Wedding vows...everyone has different ideas and ways to go about handling them. However, what it really comes down to is simple: should you or should you not make your own wedding vows? For many people, who are looking to be different and have more personal wedding vows, making their own wedding vows is the only way to go. However, as you make up your mock wedding vows, you will notice that it is not as easy as it sounds. Even when writing from the heart, it can be very hard to find ways to put your feelings into words. This is something that can be done, but it's always nice if you can have just a little bit of help. Today we are going to talk about ways to help with wedding vow wording by looking up wedding vows online.
Finding wedding vows online is easy. When searching for wedding vows, you will be able to find everything from funny to Christian wedding vows. However, finding the ones that are right for you should not be too hard. Most of the time, you and your soon to be wife or husband will be able to clearly pick out wedding vows that fit your theme.
Since you are looking for ways to write your own wedding vows, you are going to want to come up with ways to reword the wedding vows that you find online. Sometimes a lot of people like to take different lines from different sets of vows. Although you did not come up with the lines, you did take the time to find the words that clearly state your feelings. This is the main reason why the internet is able to help you with wedding vow wording.
Now, when people hear of funny wedding vows they normally do not know what to think. Before we get into some examples of funny wedding vows, you need to note that these kinds of vows are only fun when done in good taste. Saying things that are too mean or too “truthful” could end up hurting feelings, and that is not what you want on your wedding day. The best way to go about using funny wedding vows is to make sure that you use good taste and that you do not overdo it, meaning that after you put a few good punch lines in, it's time to stop. Doing too many makes it seem like you are not serious about getting married. Below are a few different ideas that you can use for funny wedding vows:
“I (name here) take (partners name here) to be my partner for the rest of my life. I promise to love and cherish her/him through sickness and in health, the good times and the bad, and for rich and poor, even if it was her/him that spent all the money.”
“I (name here) take (partners name here) to be my wife/husband for as long as we both shell live. I promise to love and to never obey.”
“I (name here) take (partners name here) to be my wife/husband and to love and honor them above all else, unless my favorite football team is playing on TV. In which case, they would be required to bring me snacks and cater to me.”
Another type of funny wedding vow that you can use is a rhyming wedding vow. Here is an example for a husband to say to his wife:
“I (your name here) take this lady to love daily. To love and to cherish until we both shall parish. To take in both sickness and in health, or when we can't pay the rent. And When she cries I promise to not leave her side. Even when she smells kind of bad, I promise it wont drive me mad.”
The rhyming wedding vows have become very popular among certain groups of people. Even if it does not sound like your cup of tea, you should note that it could be fun to use some of these wedding vow ideas as a way to start out.
Do keep in mind that funny wedding vows tend to go over better at certain wedding than others, meaning that you will need to know if the people who are at your wedding are going to understand the jokes that you are making. You also need to make sure that they do understand that they are just jokes and meant to be funny.
Making your own wedding vows is never an easy task, but it is something that you can do if you use the internet to help you. If you are having a hard time coming up with your own wedding vows, then you will be happy to note that the internet is there to help you. Overall, wedding vows do not have to be a stressful job. Use the internet to search for great wedding vows, and use them to help you with your wedding vow wording.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Far too often brides decide they want a particular wedding theme and they stop there. Unfortunately, there, wherever that is, is rarely a good stopping place because the first ideas we have in just about anything is invariably too general. It's like trying to scoop sand with a sieve. This is especially true when we are talking about choosing a theme to design an event around.
The trick to planning any kind of themed wedding is to narrow your focus.
As a result, a bride should ask herself which specific aspects of their initial theme idea they like. There are so many possibilities.
· Butterflies
· Doves
· Roses
· Calla Lilies
· Daisies
· English Gardens
· Victorian Gardens
· Forrest Meadows
· Etc.
The possibilities are nearly endless. And even within the theme options I listed above you could, and might want to, get more specific to weave a specific visual or olfactory theme into your wedding preparations.
Why take the time?
The natural inclination is to ask if it is useful to hone the theme down to a specific wedding theme. The answer is yes. How are you going to know if the decorations you find will work with the rest of your wedding décor and accessories else unless you have a very specific idea of just what you want.
The same is true for your wedding favors by choosing favors that tie directly to your theme you have
easier internet searches,
keepsakes that will be tied to your wedding in your guest minds, and
favors that double as a part of your decor.
And the good news is that you might, depending on the specific theme you chose, be able to choose a less expensive location than you would otherwise - because the less expensive one fits your theme better!
The point is that the key to building a theme wedding is focus. Generally, your first wedding theme idea is entirely too broad. But by zeroing in on a specific aspect of your idea you can create a wedding theme that will be remembered for years to come.
The trick to planning any kind of themed wedding is to narrow your focus.
As a result, a bride should ask herself which specific aspects of their initial theme idea they like. There are so many possibilities.
· Butterflies
· Doves
· Roses
· Calla Lilies
· Daisies
· English Gardens
· Victorian Gardens
· Forrest Meadows
· Etc.
The possibilities are nearly endless. And even within the theme options I listed above you could, and might want to, get more specific to weave a specific visual or olfactory theme into your wedding preparations.
Why take the time?
The natural inclination is to ask if it is useful to hone the theme down to a specific wedding theme. The answer is yes. How are you going to know if the decorations you find will work with the rest of your wedding décor and accessories else unless you have a very specific idea of just what you want.
The same is true for your wedding favors by choosing favors that tie directly to your theme you have
easier internet searches,
keepsakes that will be tied to your wedding in your guest minds, and
favors that double as a part of your decor.
And the good news is that you might, depending on the specific theme you chose, be able to choose a less expensive location than you would otherwise - because the less expensive one fits your theme better!
The point is that the key to building a theme wedding is focus. Generally, your first wedding theme idea is entirely too broad. But by zeroing in on a specific aspect of your idea you can create a wedding theme that will be remembered for years to come.
Bridal Shower
The shower can be hosted by a close friend of the bride. It is considered improper for a family member of the bride to host because bridal showers are primarily a gift-giving event. However, family members can certainly help. Traditionally, the maid of honor hosts the shower, so if you want to help in planning, be sure to check with the maid of honor first. Commonly the maid of honor is a sister of the bride. In these cases, it has become acceptable in most regions for a family member to host the shower.
A good time for the shower would be 1-2 months before the wedding. This may be a very busy time for the bride, so be sure to consult the bride when setting the date. It can be held earlier, but it can be more exciting if held closer to the wedding date because everyone has marriage on their mind. If at all possible, avoid holding the shower too close to the wedding. It's a stressful time and the bride's schedule is likely to be jam-packed
The bride will want to be able to choose who is invited and you will need to consult her schedule to find a date. Many brides may assume they will have a shower and may approach you with the idea. If you do decide to host a surprise shower, be sure to contact the bride & groom's mother to find out what family members to invite. You may choose to surprise the bride with a second shower with only her closest of friends. Perhaps the wedding party and family.
There are many variations on showers, but here is a general schedule of a traditional shower.
Greet Guests - serve light appetizers
After all or almost all guests have arrived, go around the room and have each guest introduce themselves and identify how they know the bride.
Play 2-4 Shower Games. It is good to play games at the beginning as ice-breakers. Remember some guests may not know *anyone* but the bride.
Let everyone go get whatever food may be available and then once everyone has been served, the bride can begin to open her gifts. Be sure to have someone write down each gift and who it is from. It will make sending thank-you notes a lot easier.
People chat and usually leave a few at a time. Make sure the bride gets to say goodbye to everyone and the hostess thanks the person for attending. If the hostess has shower favors, they should give this to the guest now
Shower favors are not a tradition in all areas. In some regions, it is unheard of give favors (they came to shower the bride, not vice-versa). Yet in other regions, it is a must (it is rude not to acknowledge their presence with a favor). It's best to base your decision on what you have experienced at showers you have attended locally or ask close friends and find out what they think. If you do have favors, some ideas are potpourri satchel, scented candles, or candies wrapped in tulle.
A good time for the shower would be 1-2 months before the wedding. This may be a very busy time for the bride, so be sure to consult the bride when setting the date. It can be held earlier, but it can be more exciting if held closer to the wedding date because everyone has marriage on their mind. If at all possible, avoid holding the shower too close to the wedding. It's a stressful time and the bride's schedule is likely to be jam-packed
The bride will want to be able to choose who is invited and you will need to consult her schedule to find a date. Many brides may assume they will have a shower and may approach you with the idea. If you do decide to host a surprise shower, be sure to contact the bride & groom's mother to find out what family members to invite. You may choose to surprise the bride with a second shower with only her closest of friends. Perhaps the wedding party and family.
There are many variations on showers, but here is a general schedule of a traditional shower.
Greet Guests - serve light appetizers
After all or almost all guests have arrived, go around the room and have each guest introduce themselves and identify how they know the bride.
Play 2-4 Shower Games. It is good to play games at the beginning as ice-breakers. Remember some guests may not know *anyone* but the bride.
Let everyone go get whatever food may be available and then once everyone has been served, the bride can begin to open her gifts. Be sure to have someone write down each gift and who it is from. It will make sending thank-you notes a lot easier.
People chat and usually leave a few at a time. Make sure the bride gets to say goodbye to everyone and the hostess thanks the person for attending. If the hostess has shower favors, they should give this to the guest now
Shower favors are not a tradition in all areas. In some regions, it is unheard of give favors (they came to shower the bride, not vice-versa). Yet in other regions, it is a must (it is rude not to acknowledge their presence with a favor). It's best to base your decision on what you have experienced at showers you have attended locally or ask close friends and find out what they think. If you do have favors, some ideas are potpourri satchel, scented candles, or candies wrapped in tulle.
Beach Party
If you are holding a beach themed wedding, keeping the theme universal makes the planning and preparations much easier. When you begin planning the bridesmaid luncheon, why not consider combining the male and female attendants “thank you” party into one competitive and fun event. Planning the wedding attendant luncheon for your entire bridal party can be a great deal of fun and take very little effort as long as you identify your main goal of the event and create an entire afternoon around that activity. Since you are hosting a luncheon, a beach barbecue would be a thematic and fun.
An afternoon activity that would provide lighthearted fun and competitiveness between the two sides of the bridal party could include a “sand castle building” competition at your local beach. This unique and exciting activity would provide a great opportunity for everyone to meet and get to know one another and express their creative side along the way. Additional activities that could be included in the day’s itinerary could include a game of beach volleyball and a bonfire. However, if you intend to build a fire on a public beach it is often a good idea to check with your city council to discover if any special permits are necessary prior to hosting your event.
Taking time to locate beach themed wedding attendant gifts for each member of your wedding party is actually easier than you might think; many online and retail wedding planning outlets have unique and creative wedding party favors to give to your friends and family on this special day
If you are holding a beach themed wedding, keeping the theme universal makes the planning and preparations much easier. When you begin planning the bridesmaid luncheon, why not consider combining the male and female attendants “thank you” party into one competitive and fun event. Planning the wedding attendant luncheon for your entire bridal party can be a great deal of fun and take very little effort as long as you identify your main goal of the event and create an entire afternoon around that activity. Since you are hosting a luncheon, a beach barbecue would be a thematic and fun.
An afternoon activity that would provide lighthearted fun and competitiveness between the two sides of the bridal party could include a “sand castle building” competition at your local beach. This unique and exciting activity would provide a great opportunity for everyone to meet and get to know one another and express their creative side along the way. Additional activities that could be included in the day’s itinerary could include a game of beach volleyball and a bonfire. However, if you intend to build a fire on a public beach it is often a good idea to check with your city council to discover if any special permits are necessary prior to hosting your event.
Taking time to locate beach themed wedding attendant gifts for each member of your wedding party is actually easier than you might think; many online and retail wedding planning outlets have unique and creative wedding party favors to give to your friends and family on this special day
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Love is in the air… We'll Maybe Not At First !
Love is in the air…
To westerners who put a lot of emphasis on love and marriage or shall we say – love before marriage – love is the only thing you need to be happy. But for societies who believe that arranged marriages will flourish and endure forever, love, at least for the time being, can take the back seat.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 1
Arranged marriages are viewed as a social and economic necessity, the terms of which are agreed upon by the families of the future groom and bride. The question of whether the bride and groom are in love is not a priority; what’s important is that the marriage is stable with staying power.
Point of clarification: indeed, love makes the world go round. We all want to be madly and passionately in love. But just because arranged marriages are not premised exclusively on love, it doesn’t mean that it does not exist in the relationship. It may be born on day 1 of the marriage or can grow after a few years. We should not be misled by the notion that spouses in arranged marriages have no say about their partners. In some countries the man or woman can refuse a selected spouse. Because consent by both is imperative, who is to say that love does not or cannot exist?
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 2
Arranged marriages are an accepted practice in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and India, Bangladesh and some Muslim/Islam countries. Arranged marriages have another name: Sheri and Bob Tritof also call them pragmatic marriages. They are successful traditions in many cultures. Although no statistics are available to prove it, about 60 to 80 percent of arranged marriages in Afghanistan are of the forced kind. This means that the consent of the marrying parties does not carry any weight. Of that percentage, many succeed.
Point of clarification: it is unfortunate that arranged marriages are taken in a negative light by western societies. This is attributed to a lack of knowledge about the whole concept of arranged marriages. Not all these marriages are forced. Parents ensure that their sons and daughters are satisfied with their parents’ choices. The children’s consent is vital, and should a prospective partner be refused, parents will simply have to find another suitable choice. A courtship period is also allowed by certain cultures, and in more modern societies like India, the couple is encouraged to go out on dates so they can get to know each other better.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 3
Sadly, it is a fact that despite the few and isolated stories covered by the media of young women being forced into marriages, there are equally, if not more, successful arranged marriages. The argument is that because parents know their children best and have the wisdom and wherewithal to select the best candidate, the marriage will benefit from the support and encouragement of their elders and hence will be durable and permanently. There are significantly fewer divorces or separations between people of arranged marriages.
Point of clarification: we need to be careful about taking arranged marriages from the perspective of the divorce rate. It is true that only a few arranged marriages end in divorce, but is the reason really the arranged marriage itself or the fact that in more traditional and conservative societies, people usually don’t get divorced anyway and stay within the marriage hoping to work things out.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 4
The general belief is that arranged marriages in Muslim religions are very restrictive and encroach on the personal freedoms of women. This belief is a little erroneous because in many Muslim countries, the consent of both parties is required and couples must “see each other” before marriage but must never be left alone, unsupervised. There is a dowry involved (like in India) and four witnesses are needed (two males and two females).
Point of clarification: Muslim religions believe consent is important; however, it discourages modern western practices such as dating, living-in and long courtships.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 5
Arranged marriages also exist in China and Indonesia and in cultures where Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism are the predominant religions. Again, couples do not date. They may spend 15 minutes meeting each other and then wed in a few months, as reported by Del Jones in a USA Today article dated February 2006.
Point of clarification: Keo Mony wrote that the Buddhist culture in Cambodia dictates that it is the sacred duty of parents to marry off their children to good families. Arranged marriages have survived to this day, thanks to the pervasive influence of religion and tradition. In Cambodia, children are expected to repay their gratitude to their parents for finding them suitable partners. Fulfilling one’s marital obligations is one of way repaying that gratitude. The rituals and protocol of arranged marriages may vary from one country to another and from one religion to the next.
In rural parts of China, arranged and semi-arranged marriages are still common, although the Chinese government introduced a new Marriage Law in 1980 setting the legal for women (20) and men (22) to marry. The law confirmed the government’s approval for free-choice marriage, right to divorce, and the abolition of child marriages. The free-choice marriage is limited to urban centers.
Arranged Marriages: Facts
No one will argue that there are more than five facts regarding arranged marriages but we have mentioned the more common ones. These facts could be skewed depending on the country and the religion so that what may be true in say Sri Lanka may not necessarily apply to Bangladesh.
Remember too that arranged marriages are also practiced in western societies, especially among royalty and the aristocratic classes. You may be aware that the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer was in a way arranged, since Queen Elizabeth had no doubt screened several women and assessed their potential to be the wife of Prince Charles. Decades before that, King Edward had to abdicate his throne because he married a divorced American commoner
To westerners who put a lot of emphasis on love and marriage or shall we say – love before marriage – love is the only thing you need to be happy. But for societies who believe that arranged marriages will flourish and endure forever, love, at least for the time being, can take the back seat.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 1
Arranged marriages are viewed as a social and economic necessity, the terms of which are agreed upon by the families of the future groom and bride. The question of whether the bride and groom are in love is not a priority; what’s important is that the marriage is stable with staying power.
Point of clarification: indeed, love makes the world go round. We all want to be madly and passionately in love. But just because arranged marriages are not premised exclusively on love, it doesn’t mean that it does not exist in the relationship. It may be born on day 1 of the marriage or can grow after a few years. We should not be misled by the notion that spouses in arranged marriages have no say about their partners. In some countries the man or woman can refuse a selected spouse. Because consent by both is imperative, who is to say that love does not or cannot exist?
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 2
Arranged marriages are an accepted practice in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and India, Bangladesh and some Muslim/Islam countries. Arranged marriages have another name: Sheri and Bob Tritof also call them pragmatic marriages. They are successful traditions in many cultures. Although no statistics are available to prove it, about 60 to 80 percent of arranged marriages in Afghanistan are of the forced kind. This means that the consent of the marrying parties does not carry any weight. Of that percentage, many succeed.
Point of clarification: it is unfortunate that arranged marriages are taken in a negative light by western societies. This is attributed to a lack of knowledge about the whole concept of arranged marriages. Not all these marriages are forced. Parents ensure that their sons and daughters are satisfied with their parents’ choices. The children’s consent is vital, and should a prospective partner be refused, parents will simply have to find another suitable choice. A courtship period is also allowed by certain cultures, and in more modern societies like India, the couple is encouraged to go out on dates so they can get to know each other better.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 3
Sadly, it is a fact that despite the few and isolated stories covered by the media of young women being forced into marriages, there are equally, if not more, successful arranged marriages. The argument is that because parents know their children best and have the wisdom and wherewithal to select the best candidate, the marriage will benefit from the support and encouragement of their elders and hence will be durable and permanently. There are significantly fewer divorces or separations between people of arranged marriages.
Point of clarification: we need to be careful about taking arranged marriages from the perspective of the divorce rate. It is true that only a few arranged marriages end in divorce, but is the reason really the arranged marriage itself or the fact that in more traditional and conservative societies, people usually don’t get divorced anyway and stay within the marriage hoping to work things out.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 4
The general belief is that arranged marriages in Muslim religions are very restrictive and encroach on the personal freedoms of women. This belief is a little erroneous because in many Muslim countries, the consent of both parties is required and couples must “see each other” before marriage but must never be left alone, unsupervised. There is a dowry involved (like in India) and four witnesses are needed (two males and two females).
Point of clarification: Muslim religions believe consent is important; however, it discourages modern western practices such as dating, living-in and long courtships.
Arranged Marriages: Fact # 5
Arranged marriages also exist in China and Indonesia and in cultures where Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism are the predominant religions. Again, couples do not date. They may spend 15 minutes meeting each other and then wed in a few months, as reported by Del Jones in a USA Today article dated February 2006.
Point of clarification: Keo Mony wrote that the Buddhist culture in Cambodia dictates that it is the sacred duty of parents to marry off their children to good families. Arranged marriages have survived to this day, thanks to the pervasive influence of religion and tradition. In Cambodia, children are expected to repay their gratitude to their parents for finding them suitable partners. Fulfilling one’s marital obligations is one of way repaying that gratitude. The rituals and protocol of arranged marriages may vary from one country to another and from one religion to the next.
In rural parts of China, arranged and semi-arranged marriages are still common, although the Chinese government introduced a new Marriage Law in 1980 setting the legal for women (20) and men (22) to marry. The law confirmed the government’s approval for free-choice marriage, right to divorce, and the abolition of child marriages. The free-choice marriage is limited to urban centers.
Arranged Marriages: Facts
No one will argue that there are more than five facts regarding arranged marriages but we have mentioned the more common ones. These facts could be skewed depending on the country and the religion so that what may be true in say Sri Lanka may not necessarily apply to Bangladesh.
Remember too that arranged marriages are also practiced in western societies, especially among royalty and the aristocratic classes. You may be aware that the marriage of the Prince of Wales and Diana Spencer was in a way arranged, since Queen Elizabeth had no doubt screened several women and assessed their potential to be the wife of Prince Charles. Decades before that, King Edward had to abdicate his throne because he married a divorced American commoner
Did You Know ?
The Greeks believed that placing a sugar cube inside the bride’s glove would “sweeten” the marriage. Ancient Romans used to believe that they could determine the best time to marry by studying pig innards. Yuck! In the olden days of Finnish culture it was customary for an older married man to escort the bride around town to collect gifts from friends—which would be put in a pillowcase! The Japanese were the first to make a white wedding dress the traditional attire for brides.
Did You Know These Wedding Fact's ?
Wedding Bouquet
For ancient Greeks and Romans, the bouquet was a pungent mix of garlic and herbs or grains. The garlic was supposed to ward off evil spirits and the herbs or grains were to insure a fruitful union. In ancient Poland, it was believed that sprinkling sugar on the bride's bouquet kept her temper sweet.
Wedding Cake
The wedding cake has always played an important part in the wedding. Ancient Romans broke a cake over the bride's head to symbolize fertility or abundance. Many other cultures dropped wheat, flour or cake on the bride's head, and then ate the crumbs for good luck. The early British baked baskets of dry crackers, and every guest took one home after the wedding. In medieval times, guests brought small cakes and piled them on a table. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the cakes. Eventually, a young baker decided to put all the cakes together and cover them with frosting, thus the tiered wedding cake was born.
Wedding Dress
Traditionally, brides did not wear white wedding gowns. Through the 18th century, most brides just wore their Sunday best to their wedding. Red was a favorite during the Middle Ages in Europe. Other colors were worn for symbolic reasons: blue meant constancy and green meant youth. As years passed, white was worn as a symbol of purity. Today, white merely symbolizes the wedding and is worn by any bride, no matter if it is their second marriage.
The Honeymoon
The first weddings comprised of a groom taking his bride by capture. He would take her somewhere hidden away so her
relatives and villagers couldn't find them. There they stayed for one moon phase and drank mead, a wine make from honey, to make them more amorous. Thus, the word "honeymoon" was born. Today, the honeymoon is the time when the couple can get away for awhile.
The Kiss
The first kiss a bride and groom share at the close of the ceremony has carried special significance through the centuries.
Many cultures believed that the couple exchanged spirits with their breath and part of their souls were exchanged as well.
The Ring
The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart. The third finger of the left hand has become the customary wedding-ring finger for all
English-speaking cultures.
Throwing Rice
One of the oldest wedding traditions, the custom of throwing rice, originated with the ancient Hindus and Chinese. In these cultures, rice is the symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity. Tossing it after the ceremony was believed to bestow fertility upon the bride and groom. Eating rice and other grains was thought to guarantee health, wealth and happiness for the newlyweds. Today, rice tossing is being replaced by the more ecologically friendly birdseed tossing, because uncooked rice is damaging to birds who eat it off the church lawn.
The Veil
Mystique and romance has surrounded the veil for more than one thousand years. Originally, the veil is thought to have been used to hide the bride from abductors, just as the similar dress of her bridesmaids was meant to do. But a more romantic interpretation evolved later which believed that concealment (as the bride's face beneath a veil) rendered what was hidden more valuable. Another early interpretation of the veil was that it symbolized youth and virginity.
For ancient Greeks and Romans, the bouquet was a pungent mix of garlic and herbs or grains. The garlic was supposed to ward off evil spirits and the herbs or grains were to insure a fruitful union. In ancient Poland, it was believed that sprinkling sugar on the bride's bouquet kept her temper sweet.
Wedding Cake
The wedding cake has always played an important part in the wedding. Ancient Romans broke a cake over the bride's head to symbolize fertility or abundance. Many other cultures dropped wheat, flour or cake on the bride's head, and then ate the crumbs for good luck. The early British baked baskets of dry crackers, and every guest took one home after the wedding. In medieval times, guests brought small cakes and piled them on a table. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the cakes. Eventually, a young baker decided to put all the cakes together and cover them with frosting, thus the tiered wedding cake was born.
Wedding Dress
Traditionally, brides did not wear white wedding gowns. Through the 18th century, most brides just wore their Sunday best to their wedding. Red was a favorite during the Middle Ages in Europe. Other colors were worn for symbolic reasons: blue meant constancy and green meant youth. As years passed, white was worn as a symbol of purity. Today, white merely symbolizes the wedding and is worn by any bride, no matter if it is their second marriage.
The Honeymoon
The first weddings comprised of a groom taking his bride by capture. He would take her somewhere hidden away so her
relatives and villagers couldn't find them. There they stayed for one moon phase and drank mead, a wine make from honey, to make them more amorous. Thus, the word "honeymoon" was born. Today, the honeymoon is the time when the couple can get away for awhile.
The Kiss
The first kiss a bride and groom share at the close of the ceremony has carried special significance through the centuries.
Many cultures believed that the couple exchanged spirits with their breath and part of their souls were exchanged as well.
The Ring
The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart. The third finger of the left hand has become the customary wedding-ring finger for all
English-speaking cultures.
Throwing Rice
One of the oldest wedding traditions, the custom of throwing rice, originated with the ancient Hindus and Chinese. In these cultures, rice is the symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity. Tossing it after the ceremony was believed to bestow fertility upon the bride and groom. Eating rice and other grains was thought to guarantee health, wealth and happiness for the newlyweds. Today, rice tossing is being replaced by the more ecologically friendly birdseed tossing, because uncooked rice is damaging to birds who eat it off the church lawn.
The Veil
Mystique and romance has surrounded the veil for more than one thousand years. Originally, the veil is thought to have been used to hide the bride from abductors, just as the similar dress of her bridesmaids was meant to do. But a more romantic interpretation evolved later which believed that concealment (as the bride's face beneath a veil) rendered what was hidden more valuable. Another early interpretation of the veil was that it symbolized youth and virginity.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Discount Brides & All Ocassion Party Themes
Will fit size 7 to 8
Black and White Wedding Dress $375.00
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