| When my headdress was about to be placed on | | | | each color had a certain superstition attached to it |
| my stiff-with-hair-spray head, my mother asked | | | | according to the region. With the exception of the |
| for a happily married matron among the women | | | | Irish brides, wearing green meant promiscuity due |
| in the family. No one stepped forward; although, | | | | to rolling on green grass, and therefore, bad luck. |
| quite a few married women were in the room. | | | | Then, the bridesmaids' same color and style |
| So, my mother called my aunt who seemed to | | | | dresses were thought to chase off evil spirits by |
| be the most happily married person around. | | | | confusing them.The bridal veil has descended from |
| Something had to be right with that superstition | | | | the Roman times to protect the bride by |
| because my marriage has lasted several decades | | | | disguising her; however, after a few centuries, the |
| and it seems to be continuing on an even keel. | | | | veil has symbolized chastity.Although most |
| For the happiness to be handed down from | | | | superstitions revolve around the bride, the groom, |
| generation to generation, the placing of the | | | | too, is not exempt from stepping into bad luck |
| headdress probably corresponds with the wearing | | | | and that has been the primary reason for the |
| of the garter or something borrowed.When it | | | | best man's existence. The best man carries a |
| comes to weddings, our most superstitious selves | | | | good luck charm in his pocket and sees to it that |
| surface from the depths of our culture's common | | | | the groom arrives to the ceremony before the |
| conscience. Since I have always considered | | | | bride, to avoid bad luck, of course.During the |
| myself a citizen of the world, it is a good thing | | | | ceremony, the Jewish groom breaks a glass, and |
| that, at the time of my wedding, I did not know | | | | in most cultures, the bride stands to the left of |
| about all the wedding superstitions in the world. | | | | the groom probably to let his right hand to stay |
| Otherwise, I would have been a nervous | | | | free for his sword to defend her. Another job for |
| wreck.The common superstitions we know | | | | most grooms is to carry their brides over the |
| of--such as the bride having on something blue | | | | threshold of their new home. In its origin, this |
| and something new or the tin cans attached | | | | probably had nothing to do with luck; it was there |
| behind the couple's car--are based on the | | | | to avoid the bride's tripping over the threshold in |
| centuries-old beliefs in good or bad luck and | | | | her long gown.Anything circular is good luck, too. |
| chasing away evil spirits.Avoiding bad luck has | | | | While in my son's wedding unity candles placed in |
| always been a major concern. Even the day or | | | | a circle plate signified the union of the two |
| the month in which one gets married has a say in | | | | families, some couples circle around the room to |
| a couple's fortune. For example: "Marry in the | | | | unite the families. In Greece, couples circle the |
| month of May, and you'll surely rue the day," and | | | | altar three times for Holy Trinity; the Sikhs circle |
| "Marry on Monday for wealth, on Tuesday for | | | | six times while rose petals are thrown at them; |
| health."Then, the flowers in the wedding have | | | | and Mexican couples are circled or knotted |
| superstitions attached to them, too; however, the | | | | together by a large ring of rosary beads. In |
| superstition of one region may be at odds with | | | | Finland, however, no knots are allowed. They are |
| the superstition of another region. In some Middle | | | | replaced by matches to keep the love |
| Eastern cultures, the bride has to carry white | | | | burning.Talking of keeping the love burning, the |
| Calla Lilies. Yet, lilies in other cultures are | | | | luckiest part of the wedding has to be the kiss, |
| associated with death.Superstitions connected with | | | | because it is so romantic. In the olden times, in |
| the wedding attire are plentiful. We all know of | | | | most cultures, the kiss was deemed to be the |
| the belief that bans the groom from seeing the | | | | only requirement in place of the marriage |
| bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. I | | | | vows.Wedding superstitions are too numerous to |
| wonder if toting or holding a red umbrella over a | | | | count one by one, and luckily, they reflect the |
| bride, as the Chinese believed, would help evade | | | | playful side of us. They are not to be taken |
| many an unhappy marriage in the west, and | | | | seriously but they are there to be enjoyed.Still, in |
| heaven forbid if a bride's dress gets torn before | | | | your weddings and in your life, may good luck be |
| the wedding, for that would mean death.Before | | | | with you always.This article has been submitted |
| Queen Victoria introduced the white wedding | | | | by Joy Cagil in affiliation with which is a site for |
| dress, wedding dresses were made in colors and | | | | Wedding Invitations. |