Did you know a bride’s bouquet originally consisted of spices and herbs to ward off evil spirits?

June is among the top three most popular months for couples to get married. The last two weekends, I have driven and flown a total of 2,550 miles for them.

One of my friends and her husband decided to do a “first look” instead of waiting until the ceremony to see each other. Traditionally, it is considered bad luck for a bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony, but why is that?

The past two weekends made me realize I didn’t really know any of the histories behind traditions we see at most weddings – a white dress, bridesmaids and groomsmen, the bouquet, the cake, something blue, etc.

The history of wedding traditions is not agreed on by all sources. The majority of my information is taken from brides.com, Vogue and Reader’s Digest.

I will say, many of these are strange, if not disturbing. So, if you don’t want me to ruin your view of some of the traditions you participated in at your own wedding, now is your chance to stop reading.

For those of you still here, let’s start with the iconic white dress.

 The dress

I remember in elementary school having discussions with my friends about what our dresses might look like one day. Believe it or not, brides haven’t always worn white and didn’t always buy a new dress to get married in.

The trend of white wedding dresses began in the Victorian Era. Before this, a typical bride wore her best dress on the wedding day; these were often brightly colored. The type and amount of material were an indicator of the family’s wealth.

White had not been a popular choice, because it is not a practical color for people to maintain in a time when women wore their wedding dresses for other occasions.

In 1840, Queen Victoria surprised people with her decision to wear a white wedding dress. Though some had done so before her, she is credited with establishing the trend. In the following years, the color began to symbolize wealth and purity.

The veil

Today, some brides opt for no veil or a relatively short one to complement their dress. In ancient times, a veil represented a modest, untouched bride. It also hid her from evil spirits. 

Veils were a norm in arranged marriages – when the groom finally saw the bride, it was too late to back out.

Veils went out of style for some time, until Queen Victoria wore one in her wedding, popularizing another classic wedding accessory.

The rings

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the Egyptian Pharaohs were the first to use rings to represent eternity. When the Egyptians were conquered by Alexander the Great, Greeks adopted the tradition of giving rings to their lovers. When Rome conquered Greece, the tradition was again passed to another culture. Romans began using iron and copper rings in wedding ceremonies. In medieval times, rings began to display gemstones.

The first recorded diamond wedding ring dates to the late 1300s; an English widow left hers in her will.

Today, the durability and brilliance of a diamond represent a commitment that lasts forever.

The placement of the ring on the left ring finger dates back to ancient times. It was thought that the finger contained a vein that connects to a person’s heart. Lovers’ hearts would be connected by their rings. Today’s understanding of anatomy has disproved the notion, but the tradition remains common today in many countries.

Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

Today bridesmaids serve important roles like helping with the planning of pre-wedding events, getting the bride ready, standing at the ceremony with her and chipping in with costs.

During ancient Roman weddings, bridesmaids dressed similarly to the bride, to outsmart the evil spirits they thought would curse the marriage. This strategy also confused thieves who might try to steal a bride’s dowry.

The history of groomsmen is a bit darker. Back in the day, the duties of groomsmen were to kidnap the bride, protect her or prevent her from running away. If the family of a bride opposed the marriage, groomsmen would fight her family members to remove her from their home. Throughout history in different cultures, groomsmen often prevented a bride from running away or protected her from potential attacks. Instead of a best friend or family member, the best swordsman was chosen to be the best man.

The bouquet

Instead of today’s popular roses and eucalyptus, during the Middle Ages, brides would carry a combination of herbs, spices and grain. The strong smell was supposed to drive away evil spirits and cover up some of the odor of that time’s hygiene practices.

The floral bridal bouquets we see today, as with many other current traditions, are traced back to the Victorian era. They started out only with roses. In these times, floriography – sending specific messages through different types of flowers ­– became widely popular.

The honeymoon

During the days when marriage-by-capture was acceptable, a groom would take a bride to a secret location so her family could not find them.

In 19th century Britain, newly married couples would spend the days after their wedding traveling to visit family members and friends who could not make it to the wedding.

The word itself comes from the thought that drinking fermented honey would increase fertility, in the first moon of the marriage.

The cake

These days, wedding cakes can be quite elaborate. They first appeared in a much simpler form. Ancient Roman wedding ceremonies included breaking a cake of wheat or barley over a bride’s head for good fortune. The couple then would eat some of the crumbs together. Guests gathered the crumbs for good luck.

This practice evolved into sprinkling crumbs of sweet wheat cakes. In medieval England, sweet buns were served. Wedding cake as a dessert became more popular as sugar became more plentiful in England.

The first look

Today, some hang on to the tradition of the bride and groom not seeing each other until the wedding ceremony. Some opt for a “first look” moment before the ceremony, so they can take photos and spend more time together.

The tradition of not seeing each other before the ceremony originated from the time when arranged marriages were the norm. Often, people hadn’t even met their future spouse until the ceremony. This was so the groom or bride didn’t have time to call off the wedding if they ended up not liking their future partner.

The tradition has since evolved into a more romantic idea that the groom should not see the bride until she is walking down the aisle in front of the people who have supported them.

Most wedding traditions can be traced back to a time when marriages looked a lot different from today. While grooms (most likely) do not need a “best swordsman,” practices have evolved to suit the needs of brides and grooms today, while holding on to a little bit of history.