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Clinton News-Record, 1987-02-18, Page 45Ribbons, 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 — andshe would escape intact The wedding party originally served the serious purpose of protecting the bride and groom from the curses of evil- wishers. They dressed in clothes exactly like 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 drinking 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, figs 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 Em- pire. At that time, the betrothal ceremony consisted of a kiss and the ex- change of rings, with the kiss being the actual legal bond. The trousseau, 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 arose. We wear the wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand because the pharoahs of Egypt believed a vein, the "versa amoris," ran from that finger directly to the heart. The honeymoon began, when, in an- cient marriages by capture, the groom 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 Wedding Invitations Now that you've decided who — when and where, let us help you announce it!! Full lines of wedding and anniversary: INVITATIONS, NAPKINS, MATCHES, GUEST BOOKS, PERSONALIZED STATIONARY, FEATHER PENS and GARTERS. All at We let you take the book home for your relaxed viewing. 15 %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 Country Studio" 0 Sophistication and handsome Stylling...the distinctive look for the grooms of 19870 The Freeman Difference means looking your best when it matters most. We are committed to pro- viding fine formal wear - cis tirne - tailored to fit like your own. That's the Freeman Difference, and that's a difference you'll appreciate. FREEM&N FORMALWE AR caffip mens wear man corner; clintor 482-9732 visA STORE HOURS: Monday -Tuesday & Thursday 9 - 6 p.m.; Friday 9 to 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 . 5:30 p.m.; COosed Wednesdays.