3 Wedding Traditions Every Bride Should Know About

Weddings themselves are a beautiful tradition, but as decades have passed and society has changed, more ‘traditions’ have been added in.

They’re all a bit of fun (nowadays that is, some traditions are rooted in rather sinister superstitions!), so incorporating them into your wedding isn’t essential. 

Your wedding should be unique and personal to you, and if a nod to tradition is part of your plans, here are 3 we think everyone getting married should know about.

And The Bride Wore… Blue?!

That’s right, white wasn’t always the go-to colour for a wedding dress. In fact, in terms of tradition, it’s a relatively new one.

It’s thought that the white wedding dress tradition was started by Queen Victoria in 1840. You may not believe it, but she caused quite the stir by donning an all-white dress. It was rather shocking for the aristocracy since white was the colour of mourning at the time, which seems odd to us now as we connect the colour black with loss, not white!

Queen Victoria’s choice to wear white started a trend among the elite which soon became a tradition. Both aristocrats and lower classes began to wear white for their wedding day.

On the other hand, some people think that white became popular because it symbolises purity and innocence. As, in decades past, marriage was a moment to celebrate a couple entering into a new stage of adulthood in partnership.

White wedding dresses became the symbol of a traditional wedding, with it being one of the most commonly associated aspects.

So, if you’re looking to tick a wedding dress tradition box, wearing white, cream or ivory is a pretty big one. And if you want to hark back to before this tradition, then a wedding dress of red, blue or even black would be the perfect way to make a statement.

Exchanging Rings

The exchange of rings is another fundamental feature of a wedding. It’s so embedded in our culture, it’s written into both civil and religious ceremonies.

It’s thought to have begun with the ancient Egyptians. They wore rings on the 4th finger of their left hand because they thought there was a vein that went straight from that finger to the heart. The heart – of course – being the place where our love is held.

Romans then supposedly adopted the tradition, but added a little, well, patriarchal twist. The ring now symbolised ownership. Which is a little less romantic. But it can go both ways, as both you and your partner may ‘belong’ with each other.

Since then, different cultures have included the tradition with their own take on it.

In Western cultures, the matrimonial ring is said to symbolise never-ending love because it’s an unbroken circle. It creates an infinite line, which your love can live through.

Your ring can be made of anything, but the most popular option is gold. Generally speaking, rings are made of or embellished with something precious, such as gold, silver, bronze or diamonds. That’s because in times past it would have been an opportunity to express affection through spending money – a ring tradition that is still popular to this day!

Some couples don’t exchange rings, but choose other items instead, which is just as meaningful. In some cases, couples choose to simply add a binding, known as handfasting, ceremony of some sort, without the exchange of any objects, but rather symbolically joining with one another. This is sometimes done by tying the couple’s hands together using rope, twine or ribbons.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue

You’ve probably heard the rhyme before, relating to all of the objects a bride should have if she wants to have good luck on her wedding day and blessings throughout the marriage. 

It’s a light-hearted good luck charm (like carrying a horseshoe – that’s another wedding tradition there!). It isn’t meant to be a bad omen if you don’t have these things on the big day, but it’s another one of those small habits that have become embedded in weddings.

The origins of this rhyme are unknown because it’s so widely quoted, but it’s possibly from the late 19th Century, most likely rooted in folklore and superstition. 

But perhaps you’ll find something interesting to relate to in the old rhyme’s words…

Something Old

The something old is thought to refer to the wish for continuity and longevity for both your marriage and your life. By holding something old, you honour the past as you move into the future. This item might be a family heirloom, or a vintage item that could even be your dress or shoes.

Something New

The something new follows on from the old, providing a well wish for your future and a healthy amount of optimism. The new item could be pretty easy to work into your big day, as it could really be anything at all! A common favourite is to simply wear new lingerie, as this holds with tradition without taking up valuable outfit space.

Something Borrowed

It’s a little unclear what this item stands for, but it’s often represented as the borrowing of happiness and the acceptance of the kindness of others. By borrowing something, you’re making note that you have a supportive community surrounding your marriage. This item could be a veil from your mother, sister or mother-in-law, or a brooch from a friend.

Something Blue

The colour blue signifies joy, happiness and fidelity. In essence, your blue item wishes for joy to follow you throughout your ceremony and your marriage, which is a beautiful sentiment. Many brides choose to wear light blue shoes with their dress or to sew their wedding date into the inside of their dress using blue thread.

Sixpence in Her Shoe

A sixpence was often put in the bride’s wedding day shoes by her father to bring about prosperity. But don’t worry, you don’t necessarily need to have a coin in your show the whole night!

Make Your Own Wedding Tradition…

Including traditions is a lovely way to celebrate your wedding, and there are so many you can choose from – weddings are just one big tradition! But it also gives you scope to change things up and do it your own way – traditions are great for going with or going against! 

If you’d like to discover how Baddow Park House could host your unique traditions, download our brochure or contact us to book a viewing.