Ten Wedding Myths Exposed

Wedding myths are just as bad as any other superstition. Some are just as controversial. If a black cat crosses your path, some say it is good luck and some say it is bad luck. You'll get the same mixed responses about whether it is good or bad luck to have it rain on your wedding day.

Wedding myth number one: Another controversial wedding myth is wearing pearls. Some say it is good luck, because the pearls take the place of the bride's real tears (meaning she'll have a tear-free, happy marriage.) On the other hand, some believe the pearls, still representing tears, are an omen of tears and heartache in the future.

When it comes down to it, wearing a pearl necklace can go beautiful with a wedding gown, and if you're worried about the 'bad luck' myth attached to pearls... counter that by making sure they are either something 'old', something 'new', or even something 'borrowed.'

Wedding myth number two: It has been known to bring good luck for the bride to shed tears on her wedding day.This is very similar to having it rain on your wedding day. It is believed that tears, or rain, represent a fertile crop (or future children). The connection here is clear to see, though I have a different theory. I say if a bride is crying tears of happiness... she is happy to be walking down the aisle.

If a bride is crying for any other reason, then she should trust her gut instinct. Wedding days should be happy and tear free.

Wedding myth number three: You have to invest a lot of money into your wedding, because it is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. My take on this? Bull! You may have created some very happy memories, and every month following when you look over your bills you will remember that special day. Your wedding day is a special day, because it is the day that you begin a new life together.

Remember that the new life will begin, and all that money will be gone. Don't dig yourself into debt for one happy day... because the following days will be strongly affected. Your wedding day is only the beggining of something much more special... a marriage.

Wedding myth number four: Yet another controversial wedding myth is dropping the wedding ring. Some say it is good luck, because all demons will have been shaken from the wedding ring, leaving it clean and pure for a healthy, happy marriage. Others say that the one who drops the ring will be the first to die.

Though I have only been married once, I still can tell you from experience exactly what it means if you drop the ring. You're nervous! (I put the ring on the wrong hand, trust me... when you're up there making such a strong commitment you are a bit shaken up!) That nervous feeling is good, and normal, and the only connection I can see with dropping a ring and dying would be dropping a very expensive ring down a drain or worse.

Wedding myth number five: A lesser known wedding myth, nonetheless interesting, is one worth taking into consideration. It has been believed by some that the time of day you take your vows has an effect on your marriage. It is good luck to exchange vows when the minute hand is moving upwards (so anytime after half past the hour).

Superstitions may be a bit silly, but it is believed to bring a blessing.

Wedding myth number six: Only a virgin bride should wear white. Beige is a more acceptable color for an 'unpure' bride.

Okay, this is a strong belief, with strong religous base to it, and it's up to the couple. However, this is the 21st century, and wedding dresses are still available in white though brides are rarely available in 'untouched'. In fact, it is possible to buy a pure white maternity wedding gown. In fact, white has even become acceptable for a second time bride. (However, the veil is still another story.)

Wedding myth number seven: The bride must be escorted down the aisle and 'given away' by someone. This is a long standing tradition, but it not necessary. This tradition originated from a time when women were bought (or worse, captured). Women were an object, passed from one owner and given away to the next.

This, fortunately, has changed and the tradition may sound nicer now... but it is not necessary. The father of the bride may walk her down the aisle, but it is not required.

Wedding myth number eight: Carrying the bride over the threshold is a longstanding 'good luck tradition'. This comes from two different beliefs. One is that new houses may possess evil spirits, and the groom is protecting her by carrying her into the new home. The second is that if a bride trips entering a home, or enters with her left foot first, it is bad luck for the marriage. Again, the bride is protected from this if carried over the threshold.

To tell you the truth, I recall my honeymoon... I was leaving the cheap motel room the morning after a long wedding day followed by a long drive, and realized I hadn't been carried over the threshold. I had followed nearly every superstition up into this point... so my new husband and I went back into the room just so he could carry me back out. It was a bit backwards... but I was satisfied. A tradition is a tradition, but looking back it helps to understand the tradition if you intend to follow it.

Wedding myth number nine: Flower girls are usually under age 6. Really, a flower girl should be chosen based on how special the child is to the bride, not by age. Additionally, it helps to understand that flower girls are there to spread the flowers that prevent the bride's feet from touching the carpet or floor where 'evil spirits lurk'.

Wedding myth number ten: Finally, we get to the classic. A bride should wear 'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue'. These beliefs all come from a classic poem. In fact, there is a missing line that many don't know of anymore. The full poem is:
"Something old, something new
something borrowed, something blue
and a silver sixpence in her shoe"

This is an English tradition, and the silver sixpence has not been minted after 1967, so it is hard to follow the entire tradition. The something old clearly represents the bride's past, which she is carrying into the marriage, just as something new represents the future she is entering. The something borrowed is meant to be borrowed from a happily married couple, that could bring the same happiness and good fortune into the bride's new marriage. The something blue is a shocker... blue was known as a color of purity. (Think of what we now consider white.) In fact, blue was the most popular color for wedding gowns before the 19th century. Note the Virgin Mary is often dressed in blue. (There is also a saying "Marry in blue, lover be true".)

The sixpence was a thoughtful tradition in which the parents of the bride would provide wealth and financial security. If a bride's new husband did not treat her well, she would have enough money to return home safely. It is also known as good luck to hide money in the left shoe (also referring to an old Scottish tradition in which the groom hides a silver coin under his left foot). These days, a penny or dime are often used as substitution.

This tradition is possible the biggest one, and when choosing the right 'somethings' to use, it helps to have a better understanding of what, exactly, those 'somethings' represent.