Weddings in the United States are big events. People often save for years to help fund a wedding. The typical wedding can cost in the thousands of dollars, and that doesn’t even take into account the stress and amount of time it takes to plan the big day. One thing is certain, Americans love weddings and if you are planning your big day, then consider incorporating some of the popular American wedding customs into your day.
Something Old, Something New
You have most certainly heard the old saying: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. That is one of the most popular American wedding customs there is and you will probably want to incorporate that into your ceremony. Many brides will wear or carry something old (such as cherished family necklace or bracelet), something new (her dress), something borrowed (a tiara or other headpiece) and something blue (garter). This is a fun tradition that dates back to the Victorian era. It was a way to bring family and friends together for a wedding.
Rice Isn't for the Birds
Throwing rice is another American wedding custom that most brides want to incorporate into their wedding day. The rice represents prosperity, long life and fertility. While rice is the traditional send-off, it is falling out of favor, mainly because rice is no longer environmentally safe. Birds can get sick eating the rice and it is hard to clean up. Many churches and wedding locations will ask that you refrain from using rice. However, birdseed and bubbles have taken its place.
The June Wedding
Planning the ceremony in June is yet another traditional American wedding custom. Why is June such as popular time of the year for brides? June is not only a good time of the year, well away from major holidays, but the weather is nice and people are more likely to have time to travel. Also, June has been popular for hundreds of years because having a wedding on a sunny day is said to bring love and fortune to the couple. A rainy day may mean bad luck, so June is a very popular month for weddings.
Un-Veiling the Truth
The traditional veil is another popular American wedding custom. In fact, wearing a veil over the face was said to help ward off evil spirits before the ceremony. That is the same reason why bridesmaids were used, too. The other ladies served to confuse the evil spirits so that the bride could marry without the worry of evil lurking about. Now, bridesmaids are used to represent the love and affection for close friends and family members.
The White Wedding Dress
Of course, wearing a white wedding dress is another very popular American wedding custom. It is customary for a bride marrying for the first time to wear white to signify her purity and virginity. However, other countries use other colors for the wedding day, but white remains the most popular in the United States.
As you plan your wedding day, consider these popular customs and find ways to make them work in your ceremony.
- See Wedding Flower Symbology to help you plan flowers for your big day!
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