Event, Wedding & Party Planning for UK Planners & Organisers

1. White weddings were an invention of the Victorians. Before then, brides simply wore their best dress to get married in, sometimes with a white ribbon attached to symbolize purity.

2. Veils were thought to keep away evil spirits, who would be confused by not being able to see the bride.

3. Bouquets were originally posies of herbs, carried to ward off evil spirits.

4. Chimney sweeps are associated with the hearth and home, and it’s thought to be good luck to kiss one on the way to the ceremony.

5. The wedding ring symbolizes everlasting love. It’s thought that the ancient Egyptians started the practice of wearing one on the third finger of the left hand – they believed that the vein in that finger ran straight to the heart.

6. The bride stands on the left of the groom during the marriage ceremony to allow his sword arm to be free ready to fight off other men who may want her as their bride.

7. Throwing confetti has it’s roots in the Roman period, when guests threw almonds at newlyweds to symbolize a fruitful marriage.

8. The throwing of the wedding bouquet was introduced from America and it is said that who ever catches the bouquet will be next to be married.

9. Wedding receptions have their roots in the medieval period, when the groom had to demonstrate that he could support his wife by giving gifts of food and drink to his in-laws.

10. Cutting a cake at a wedding was once thought to ensure a fruitful marriage. Keeping a piece of cake is supposed to guarantee that your husband stays faithful.

11. The honeymoon gets its name from the tradition of newlyweds drinking honeyed mead (a symbol of life and fertility) until the waning of the moon.

12. It is said that if the bride stumbles while crossing the threshold to her new home, she will have a bumpy marriage. To avoid this, the groom picks her up and carries her over the threshold, thereby ensuring a happy and prosperous marriage.

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