Wedding Ideas

By: Tanya Turner

Every bride would agree that her wedding dress should be perfect - not only does she want to look her best, on her special day, but her wedding dress also is the center of everybodys attention. But how would you select the best one for you? Here is advice about selecting the best dress for your wedding.

Your wedding dress style should much the wedding style

Do you plan a very formal wedding in a cathedral or is it going to be an informal beach ceremony? Before deciding on the dress, you should decide how formal your wedding is going to be. A long and puffy princess style wedding dress is no longer your only option - informal weddings and beach weddings are progressively becoming more popular. So now you can find all kinds of cheap wedding dresses - short or tea length dresses, colored wedding dresses and even white sarongs, for a Hawaiian wedding. See diferent wedding dresses styles at http://www.cheap-wedding-dresses.info/

One advantage to an informal wedding dress is that it is much cheaper and more comfortable. Also, while a formal wedding gown almost always needs serious alteration, an informal dress is much easier to fit. So if you dont have that much time left before you wedding, an informal dress could be a good choice.

How to chose the right bridal salon.

If you want to find the best dress, you will need to spend a couple of days visiting different salons. However, before you visit a bridal shop it is a good idea to call them and ask a few questions - this will save you trips to places that would only waste your time. When ringing a bridal salon you should ask:

- Can you just come to the shop or is an appointment required?
- What dresses styles do they have and what is the price range?
- Are alterations free and, if not, how much do they cost?
- If they dont have dresses in your size, can one be ordered?
- Do they also carry bridal accessories, like hair decorations, veils and shoes?
- Can they hold a dress you like for a couple of days?

When you get to the shop, try as many dresses as necessary, until you find the perfect one. Dont listen to the sales person, when they say that the first dress you try on is great and you should take it. Remember they want to sell the dress and it is their job to say it looks great, even if in fact it is hideous.

When you finally find the dress that you always dreamed of, ask them to put it on hold; dont let them convince you that you should buy it straightaway. Return to the shop the next day and look at your dress again - you would be amazed how often something that seemed perfect, after trying on 10 different dresses, wont impress you when you see it with a fresh eye. However, if you look at your dress again and feel yes this is the one, than it is time to buy it.

Tanya Turner is a fashion expert and a founder of www.Cheap-Wedding-Dresses.info where you can find unbiased information about wedding dress styles, what is in fashion and how to get your wedding dress at a reasonable price

Article Source: Article Hub

By: Martin Smith

During the Medieval period is when rings became popular. All classes of people wore rings from the poorest to the richest. Rings were typically made of iron, copper, silver, and gold. The material of the ring worn usually indicated the class of the wearer. It wasn’t until around the 14th century that faceted jewels appeared in rings.

Some cultures have rings typically associated with them. Cultures such as Native Americans use silver and turquoise in their jewelry. Early Christians used the Greek symbol, the Icthus, which resembles a fish.
One of the best known is the Irish Claddagh that also has an intriguing story attached to it. Richard Joyce was among the crew of a fishing boat from the village of Claddagh, Ireland that was captured, he was to have been married that very same week. During slavery Richard Joyce was put to the trade of Goldsmith-ing. Through the years of capture neither married. Richard Joyce created a ring for his love with a heart for love, a crown for loyalty, and two hands.

After Joyce escaped capture, he returned to the village of Claddagh and was overjoyed to see his love again and to know she had never married. She always knew he would return to her. He gave her the ring that has become known as the Claddagh ring. If the Claddagh is worn on the right hand with the crown inward (toward the wrist) the heart is not yet committed. If it is worn on the right hand with the crown turned outward the wearer is committed to someone. Finally if it is worn on the left hand with the crown outward it means Let our love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated.

Rings are worn for a variety of reasons including adornment. There are rings given as a reward for a job well done such as the Super Bowl victory.
They are given to represent commitment as in engagements and marriages. Women religious to signify their commitment to God also wear rings.

Rings can be made of almost any material now. They can be made from plastic, silver, gold, or copper, even wood. They can be made of ceramic materials as well. They can be of simple design or something as intricate as filigree.

They can be plain and simple or they can be adorned with jewels or gemstones, as in the case of birthstone rings. There is a birthstone for each month of the year and each has its own meaning. See the listing below.
January - Garnet - the gem of faith and truth; protects from poisons, thought to stop bleeding, cure sickness of the blood and infections.
February - Amethyst - aids soldiers in battle, control evil thoughts, helps hunters to catch animals, and helps the owner be good in business.
March - Aquamarine - sailors used aquamarine to gemstones to keep them safe and to prevent seasickness. It gives the wearer courage, foresight and courage
April - Diamond - Symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. It is the ultimate gift of love. In 1477 Archduke Maxmillian of Austria gave Mary of Burgundy a diamond ring, thus starting the tradition of diamonds being given as engagement rings.
May - Emerald - Sharpened the wearer’s eyesight and mind. Travelers used them as protection against the hazards of long trips. The green color is said to give the owner power to predict the future.
June - Pearl - Freshwater pearls give the power of love, money, protection, and luck. It is said they give provide wisdom through experience and protect children from harm.
July - Ruby - Its red color is related to sex, passion, strength, health, physical energy, courage, and protection. It is associated with blood, birth, and death
August - Peridot -It is thought to bring the wearer good luck, peace, and success. Its powers include health, protection, and sleep. It attracts love, calms anger, eases anxiety and negative emotions
September - Saphire - Its powers include spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. It is said to aid in the healing of rheumatism, colic and mental illness
October -Opal - It has healing powers that aid inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight. It also aids in remembering past lives.
November - Yellow Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) - In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Citrine - also for November - Aids the kidneys, heart, digestive tract liver, and muscles. It promotes creativity, personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.
December - Blue Topaz (Sanskrit for fire) - In the Middle Ages was thought to heal both physical and mental illnesses and prevent death. Turquoise - also for December - It attracts money, success, and love. It gives protection, healing, courage, friendship, and luck. It eases the mind and mental tension.

There are school rings, engagement rings, wedding rings, friendship rings and mothers rings (usually the birthstones of her children set on a band. The price range of rings can be anywhere from fifty cents (usually found in the toy machines you see in stores) to thousands of dollars and more or even higher.

Martin Smith is a freelance writer providing advice and information on a variety of products. His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource. Drop by the site for more information if you have time ! http://www.1st-4-jewelry.com

Article Source: Article Hub

By: Samantha Taylor

Traditionally, a wedding band was worn on the ring finger of the left hand because it was believed that the vein in that finger went straight to the heart. A wedding ring is a piece of jewelry which will be worn everyday of your life to signify your love and fidelity to your significant other. That being said, you want to ensure you choose the perfect ring, which can be difficult for someone who is inexperienced in this area. Luckily we can help you through the steps of finding the perfect wedding ring for the special person in your life.

The first thing to consider is the kind of metal you want for your wedding rings. Most wedding rings are found in yellow gold, white gold or platinum. These forms of metal vary in price and most likely this decision will be quite easy since most women already know what kind of ring they want.

The next step is choosing the stone for the ring. You will need to decide which kind of stone you want as well as the shape of the stone. Diamonds are still the most popular choice when it comes to stones for wedding rings however colored stones such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires are becoming more and more popular.

The last step is to find a reputable jeweler who you will be comfortable purchasing such an expensive piece of jewelry from. Perhaps it is best to use a jeweler who one of your friends or family members have already used and would recommend for you because of such great results.

If you are like most couples who are marrying, you will likely choose a diamond wedding ring. If you are doing so, you may want to keep the four C’s in mind while doing so. The four C’s are the diamond’s color, cut, clarity and carat weight.

Color Diamonds are available in number of colors and shades including white, yellow, green, blue and pink. The color range starts at D and moves through the alphabet towards Z. The scale moves from white to yellow as it makes its way through the alphabet.

Cut The cut of the diamond is what gives the diamond personality. Diamonds which are cut well will be bright and sparkly, however diamonds that are cut poorly may end up looking dull and boring. Choosing and making sure the cut is perfect is a crucial step in the overall outcome of your wedding ring.

Clarity An inclusion in a diamond is an imperfection inside the stone which will greatly affect the overall worth of the ring. The size, color and position of the inclusions in your ring affect the clarity of the diamond. You want to ensure the diamond has good clarity.

Carat Weight A carat is divided into 100 equal parts (also known as points). Therefore a one carat diamond equals 100 points; half carat equals 50 and so on. When the diamonds are loose (before they are mounted on the ring), the weight is easy to determine, however, after the diamond has been mounted only a gemologist can determine the weight of the diamond(s).

Take your time when choosing a wedding ring for yourself or for your significant other. A wedding ring is a sign of your everlasting love to one another and is something that will be cherished for the rest of your lives.

Samantha Taylor spent several years working in the weddings industry as a wedding planner. When she isn’t being a mom of two wonderful children, she works as a freelance writer for http://www.yourwedding101.com - a site that offers information about everything wedding related - from wedding rings to wedding cake toppers and more.

Article Source: Article Hub

By: Donna Monday

The elegant and sophisticated look of glittering, gleaming gold. Theres nothing quite like it.

Some people never grow tired of the look of pure gold jewelry. Gold, being our most precious metal, is often a first choice among couples looking for that perfect gold wedding ring.

While yellow gold remains very popular with the wedding crowd. Many people prefer the brilliant hue of a white gold wedding ring.

White gold will look beautiful on you whether youre a man or a woman. You can find online a great selection of white gold diamond wedding rings and white gold wedding ring sets. Also, if youre looking for something a little fancier that can also become a piece of wonderful keepsake jewelry, white gold makes a very elegant engraved wedding ring that can be passed on to future generations.

The one thing you need to be aware of when buying a white gold wedding ring is that it will need periodic maintenance in order to keep its luster.

To obtain its much desired glittering white color, white gold is coated with another alloy called Rhodium (the natural color of white gold is really light gray). Rhodium will wear down after a while, so to maintain your rings luster, youll need to visit your local jeweler about every 12-18 months and have it re-plated with a new coating of Rhodium. The cost for this should be very reasonable.

Whether youre looking for a plain gold wedding band, or a wedding ring with sparkling diamonds, white gold is an excellent choice for those looking for something a little extra special.

********************
Copyright 2004
Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

Article Source: Article Hub

By: Emmanuel Mendonca

The wedding service in the Greek Orthodox faith is an ancient and beautiful ceremony, which has been celebrated in its current form for centuries. The wedding ceremony is full of symbolism and is a great experience if you have never attended one before, because it is likely to be quite different from other weddings you have attended in Western Europe. The service is also rather unique because the bride and groom do not make vows to each other their presence together in the church is taken to mean that they are serious about getting married. There are no wedding rehearsals and the ceremony usually has a very relaxed atmosphere - guests take photos whenever they want to and often chat quietly among themselves throughout the ceremony.

The Beginning of the Wedding

In most cases the wedding guests will wait with the groom outside the church until the bride arrives (a few sneaky wedding pros will go into the church early to secure a good seat). In the Summer, when most weddings take place, it is not unusual for ceremonies to be arranged back to back, so the guests attending a marriage will often stand around with those who have just attended the previous wedding are ready to leave. Wedding dress commentators among the crowd will get to consider and discuss at least two brides and maybe even a third as they leave the church bargain! Meanwhile, the groom waits for the bride at the entrance to the church, often holding her floral bouquet. He hands it to her as they meet and they then go inside together followed by the guests. There is no separation of the guests into guests of the bride and guests of the groom everyone sits together and in the case of small churches, many people prefer to stand in a spot where they can get a good view of the proceedings.

Service of Betrothal

The wedding ceremony itself is in two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. The exchanging of rings is the focus of the Service of Betrothal. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand and making the sign of the cross over the heads of the bride and groom. The rings are then placed on the third fingers of their right hands. The “Koumbaro”, the couples religious sponsor, then swaps the rings over between the bride and grooms fingers, three times. A number of rituals in the ceremony are repeated three times and this symbolises the Holy Trinity: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage

This Ceremony consists of several key parts. First, several prayers are said and then as they come to an end, the priest joins the right hands of the bride and groom. Their hands remain joined until the end of the wedding ceremony, which symbolises the couples union.

The Crowning

The bride and groom are crowned with thin crowns, or “stefana”, which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolise the glory and honour that is being bestowed on them by God, and the the ribbon symbolises their unity. The “Koumbaro” then exchanges the crowns between the heads of the couple, three times.

The Common Cup

The crowning is followed by a reading of the Gospel, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, which was then given to the married couple. Wine is given to the couple and they each drink from it three times.

The Ceremonial Walk

The priest the leads the couple, who are still wearing their “stefana”, three times around the altar on their first steps as a married couple. The “Koumbaro” follows close behind the couple holding the stefana place. At this point the couple (and anyone standing nearby) is usually showered with rice, which was earlier handed out to the wedding guests. The priest will often make use of the bible he is holding to give himself some protection!

The Removal of the Crowns

When the Ceremonial Walk has ended, the priest blesses the couple, the crowns are removed and he then separates their previously joined hands with the bible, reminding them that only God can break the union which they have just entered into.

Wedding traditions

Unfortunately, a lot of the information available on Greek Orthodox wedding traditions is a little outdated and contains generalisations that give the impression that certain traditions are followed by everyone who gets married. Some of these traditions are set out below.

- The baking of bread and cakes containing coins.

- Rolling a baby on the marital bed to encourage fertility.

- The throwing of money onto the marital bed.

- The pinning of money onto the bride (and sometimes also the groom) at the wedding reception.

Although these rituals are seen as traditional, fewer and fewer young people marrying today are following them, because they are seen as old-fashioned. Many people do not wish to put their guests through the ordeal of other people being able to see how much money they pin on the bride, for example. Although money is still a very common, as well as practical, wedding present it is often given to the couple before the wedding day or to a third person at the wedding reception, for safe-keeping. Greeks living in the more remote parts of Greece and abroad, who will naturally feel more strongly about doing things the traditional way, are more likely to follow these traditions than those living in Athens, for example. Like weddings in many places, Greek weddings are changing. At the time of writing, there is a growing fashion to go and get married on an island and I recently heard someone say that he was looking into getting married in a ski resort. He was wisely advised by a friend: You had better first ask the priest if he wants to perform a marriage up a mountain!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Emmanuel Mendonca is the webmaster and publisher of Athens Room at http://www.athensroom.com - a free service for finding and advertising property for rent in Athens, with a wealth of information about visiting, living and working in Greece.

By: Peter van der Lans

David is a friend of mine. I met him some months ago when I passed his house. David invited me to stay with the story he was a cyclist himself. And thus, I had time on myself, I joined him. David showed me his photos of his journeys over Malaysia and Thailand.

One day David called me with the announcement his son would be get married and I was invited. Since David is Indian, this was an excellent way to experience a Malaysian Indian wedding ceremony.

The whole wedding ceremony would take days. When I came to David’s house, it was just before the bride would be collected. David lives in Parit Buntar, about 45 km from Penang. The bride had to be collected in Taiping, about 50 km the other way. A long row of cars went to Taiping. However, the groom was not allowed to join. The bride had to be collected by the father, David.

After arrival in Taiping at the house of the family of the bride the women brought all kinds of sweets and fruits inside. These sweets are carefully prepared and were put on the floor of the living room. A ceremony started with a priest who spoke to both fathers and the bride and some offerings where made.

Then all of the quests were offered some food. There wasn’t too much time because the bride had to be taken away before 6pm and we arrived at about 4pm. 6pm was considered to be the best time and bring good luck to the future marriage. The bride would be taken to relatives in Parit Buntar since the marriage itself would happen the next day.

I slept that night in a hotel instead of in David’s house. Later David told me it had to be like that because the ladies were busy with hair and make-up the whole night. In the morning David picked me up from the hotel and we went to the hall where the wedding would take place.

It could not have been taken place in the original hall since the roof has been blown off some weeks earlier. The replacement hall however was also big and enough. David told me that after the ceremony there would be a lunch. There were about 1200 people expected.

The ceremony started with the groom. Together with a friend they went through a series of rituals. Vegetables, fruits, oil and many other things were used. This part of the ceremony took some time. Then the Suresh left the stage, it was literally a stage, to make room for the bride who was now taken to the priest.

The bride went through the same ceremony. At last groom and bride came together at the stage where the final part of the ceremony took place.
And while all this happened, the lunch had started off. It was of course all great Indian food. People were waiting in long rows to collect their food. Once finished your lunch, you were expected to make space for the newcomers.

Inside the hall the ceremony was still going strong. There were two musicians hired. One was blowing a horn, the other played tabla. And it was very loud. How Suresh and his new wife could hear the priest was a little miracle.
After the ceremony it was time to congratulate the happy couple. Photos had to made and more photos were made. And it became that there wasn’t even enough food for the guests. The had quite some more people showed up then expected.

It was time for a series of pictures with friends and relatives. For both families this was the first child to be married. And in that case it had to be a big celebration. And you can believe me, it was a big celebration. As I said, there were more then 1200 at the wedding itself. But at night the party at David’s house continued.

Many of David and Suresh’s friends who had not been able to attend the wedding showed up now. Most of these friends were Chinese. They couldn’t be there because the wedding took place at the same moment as an important Chinese temple festival.

However, at night they were free and about 200 more people showed up to congratulate Suresh and his new wed wife. But if you think that was the end of the festivities, you’re wrong. The brides family too had a party for the friends and relatives who couldn’t attend the wedding itself. So the next day we moved to Taiping where Suresh and his bride gave us a warm welcome.

Again, like at the wedding and at David’s house the food was excellent. It was this night to we could eat meat. The first days of the wedding procedures it is forbidden to eat meat for the bride and groom but after the wedding meat is back on the menu. At the bride’s house we had excellent chicken and mutton together with a spicy salad, dahl and vegetables.

David now was dressed in western clothes while his wife was wearing another beautiful sari. I had stopped by that time counting how many saries she had changed but I still recognized how beautiful she looked. Here’s a picture of Suresh and his wife with David’s whole family.

I can only say this was to me a life experience I would not have wanted to miss. For all of you who have never experienced such an event, have a look at a selection of photos I made during the days of the wedding.

Peter van der Lans
www.pulau-pangkor.com

By: Peter Crump

Strange as it may seem the use of a wedding ring by men was not common until recently. Whereas women have worn wedding rings for eons, men have not. The use of rings as a symbol of everlasting love enshrined in marriage can be traced back thousands of years. But not so much for men.

It was, in fact, during the second world war that the use of wedding rings by men became more common. (Note that mens wedding rings and mens wedding bands are interchangeable, both meaning the same thing.)

It became the custom for US soldiers going to war to publicise their marital status by the wearing of a mans wedding ring. They were happy to make public their commitment to their wife by the wearing of a public symbol that declared that commitment to all. Given that this habit of wearing mens wedding bands was reasonably new it was all the more creditable that these men were willing to forego the marital obscurity available to them from not wearing a ring and actively chose to make a public statement about their choice.

Mens wedding rings have become increasingly more common since that time. Today it is probably as common for a newly married man to wear a ring as not. This may be due to several factors. The modern man may consider it his duty to choose to make the same public marital statement as his wife will. And his wife may well consider it a condition of the marriage that he do so. After all, in these days of equality, if she is prepared to make a statement then should he not do so as well?

Despite the fact that the wearing of a ring by a woman is a matter of choice, it is in fact almost obligatory due to the fact that it is so common. Many women do not even consider the possibility of not wearing one. Often, however, a man usually considers the wearing of a man wedding ring very carefully.

There are a number of issues to consider. Firstly, is he concerned about a public display of his marital status? Some men, whether rightly or wrongly, are threatened by this. Others are not in the least concerned.

Secondly whilst the wearing of jewellery by women is so common as to go unremarked that is not necessarily the case for men. For many men the wearing of mens wedding bands is just a case of being asked to wear jewellery. Men often do not feel comfortable wearing jewellery and in many cases have never done so before. Whilst some men see their wedding band as different to wearing ordinary jewellery, others feel just the same as if they were being asked to wear ear rings. Its just not done by men. The author, for example, wears a man wedding band, but would never consider wearing any other form of jewellery.

And as many men have never worn any form of jewellery before they have no idea what it will feel like to have something permanently on the finger. Is it heavy? Does it rub? Silly as it may seem to women this can be of concern to some men.

(If this genuinely is of concern it is quite possible to find a cheap jewellery shop, buy the cheapest ring available and wear it for a while. See exactly what it feels like. And find out your size at the same time.)

Mens wedding rings are, in the eyes of some men, effeminate. Real men dont wear rings or jewellery at all. This is becoming less of an issue as the wearing of a mans wedding ring becomes more common, but is still an issue with many men.

Culture is also a consideration. In many cultures the wearing of wedding rings by men would never be considered. Men must think about how their particular culture, and also their religion, would view the wearing of a wedding band.

There are also practical considerations. Many men are engaged in trades where the wearing of a man wedding band would be downright dangerous. Although unlikely it is quite possible for a ring to get caught in machinery. In some jobs a ring cannot be worn on the job, and must be removed. This can also apply to women.

Ultimately though, the wearing of a mens ring is just one of the many choices the man will have to make once he makes the commitment to marry. And it is often a choice made by the couple together, maybe one of the first they make in conjunction about their wedding.

Which finger is the ring worn on, and why?
Generally a mans wedding band is worn on the ring finger, the same as for women. The ring finger, for those unmarried men not familiar with the concept, is the fourth finger of the left hand. This is considered to be the finger closest to the heart.

This notion came originally from the ancient Greeks who believed that this finger had an artery which flowed straight to the heart. Whilst anatomically incorrect this makes for good fable.

So you have both decided that he will wear a mens wedding ring!
Once the man or couple have made the decision to purchase a mens wedding ring for him there are still choices to make. Do they want to wear a matching set? Or does he prefer that his ring looks quite different to his wifes. It is perfectly possible for a couple to buy a ring set where the style of the rings match perfectly, or even with matching engraved messages of love.

Generally though, even where the couple are to wear a matching ring set, the two rings are different. It is more common for the mans wedding ring to be wider than the womans. This is because mens hands and womens hands are different. A woman usually has narrower finer fingers, and so a narrower band suits her hand. A man on the other hand has wider chunkier fingers and so a wider man wedding band is more suited.

This often results in the mans ring costing more than the womans ring even with matching styles, as the mans ring uses more, often expensive, material.

There are many innovative styles available now. Many men prefer a simple unadorned band, however others enjoy highly decorated styles which make a loud statement. The wearing of, for example, very wide and highly adorned Celtic rings is becoming much more common.

When considering the styles of mens wedding rings it is well worth thinking about the personality of the individual. While different men have very different personalities different rings will suit different personalities as well. A loud outgoing man, for example, can wear a loud outgoing unique mens ring.

There are many different ring materials which also reflect the personality of the individual. Titanium or Platinum are both becoming much more popular. Whilst diamonds are not, of course, as popular with men as with women, they do make a clear statement which pleases some men who choose them. Diamond mens rings clearly say I can afford it or at least the big ones do. But it can be a brave man who chooses to wear a large diamond band.

Ultimately there are no rules about choosing a man wedding band. It is up to either the man or the couple together to make a decision. Will he or wont he. There are a variety of considerations. First, will he wear one? Once that decision is made in the affirmative then there is a whole world of choice about styles, widths, materials and the type of statement the ring makes, both for the man and the woman.

But once he has his ring on it is rare that he decides that he doesnt like it. And even if he doesnt, it is rare that the woman will let him take it off!

2005 Peter Crump. Peter Crump is the webmaster and owner of two jewelry websites. The first is http://www.coolmensrings.ili1.com/inexpensive-mens-wedding-rings.html This is a website devoted solely to mens rings, both mens wedding rings and mens rings in general.

The second is http://www.magic-of-moissanite.com/sitemap_1.html This website is devoted to moissanite jewelry. Both to explain what moissanite is and also to point out the reasons why moissanite is such a marvellous jewelry stone.

By: Tom Tsatsos

The white wedding dress hasn’t always been the first choice for a bride. In ancient times, brides dressed in brilliant colors, especially red or yellow. In biblical times, the color of choice was blue because it symbolized purity.

Until the 1900’s most brides did not have a special dress for their wedding day. They simply wore their best dress. The following traditional rhyme offered advice on what dress color to choose:
Married in white, you have chosen right
Married in blue, your love will always be true
Married in pearl, you will live in a whirl
Married in brown, you will live in town
Married in red, you will wish yourself dead
Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow
Married in green, ashamed to be seen
Married in pink, your spirit will sink
Married in gray, you will go far away
Married in black, you will wish yourself back

A green dress is thought unlucky, unless the bride is Irish. The old expression that a woman has a ‘green gown’ implied loose morals, because the green symbolized grass stains from rolling in grassy fields.

White, or a variation of white, was a sign of purity and innocence. The first known white wedding dress was worn by Ann of Brittany to her marriage to Louis XII of France in 1499. However, it was not a practical color. Cloth was very expensive to bleach and if one wanted a white dress, it would require more than one bleaching. It was believed that the whiter the cloth, the more affluent the person. So when the rich wed, they chose a white dress to show off their wealth.

White did not become a practical choice for a wedding gown until the 1800’s when machine made fabrics and cheap muslins imported from India became affordable to the masses. The Victorian era placed a heavy emphasis on feminine purity and chastity, and since white represented these attributes, it was considered a most suitable color for a bride. Queen Victoria made the white wedding dress fashionable in 1840, when she broke with tradition and wore white on her wedding day instead of the traditional silver worn by royal brides.

White hasn’t always signified purity and innocence. In Roman times, white was the symbol of joyous celebration. In China and Japan, white is the symbol of mourning and thought to be appropriate as the bride is leaving her family of birth to join her husband’s, thereby undergoing a symbolic death. Today, the white wedding dress is worn as a symbol of joy and not as a sign of purity and innocence.

There are many superstitions surrounding the wedding dress. It is thought unlucky for the bride to make her own wedding gown. The bride should not loan her wedding dress to another, for is thought unlucky for the lender, but good luck for the borrower. It is said that the bride should not wear her entire outfit before the wedding day. Some brides leave a final stitch on the dress undone until it is time to leave for the ceremony. Once a bride has looked at herself in the mirror wearing her complete outfit, it is said she must not look at herself again, or have bad luck. If the bride rips her dress on her wedding day, it is said the marriage will end in death. And finally, it is unlucky for the groom to see his bride in her wedding dress before she arrives at the ceremony.

By: Tom Tsatsos

A Brief History
The wedding ring has a long and rich history. The Egyptians are credited for beginning the tradition of the wedding ring around 3,000 BC when an Egyptian Pharaoh gave his beloved a ring as a symbol of his love. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, the circle is the symbol of eternity because it has no beginning or end. The earliest wedding rings were made from braided reedy plants like hemp. These primitive rings generally did not last more than a year and had to be replaced often. Later, leather, bone and ivory were crafted into rings as tokens of love.

The Romans used rings made of durable iron; however the symbolism behind the use of the ring was not quite as romantic as the Egyptian’s. To the Romans, a wedding ring was used to signify a binding, legal agreement of ownership by the husband and the ring was a token of purchase. In the third century, silver and gold replaced iron. Iron tended to rust and gold and silver had more aesthetic beauty. Gold or silver rings also symbolized the groom’s faith that his betrothed was to be trusted with his valuable property.

Early Celtic rings were made of hair. The bride and groom would weave locks of their hair together into a braid and the bride would wear the ring as a token of their commitment to each other.

Puzzle rings, called a Gimmel, were popular engagement/wedding rings in the 15th century. The Gimmel ring consisted of two or more interlocking rings, joined by a pivot, so they could slide together to form one ring (symbolizing the union of two lives). The most popular Gimmel ring depicted two hands and a heart, which symbolized faith, trust or plighted troth. When all three rings were joined, the hands clasped over the heart. This variation of the Gimmel ring was called a Fede (Italian for ‘faith’) ring. One part of the ring was given to the bride as her engagement ring, the second and third parts of the ring were kept by the groom-to-be and the witness of the engagement ceremony. At the marriage ceremony, all three parts would be reunited on the bride’s finger.

The Claddagh ring, a version of a Fede ring, became popular in 17th century Ireland and remains popular to this day. It depicts two hands holding a crowned heart. The motto associated with the ring ‘Let love and friendship reign’ has become the traditional Irish wedding band.

During the Renaissance and throughout the 18th century, sterling silver poesy rings were popular wedding bands. Poesy rings were engraved with mottoes or verses, mostly with a religious or romantic overtone.

At the same time poesy rings were popular, the Puritans were renouncing wedding bands, because they considered jewelry frivolous. Colonial Americans often exchanged thimbles during the wedding ceremony. Thimbles were acceptable to the Puritans because they were viewed as a practical item. After the wedding, the women would slice off the bottom of the thimble and created a wedding band.

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, wedding bands were engraved with intertwined hearts, flowers, intricate leaves and delicate filigree. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, the art deco movement introduced wedding ring styles focusing on bold colors and geometric shapes. Today, wedding rings can be made of gold, silver, platinum or a combination of two or more metals.

Superstitions
There are many superstitions associated with the wedding ring. Here are a few:

It is unlucky to go shopping for wedding rings on a Friday, due to the bad luck associated with that day.
It is unlucky for the bride or groom to wear their rings before the wedding ceremony.
Once the wedding ring has been placed on the finger, it is considered bad luck to remove it. If the ring accidentally comes off, the husband must replace it on her finger.
Dropping the ring during the ceremony is an evil omen. Whoever dropped the ring, it would signify they would die first. If the ring rolls away from the alter and rested on a gravestone in the floor of the chapel, it would mean the bride would die first if the person buried underneath the floor was a woman; the groom would die first if it was a man buried below.
A too-tight ring might point to painful jealousy or the stifling of one party by the other.
A too-loose ring could mean a parting of the ways through careless acts or forgetfulness.
Having the wedding ring(s) blessed by a clergyman is believed to give the ring the power to rid disease and guard the wearer from devils.

By: Tom Tsatsos

The veil dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. They were wary of evil spirits and demons, and bright colors were believed to scare off these unwanted spirits. Occasionally, a Roman bride was completely covered in red veils to protect her from evil spirits. Others believe wearing the veil stems from the time of arranged marriages. The father of the bride may have feared the groom would not want to marry his daughter if he found her unpleasant to look upon, so the bride would be heavily veiled and she would not be revealed to the groom until after the ceremony.

Many believe the tradition of the ‘unveiling’ stems from Biblical story of Jacob and his two wives. Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, tricked him into marrying Leah instead of his true love, Rachel. Leah was heavily veiled and Jacob did not realize he had married the wrong woman until after the ceremony. Thus the Jewish tradition of Bedeken was born, where the groom lowers the veil before the ceremony and raises it prior to the kiss.

The veil became popular in England during the 1800’s and signified modesty and chastity. In the Christian tradition, the veil is lowered by the father before the processional and is raised by the groom prior to the kiss.

In some Eastern ceremonies, the bride is veiled throughout the entire ceremony and is not unveiled until after it is over.

The wedding veil has evolved over the centuries, and has signified youth, virginity and modesty. Roman brides were married in swathes of brilliant red or yellow, while Viking queens wore metal skullcaps. Many Japanese brides still wear the traditional tsuno-kakushi, a white hood that supposedly hides the horns of jealousy. Veils made of lace were made popular in the United States by Nelly Curtis, the adopted daughter of George Washington. Legend has it that Major Lawrence Lewis, her father’s aid, saw Nelly standing behind a filmy lace curtain and he was so taken by her beauty that he asked for her hand in marriage. She then wore a lace veil on her wedding day in order to preserve the effect for her groom.