Wedding Lore
Traditionally, the safest season to marry was between the harvest and Christmas, when food was plentiful. An old English rhyme says "Marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine."
Folklore has it that prior to the wedding, the bride must not allow her married name to be used before the wedding takes place, or it might never happen.
It is customary for the bride to be given a decorative horseshoe, which she carries on her wrist. These days the horseshoes are rarely real, but instead light-weight versions manufactured specifically for weddings. The horseshoe is given for good luck.
In the seventeenth century, wheat was cast at the head of the bride when she came from church. Now days its customary to throw colorful paper confetti or rice at the bride and groom as they leave the church after the ceremony.
In the north of England, one of the oldest inhabitants of the neighborhood would be standing on the threshold of the bride's new home. She would toss a plateful of short-bread over her head, so that it falls outside. Guests scramble for a piece of this short-bread as it is considered very fortunate to get a piece.
In Gloucestershire, in the early eighteenth century, a large cake was broken over the heads of the couple. In Aberdeenshire, barley is thrown over the bridal pair as they enter the feasting-place.
In Wales, the bride was always carefully lifted over the threshold on her return from the marriage ceremony because "it was considered very unlucky for a bride to place her feet on or near the threshold" and "trouble was in store for the maiden who preferred walking into the house".
Katie Sehorn shared this tradition with us: The term 'honeymoon' comes from the tradition of the bride drinking mead (a brewed, fermented drink made of honey) for one month after the wedding to encourage fertility, and a male child in particular.
Lou Sexton was very kind to tell us about Welsh Lovespoons:
The tradition of giving a lovespoon to a love interest dates back hundreds of years. The Welsh have been giving lovespoons to a hopeful interest since the 17th century. They were carved by the courter, or, if skills were not that adept, he hired a carver to do the work for him. Symbols were carved into the handle indicating the giver's feelings - hearts, wheels, anchors, etc., giving meaning to one or both.
Lovespoons come in many sizes and shapes, some very intricate and others very simple. They started out as a useful utensil, and, over time, have become a decoration. They are now something that is carved for the tourist trade as souvenirs for travelers.
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