Throwing the garter ~ having something associated with the bride has always been considered good luck. Many brides ended up in rags as guests pulled off part of her dress – 14 th century Italian brides countered this by wearing ribbons and flowers on their dresses for people to grab. In England and other places, the bridal couple was walked home and escorted to the bedroom. One of the bride's stockings was thrown at the couple – the thrower getting closest to the bride's nose was the next to marry. Later, brides carried spare stockings so the real ones were ripped from them. Eventually, it changed to throwing the garter and moved to the reception rather than the bedroom, thank goodness!
Carrying the bride over the threshold ~ again, the Romans started this one. They believed it bad luck for the bride to trip the first time she entered her home, so she was carried for safety. However, it used to be done by several members of the bridal party, not just the groom! Maybe men are meant to be stronger now?
Honeymoon ~ in Northern Europe, the groom needed to kidnap and “keep” his bride for one month, or ‘moon', to consider her his wife. By drinking metheglen, a wine made from mead and honey, the groom hoped to keep the bride docile enough to manage this feat! Drinking honey mead for one moon equals honeymoon. |