Weddings are full of customs and conventions, and some of us take them very seriously. We bring a list of the most popular and not-so-well-known myths and their reasons.
If you are a superstitious person, it’s good to take a look at this list to make sure you start your wedded life on the ‘right foot’. But if you aren’t, you can read this compilation of fun facts to understand some of the traditions.
- Most of us think that rain on a festive day is something negative (in the Middle East, it would be extra unlucky as it rarely pours in this part of the world), but it is said that rain on a wedding day is a sign of luck. It cleanses paths, renews nature and symbolises fertility.
- This is a very unusual one, but folklore says that if you find a spider crawling on your wedding dress, it means that you will have a successful and prosperous marriage.
- One of the oldest traditions followed by most people to this day, is that the groom shouldn’t see the bride before the wedding as it can bring bad luck. This custom is believed to have originated when arranged marriages were a common practice. It was feared that if the groom saw the bride, he could change his mind and run away. The belief behind showering newlyweds with rice is that it would bring fertility to the couple. Nowadays, the tradition persists, but instead of rice, dried flower petals or bubbles serve as a good eco-friendly option.
- In some cultures, wearing pearls on your wedding day is said to bring misfortune. They are seen as tears of the sea, which is directly connected to sadness – hence not a good omen – mainly if they are part of the wedding ring.
- Why do most celebrations have bridesmaids? To confuse and deter jealous spirits. Historically, they would also wear white to mislead the evil presence and keep the bride safe.
- Not sure what to get your friends for their wedding? No matter what, stay away from knives (even if the couple loves cooking together); they are a sign of bad luck as they represent broken relationships.
- And last one: wedding rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand because Ancient Romans believed that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart. They even called it vena amoris (vein of love), but this vein doesn’t really exist.