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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-02-25, Page 33ks • r ic! OU "ke ay to • be • . • or For f, 0 the tely • ‘r, •••,•••••••••.. Ribbons, bells, scrolls and roses decorate this Victoriana wedding cake. To- day many cakes are -also accented with the colors of the bridal party, doves and the traditional bride and groom figures on top. Origins of beloved customs lie in ancient marriage rites It happens in every wedding: The bride and groom exchange rings. They share cake. The bride throws her. bouquet. But do you know how these customs began? THE BRIDE: A Celebration (Harry N. Abrams,.Inc.),.a. new book by Barbara Tober, Editor -in -Chief of Bride's magazine, reveals their sometimes sur- prising origins. The bride throws her' bouquet so an un- married' friend can "catch" some luck in romance, goes the modern explanation: But the custom actually started as a form of, self-defense. —„ In times past, belief in the mystical value of a bride's adornments prompted • friends and strangers alike to try to grab a piece of her outfit. Eventually, some clever bride found that by flinging her flowers away from • herself, the crowd would have something to fight over — and she would escape intact! . . The wedding party originally served the serious purpose of protecting the bride and groom from the curses of evil-. vvishers. They dressed in clothes exactly likd those of the bride and groom, so the . • identity of the happy couple was kept Secret on the way to the church and until they were safely married. • • The first piece of wedding cake is cut • and eaten by the bride and groom as a carry-over from the time when the•shar- ing of food or wine often was the . • marriage. Teutons, for example, were considered wed after drinkihg mead together for 30 days. (The word bridal comes from • bride -ale.) ' The aisle runner protected the bride from evil spirits who, it was thought, liv- ed below the ground. These. demons were • also feared to lurk around doorways, hence the bride is carried over the threshold of her new home. • „ Rice symbolizes the age-old hope that • the couple. would be.as fruitful as the earth. In France, guests shower the bride" and.groom with wheat; in Morocco, with ' raisins, fig and dates. • People clink glasses when they toast the bride and groom in order to produce a bell -like sound. (Bells, it was believed', . were repellent to the devil). • ."The kiss" as a significant moment in the wedding dates from the Roman Ern- , pire. At that time, the betrothal ceremony consisted of a kiss and the ex- change of ring, with the kiss being the actual legal bond. • Thetrousseau, or dowry, was actually an early form of life insurance, since it Was meant to ensure that the bride could survive without her husband if the need We wear the wedding ring on the third • finger Of the left hand because the pharoahs of Egypt believed a vein, the "vena amoris," ran from that finger .. • directly to the heart. The. honeymoon began, when, in an- - cient marriages by capture, thegroom kept his bride in hiding to prevent sear- ching relatives. from finding .her. The word itself comes from the early Teutonic custom of couples drinking an ' aphrodisiacal honey drink for 30 days, or one cycle of the moon. Showcase '87 Page 33 ed invitati Now that you've decided who — when and where, let us help you announce it!! Rill lines of wedding -and -annivereafy: - - INVITATIONS, NAPKINS, MATCHES, GUEST BOOKS, PERSONALIZED STATIONARY, FEATHER PENS and GARTERS. All at We let you take the 15 book home for your relaxed viewing. OFF Sugg. Price VIDEO TRANSFERRING COMES OF AGE!! Transfer your slides, old photographs, and 8 mm. film onto con- venient video tape, for your easy viewing. WALDEN PHOTOGRAPHY Westfield Studio R.R. 3, Blyth - 523-9212 "The Cpuntry Studio" _ FORMALS FRE MAN., FOR MEN AT THEIR BEST ,.•••"<*o •;, Sophisticatio n and handsome Styling...th- distinctive look for the grooms of 1987. The Freeman Difference means looking your best when it matters most. We are committed to pro- viding fine formal wear - on time - tailored to fit like your own. That's the Freeman Difference, and that's a difference you'll appreciate. _AM F ORM A LWE A R eampbell mens wear main 'corner, clinton mann 482-9732SA MOM STORE HOURS: Monday -Tuesday & Thursday 9 - 6 p.m.; Friday 9 to 9 p.wrw.; Saturday 9 - 5:30 p.m.; Closed Wednesdays.