Wedding Day FAQ's
Wedding Day Speeches:
In the West, traditionally, wedding day speeches were given by the fathers of the bride and groom, and occasionally, the groom. Women did not really start until the twentieth century when many traditions changed and new ones were introduced.
Now, it is common place for both fathers, the bride and groom, the best man and maid of honor to give a wedding day speech.
The fathers' of the bride and groom would normally give their blessing to the union in their wedding day speech. It was a solemn speech with no humor. Now, we look for jokes and humorous stories to tell, although I would suspect, for the parents, it is still a solemn occasion, despite the celebrations!
Where Did It All Begin?
Nobody really knows when the first "marriage ceremony" took place. Although the ancient footsteps of a man, a woman, and their child encapsulated in the mud of a riverbank, indicates that a "marriage union" existed from the earliest times of human existence.
The first official records of a legally binding marriage are to be found in ancient Egypt. Wives were legally protected and actually had more rights during this period than their Western counterparts until recent times, including the right of divorce.
The engagement was also invented during this period and was intended to allow time for the bride and groom to get to know each other and for them to decide the terms of their marriage contract, including their rights and duties within the marriage.
A Good Thing All Round!
Weddings were seen as a stabilizing factor in ancient civilizations: Men became calmer, women less troublesome, and children better off with a mother and father to nurture and protect them. Marriages between different tribes also brought the tribes closer together and disputes and wars became less likely.
The Word Marriage:
The word "marriage" or "matrimony" comes from ancient Rome: Matrimonialis’ which is derived from "mater" or mother. The Romans thought highly of marriage and Emperor Augustus actually had a law to penalize men who delayed their day of marriage.
Dressing The Bride:
Although throughout history, brides have sought to look their most beautiful on their special day, in Roman society, the brides dress was normally a simple affair, probably made by the bride herself in anticipation of the day she would marry. However, although simple in design, it was held to the bride in a series of complicated knots, which were intended to frustrate and delay the groom later, after the ceremony.
Although white has always been the most popular, symbolizing virginity, until recent times, it was not the most practical color and therefore the wedding gown as we know it today was not used until around 1800 when machine made fabrics and cheaper imports from India became available.
The veil originally symbolized the bride's acceptance that marriage would be until death: "Until death do us part."
Wedding Day Flowers:
The brides bouquet was originally made up from aromatic herbs and garlic intended to drive the evil spirits away as they walked down the aisle. Gradually, flowers were introduced to symbolize love and fertility. Many cultures have placed special meanings on different types of flowers: roses, lilies, carnations, etc.
