The Bizarre But True Origins Of Wedding Traditions

Summary

This script delves into the origins of various wedding traditions, revealing their often surprising and sometimes dark roots. From bridesmaids as decoys for evil spirits to the best man's role in protecting the bride from kidnapping, it uncovers the historical context behind practices like white wedding dresses, bridal bouquets, veils, and the honeymoon. The discussion also touches on the symbolism of wedding rings and the tradition of the father giving away the bride, concluding with a humorous reflection on which customs to keep and the possibility of starting new, more personal wedding trends.

Takeaways

• 👰 Origin of Bridesmaids: Bridesmaids originally dressed similarly to the bride to confuse exes or evil spirits and to act as decoys for safety during travel to the groom's town.
• 🤵 Role of Groomsmen: Groomsmen were the strongest and most skilled friends who helped the groom in combat against anyone opposing the bride's kidnapping.
• 👰🏻 White Wedding Dresses: Initially, white dresses were a symbol of wealth, as they were difficult to maintain clean before the advent of modern washing techniques, popularized by Queen Victoria in 1840.
• 💐 Bouquet Tradition: Ancient Greek brides used wreaths of mint and marigold for their aphrodisiac properties and to ward off evil spirits.
• 👰 Bridal Veil: Stemming from arranged marriages, the veil was used to hide the bride's identity from the groom and to protect against evil spirits.
• 🍾 Honeymoon Origins: The honeymoon period was when the husband hid to prevent the bride's tribe from rescuing her after a marriage by kidnapping.
• 💍 Wedding Rings: Historically, the bride's ring was a symbol of ownership, and the exchange of rings evolved with the advancement of women's rights.
• 🤲 Vein of Love Myth: The belief that the fourth finger has a vein leading directly to the heart ('Vena Amoris') is a myth, but the symbolism remains.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 Father Giving Away the Bride: Symbolized the transfer of the bride's property from her father to her husband, reflecting the bride as property.
• 💏 First Kiss Tradition: Initially, a holy kiss of peace was given by the priest to the groom, who then passed it to the bride, continuing a tradition of communal kissing.
• 🏵 Rethinking Traditions: The script suggests that modern couples may choose to forgo or adapt traditions based on their personal beliefs and values.

Q & A

Why were bridesmaids originally dressed similarly to the bride?

Bridesmaids dressed similarly to the bride in order to confuse exes or evil spirits, acting as decoys to keep the bride safe.

What was the role of bridesmaids in the Roman Empire?

In the Roman Empire, bridesmaids accompanied the bride if she had to travel to the groom's town or village, providing safety from potential attacks by robbers or kidnappers.

What is the historical purpose of the best man in a wedding?

The best man was traditionally the strongest and most skilled in fighting, tasked with helping the groom combat anyone who opposed the bride being kidnapped.

Why did the tradition of the best man standing next to the groom during the ceremony originate?

The best man stood next to the groom to ensure that the bride did not run away, ready to grab her if she tried to escape.

What was the original reason for wearing white wedding dresses?

White wedding dresses were a symbol of ostentation and wealth, as only the very wealthy could afford the labor-intensive process of keeping white garments immaculate.

Why did Queen Victoria's choice of a white wedding dress become a trend?

Queen Victoria's choice to wear white was initially unconventional, but it was seen as a display of wealth and was subsequently emulated, setting a trend that has lasted for over 290 years.

What was the significance of the bridal bouquet in ancient Greek weddings?

Ancient Greek brides wore wreaths of mint and marigold as an aphrodisiac and used clusters of herbs to ward off evil spirits.

What is the origin of the bridal veil?

The bridal veil originated from the tradition of arranged marriages, where it was used to hide the bride's identity from the groom until the wedding ceremony.

What is the historical background of the honeymoon?

The honeymoon dates back to a time when marriages were created by kidnapping, and the husband had to hide for about a month to prevent the woman's tribe from rescuing her.

What is the historical meaning of wedding rings and the significance of the fourth finger?

Wedding rings were a symbol of ownership. The fourth finger was chosen because of the mistaken belief in a vein, the 'vena amoris,' that led directly to the heart.

Why did the tradition of the father giving away the bride begin?

The tradition symbolized the transfer of ownership of the bride's property from her father to her new husband, reflecting the bride's status as property in the past.

What was the original custom for the first kiss at a wedding?

The first kiss was originally a holy kiss of peace given by a priest to the groom, who then passed it to the bride, and the clergyman would continue to kiss all the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Outlines

00:00

👰 Origins of Wedding Traditions

This paragraph delves into the historical origins of various wedding customs. It explains that bridesmaids originally dressed similarly to the bride to confuse potential attackers or evil spirits. Groomsmen were the strongest friends, ready to help the groom in case of a bride kidnapping. White wedding dresses became popular after Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding, symbolizing wealth due to the difficulty of maintaining white garments. The bride's bouquet and veil were used in ancient times to ward off evil spirits, while the honeymoon's roots are traced back to post-kidnapping hiding periods. Wedding rings symbolized ownership, with the fourth finger chosen for its supposed 'vein of love' leading to the heart, and the tradition of the father giving away the bride represented the transfer of the bride's property rights. The first kiss was a holy kiss of peace passed from the priest to the couple and wedding party.

05:02

🤔 Reevaluating Traditional Wedding Customs

In this paragraph, the speaker contemplates the relevance of traditional wedding customs in the modern context. After learning about the origins of certain practices, they express a desire to maintain only those that offer protection from evil spirits. However, they also consider the idea of discarding most traditions as they seem outdated. The speaker acknowledges the influence of Queen Victoria in popularizing white wedding dresses and suggests the possibility of starting new trends, such as wearing a jumpsuit or a red dress. There's also a humorous mention of having a 'best dog' instead of a best man, indicating a playful approach to wedding roles and rituals.

Keywords

💡Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids are traditionally part of a wedding ceremony to support the bride. In the script, it is mentioned that they were originally dressed similarly to the bride to confuse exes or evil spirits, serving as decoys. This concept relates to the video's theme of exploring the origins and evolution of wedding traditions.

💡Groomsmen

Groomsmen are the male counterparts to bridesmaids, typically there to support the groom. The script explains that in some cultures, the best man was the strongest and most skilled in fighting, expected to help the groom if anyone opposed the bride's kidnapping, which shows the historical context of these roles in the theme of the video.

💡White Wedding Dress

The white wedding dress is often associated with purity and wealth. The script notes that before Queen Victoria, white was not the common color for wedding dresses. Her choice to wear white in 1840 set a trend that has continued for nearly 200 years, illustrating the impact of cultural icons on wedding traditions.

💡Bouquet

A bouquet is a collection of flowers traditionally carried by the bride down the aisle. The script explains that in ancient Greece, brides wore wreaths of mint and marigold for their supposed aphrodisiac properties and to ward off evil spirits, showing the historical superstitions related to wedding ceremonies.

💡Bridal Veil

The bridal veil is used to cover the bride's face, traditionally to hide her identity from the groom in arranged marriages. The script mentions that veils in Greece were typically yellow, and in Rome, they were red, both colors symbolizing fire and used to fend off evil spirits, which ties into the video's theme of exploring the origins of wedding customs.

💡Honeymoon

The honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds. The script reveals a darker origin, suggesting it dates back to a time when marriages were created by kidnapping, and the husband had to hide for about a month to prevent the woman's tribe from rescuing her. This provides insight into the historical context of this wedding tradition.

💡Wedding Rings

Wedding rings are symbolic of commitment and ownership. The script explains that historically, the bride's ring was a sign of ownership, and the tradition of exchanging rings evolved with the advancement of women's rights, illustrating the changing social dynamics over time.

💡Vena Amoris

Vena Amoris, or 'vein of love' in Latin, is a term related to the belief that the fourth finger has a vein that leads directly to the heart. The script clarifies that this is a myth, but the symbolism of the wedding ring on this finger remains, showing the blend of myth and tradition in wedding ceremonies.

💡Father Giving Away the Bride

The act of the father 'giving away' the bride symbolizes the transfer of ownership from the father to the husband. The script points out that this tradition comes from a time when women were considered property, reflecting the historical patriarchal structure of society.

💡First Kiss

The first kiss at a wedding is often seen as a significant moment of public affection. The script debunks the idea that it's about not hooking up before the wedding, explaining that it was once a custom for a priest to give a holy kiss of peace to the groom, who would then pass it to the bride, showing the religious origins of this tradition.

💡Evil Spirits

Evil spirits are repeatedly mentioned in the script as a reason behind various wedding traditions, such as bridesmaids, the bridal veil, and the use of herbs in bouquets. This concept is central to the video's theme of exploring the superstitions and beliefs that have shaped wedding practices.

Highlights

Bridesmaids originally dressed similarly to the bride to confuse exes or evil spirits.

In Roman Empire, bridesmaids accompanied the bride for safety during travel to the groom's town.

Groomsmen were the strongest friends, tasked with helping the groom in case of bride kidnapping.

The best man stands by the groom to prevent the bride from running away during the ceremony.

White wedding dresses became popular after Queen Victoria's 1840 wedding, symbolizing wealth.

Before Queen Victoria, red was the common color for wedding dresses.

Ancient Greek brides wore wreaths of mint and marigold as an aphrodisiac and to ward off evil spirits.

The bridal veil in arranged marriages was used to hide the bride's identity from the groom.

Honeymoon origins are linked to the husband hiding after kidnapping the bride to avoid her tribe's rescue attempts.

Wedding rings symbolized ownership, with the bride's ring indicating the husband's claim.

The fourth finger was chosen for wedding rings due to the mistaken belief of a vein leading directly to the heart.

The father giving away the bride symbolized the transfer of the bride's property to the husband.

The first kiss was originally a holy kiss of peace passed from the priest to the groom and then to the bride.

The custom of kissing involved the clergyman kissing all the bridesmaids and groomsmen after the bride and groom.

The discussion suggests reevaluating wedding traditions in light of their historical origins.

The speaker considers starting their own trend by not following all traditional wedding customs.

A humorous suggestion is made to have a 'best dog' instead of a best man at the wedding.

Transcripts

so I'm currently balls-deep and wedding

planning I just got engaged a few months

ago and yes my dog was the videographer

of the engagement so now we're trying to

decide which wedding traditions we want

to include in our ceremony so I decided

to do a little research and now I'm just

gonna go let him know what I learned

yeah do you know the origin of

bridesmaids I do not it turns out

bridesmaids were originally told to

dress similarly to the bride in order to

confuse exes or evil spirits Wow really

taking a bullet for your best friend Lee

so in the Roman Empire bridesmaids would

accompany a bride if she had to travel

to another town or village where the

groom lived and this larger party was

thought to keep the bride safe from

attacks by robbers or kidnappers if

bridesmaids are just basically decoys

for evil spirits or kidnappers then what

are groomsmen what do you think the best

man's about do you know origin on the

best man already that's right okay good

the best man actually is the biggest and

strongest friend in some cultures men

would kidnap or steal their bride you

were the best man if you were the

strongest and you were the most skilled

in fighting you were supposed to help

the groom combat anyone who opposed the

bride being kidnapped the best man

actually stands next to the groom during

the ceremony to make sure that the bride

doesn't run away cuz if the bride tries

to run away that best man he's gonna

grab her she can't run what a swell guy

do you know the origin of white wedding

dresses I thought it was some kind of

symbol of purity the wedding dress was

actually meant just to be ostentatious

and to show off wealth in 18th and 19th

century washing was done painstakingly

by hand so to have an immaculate white

dress that was only for the very wealthy

red actually was the common color of

wedding dresses before Queen Victoria so

Queen Victoria got married in 1840 and

before her

well did not wear white to their

weddings she wanted to wear white nobody

thought it was a good idea she did it

anyway every was like oh my god that's

so cool it makes you look so wealthy and

now everyone's done it for the past 290

years

hey Mike why do you think Brides always

carry a bouquet of flowers down the

aisle they're pretty in there good luck

or something Oh some ancient Greek

Brides would wear wreaths of mint and

marigold that were meant to serve as an

aphrodisiac Brides would also use

clusters of herbs to ward off evil so

there you go again with the evil people

back in the day we're very afraid of

evil spirits and they did not want them

at their weddings the bridal veil what

do you think that's about yeah like if

the husband saw the bride's face before

the veil was there like you it turned

his stone on his wedding day or

something actually comes from the

tradition of arranged marriages in some

cultures the veil was meant to hide the

identity of the bride from their groom

in Greece the veil was typically yelling

in Rome it was usually red they were

both meant to represent fire and also

fend off those evil spirits hey Lucy

what do you think the origin of the

honeymoon is interesting actually the

honeymoon also is very creepy origins

and some say it dates back to when

marriages were created by kidnapping oh

my god there's so much stuff about evil

spirits and kidnapping in this so the

husband used to have to hide for about a

month after the kidnapping to prevent

the woman's tribe from rescuing her so

her family you know after a month they

basically just like gave up looking Mike

what about the origin of wedding rings

what do you think it was probably some

kind of like symbol of ownership it was

it was some of ownership historically

the bride's ring was meant to signify

ownership so the development of the

bride and groom exchanging rings was a

result of the advancement of women's

rights not only do they own us but we

own them the significance of the fourth

finger is because it was believed to

have a particular vein that led to the

heart so in Latin was called the vena

amoris

which means vein of love that was

incorrect there is

a vein in that finger that leads to your

heart but it's all about the symbolism

isn't it folks what about the father

giving away the bride

apparently she was property so yep so

the father giving away the bride

symbolized the transfer of ownership of

the bride's property from her father to

her new husband's what is the origin of

the first kiss first kiss I mean I think

the first kiss was just pretty

significant just like we're people not

supposed to be hooking up before the

wedding

Beca no that's not at all it was once

custom for a priest to give a holy kiss

of peace to the groom and then the groom

would pass the kiss onto the bride and

then the clergyman would kiss all the

bridesmaids and the groomsmen so like

everyone just was kissing we're all

passing kisses around obviously mano

wasn't a thing back then do you think we

should do that it was certainly shock

our family which wedding traditions do

you want to keep now that you know I'll

be originated I want to keep all the

ones that protect us from evil spirits I

don't want any evil at my wedding but

really I feel like I don't want to do

most of them now I don't know they all

just seem very antiquated you don't have

to do them if you don't want to like

Queen Victoria everybody at the time was

like oh my god but now everyone copies

her so start your own trend and wear a

jumpsuit or wear a red dress like

literally the rest of the world but what

about when they're all my family's

traditions

okay I don't think that's true should we

have a best man or a best dog okay we're

gonna we're gonna okay I promise

Hey