lk knowledge in and of itself....My oldest brother just got married to the best sister-in-law EVER this past August (dancing in picture at right) and my oldest cousin got married last year around this time too. I was personally really involved in both of those weddings and since they are the first ones in my family to get married it has kind of been a big deal to me. Then something quirky about me is that I love traditions, traditions about anything (I think I suffered a lack of celebrating traditions in my childhood...). Being good Latter-day Saints, both of these couples got married in the temple and their opportunity (and inclination) to participate in the traditional wedding was limited. I plan on participating in a temple ceremony as well, and so I am kind of crazy in that I like hearing about and learning about all the traditions and symbols that I WON'T get to participate in.
One of my favorites is the rhyme "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in her shoe" (partly because I love poetry too... the third language from Le Guin anyone?). Now there are wedding companies and advertisers all over the world who have chronicled the "meanings" of the items in this lucky wedding list in order to profit off of some of them (here's one from Ireland). However, because the tradition was originally just folk knowledge, their explanations are mostly common-sense guesswork. The rhyme is thought to originate in England in the Victorian Era between 1837 and 1901.
Something old for the bride to remember her family by and to remind her of where she has been that got her to this great and happy day. Something new to represent her new family and household that she is beginning with her new husband. Something borrowed is a more tricky meaning, but is commonly agreed to be borrowed from a woman who is already happily married and is suppose
d to borrow some of that luck for the new couple. Something blue is based off of the belief that blue symbolized purity, modesty and love, and was actually the common color for wedding dresses before the Victorian Era (when it changed to white because of the fashion of the Queen's wedding). Then finally the sixpence (a British coin, minted from 1551 to 1967) represented wealth, of both money and happiness, for the bride and groom, and was most lucky if placed in her left shoe.I hope you enjoyed this bit of wedding folk knowledge as much as I did! :-)
So, I still can't figure out how to do paragraph breaks and tabs... so if anyone can help...? I tried just typing in spaces and that didn't work. Maybe I should just insert whole empty lines in between.... And it never seemed to want to get a picture off the URL I gave it, I always had to download to my computer and then upload again. A pain. Any help or expertise appreciated.
ReplyDeleteA few more archaic wedding traditions/superstitions I learned about:
ReplyDelete- You can sew a piece of hair into the bride's dress for good luck. Apparently this was done in Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth's wedding gown.
- If you catch the bouquet and then drop it, you'll be the last to get married, rather than the first. Yikes!
- It's lucky to tear your wedding gown accidentally.
Personally, I think most of this kind of stuff seems ridiculous, and I don't plan on engaging in any of it. But it is interesting that there is so much superstition, not just tradition, surrounding the event of a marriage.
Also, you mentioned the color blue symbolizing purity, modesty, and love. I hadn't heard that before, but I always thought that it was supposed to symbolize loyalty or something. Like when people say "true blue."
I just figured out the picture thing... but the paragraphs is still killing me.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to note the different traditions in every culture in regards to the same thing, such as marriage. I'm sure that this tradition would seem just as crazy to the mayans than taking off ceremonial beads and a years long courtship without speaking - does to us. I also love traditions. In my family we have a lot of traditions. Many of which were passed down from my grandparents on my moms side, who are Canadians. Something that ALWAYS happens in our family is the "program". There is always a program for us. Actually i didn't know it was that unique until my sisters wedding to a guy who's family just didn't understand that.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. The Program is something that takes place at the wedding dinner the night before. (payed for by the groom according to tradition). Its all full of sentimental memories and maybe a presentation by my grandma in traditional huterite garb (its a southern alberta amish type group. My grandma taught in their community for years) There is probably a song of some sort. Some tributes. And DEFINITELY there is gonna be tears from my mother and maybe some others in the group. The Program (not only for weddings but for family reunions and much more) is something that is so much a part of me. I have definitely learned this from my family and am definitely going to pass it on. Gotta love traditions.
I sense a common theme within our group...marriage! Haha. I love how you go into detail about the meaning of the various traditions, but I wonder if society nowadays really understands the purpose and symbolism of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Or if many brides actually hold that tradition when they get married. That idea is very different from the Indian tradition explained in the first blog post, I wonder if there are any common concepts or symbolism?
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool that Mikey's family has a program for all their family weddings. Since I am the oldest child in my family, and possibly the first to get married, I wonder if I should start my own tradition that maybe my family can keep up.
It does seem like marriage is a common theme in our group, I wonder why..... anyway it seems like we have a couple different views from different cultures, but wouldn't it be interesting if we learned how marriage has changed over time here in America. Right off the top of my head I know they used to wear wedding rings on their right hand, on the same finger. I can't remember why they made the switch....
ReplyDeleteMisa said that she should start her own tradition... I am the oldest grandson so I better get on that too! Maybe my future bride will have some of her own traditions...? That is another interesting thought, how much say do the bride and groom have in comparison. For example, I am fairly certain that I will have little say as to which temple I get married in, it will probably be my brides favorite temple.
Lastly, having not grown up around many members of the church I want to learn more about the traditions we have as members that are outside of the temple.