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  A Jane Jeffry Wedding Mystery |
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by Karen Ahn Jane Jeffery and her friend Shelly run into more than their usual share of
wedding-plan mishaps in "A Groom With a View" when a member of the
wedding party turns up dead!
While hardly anyone's wedding ever has quite that large a problem, there are
centuries of folklore, superstition, and tradition surrounding the wedding day
to ensure the smoothest ceremony-- and marriage-- possible.
The tradition of the wedding ring started during the Roman empire, with
a bride and groom wearing iron bands (symbolizing an unbreakable bond, since
iron was the strongest known element at the time) on the fourth finger of
their left hands. Romans believed that there was a vein that went directly
from that finger to the heart.
Almost all modern Western wedding traditions have direct links to Roman and Medieval European mythology and customs. For instance, June is still the traditional wedding to have months, because it is named for Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage. Centuries ago, brides still had bridesmaids and wore veils-- but for the purpose of thwarting evil spirits who might wish to harm or kidnap the bride on the wedding day rather than for fashion purposes! Likewise, the custom of throwing rice has its roots in Roman times. Guests used to throw raisins, nuts, seeds or rice to ensure that the couple would be
fertile.
Most of the "good luck superstitions" are also deeply embedded in past
beliefs. Shoes and can are still tied to the back of the car the
newlyweds drive off in after the wedding. This custom comes from
the Tudor period in England, where guests hurled shoes at a couple. It
was "lucky" if the couple or their carriage were struck. As the custom
evolved, people figured that evil spirits and bad luck would be
frightened away by the noise of the shoes dragging on the ground behind the
carriage. From the same time period comes the custom of tossing the bouquet-- with one small difference. When most brides toss the bouquet to see who will be
the next married, few know that the bouquet was originally a shoe in ancient
custom.
Two of the most beloved-- and commonplace-- wedding traditions have roots
in a turbulent past. The "honeymoon" period originates from the ancient
Anglo-Saxon practice of kidnapping and carrying off a bride (with or
without her consent.) Immediately afterwards, the couple would hide from
the bride's parents and drink honey wine to consolidate their union. Likewise,
the tradition of the groom carrying the bride over the threshold of their
new home symbolizes a more brutal time when grooms would "carry" their
brides off. It also ensures that the bride doesn't trip on her first
step into the house-- which would mean a rocky marriage!
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MysteryNet.com: The Online Mystery Network. Copyright © 1999 Newfront Productions, Inc. and Avon Books |
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