Have you ever wondered to yourself where certain traditions during a wedding ceremony came from? Stories layered with centuries of faith-inspired symbolism can help decode the mysteries behind a ceremony. Let’s dive into the Christian roots that have shaped many weddings.
The Wedding Ring
· Meaning - Eternity, uniting two souls together, and a covenant love and fidelity
· Christian Roots - Christian ceremonies adopted wedding rings from former traditions of other cultures around 900 CE. The ring is considered a visible sign of an unbreakable covenant made between a husband and wife to God. The earliest known wedding ring comes from Egypt, about 3000 years before Jesus Christ was born, later being adopted by the Greeks and Romans and then being passed down to Christians.
The White Dress
· Meaning - Innocence, holiness, and a new beginning
· Christian Roots - White has long symbolized purity in Christianity, as well as cultures before the birth of Jesus Christ, but was adopted by early Christians as a colour for baptismal garments, symbolizing the washing away of sins and a new life in Christ. The liturgical colour has also been incorporated into days of celebrations within the Church, like the feast of saints, connecting it symbolically with divine presence.
The Veil
· Meaning - Modesty, the unveiling of a new life, and reverence for God
· Christian Roots - Stemming from the book of Corinthians, the veil was used by women for covering their heads during worship. It should be noted that the veil was used in the church to cover the tabernacle to symbolize the ‘veiled’ presence of the Blessed Sacrament, linking the bride with the ‘veiled’ presence of God within her. The unveiling then symbolizes the open access to God, echoing the tearing of the temple veil during Jesus’ crucifixion where access to God was opened to everyone.
The Bouquet
· Meaning - Devotional acts offered for another person, collection of prayers, and sacrifice
· Christian Roots – A bouquet of flowers in early Christian weddings symbolized purity, renewal, and the beauty of God’s blessing over his creation. Some flowers have their own meanings, like the lily representing the resurrection and purity of the Virgin Mary, with its white petals symbolizing the purity of the Mother Mary and the blooming of a new life.
In conclusion, some of the most common symbols of a traditional wedding have embedded their way into the mundane. An action that most people don’t even think twice about, being full of so much substance. There are so many more traditions that go unquestioned, and I hope to be able to dive deep into all the traditions during a wedding that have been deeply rooted in Christianity so that everyone can look at a ceremony in a new light, giving a deeper meaning to things seen at a surface level. I would love to know what other traditions you know of in a wedding that go unnoticed?
