Traditions and superstitions play a part in the modern day wedding, regardless of whether the couple actually believes in them or not. Many brides who are otherwise very forward-thinking take the ‘something old, something new’ rhyme to heart when choosing their accessories, for instance. In fact, both brides and grooms alike do some very strange things on their wedding days. In this post, we take a closer look at the sometimes cute, occasionally bizarre side of wedding superstitions.
Has your fate already been sealed?
Superstitions don’t just affect the success of your wedding day and the marriage that follows. They also surround the proposal itself! In the olden days it was considered a bad omen if the groom saw a blind man or pregnant woman before proposing. Many grooms would actually delay the proposal or put it off altogether if this was the case.
What about your wedding date?
The first order of wedding planning is finding the perfect venue. As three-time winner of The British Wedding Awards’ Best Wedding Venue, Clearwell is of course the clear choice! Setting the date is vital too, but according to one superstition you may want to reconsider a May wedding.
As the height of the stunning spring season, May is a natural and popular choice amongst modern day couples but one rhyme warns against weddings in this particular month of the year. Refinery29 sheds more light on this old wives’ tale:
“’Marry in May, rue the day,’ goes the old superstition… Among the many longstanding wedding superstitions, May’s bad luck reputation has been around since ancient Rome. Although it’s difficult to know the exact reason why the Romans avoided May weddings, it could have been due to the festival of Lemuria, which lasted most of the month and paid tribute to the dead. Some believe it would have been frowned upon (and thus considered unlucky) to court a spouse when you were supposed to be celebrating the deceased.”
Could your wedding dress influence future happiness?
The clothing you get married in matters. The white wedding dress is the most popular choice, but as bridal fashion trends evolve, many brides are looking beyond the traditional colour palette. Taking a cue from your favourite celebrities and their wedding dress colour choices could influence your future happiness, according to ‘The Wedding Dress’ rhyme. So, what does your wedding dress colour mean for you?
How you accessorise could have an impact on your subsequent marriage, at least if this Roman myth is correct. During Roman times, the wedding veil in particular was thought to protect brides from evil. Your choice of wedding flowers could also bring you good or bad luck. Roses, for instance, symbolise love, making them the ideal choice for superstitious folk tying the knot. Another popular wedding flower, peonies, are thought to signify shame, which isn’t so romantic.
Looking for more good luck? Call on the animal kingdom
There are tons of superstitions that involve our furrier friends. A cat could bring you good luck…but only if you let it eat out of your left wedding shoe a week before the big day. Found a spider in your wedding gown before your walk down the aisle? Don’t worry, according to English legend, it’s the best good luck omen one can hope for.