Monday, September 26, 2011

Wedding Bouquets through the Years

By Nia Lawrence


It's really hard to imagine a wedding wherein a bride is not holding a bouquet of flowers, isn't it? Well, this is because the tradition for women to have a bouquet of flowers in their hand has been around for a long time now. However, how and when did this practice start?

While would-be brides these days have all the freedom to choose either fresh flowers or wedding silk bouquets on their wedding day, the same cannot be said about the women of the distant past. In fact, women in the ancient times didn't have bouquets made of real flowers or silk. Instead, they wore garlands that were made of herbs and spices. Odd, isn't it? Well, not really. It is because people during those times believed that the strong aroma of herbs and spices had mystical powers that could ward off evil spirits and bad luck. However, it is believed that the practice of using floral bouquets started after the wedding of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert. Even though there were still people who used herb, dill, as part of the bouquet, the purpose was not actually for driving bad luck or evil spirits away. Instead, dill was eaten by the newlyweds and their guests at the wedding reception with a belief that it could boost their sexual appetite.

Wedding bouquets have really gone a long way. Apart from the fresh flowers, wedding silk bouquets are also gaining more and more popularity. This is because many women want to keep everything that they use during their wedding day. Whether it's for sentimental reasons or not, it can't be denied that the silk bouquets beat their fresh counterparts when it comes to being a memento. And if a woman opts for a silk bouquet because she wants to keep them, then her single female friends have nothing to catch on her wedding day.

While the reason why many single ladies push one another in order to catch the wedding bouquet that a bride has thrown is known to many, how and why the tradition started is a mystery to many. Why do single ladies believe that if they catch the bouquet, they'll be the next to get married? It is said that this practice originated from medieval Europe. The bridal gown was believed to bring good luck then; thus, single women ripped the dress of the bride to have a piece of luck. But, with the changing of time, wedding dresses became more expensive. And since they are expensive, more women desired to keep them as a remembrance of their wedding day. For a while, the tearing of the wedding gown was replaced by the throwing away of the garter, which was meant to distract those who were still tempted to rip the gown.

Eventually, the practice of throwing away the garter was replaced by the throwing of the wedding bouquet. And because wedding bouquets are made of flowers and flowers symbolize fertility, the tradition has endured the changes that time has brought.




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