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Kaylyn Logue
Mr. Munoz
English D.C., Per. 5
10 November 2014
Bridal Traditions 1st Draft
Wedding traditions have remained the same over the years. This is due to the person,
either a priest, rabbi, or wedding officiant, who is hired to lead the wedding (Richard). The
person who is charge of pronouncing the couple husband and wife follows the same rules they
were taught (Richard). There may be minor altercations to wedding traditions, such as the change
in vows or which parent walks the bride down the aisle, but the basis has remained the same
(Richard). Most brides however, are unaware of where these traditions began. All bridal
traditions have a specific origin and symbolism that most brides are unaware of.
Wedding dresses were not traditionally white, but actually a wide variety of colors
(Picone). The most common color worn by brides was black because it could be worn again and
hid stains (Picone). The type of group a bride belonged in determined the color she wore on her
wedding (Richard). This shows that not only the style of a dress showed wealth, but also the
color (Richard). Queen Victorias wedding dress caused brides to drift away from this tradition
because she began a new one (Picone). Queen Victoria became the first well-known bride to
wear white on her wedding day (Picone). She was inspired to wear white because of its meaning:
purity and chastity (Richard). Although most women wanted to wear white, eggshell became the
popular color because it was less expensive (Picone). However, when the Great Depression hit,
many women could no longer afford a dress at all so they began wearing common outfits and
dark colors (Picone). When society was able to recover from the devastation of the Great

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Depression, a white wedding dress became common again (Picone). Now many women wear
different colors, especially in China, India, and other European countries (Picone). CLOSING.
The tradition of wearing a veil can be traced back to Rome, Italy (History of the Wedding
Veil). There are several different beliefs on how the veil began though (History of the Wedding
Veil). Since the word veil means to obscure, people believe that a bride wears a veil to trick
the evil spirits that are believed to surround her on her wedding day (History of the Wedding
Veil). For superstitious brides, finding out that evil spirits are believed to surround them, causing
them to feel the need to certainly wear a veil on their wedding (History of the Wedding Veil).
The next believed use of a veil is for modesty (History of the Wedding Veil). However, people
also believe that a veil is used for a brides safety against the evil eye; the veil hides a brides
beauty from the guests who might be jealous of her (History of the Wedding Veil). Another
believed purpose for the creation of a veil was for arranged marriages; the veil was used to
disguise the bride (History of the Wedding Veil). In this case the veil was not hiding the bride
because she was gorgeous, but was a way to ensure that the groom would not run away if he was
not attracted to his fianc (History of the Wedding Veil). The veil is also seen as the brides way
to say that she will listen to her husband (History of the Wedding Veil). Some brides see that as
males being superior to women or as a special way to honor her husband (History of the
Wedding Veil). In todays society, the veil is most commonly used simply as an accessory
(History of the Wedding Veil). The different believed purposes shows that a veil has not always
been used as the finishing touch of an outfit.
Making sure the groom did not see her in her dress before the ceremony was not the only
worry the bride had on her mind. On her wedding day the bride was at a constant risk of being
kidnapped (Richard). The kidnappers would steal the bride, make her marry him, and then rape

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her, so her father would be forced to pay money for a divorce (Richard). The solution to this
problem was having about ten other women dressed similar to bride-this is how the tradition of
having bridesmaids began (Richard). Bridesmaids were used simply to trick kidnappers because
they were originally dressed almost identical to the bride (Richard). With multiple women
looking alike, the kidnappers had a more difficult time trying to steal the bride for black mail
against her father (Richard). In history the bridesmaids were used to trick kidnappers, but in
todays world, they are a brides closest friends (Richard). This shows that being a bridesmaid
was not always an honor.
Another tradition that has improved over the years is giving away the bride. The
traditional saying, Giving away the bride, was first used for arranged marriages (Richard). The
common phrase was not invented because of a touching moment between a father and daughter.
Instead it was because a father was literally bartering off his daughter for money (Richard). In
todays society, Giving away the bride, symbolizes the dad allowing his little girl to get
married and start a life of her own.
Although many brides are aware of the tradition of throwing the garter, most do not know
how it has evolved over the years. Women first began wearing garters during the Dark Ages
(Wedding Garters). The garter was originally thrown at the groom by members of the bridal
party (Wedding Garters). The person who landed the garter on the grooms nose was the
winner. Brides then began to throw her garter at a group of men to calm them down (Wedding
Garters). Men would also follow the bride all way back to her house after the ceremony to
retrieve the garter from her (Wedding Garters). The man who got to the house first would then
rush to put the garter on their ladys leg, so she would remain committed (Wedding Garters).
However, in Northern England men started taking the garter from the bride as soon as the

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officiant said, You may now kiss the bride (Wedding Garters). The tradition of throwing a
garter may have evolved and changed slightly, but it has always symbolized a person getting
married in the near future (Wedding Garters). Although throwing a garter was dangerous for a
bride, the tradition still remains.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue is not just a
fancy rhyme that brides came up with. Each something is a part of a poem and stand for good
luck (Weddings Good Things). The something old is used to symbolize the carrying on of family
(Weddings Good Things). The something new stands for the life that the bride is beginning with
her groom (Weddings Good Things). The something borrowed has two different meanings: it can
either symbolize passing down the happiness of an already married couple or as a reminder to the
bride that her friends and family support her (Weddings Good Things). Wearing something blue
has three different meanings: modesty, the Virgin Mary, or loyalty of a groom (Weddings Good
Things). The first use of brides wearing blue for modesty can be traced to Rome, Italy
(Weddings Good Things). Wearing something blue can also refer to the Virgin Mary because
Catholics constantly picture her in this color (Weddings Good Things). Other people believe
wearing blue will guarantee a faithful marriage due to the saying, Marry in blue, lover be true
(Weddings Good Things). However, there is one part of the poem that is not mentioned: a silver
sixpence in her shoe (Weddings Good Things). Although silver sixpences are not used anymore,
brides used to abide by this tradition as well (Weddings Good Things). This part of the poem
hints that this bridal tradition dates back to the Victorian Era, which was around 1551 to 1967
(Weddings Good Things). This shows that the poem had a great an impact on brides since the
tradition is still popular all over the world today.

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Bridal traditions have a major role in a wedding. The bridal outfit is made up of several
different meanings. Wearing white was not always possible for brides in the past. The veil is not
just a hair piece that makes a woman look like a bride. Giving away the bride and bridesmaids
was not always a special moment a bride shared with her dad and friends. The bridal traditions
may seem insignificant, but they actually have a deeper meaning than most people know.