blue are just a few, and we are here to break them down for you as well as discuss if these
traditions are for you!
WHITE WEDDING DRESSES
Having a white wedding dress is perhaps the biggest wedding tradition of all, but is it for you? According
to brides.com, the white wedding dress tradition started in 1840 with Queen Victoria when she married
Prince Albert. It had previously been tradition to be as “showy” as possible to show off your wealth, but
she chose a more modest approach to show she was a bride to her husband who she loved dearly,
rather than a Queen to the lesser status fellow she was marrying. But do you need to wear a white
wedding dress? Absolutely not! There are SO many styles and options these day. Definitely pick
something that represents YOU!
SOMETHING OLD, NEW, BORROWED & BLUE
According to theknot.com, this tradition came from an Old English rhyme. Something new was meant to
offer optimism for the future. Something old was a sure way to ward off the evil eye and protect any
future children the couple may have. Something borrowed was supposed to bring the couple good luck.
Something blue stood for love, purity and fidelity—what the Old English considered were three key
qualities for a solid marriage. But do you need to incorporate these items into your wedding day? If you
want to, sure! But definitely do not stress about it! You can keep it super simple like counting your dress
as the something new, or wearing a family member’s earrings for something old or borrowed, etc.
SAVING THE TOP TIER OF YOUR WEDDING CAKE
Multi-tiered wedding cakes have been the norm since the 19 th century according to food journal
Gastronomica. In summary, when Princess Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth II) married Prince Philip in 1947,
each tier of her cake had a different purpose: one for the wedding, one sent off as a gift, and one
preserved for a future occasion. Some people saved the cake to celebrate their first child’s christening,
which everyone believed would be during the first year of marriage. Now the top tier is saved to enjoy in
celebration of a couple’s 1 year wedding anniversary. Saving the top tier of your wedding cake is
definitely not necessary these days. Some couples don’t have cake, and if they do, a lot of bakeries offer
a free slice/cupcake of their flavor of wedding cake on their 1 year anniversary. If you have a cake a
choose to save your top tier, it is imperative that you do it correctly! Head over to this article by
bridebox.com for step by step instructions!
NOT SEEING EACH OTHER BEFORE THE CEREMONY
According to brides.com, this tradition dates back to when arranged marriages were the norm.
Weddings used to be more of a business deal, and it was normal for the couple to not see each other
before the ceremony (the veil-over-the-face thing comes into play here too) so if the groom didn’t find
his assigned bride attractive it would be too late for him to back out, which would cause shame to the
bride’s family. WHOA. Thankfully that is not the case anymore! These days first looks are pretty popular.
Having a first look can help calm your nerves and help you to get most of your photos out of the way
before your ceremony leaving more time to celebrate afterwards. Waiting to see each other until the
ceremony can also be extra special and add to the excitement of your special day. Whatever you
choose, there is no wrong way!
Whether you choose to incorporate some of these traditions into your own wedding or not, your
wedding day will be special and unforgettable!