Wedding Traditions Across Different Cultures Essay -- Weddings Marriag

Wedding Traditions Across Different CulturesWhen it comes to planning a nuptials, mint sire to worry not only about food, flowers, and what they wear, they also have to sinlessness many traditions, nevertheless if they dont understand their origins or meanings. However, to not follow these traditions, silent or not, might mean bad luck for the get married party or, at the very least, disgruntled wedding guests. Every culture cherishes its own marriage traditions and superstitions. Many are not understood but are dormant seriously followed because its always been done that way (Kendrick). Even people not usually superstitious wouldnt think of violating these traditions. Many traditions originated from old rhymes, folktales or tribal traditions whose origins are lost in clip. For example, one of the original meanings of the word wedding was to gamble or wager. This comes from the time when a bride price was necessitate before marriage. This bride price could ac ac creditledge land, social status, political alliances or money. Thus, the Anglo-Saxon word wedd meant that the groom would vow to sweep up the woman, but it also referred to the bride price (money or barter) to be paid by the groom to the brides father (Kendrick). There are equally surprising origins for such traditions as the ring thumb, wedding ring, engagement ring (and its diamond), and wedding cake. For example, the finger apply as the ring finger differs from culture to culture. In Greece during the third light speed the index finger was used. In India they used the thumb. The modernistic ring finger started beingness used in the fourth century when the Greeks originated the belief that the third finger was connected to the heart by the vena amoris, or the vein of love. (Kendrick). Use of a wedding ring spate be traced back to Roman times, and however back then it was made of gold. Roman ring were often beautify with a carving of two hands to tokenize two peop le journeying through life together as one. Early womens rings also had keys carved in them, symbolizing that women were able to unlock the patrol wagon of their husbands. It was Pope Nicholas I in 860 AD, who first decreed an engagement ring become a required statement of nuptial intent, (Kendrick). He insisted that this ring also be ma... ...untie these knots (Kendrick). The honeymoon is considered a time for the new couple to escape all of the pre-wedding stresses and just enjoy relaxing with each other before the pressures of matrimonial life set in. Karl says the moon part of the honeymoon was because customarily the bride and groom would go away for a whole month, or from unspoilt moon to full moon (132). A honey-flavored wine was frequently enjoyed on the getaway. Honey was the ancient symbol of life, health, and fertility, (Karl132). The two words eventually were combined to denote the honeymoon we know today. Wedding cakes and diamond rings, white gowns and gart ers, veils and ring fingers. These and other traditions of the modern wedding all have their origins in beliefs and superstitions that are centuries old. Planning a modern wedding can be a hectic, nerve wracking experience, and the chaos can often blind the young couple to the true meaning of the service they are about to share. Perhaps if a modern couple took the time to understand some of the ceremonys customs and traditions their wedding day would have even greater meaning for them.