The Reasons Behind the Traditions

Have you ever wondered what some of the American wedding traditions mean, and where they come from? I am willing to bet that you have been curious about it at one point, or will be at one point: your wedding. In celebration of my upcoming fifth wedding anniversary, I decided that I wanted to look at some of our wedding traditions to see what I missed when I planned it the first time around.

The Wedding Ring: Okay, so this one is perhaps the most obvious of the list, but as it is the most important part of the wedding (because it’s the only thing besides the spouse, and the memories that you walk away from the ceremony with) it is certainly worth mention. The circular shape of the ring represents the never-ending bond between the couple. It is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, as there is a direct connection to the heart, making it the perfect place for symbolic purposes. The material that the ring is made of has changed over the course of the years, but gold is the primary choice because of its durability and beauty, further symbolizing the bond of love. There is still debate on the order the bride should wear the rings. Some believe the engagement ring should remain behind the band, as you were engaged first. Other say, however, you should place the band behind the engagement ring, so that the wedding band is closest to the heart. At this point, it’s a matter of personal preference and belief.

Unity Candle: This one is obvious too, but I wanted to mention it because of the heavy symbolism, and the fact that it is not part of all ceremonies. Two candles, one held by the bride and one by thwe groom, which symbolize themselves and their families, join together to light one candle, to symbolize the unity of the heart, soul, and families of the couple.

Giving away the Bride: In early history, women were regarded as property of their fathers, to be given to the husband, and this practice was seen as the official transfer of ownership. Now, this tradition is symbolic of blessing and support of the union. Giving the bride away today shows that trust and affection to the Groom.
 

Bride stands on Groom’s left side: This tradition stems from early Anglo-Saxon days, when standing on the left side of a mate left the sword arm free so that the man could protect and defend his love. What it symbolizes now, is nothing more than freedom to give that same protection and defense.

Taking the right hand: The right hand is symbolic of strength, purpose, and resource. When the couple takes each other’s hand, it symbolizes that they can now depend on each other for strength and what they bring to the marriage. The joining of the hands is symbolic of the two lives joining together as one, like the lighting of the unity candle.

The Kiss: Even though every ceremony has this, I never really thought about the symbolic value and reason behind it until recently. It is much more than I had given it credit for before, and makes me wish that I had made more of mine when I had the chance! The kiss used to represent the legal bond that sealed the marriage contract. Today, however, it represents more than just affection. It is now symbolic of the transfer of a piece of your heart and spirit to your spouse’s soul, where it will stay forever.

 If you are married, congratulations. Think about which traditions were present in your wedding ceremony, and why you included them. If you see something here that you didn’t include in your ceremony, think about whether you would add it to a renewal ceremony. If you are still waiting to tie the knot, I hope that this has given you some ideas about what you want to include in your ceremony and why. Best of luck to you in your marital bliss! Submitted by: Cindy