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When it comes to Weddings, everyone's a little superstitious. Even if you're the kind of person who walks under ladders on point of principle, or laughs when friends knock on wood, you can bet that, when your wedding day arrives, you will be clutching something old and donning something blue. I can guarantee that you wouldn't dream of seeing your fiance on the morning of the wedding. And will you expect to be carried across the threshold? Of course you will!

But where do these old traditions come from?

Well, some can be traced back to Roman & Anglo Saxon times, some to Victorian rhymes and others to folklore that has been passed down through countless generations. All of them are to do with bestowing good luck and fertility on the happy couple. The word "wed" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon and means "pledge," since the ceremony consists of each party pledging or promising to abide by certain rules, which are made to ensure their ultimate happiness. It is natural that such a solemn occasion should give rise to certain symbolical acts, and that many things connected with it should be based on traditional superstition-the aim always being to ensure that nothing should be done which would be likely to hinder the good fortune of the parties concerned.

There are so many superstitions and traditions associated with Weddings that its impossible to follow them all. Many have changed over time, while others, thankfully, are very watered-down versions of old customs. The tradition of tying old shoes to the back of the Couple's car, for example, stems from Tudor times when guests would throw shoes at the Bride & Groom, with great luck being bestowed on them if they or their carriage were hit! In Anglo Saxon times the Bride was symbolically struck with a shoe by her Groom to establish his authority. Brides would then throw shoes at their bridesmaids to see who would marry next.

The following superstitions and traditions listed on this page should hold your interest.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue and a Silver Sixpence in her Shoe
This rhyme originated in Victorian times. 'Something Old' signifies that the Couple's friends will stay with them. In one version of the tradition the 'Something Old' was an old garter which was given to the bride by a happily married woman so that the new bride would also enjoy a happy marriage. 'Something New' looks to the future for health, happiness and success.
'Something Borrowed' is an opportunity for the Bride's family to give her something as a token of their love (it must be returned to ensure Good Luck), and 'Something Blue' is thought lucky because Blue represents fidelity and constancy. The custom began in ancient Israel where brides wore a blue ribbon in their hair to symbolize their fidelity. A sixpence was placed in the shoe to bring the couple wealth in their married life. Some brides still place a penny in their shoe during the marriage ceremony.

Flower Power
Flowers have always been a big feature at Weddings. The Groom is supposed to wear a flower that appears in the Bridal Bouquet in his button-hole. This stems from the Medieval tradition of a Knight wearing his Lady's colors, as a declaration of his love. Each flower has its own meaning and can display a special message. Orange Blossom, for instance, signifies chastity, purity and loveliness, while red chrysanthemum means " I love you "

The Time & The Place
Sunday used to be the most popular wedding day, as it was the one day most people were free from work. Puritans in the Seventeenth Century put a stop to this, however, believing it was improper to be festive on the Sabbath. Today, Saturdays are the busiest, despite the rhyme

Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best of all,
Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday for no luck at all
As for the time of year, the saying 'Marry in the month of May, and you'll live to rue the day' dates back to Pagan times. May, the start of summer, was dedicated to outdoor orgies (ie the summer festival Beltane), hardly the best way to begin married life! Queen Victoria is said to have banned her children from marrying in May, and Nineteenth Century Vicars were rushed of their feet on April 30th because Brides refused to marry during May. The sun has always been associated with sexual stimulation and, therefore future fertility. In Scotland it was traditional for the Bride to 'walk with the sun', proceeding from east to west on the south side of the church and then circling the Church three times 'sun wise' for good luck.

Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind & true,
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden & for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labor for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Food for Thought
The Wedding Cake was originally lots of little wheat cakes that were broken over the Bride's head to bestow good luck and fertility. Today's three tier Wedding Cake is based on the unusual shape of the spire of Saint Bride's Church in London. Traditionally the newly-weds should make the first cut to signify sharing their life. Every guest then eats a crumb to ensure good luck. And sleeping with a piece under her pillow is said to make a single woman dream of her future husband. The giving of almond favors is connected with the motto: 'A gift of five almonds represents health, wealth, long life, fertility and happiness' The throwing of confetti, meanwhile is an ancient fertility rite. Handfuls of grain or nuts were traditionally thrown because they are 'life-giving' seeds. In some European countries, eggs are thrown instead.

Get me to the Church..
Walking is thought to be the best way of getting to Church, as there's more chance of spotting lucky omens. Seeing a rainbow, having the sun shine on the Bride and meeting a black cat or a chimney sweep are all lucky.

Bad omens include seeing a pig, hare or lizard running across the road, or spotting an open grave. Make sure the road is clear on Monks or Nuns too, they fortell barrenness and a life dependant on charity.

Coming home from Church can be equally hazardous. Tradition dictates the new wife must enter her home by the main door and, to avoid bad luck, must never trip or fall - hence the custom that a bride should be carried over the threshold.

Dressing Up
Until the Nineteen Hundreds Brides hardly ever bought a special Wedding Dress, opting for their best outfit instead. Green was always avoided, as it was though to be unlucky. To say a girl 'had a green gown' also implied that she was of loose morals, because her dress would be grass-stained due to rolling around in the fields! Hence 'Marry in Green, ashamed to be seen'. White Dresses were made popular by Queen Victoria, who broke the tradition of royals marrying in Silver. Symbolizing purity and virginity, white was also thought to ward off evil spirits. Other traditions are that the bride should never make her own dress, that the final stitch should not be completed until she is departing for the Church and that she should never try on the entire outfit before the day. This was because it was felt dangerous for the Bride to count her chickens. For the same reason, a Bride should never practice signing her new name until it is legally hers, and wedding linen was marked with the Brides maiden rather than married initials. The tradition of Bridesmaids is evolved from the custom of surrounding the Bride with other richly dressed women, in order to confuse evil spirits.

Married in White, you have chosen right
Married in Gray, you will go far away,
Married in Black, you will wish yourself back,
Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead,
Married in Green, ashamed to be seen,
Married in Blue, you will always be true,
Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl,
Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow,
Married in Brown, you will live in the town,
Married in Pink, you spirit will sink.

Entertaining the idea of marriage? Then this section may be of interest to you.

To Find When You Will Wed

The Pea-Pod - Take a pea-pod in which there are nine peas, and suspend it over the doorway by means of a white thread. If the next person who enters by the same door is not a member of the family and is a bachelor or spinster, then your wedding win take place in not more than a year's time.

The Red Rose - Pluck a full-blown red rose during the month of June, not later than seven o'clock in the morning, and places it in a white envelope. Seal the envelope with wax, and make an impression on the wax with the third finger of your left hand. Now place the envelope under your pillow and carefully note your dreams on the following night. If you dream of water, fields, flowers, mountains, glass, children, parents, organ music, silver, or the moon, you will be married within a year. If in your dreams you see giants, animals, birds, fishes, paper, a looking-glass or the sun, you will wait five years for your wedding. To dream of gold, bells, reptiles, storms or soldiers is unlucky in these circumstances, for it means that you will probably remain a spinster.

The Hair and the Ring - Take a long hair from your own or someone else's head and pass it through a wedding-ring of gold. Hold the hair, with the ring suspended, between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and place your elbow upon the table. Now gently lower the ring until it hangs below the rim and in the center of an empty tumbler, keeping your hand and arm perfectly still. If the ring does not move at all, it will be long before you marry. But if the ring sways to and fro, and knocks against the side of the glass, you must count the number of times it does so in the space of five minutes and subtract from the total the number of letters in your Christian name and surname; this will give you the number of years which will elapse before you marry. Should the number result in a minus quantity, your wedding will take place within a year.

The Playing-Cards - To find who, among a company of women, will be the first to marry, deal round an ordinary pack of playing cards face upwards. The one who receives the king of hearts will be the first to wed. For men the queen of hearts is the significant card. Any odd number of persons, such as three, five or seven must stand in a circle, at the center of which is placed a well-shuffled pack of cards in a bag or box. Each member of the company must in turn draw a card until the pack is exhausted. The one who draws the ace of hearts will be the first to marry; the one who holds the two of clubs will be the last to find a husband; while the one who holds the ace of spades will never wed at all.

The Mirror and the Moon - The following ceremony should be practiced, for preference, on Christmas Eve or Night. Borrow a man's silk handkerchief and take it, together with a mirror, to a pond, lake or stream, and wait, alone, until the moon begins to rise. As soon as the moon rises high enough, turn your back to the water and hold the mirror upwards in such a manner that it reflects not only the moon itself but also the moon's reflection in the water. Now place the silk handkerchief over your face and count the number of moons which you see in the mirror. If there are only two, more than a year will elapse before you wed, but if there are more than two, the total number represents the months that will elapse before your marriage.

The Cherry-stones. Most people are familiar with the ceremony connected with cherry-stones. The number of these on the plate should be counted, while saying, for the first stone, "this year "; the second stone, "next year"; the third stone, "sometime"; the fourth stone, "never." If the number of stones exceeds four, the incantation is repeated. The word or words occurring at the last stone are said to be a prophecy of your fate as regards marriage. In the same way the petals of a daisy may be plucked, while a similar incantation is uttered until the flower is stripped of all its petals.

To Find Out Whom You Will Wed

The Ring and Photograph - Take a photograph of the one you love and hold before it a ring on the end of a thread. Be careful to keep your hand still. If the ring moves in a circle, you will marry the person in the picture soon and will lead a life of bliss; if the ring moves to and fro, it is unlikely you will marry him. Should the ring not move at all, you are likely to remain single.

The Row of Pins - On the Eve of St. Agnes, that is to say, on the night before January 21, take a row of pins and pull them out, one after the other. Then stick a pin in your sleeve and you will dream of the one you will marry.

Four-leaf Clover - If you find a four-leaf clover, place it in your right shoe, and the next bachelor of your acquaintance you meet will become your husband.

The New Moon - This ceremony must be practiced on the first night of the new moon. Open wide the windows of your bedroom and sit down on the window-sill, gazing with unblinking eyes at the moon, and at the same time repeating softly and slowly the following incantation:-

All hail, Selene, all hail to thee!
I prithee, good moon, reveal to me
This night to whom I’ll wedded be.

Then, it is said, that during the night you will dream of your future husband.

Wedding-cake - Take a small piece of wedding-cake, pass it three times through a wedding-ring and then lay the cake under your pillow. In your dreams that night your future husband win appear to you.
Place a small piece of wedding-cake under your pillow and put a borrowed wedding-ring on the third finger of your left hand. Before you retire to bed arrange the shoes which you have worn that day in the shape of a T. Then, it is said, your future husband will appear to you in your dreams.

Cherry-stones - We have already mentioned how cherry-stones should be counted in order to find out when you will wed. The following incantation may be employed to discover whom you win wed: instead of saying "this year," and so on, say "Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar-man, thief "; the designation of the last stone, it is declared, will be the rank or calling of your future husband. Another, but less familiar incantation, is "Army, navy, peerage, trade, doctor, divinity, law."

Apple-peel - Peel an apple carefully, so that the peel does not break, and throw the paring over your left shoulder with your right hand. According to the shape which the peel assumes when it has fallen on to the floor, so will be the initial letter of your future husband's Christian name.

To See Your Future Husband - Retire into a dark room with one lighted candle as the only means of illumination. Place the candle in front of a mirror and peer into the glass. At the same time, you must either be eating an apple or combing your hair. After a few moments it is said that the face of the man whom you will wed will appear over your shoulder.

There is an old country superstition which decrees that if a woman should eat a salted herring just before she goes to bed, her future husband will appear to her in a dream, carrying a cup of water with which to quench her thirst.

To Discover Who will be the First to Marry - Four cups of the same size are set upon a circular table. In one of the cups there is placed a ring, in another a sixpenny-piece, and in another a sprig of orange-blossom or a piece of heather, while the last cup remains empty. Those who wish to take part in the test are blindfolded, and must walk slowly three times round the table and then touch one of the cups on it. The first person to touch the cup containing the orange-blossom or heather will be the first to wed; anyone selecting the cup with the coin will never know want; the cup with the ring represents devoted love; while the empty cup suggests a single life.

A similar test may be made with three saucers. One is fined with clear water, another with ink or muddy water, while the third is left empty. A woman who wishes to know her fortune is blindfolded and led towards the table with her left hand outstretched. She is then told to touch one of the saucers. Should she touch the saucer containing the clear water, she will soon be married to a handsome man; should she touch the saucer containing the ink or muddy water, her future husband will be a widower; if she should touch the empty saucer, she is unlikely to marry at all.

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