11 — Traditions
The strange, ancient, and surprisingly practical reasons behind the things we still do at weddings — from Roman crumbs to medieval swords, told by a Newcastle wedding photographer who watches them happen.
Ancient RomeThe word 'nuptials' comes from the Latin 'nubere' — which literally means 'to veil.' The Roman bride was said to be 'veiled for marriage,' and the veil was so central to the ceremony that the word for wedding became the word for the act of veiling.
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Celtic BritainThe phrase 'tying the knot' comes from handfasting — an ancient Celtic ritual where a couple's bound hands sealed a trial marriage lasting a year and a day, after which they could choose to stay together or walk away, no fault, no shame.
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Ancient RomeThe wedding kiss began as a legal seal — in ancient Rome, a kiss was the binding signature that finalised a contract, and the marriage kiss was the moment the union became law. No kiss, no marriage.
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Medieval EuropeThe garter toss began as medieval guests storming the bridal chamber to steal the bride's garter as proof the marriage had been consummated — grooms started throwing it themselves to draw the crowd away from the bride.
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Ancient Greece & RomeThe first wedding bouquets were bundles of garlic, dill and rosemary — carried to repel evil spirits, not to smell sweet. Flowers didn't take over the bouquet until the Victorians turned them into a coded language.
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Ancient EgyptThe first wedding rings were braided from papyrus and hemp in ancient Egypt, worn on a 'vein of love' the Romans believed ran directly from the ring finger to the heart — a vein that never existed, on a finger we still use.
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Early Medieval EuropeThe best man originally stood to the groom's right, sword drawn, to defend against the bride's family if they tried to take her back by force.
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Medieval FranceThe bouquet toss began as a decoy — brides threw their flowers to distract guests from literally tearing the bride's dress to pieces for good luck.
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Ancient RomeBridesmaids originally dressed identically to the bride — not to complement her, but to confuse evil spirits who couldn't tell which woman was the actual bride.
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Ancient RomeIn ancient Rome, the groom broke barley bread over the bride's head and guests ate the crumbs for luck — the original wedding cake was a fertility ritual you ate off the floor.
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