrating and recognising the historical importance of marriage within a modern context. Listed below are many of the traditions that are still popular throughout the United Kingdom today. As we stumble across more while we research our articles, we will add them to our list. We should add that we have come across several explanations for most traditions during our research and have documented here the most frequently occurring. Also, many of the traditions date back many hundreds of years and consequently their origins are not fully known although most have their roots in ancient superstitious beliefs. So, if you read other explanations elsewhere, don't be surprised since there are many about and they all sound plausible.

Something old: The full wording of this popular bridal attire rhyme, which dates back to the Victorian times is something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Something old refers to wearing something that represents a link with the bride's family and her old life. Usually, the bride wears a piece of family jewellery or maybe her mother's or grandmother's wedding dress.

Something new: Wearing something new represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life. The bride's wedding dress is usually chosen, if purchased new, but it can be any other new item of the bride's wedding attire.

Something borrowed: Wearing something borrowed, which has already been worn by a happy bride at her wedding, is meant to bring good luck to the marriage. Something borrowed could be an item of bridal clothing, a handkerchief or an item of jewellery.

Something blue : Wearing something blue dates back to biblical times when the colour blue was considered to represent purity and fidelity. Over time this has evolved from wearing a blue clothing to wearing a blue band around the bottom of the bride's dress and to modern times where the bride wears a blue or blue-trimmed garter.

Carrying the bride over the threshold: There seems to be two explanations for this tradition where the groom carries his bride over the threshold when entering their home as a married couple for the first time. The first is to protect the bride from evil spirits that were thought to be lying in wait under the threshold. The second explanation relates to Roman times when it was believed that if the bride stumbled when entering the newlywed's home for the first time, it would bring bad luck and harm to their marriage. So carrying the bride across the threshold would prevent this from happening (although we haven't established the likely outcome to the marriage if the groom stumbled while carrying the bride!).

The wedding dress: It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding dress. It is also unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress before until she arrives at the ceremony. The bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stich on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony when the outfit is completed.

The wedding dress colour: Most brides today marry in white which symbolises maidenhood. This tradition started by the rich in 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...

The wedding veil: The origin of the wedding veil is unclear but it is thought that it predates the wedding dress by centuries. One explanation is that it is a relic of the days when a groom would throw a blanket over the head of the woman of his choice when he captured her and carted her off. Another explanation is that during the times of arranged marriages, the bride's face was covered until the groom was committed to her at the ceremony - so it would be too late for him to run off if he didn't like the look of her! It is also thought that the veil was worn to protect the bride from evil spirits that would be floating around on her wedding day. These origins have all evolved into the tradition that the veil covers the bride's face throughout the ceremony until the minister pronounces the couple man and wife - although today, the veil is often lifted by the bride's father when the bride arrives at the alter.

Wedding favours: The tradition of giving your guests something to remember the day by in the form of favours has been around for hundreds of years. Today, the tradition has evolved to giving each guest five sugar coated almonds to symbolise health, wealth, fertility, happiness and long-life. However, during the late 19th century at high society weddings, guests could expect to receive favours such as scarves, garters and gloves. Looking back further, an article in the Caldwell Papers (Scotland) dated 1750, reports: "The bride's favours are sewn on her gown from top to bottom, and round the neck and sleeves. The moment the wedding ceremony was performed the whole company ran to her and pulled off the favours; in an instant she was stripped of all of them. The bride's mother then came in with a basket of favours belonging to the bridegroom; those and the bride's were the same, with the livery's of their families, hers pink and white, his gold and blue colour." But why almonds? It appears that the association of almonds with love goes back to Greek legend with the story of a young man called Demophon, who met and fell in love with a Tracian princess, Phyllis. However, before the marriage ceremony could take place Demophon is informed that his father has died in Athens and he must return for the funeral. He promises to return by a certain date but errs on the time it will take him and does not return until three months later. By this time Phyllis is convinced that she will never see her lover again and hanged herself. The Gods, touched by her love, transform her into an almond tree. The grief stricken Demophon offered a sacrifice to the almond tree, declaring his undying love. In response, the almond tree blossomed. Impetuous youth and undying love were thus symbolised by the almond. Also, in his writings on natural history in 77AD, Pliny advised that eating five almonds would prevent drunkenness; therefore maybe the giving of the five almonds to wedding guests was to ensure that celebrations did not get out of hand.

Third finger, left hand:  A bride's engagement ring and wedding ring are traditionally worn on the third finger of the left hand (the finger next to your little finger). Although there is no precise evidence to explain the origin of this tradition, there are two strongly held beliefs. The first, dating back to the 17th century, is that during a Christian wedding the priest arrived at the forth finger (counting the thumb) after touching the three fingers on the left hand '...in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost'. The second belief refers to an Egyptian belief that the ring finger follows the vena amoris, that is, the vein of love that runs directly to the heart.

Throwing confetti or rice:  The origin of throwing confetti over newly weds predated Christ since it originates from the ancient Pagan rite of showering the happy couple with grain to wish upon them a 'fruitful' union. Pagans believed that the fertility of the seeds would be transferred to the couple on whom they fell. The throwing of rice has the same symbolic meaning. The word confetti has the same root as the word 'confectionery' in Italian and was used to describe 'sweetmeats' that is, grain and nuts coated in sugar that were thrown over newly weds for the same Pagan reason. In recent years, small pieces of coloured paper have replaced sweetmeats, grain and nuts as an inexpensive substitute but the use of the word confetti has remained. Confetti is now available in a wide range of colours and designs to match you wedding theme. Despite the longevity of this tradition, it is on the verge of extinction because the throwing of confetti is not permitted at most register offices and churches due to the mess it makes. However, the tradition may survive with the recent introduction of wedding bubbles, which provides an environmentally safe alternative.

First on the dance floor: At the evening celebrations, the bride and groom traditionally dance first on their own to a waltz. However, as ballroom dancing is not so popular these days, the newlyweds usually dance to a favourite romantic song. During the playing of this song, it is traditional for the groom to dance with his new mother-in-law and then with his mother, while the bride dances with her new father-in-law and then with her father. The best man also joins in dancing with the chief bridesmaid and the ushers with the other bridesmaids when the bride and groom first change. After the first dance, all the guests are invited to join the newlyweds on the dance floor. Please read our related article music for your Wedding.

Why the bride stands on the left: During the marriage ceremony, the bride stands on the left and the groom on the right. The origin of this goes back to the days when a groom would capture his bride by kidnapping her. If the groom had to fight off other men who also wanted her as their bride, he would hold his bride-to-be with his left hand allowing his right hand to be free to use his sword.

Symbols:

Bridal flowers and their meaning: The carrying of flowers by the bride has its roots in ancient times when it was believed that strong smelling herbs and spices would ward off and drive away evil spirits, bad luck and ill health. Garlic and chives were also popular for the same reason. During Roman times, this tradition was extended, with the bride and groom wearing floral garlands signifying new life and hope for fertility. The bouquet in particular symbolised a women in bloom. During Victorian times, flowers took on an additional significance as lovers would send messages to each other using different flowers, with each flower having its own meaning. These associations were soon adopted for the bride's bouquet and are still used today by many brides.

The wedding cake: The wedding cake has a rich symbolic history of its own that is relatively forgotten today. The ancient Greeks threw cakes at the newly married couple, just as we throw confetti today. In Roman times, at the marriages of the upper classes, cakes made of flour, salt and water would firstly be shared by the bride and groom, which was thought to promise the couple a life of plenty, in both children and happiness. The remainder was then broken over the bride's head. The guests, believing they would share in the blessing it symbolised, would rush forward to procure a morsel for themselves. Furthermore, it was only the children born to a marriage sanctified in this way that qualified for the high sacred offices in Roman life, hence, not only did the cake provide the couple with future fertility, but also it promised their yet unconceived children with a propitious future. A huge basket of dried biscuits was provided at the wedding ceremonies of the early Anglo Saxons where the guests would take one each and the remainder was shared amongst the poor. However, in later times the wedding guests would bring their own cakes, often spiced buns, which were piled into a huge mound. It was deemed to be good fortune if the bride and groom were able to kiss each other over the mountain of cakes, promising them life-long happiness and good fortune. Legend suggests that at about the time of King Charles II (1630-1685) a French chef, observing the tedious way that all the small cakes were piled on top of each other suggested icing the mound into one mass, out of which grew the traditional French celebration cake called the croquembouche. The many tiered, elaborately iced, traditional wedding cakes of today are based on the unusual shape of the spire of St Bride's church in London. In Victorian times, the tradition of breaking the cake over the bride's head was believed to promote fertility and unmarried girls would pass a piece of the cake through the bride's wedding ring and place it under their pillow believing that they would dream of their future husband. In more recent times the cutting of the cake, once the sole responsibility of the bride, was symbolic of the bride's pending loss of virginity, and even now the wedding cake is often still regarded as a symbol of fertility, and its distribution among the guests is symbolic of the sharing of happiness - sharing is regarded as an important feature of all religions, hence the tradition of sending a piece of cake to those unable to attend the ceremony

The most popular flowers with their traditional meanings are: Apple Blossom Better things to come  Camelia Gratitude Carnation Fascination and love Chrysanthemum-Red I love you Chrysanthemum-White Truth Cyclamen Modesty and shyness  Daffodil Regard Daisy Innocence Fern Fascination and sincerity  Flowering Almond Hope Forget-me-not True love and remembrance  Heliotrope Devotion and faithfulness  Honeysuckle Generosity Hyacinth Loveliness Hydrangea Boastfulness Iris Warmth of affection Ivy Eternal fidelity Japonica Loveliness Jasmine Amiability Lemon Blossom Fidelity in love Lilac (white) Youthful innocence Lily Majesty Lily-of-the-valley Return of happiness Magnolia Perseverance Maidenhair Discretion Mimosa Sensitivity Orange Blossom Purity and virginity Peach Blossom Captive Rose (red) Love Rose (yellow) Friendship Rose (coral) Desire Rose (peach) Modesty Rose (dark pink) Thankfulness Rose (pale pink) Grace Rose (orange) Fascination Rose (white) Innocence Rosemary Remembrance Snowdrop Hope Sweet Pea Delicate pleasures Tulip Love Veronica Fidelity