Something old, something new...
By Roz Stewart-Gilmour of Lilyelf Miniatures...
Something old, something new, something borrowed something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe...
Many wedding traditions were originally used to ward off evil spirits, as well as to enhance good luck, fertility and prosperity. June is considered a lucky month to marry in, as it was when the ancient Greeks and Romans honoured Juno, the goddess of Love and marriage.
In Anglo-Saxon times a man would choose a wife and if needs be forcibly remove her from her home. The ideas of a Best man and honeymoon are thought to come from this time. The Best man would help to fight off other men who may also desire the chosen woman and he would also help to take the woman from her family and keep the couple hidden. The couple would then go into hiding with the idea that by the time the woman’s family had caught up with them she would already be expecting a baby. They would hide for one full cycle of the moon, drinking honey wine, hence 'honeymoon'. By the 6th century it became illegal to remove the woman of choice from her family.
the 'Dowry'...
In later times women became valued assets. They were considered the property of their fathers. It was expected that prospective husbands would show they were worthy of the woman in question by sending gifts to the family or working off the price of her hand in marriage.
This changed later on and the father of the bride offered a dowry to the prospective husband. This was to insure against divorce because if the marriage dissolved the husband would no longer have control of the dowry.
'Engagement'
'a huge hat and a good cry...'
Recently the law has changed to allow same sex partnerships and it is also possible to be married almost anywhere. So maybe the traditions will be replaced with a new modern way of doing things? The most important thing surely should be the celebration of two people in love being joined together not how it is done. Although it is still nice to be able to wear a huge hat and have a good cry…can this be achieved in an underwater ceremony?
Written by Roz Stewart-Gilmour of Lilyelf Miniatures
