For Better or Worse

Wedding Traditions from times past “Luck be a Lady tonight”Weddings have changed drastically over the years but some things never change.
Weddings are of course joyous occasions and reasons for celebrations, the time when family and friends get together en masse and a real opportunity to get dressed up. But apart from being happy times weddings are also associated with superstition and “old wives tales” which date back thousands of years and handed down from generation to generation.

Here are a few, so watch out on the day.

Shoes tied to the bumper of the car

Ever wonder why people do this?  Well this dates way back to the Tudor times. 
Obviously they didn’t have cars then but guests threw shoes at the happy couple and strange as it sounds, if the shoes hit the happy couple, this was meant to bring good luck.  Can’t think that the Bride and Groom saw it like this.

And worse still the Anglo Saxon Groom would hit his Bride with a shoe to symbolize his authority over her. 
Rather than throwing the bouquet the Bride threw her wedding shoe at the bridesmaids to see who would marry next. 

Thank heaven for flowers.

Getting dressed

Women through the ages have all been consumed with the wedding dress. 
Many Brides’ marry in white as this is a symbol of purity. 
So watch out girls when choosing the colour of your wedding dress, as each colour has a specific meaning, some not so good.

Set the date - Which month, day is best to tie the knot?

As if you didn’t have enough to worry about. 
Most couples choose the wedding date because a) it’s available, b) it suits family and friends.  Should we also be taking superstitions into consideration? 
Read on if you dare ….

"Monday for health
Tuesday for wealth
Wednesday's the best of all.
Thursday brings crosses
And Friday losses
But Saturday - no luck at all."

Well Gentlemen, you really have to put a lot of thought into popping the question and setting the date. 

Looks like us Ladies only have to say Yes or No.

Get me to the Church on time

According to Mr and Mrs Superstition you are not even safe on the way to the Church.

Watch out for Mr Bad Luck along the way but welcome Mrs Good Luck with open arms.

Mr BAD LUCK

It is considered a bad luck for a bride to meet a pig on the way to her wedding ceremony. To avoid this live in town.

For country brides, cock crowing after dawn of the wedding day is a bad omen.

Tradition says it is bad luck for the groom to see his bride's wedding gown before the wedding day and it will bring more bad luck if he looks at the gown as she walks down the aisle.

Bride and Groom should not see each other the morning of the wedding – thought to come from the time of arranged marriages.  Bride’s father was afraid the groom would change his mind if the Bride was not pretty.

Mrs GOOD LUCK will shine through

It is considered good luck for a bride to meet a lamb, a dove, a spider, a policeman, a clergyman, a doctor, a blind man, chimney sweep, or a black cat on her way to her wedding ceremony.

For good luck, the groom should give a coin to the first person he sees on his way to the church.

I’m all for this – superstition doesn’t stress the value but the higher the amount the more luck will be bestowed – (new superstition just written)

If the bride or a child cry during the wedding service it is considered lucky.

Dating back to Victorian times . . . seeing a chimney sweep on the way from the church will bring good luck.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe.

This well known superstition originated in Victorian times. It appears to have lost its last sentence at some stage.

Client Testimonials

Miriam & Paul O’Sullivan Married 3rd June 2004

Just a note of thanks for such a wonderful day and great organisation, every last detail brilliant.

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For Better or Worse

Wedding Traditions from times past “Luck be a Lady tonight”Weddings have changed drastically over the years but some things never change.

Weddings are of course joyous occasions and reasons for celebrations, the time when family and friends get together en masse and a real opportunity to get dressed up.

But apart from being happy times weddings are also associated with superstition and “old wives tales” which date back thousands of years and handed down from generation to generation.

Here are a few, so watch out on the day.read more...