Wedding Superstitions: Proposal And Day Setting
In the past when people didn’t know much about life (or maybe knew too much!) superstitions played a great role. When something important was planned people fully relied on them and believed that if they acted right, luck and happiness would come. Superstitions are important for some of us even now, especially when we prepare for a wedding.
Wedding Superstitions: Proposal
Today men propose in a variety of ways. They make it simple or very creative and romantic. In the past everything was different. Proposals were official and included some traditions to follow. The prospective groom asked his friends to represent his interestы to the prospective bride and her family. If they saw a pregnant woman, a blind man, or a monk on their way to the bride’s house it was believed that the marriage wouldn’t be happy. They had to turn back. In case they saw nanny goats, pigeons or wolves the marriage was thought to be happy for both.
Another tradition was originated in Medieval times in Brittany. A man, who believed he found love with a certain woman, proposed to her by leaving a hawthorn branch at the door of his beloved on the first of May. If she accepted the proposal she would leave the branch at the door. If she didn’t, she would replace the hawthorn branch with a cauliflower.
Wedding Superstitions: Surnames
It may sound ridiculous but people believed it was unlucky if surnames of both the prospective groom and bride started with the same letter. There was even a rhyme about it:
To change the name and not the letter
Is to change for the worst and not the better
Now if the bride practices writing her new name before she really gets it (before the wedding) she brings bad luck by tempting fate.
Wedding Superstitions: Setting the Date
Today with all offices and companies working full week couples tend to set their wedding day on Saturdays or Fridays to ensure all their friends and relatives could come. In the past holding a wedding on Saturday as well as on Friday was considered unlucky. And every day of the week had special meaning in context of choosing the day for a wedding. Read the special rhyme about it:
Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of all
Thursday for losses
Friday for crosses
Saturday for no luck at all
Choosing the month was also essential:
Married when the year is new, he’ll be loving, kind and true.
When February birds do mate, You wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you’ll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden and for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you’ll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you’ll go.
Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September’s shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.
Marry in May and you’ll live to rue the day
It was also believed inappropriate to marry during lent as this was a time of abstinence.
