As your wedding day approaches, you’re probably planning to throw your bouquet, cut the cake with your husband and wear something old, new, borrowed and blue, but have you ever wondered why? Lara Bailey investigates the steadfast wedding traditions that will feature in your special day.

Weddings are driven by conventions. Key parts of a reception, including having a fruit cake and your new husband removing your garter for example, are rituals that are steeped in tradition. While some traditions, such as the bride wearing white, are not as popular as they once were, many traditions that were developed centuries ago endure in contemporary weddings.

Most of the wedding traditions that have been adopted into Australian culture are derived from British, and in some cases European, conventions. While the origin and meaning of many of these conventions has been confounded over the years, they still retain a special place in modern weddings and are embraced by many couples.

From the preparation for the big day right through to the moment you leave for your honeymoon, a lot of your day will be dictated by long-held traditions. Here, Melbourne Bridal Showcase reflects on these rituals and sheds some light on what they mean.

SOMETHING BORROWED…
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’ and understand that a bride wears one of each of these things at her wedding, but don’t necessarily know what the tradition means. As each of the items, particularly the ‘something old’ and ‘something borrowed’, are generally from a bride’s mother, grandmother, sister or friend, they are important symbols of the unity between her pre-wedding life and her new life as part of a married couple.

‘Something old’ represents continuity for the bride, and indicates an enduring link to her past. You could wear your grandmother’s locket, veil or even her gown for your ‘something old’.

‘Something new’ is symbolic of the new beginning that is presented by marriage. It is also said to bring the bride good luck and success in her union. If your wedding dress or wedding ring is brand new (as opposed to being a family heirloom), then you’ve fulfilled this part of the tradition without even trying!

‘Something borrowed’ indicates that the bride’s family, particularly the female members, will continue to be there for her as she embarks upon wedded life. It’s considered lucky if your borrowed item comes from an already-married friend or relative – that way, they’re passing on some of that luck to you as you head into marriage. A piece of jewellery or a hairpiece could be your ‘something borrowed’.

‘Something blue’ is an age-old representation of purity, loyalty, love, luck and faithfulness. Often brides incorporate the blue element into their look by having blue eye shadow, blue shoes, blue lingerie, or, commonly, a blue garter.

The last part of the saying, ‘and a silver sixpence in her shoe’, has dropped off the end of the rhyme but was part of the original British tradition when the saying began. The sixpence was meant to represent wealth and good fortune for the newlymarried couple.

WHITE WEDDING
It’s generally assumed that white dresses originated from the belief that white symbolises purity and innocence, but years ago, it was blue that was associated with these values. Queen Victoria’s wedding dress, worn in 1840, kickstarted the trend of a white wedding gown, a style that was widely adopted and that persists today.

Nowadays, purity and virginity are more commonly associated with white than blue, but thanks to changes in some conventions, brides aren’t necessarily expected to wear white, and some avoid it altogether.

DOWN THE AISLE
The tradition of a father ‘giving away’ his daughter at her wedding stems from the days when daughters were considered property of their fathers.

The unsavoury roots of this tradition no longer apply of course, but the tradition persists regardless. A nicer way to think of this aspect of a wedding – if you choose to incorporate it into your day – is to consider the act of being given away by your father as his way of showing his approval of your fiancé and providing his blessing for the wedding and your future together.

MARRIAGE MEMENTOS
Originally a European tradition, bomboniere is an important part of your reception and deciding on what to give your guests will be one of the most enjoyable parts of your wedding plans.

The bomboniere you give out to guests will provide them with a special memento of your day, and with the flexibility of choices available, you can choose something that is personal and unique to you. Traditionally, bomboniere consisted of a small pouch of sugared almonds – generally five – which symbolised health, wealth, fertility, happiness and long life. Five was also the magic number as it cannot be equally divided and therefore symbolises a truly shared life between the husband and wife. Sugar-coated almonds were chosen as their bittersweet nature was said to represent the journey of marriage, which will present challenges as well as wonderful moments.

With the almond tradition often falling by the wayside in contemporary weddings, it is perfectly acceptable to adapt your bomboniere to suit. Choosing non-edible bomboniere means your guests will have an eternal reminder of your special day, while something like lollies with your initials or guests’ names printed on the wrapper of a chocolate bar will be sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.

WITH THIS RING…
Different cultures have different ideas of which finger and which hand a wedding ring should be worn on. The ring, being round and therefore continuous and never-ending, symbolises the lifelong commitment of marriage – and also shows others that you’re taken!

The notion that a wedding ring should be worn on the third finger of the left hand originated from centuries-old beliefs in various cultures that a vein from the third finger of the left hand was connected to the heart. Although medical knowledge has advanced considerably since this theory began, the tradition has stuck, and engagement and wedding rings are worn on this finger in Western cultures.

FEELING FRUITY
When Prince William and Kate Middleton revealed that one of their wedding cakes would be a fruit cake in line with British custom, the shockwaves were felt around the world – the idea of a fruitcake didn’t exactly conjure the delectable image one would imagine the royal couple would indulge in.

It’s fair to say fruitcake isn’t really the most appetising flavour. While many modern couples have let go of this tradition, the top tier of a wedding cake is still often a fruit cake, and for good reason!

An old British tradition was to have two cakes, and the fruitcake was known as the ‘groom’s cake’. A major reason for having a fruitcake at a wedding is the extraordinary longevity of this humble dish.

Having a fruitcake gives way to further traditions, such as the married couple sharing the cake on their first wedding anniversary and again at the christening of their first child.

Some couples choose to have a multi-tiered cake with large layers of chocolate or caramel and a smaller top tier of fruitcake for this purpose. The dense and hardy nature of fruitcake means it can be stored and consumed after several years and still retain its freshness, making it a practical choice.

TEAM WORK
A sweet tradition that has been performed for some time is the act of the married couple cutting the cake together.

The idea behind this is that it’s the first task they complete as a married couple and indicates the caring and understanding nature of their union.

SHARING THE CAKE
The bride and groom feeding each other a morsel of wedding cake symbolises their commitment to being considerate and kind towards each other. It signifies the union and the notion that the couple will proceed with married life as a couple, not just as individuals.

Newly-married couples are often playful when feeding the cake to each other, reflecting their friendship as well as their love. Feeding the cake to one another is often a tender moment at a wedding and a time when you can see the couple really enjoying themselves.

THE BOUQUET BATTLE
The dash for the bouquet has been played out and mocked in countless movies and TV shows, and most of us have seen firsthand one or two female guests play rough in order to get their hands on the bride’s bouquet!

Although this part of the wedding can result in some guests getting quite intense in their pursuit of the coveted floral arrangement, it is a fun and light-hearted part of the day. It is generally known that single female guests gather around behind the bride as she throws the bouquet, and the person who catches it is said to be the next to marry.

The practice of throwing the bouquet has a long history that crosses various cultures. It’s widely believed that it originated from a practice at 14th century French weddings, when guests would grab at a bride’s gown in the hope of snagging a piece for good luck. It’s said that as time progressed and dresses became more expensive, brides began to rebel against this practice and instead offered a piece of their clothing – sometimes a shoe – to prevent the frenzy. This in turn is said to have evolved into the throwing of a bouquet.

Nowadays you get to keep your dress and shoes, and can no doubt create a frenzy of your own once that bouquet is tossed into a sea of unmarried guests. Also, flowers symbolise fertility – an added bonus for the lucky lady who catches your bouquet!

GARTER TIME
If you’re concerned your female guests may be embarrassed by the bouquet toss, don’t worry, the boys are in for a treat too. Tradition dictates that, just as the woman who catches the bouquet is the next to get married, so too is the single man who catches the garter. Generally the bride will be seated and the husband will remove, and then throw, the garter into a group of single men.

Also said to originate from the belief that a bride’s clothes will bring good luck, losing the garter was another unfortunate thing brides had to endure before this tradition kicked in – previously, guests would try to remove it themselves!

The removal of the garter at a wedding also used to symbolise the relinquishing of a bride’s virginity. Although pre-marriage virginity is no longer an expectation of a bride, the tradition of throwing the garter can be a funny and enjoyable moment in your day. If you’re really daring, get your new husband to remove the garter with his teeth instead of his hands! Then make sure all the unmarried men gather around and try to catch it.

You could even ask the catchers of the bouquet and garter to share a dance afterwards.

WELL WISHES
Once the ceremony is over and everyone has left the church (or beach, garden, etc.), it’s customary for guests to shower the newlyweds with rice. As it grows quickly and in abundance, throwing
rice at a wedding is considered a good omen for married life and is supposed to bestow fertility and prosperity upon the couple.

Contemporary brides may not be sold on the idea of having rice thrown at them (apart from getting stuck in your hair, it can cause problems for birds who eat any rice left on the ground), but the tradition has been adapted for modern weddings. Consider throwing confetti instead.

It’s bright and colourful and will help children get involved. It tends to be messy though so if you’d rather a more tidy solution that will still interest young guests, hand out bubble blowers and mixture as guests leave the ceremony, or include them on tables as bomboniere. Alternatively, bird seed can be substituted for rice.

JUST MARRIED!
It’s customary for newlyweds to drive off into the sunset in their ‘getaway car’ with an assortment of items tied to the back of the car, commonly tin cans.

Although more upscale weddings may forego this convention altogether, it’s a fun way to get your guests involved. The tradition originated as a way to ward off evil spirits – the loud noise is supposed
to scare them away so the newly-married couple can start their life curse-free!

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS
From the proposal through to your wedding anniversary, there are traditions and superstitions for every occasion, so don’t give yourself extra stress by worrying about all of them – the main thing on your wedding day is to have fun. Whether you choose to abide by all of them, select a few, do away with them altogether or incorporate some into your special day with a personalised touch, wedding traditions can make your day that little bit more fun.

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, you just need to make sure you don’t remove your engagement ring before the wedding, that the groom arrives at the ceremony before you do and that you steer clear of pigs and lizards on the way to the ceremony to ensure your marriage is happy and enjoyable. Good luck!