Signs and superstitions firmly occupy a place in the lives of modern people and in our heads - it is not without reason that they pass from ancient times to new generations, retaining their meaning and importance.
There are everyday signs, and there are more important ones - associated with global and significant life events. A wedding is one such event. Of course, a wedding is a special day, incredibly important and significant, and every detail is important, everything is given importance. And great attention is paid to the signs associated with the wedding.
You can reverently believe in wedding omens, or you can ignore these traditions - but who knows, perhaps superstitions will help make your life together happier and avoid adversity?
It would probably be useful to learn about wedding signs and superstitions, especially to find out what you shouldn’t and shouldn’t do for the newlyweds on this important day.
There are no trifles - everything is important on this day!
These ancient signs and ancient superstitions for every wedding were taken into account and well known by our ancestors, and they treated the beliefs with respect. Their wisdom should be given due credit; it is good to know what actions should be taken and what should not be done on this important day.
The main wedding signs that the bride, and also the groom, must observe are divided into categories:
- Beliefs associated with wedding vestments.
- Wedding rings and everything connected with them.
- Protection from the evil eye and evil for newlyweds.
- Signs associated with different weather, seasons, days.
- Ritual actions and beliefs for a happy life in a young family.
What special wedding signs need to be remembered so that family life is a fairy tale, and harmony in the house is not disturbed and love does not dry out?
What to wear down the aisle?
What wedding signs are there that a bride should know before choosing a wedding dress?
1. Virgin white color is considered traditional for weddings, it is the color of holiness, but our ancestors did not consider it successful for a wedding. You can also get married in an unconventional outfit - for example, the best option was previously considered the color red, which personifies joy and happiness.
In general, bright colors of wedding attire were popular. And only the modern era has elevated the classic white color to a cult. Gold and pink colors are very good for a wedding dress.
2. This should be a dress, not a skirt and corset separately.
3. A girl certainly puts her outfit on over her head; this is an important ritual that promises happiness.
4. No dresses for rent - the clothes must be new and your own, otherwise there will be no happiness in marriage. The best thing is not to buy, but to sew it especially for a girl.
5. It is believed that the bride's outfit in which the girl is going to get married should only have long sleeves. This is an old tradition that has lost its relevance - today the bride needs to cover her arms and shoulders only when getting married in a church.
6. The groom puts a coin in his shoes - this belief serves to ensure that the family is always prosperous.
7. The veil is not just a common accessory for a wedding, it is a mandatory and important ritual attribute in which a young lady should get married. The veil covers the face of the beautiful bride from prying eyes, protects from evil, envy, negativity and the evil eye.
9. The bride should not wear pearl jewelry on her wedding day - otherwise there will be a lot of tears.
11. Also, when choosing shoes, the bride should know the signs - for a wedding, formal shoes must be closed, sandals are not suitable. Shoes must have closed toes.
Shoes for the bride do not have to be perfectly new; they should be worn for a couple of days beforehand. And then these shoes cannot be worn - they will be something like a talisman and must be carefully stored in a box.
12. But the groom’s shoes should be dark - it is considered a bad omen if the guy goes to the bride in light shoes.
13. No one should adjust the clothes of young people - this is a bad omen.
14. A woman must carefully and lovingly keep her wedding dress - it cannot be sold, or even given as a gift. This is a talisman, you should never put it on and let someone try it on.
Rings and beliefs
1. The most common and main sign is that you should never let anyone try on wedding rings. In order for the family to remain strong, it is worth remembering this always, not to play with fate.
2. When the newlyweds have already put on the rings, they cannot take the box or saucer where the rings were lying. Young people should know this in advance and not touch this subject.
But if you give the box where the rings were, or the saucer to a young unmarried girl, she will certainly soon get married - and happily!
3. It is believed that rings for newlyweds should not be chosen with stones or notches - they must have a smooth, flawless, even surface. Then the couple will have a smooth and happy life in a joint family!
4. Of course, you should take care of the rings and never remove them. Losing a ring is a bad omen; to prevent this, you need to not only choose the ideal size, but also carefully monitor them.
So as not to jinx it
Protective signs for a wedding will help you meet a new and important stage in life calmly, without fear, and avoid unforeseen troubles and surprises from fate. In order to protect yourself and your newly-made family from evil, you need to follow very simple, small nuances.
- A simple safety pin always serves as a protector against the evil eye - it would be useful to pin one on the groom’s clothes and wedding dress. Pin the pin carefully, in an inconspicuous place, head down - and you don’t have to be afraid of the evil eye.
- It would be a good idea for the bride to make a couple of stitches with blue thread on the hem of her wedding dress, on the inner, inconspicuous side. The blue color itself is considered protective, and such a small ritual will help avoid unkind glances.
- A wonderful amulet for the bride is jewelry that belonged to her mother. Family jewelry - a cross, pendant or brooch - are not only a wonderful gift, but also reliable protection.
The most important day...
When choosing the date of this long-awaited event, you should not only start from when it is convenient for guests to arrive, or when the vacation will be, but also from more subtle, mystical factors.
Various signs indicate what a wedding day should be like when it is impossible or undesirable to get married. And what month, on the contrary, is especially good for this.
1. There are well-known signs - among them one that says that it is better to prepare for a wedding in the summer, but not to get married in May. May is considered an unlucky month for marriages. In the old days, for example, they simply said - you will suffer all your life, you will not see peace in the house.
2. Rain and even snowfall on your wedding day are wonderful signs. There are various signs that convince us that rain and bad weather are extremely good for a combination - this is a happy blessing from above.
If the rain happened unexpectedly, when nothing was predicted, this is a particularly fortunate, wonderful sign. It is believed that such rain promises wealth to the family.
3. There are also signs and various ancient superstitions associated with numbers at a wedding - for example, you cannot get married on the thirteenth, but the numbers five, seven and nine are lucky and lucky for this.
4. Leap year, as you might guess, is extremely unfavorable for a wedding.
6. The autumn months are good for marriage - it is believed that the family will be harmonious and calm. True, there is an exception - it is not recommended to get married in October; according to legend, life will be difficult.
7. The winter months are good for marriage, with the exception of January - there is a sign that a woman who gets married in January will be unhappy.
8. All wedding beliefs and signs say that the best months for the bride and groom are February, June, August, November and December.
Other superstitions
- It is believed that the bride and groom should not spend the last night before their wedding together - they should certainly sleep separately, or better yet, in different houses.
- The bride and groom should always be close all day long so that no one can pass between them. This guarantees the strength of the union.
- It is known that the path to the registry office and the place of celebration should be as winding as possible. This is connected with “scaring away dark forces” - in order to confuse them, it is worth driving not along a straight road, but along confusing, winding paths.
- For the same reason, wedding cars honk loudly - it scares away evil forces. The tradition has been preserved, and it is not without reason that it is an ancient and important ritual.
- Getting caught in the rain on your wedding day is a great omen; don’t be afraid to get your outfit wet – this is a great blessing.
- Red roses are considered undesirable for celebrations. It's better to just avoid them on your wedding day.
- Candles need to be blown out together - this is a good sign.
- There is also a belief that the bride should cry a little (thus mourn her maiden life) before the wedding - this way her life will be joyful.
Beliefs and traditions have ancient origins, and if they were empty, would they have reached us? How much to believe in them, what significance to attach is up to you, the main thing is to have a sense of healthy proportions, not to go too far with superstitions, but also not to treat such an important event carelessly and negligently.
This event should be remembered forever as the happiest, so it is important to treat its details with trepidation and attention. And believe in the best - then your life together will be cloudless! Author: Vasilina Serova
From time immemorial, marriage was considered an important, holy ritual. It was preceded by viewings and matchmaking, which were carried out according to certain scenarios. And on the wedding day, both the groom and the bride were required to perform many specific actions.
Wedding signs and traditions pursue one goal - to enlist the support of Luck or Higher Powers in order to bring happiness and prosperity to a young family for many years. It is difficult to judge how effective the observance of wedding rituals is. But that doesn't matter. The main thing is that you believe that they will help you. And your marriage will become truly happy and lasting!
Ancient wedding superstitions and signs
These signs are several centuries old.
- If it rains on the wedding day, this foretells the well-being of the young family.
- For family happiness, the bride should cry on her wedding day.
- After the bride leaves for the wedding, the floors in the house must be washed so that the girl does not return to live in her parents’ house.
- You cannot get to the wedding or registration place by direct road. To deceive evil spirits, choose twisted routes and detours. The horns of cars and the loud screams of young friends will scare away the evil spirits.
- In order for family life to be long, the young should not cross the path to the altar. Witnesses who walk slightly ahead of the bride and groom help avoid this.
- Both before and immediately after the wedding, do not allow anyone to stand in front of the bride or groom near the mirror. A close reflection of a stranger portends betrayal.
- Cutlery (forks and knives) cannot be given to young people as a gift: family relationships will not be smooth. You still can’t give watches and calendars - this will make your family life short. If the bride's mother was happily married, she should give her daughter a family heirloom to bring prosperity to the young family.
- To avoid the evil eye, you need to pin pins on wedding dresses with their heads down. For the bride - on the inside hem of the dress, for the groom - under the boutonniere. Pins should not be visible to others.
- Old shoes will help bring good luck in family life. The bride should either wear worn shoes to the wedding or wear new shoes the day before the wedding.
- After the ceremony, the newlyweds should be seated on the same bench so that nothing separates them. Lay a fur coat under your feet - this will make your family’s life rich.
- Pillows should be placed side by side on the marriage bed so that their pillowcases touch. This portends a friendly life for the spouses.
Modern wedding signs and superstitions
Wedding signs and traditions of recent years have been adapted to modern life. Some of them arose from ancient superstitions.
- A heel broken on a wedding day foreshadows a “lame” family life.
- If a married friend puts earrings on the bride, the young wife will be happy in marriage.
- You cannot wear a green dress to a wedding.
- Mothers of the bride and groom should wear dresses, not pantsuits. The latter may bring about a quick separation of the young couple.
- You can't melt down your parents' wedding rings. It is better to buy new ones, and the bride and groom need to do this together, which will bring a friendly family life.
- It is prohibited to let people try on wedding rings, as well as wedding dresses. According to the sign, this will cause frequent quarrels in the family.
- If the newlyweds divide the candy in half before the registry office and eat it, their life will be sweet. And looking in the mirror after the ceremony means a happy marriage.
- After returning from the registry office, the newlyweds must walk around the festive table three times, at which time the eldest member of both families will compliment the girl. This ritual symbolizes the eternal bond of the newlyweds.
The most pleasant wedding signs and traditions
- You cannot photograph the bride and groom separately on their wedding day. This means a quick breakup.
- The best time to get married is in the afternoon, which will bring good luck and longevity to the young family.
- The groom must cross the threshold of the house after the wedding with the bride in his arms. This means that the husband will always especially value his wife.
Whether to believe in wedding omens or not is up to you. Perhaps you should believe in the most pleasant ones, and just forget about the bad ones. After all, the happiness of family life does not depend on what rituals you observed on your wedding day. And it depends on how respectful your relationship is with each other. And what will be your psychological mood? Is he positive? Then you will have a long and happy life!
A wedding is perhaps one of the most important events in a person’s life. This is an important step that radically changes life, connecting two loving hearts into a single whole - a family.
Very exciting for both the newlyweds and their loved ones, relatives and invitees. Every detail, every minute of celebration is thought through, aimed at arranging the happiness of the young. In a word, wedding! Signs and customs on this solemn day become especially relevant. Their goal is to protect those getting married from failures in marital happiness and to preserve love for many years to come. Of course, not everyone believes in wedding omens (what can and cannot be done on this significant day); many are skeptical about them and consider them prejudices, but their knowledge has never harmed anyone.
Signs before the wedding
- You cannot give each other photographs with your own image the day before.
- You cannot cross the path of the bride and groom, so as not to deprive them of luck in life. If such a danger occurs, then the witness and witness should walk a little ahead.
- You need to go to the registry office in different cars so that you still have time to think about such important changes in your life.
- The more confusing the route that the bride and groom take, the happier their family life will be. In the old days, wedding trains chose the most confusing routes to the church in order to mislead the evil spirits.
- If a cat crosses the road, you need to take a different route.
- No one should pass between the bride and groom for family life to be happy and calm.
- After leaving the registry office, the newlyweds leave holding hands. Whoever has the hand on top will be the head of the house.
- If you touch the rings of the bride and groom, it means that you will soon be walking at your wedding. If after the registry office someone crosses the path of the bride and groom, it means that family life will not work out. This is what time-tested wedding signs say.
- If the witnesses are divorced, then the marriage of the young couple will be in danger of disintegration.
- If the witnesses are married, it is unlucky.
- If the witnesses are a married couple, then their marriage will break up.
- Before entering the hall, the newlyweds treat each other with salty bread. This should be the last time they hurt each other.
- After the registry office, the most revered relative leads the newlyweds around the festive table three times, this symbolizes the inextricable bond of the married couple.
- You should definitely break the first glass of champagne - for good luck! If dishes break at a wedding, it is fortunate.
- At the wedding table, the newlyweds are required to sit not on chairs, but on the same bench, so that family life can be friendly.
- There is such an interesting sign: if the bride accidentally drinks from her betrothed’s glass, it means that she will take his entire salary.
- So that the newlyweds always have money, the newlyweds place a scarf with dry cockroaches under the bench.
- If one of the guests drops a piece of food on the floor, the young people will always have a lot of treats.
- If the bride's friend accidentally stepped on the hem of her wedding dress, it means she will soon be married.
- If the young woman knocks back a full glass, the husband will drink.
- If there are many children at the wedding, this means a fun and noisy family life.
- A special decoration of the table is the wedding cake. The bride needs to cut it, and the groom supports the knife. The young people are treated to the first piece of cake - for good luck.
- You cannot give sharp objects: knives, forks, which carry aggressive energy that can fill a new family. If such a gift was nevertheless presented, the donor should be given a handful of coins so that there will be no troubles in life.
- You cannot give a watch, because it will count down the minutes and seconds of your life together, and it will last as long as the gift will work.
- Spouses are advised to choose their own bed linen, because intimate life is a private matter, not a public one.
- You cannot present towels and handkerchiefs, so as not to condemn the newlyweds to tears and sadness.
- Icons can only be given by the closest people: parents, grandmothers, godparents, because it is with such a valuable gift that the energy of the family is partially transferred into the hands of the young. If one of the invitees decided to make such a present, then the icon must first be consecrated in the church.
- You also cannot give antiques that retain the energy of their previous owners. After all, they will influence the young family in their own way, and such influence may not always be good.
- You cannot give a mirror. This is a magical object, and what is reflected in it is an astral projection of everything that a person sees in reality. As a wedding gift, the mirror will become a door to a parallel world (illusionary), which will provoke the newlyweds to lead a double lifestyle.
- You cannot present pearl jewelry to the bride, otherwise the latter will often cry and grieve in her family life.
- Also, guests should not give rings or cufflinks with amber, the energy of which can cause failure in their career. It is recommended to re-gift such gifts immediately.
- For a smooth path in life, the bride should be given a white tablecloth as a gift.
- You cannot give red roses. It is better to prefer them from daisies, cornflowers, lungwort and others, symbolizing love and tenderness. Lilies of the valley will be original as a wedding bouquet - a symbol of romance, happiness and fidelity. You can opt for violet - a flower that symbolizes the purity of soul and thoughts.
- You cannot come to a wedding wearing black clothes.
- The number of guests at a wedding should be odd.
- Guests should be seated according to their age. The young people sit down with the bride and groom, then in order of seniority. The oldest people sit at the opposite end of the table from the younger ones.
- Those invited from the bride's side sit in relation to her on the left side, the groom - on the right. After all, the left side of space symbolizes the feminine, the right - the masculine.
- Seats for parents are at the end of the festive table.
- The optimal days for weddings and paintings are Saturday and Sunday. By the way, Americans prefer Monday for such events. In terms of time frames, the second half of the day is most successful.
- Getting married in May means a lot of toil.
- Previously, weddings had never taken place on the days of fasting: the Great, Rozhdestvensky, Uspensky and Petrov fasts. Christmastide (from the Nativity of Christ - January 7 - to Epiphany - January 20) was also not recommended for marriage.
- The best for marriage are considered to be the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and those that add up to the above.
- You can't schedule a wedding for the 13th.
- Snow or rain at a wedding is fortunate.
- Strong wind - to a windy life.
- If on the wedding day the weather was sunny, and then it started to rain suddenly, the family will live in abundance.
- If a storm breaks out during the wedding, it will be a disaster.
- If there is a strong frost on the newlyweds’ special day, then a strong and healthy boy will be born first.
Wedding signs for the bride say that a wedding on a new moon means a happy new life, on a waxing moon - on a rapid increase in money capital, on a full moon - life will be like a full cup. If you get married during the waning moon, then all troubles and sorrows will go away.
If on the wedding day in the morning the newlyweds or relatives are attacked by a sneeze, this is fortunate.
The groom stumbled over the threshold of his chosen one's house - there will be another wedding.
It will work out if the bride, on the night before the wedding, wears her nightgown inside out and puts a mirror under her pillow.
Wedding signs for the bride say: if the newlywed loses a glove or breaks a mirror before the wedding, this is a bad omen.
On the eve of the wedding, the bride should not see the groom under any circumstances, and even more so, the future husband should not see her in a wedding dress, otherwise the marriage will be unhappy.
Until the wedding (painting), the bride should not see herself in the mirror in full attire.
Signs about clothing and jewelry
Signs for the bride on her wedding day say that the happy chosen one must wear shoes with closed toes and heels when getting married. Then happiness will not leak out of the house. And if you also put a copper coin in the right shoe, then the life of the young people will be successful and rich. Getting married in sandals means living barefoot.
If a woman who has been successfully married for 7 years helps the bride put on her wedding attire, then the newlywed will be healthy and successful.
The bride should not allow her friend to stand in front of her in front of the mirror, otherwise the latter will beat off the groom. The same applies to the groom and his friends.
In order to protect against the evil eye, newlyweds need to fasten it on their clothes with the head downwards for the groom - in the area where the boutonniere is attached, for the bride - on the inside of the hem of the dress. It is also recommended for the lucky chosen one to make a number of stitches with blue thread on the inside hem of the dress: as wedding signs say for newlyweds, this will protect the newlywed from the evil eye.
Old shoes on the bride mean good luck in the new family. Therefore, a day or two before the celebration, it is recommended to wear shoes that will be worn at the wedding.
Pearls worn by a bride to a wedding bring tears to her eyes.
You should not wear jewelry to a special event - only costume jewelry - this is exactly what folk signs for a wedding say.
What can and cannot be done for parents? The mothers of both young people should wear one-piece dresses (not suits) so that the family life of their children is free of discord.
Wedding Dress
A wedding and wedding signs are one whole, because the solemn event is so significant that you should pay attention to every detail. This also applies to the bride’s wedding dress:
The bride's bouquet
Wedding signs (what young people can and cannot do) clearly state that under no circumstances should the groom give his beloved’s bouquet to anyone until he himself gives it to him.
She must protect hers throughout the festive evening; if he is released, happiness will fly away. At the wedding feast, you can put it on the table in front of you, and if there is a great need, then give it to the groom or your mother to hold.
A wedding bouquet fell on the floor - there will be another wedding in this house.
The one of the bride's friends who catches the wedding bouquet will be the next to get married.
Wedding ring
Oh, these signs for a wedding! What can and cannot be done for newlyweds with wedding rings? This question worries young people very much.
Purchasing wedding rings is the responsibility of the groom.
Rings must be smooth, without stones or notches, so that life is smooth, without pitfalls.
The bride's ring should be wider than the groom's ring.
Before leaving for the registry office
On the way to the registry office and at the registry office
The road towards an important event is an important component of the solemn process. Therefore, it is also worth considering the signs for the wedding here. What can and cannot be done on the way to the registry office for young people, their parents and guests?
What is possible and what is not allowed on your wedding day?
If the bride's heel breaks, this means a “limping” family life.
If a dress is torn at a wedding, then there will be an evil mother-in-law.
Wedding
Wedding candles need to be blown out at the same time, this will be the key to a long and happy life.
Witnesses
Feast
Bitterly!
As you know, not a single wedding in Rus' is complete without “Gorko!” This custom is quite old and arose as follows: the young woman used to go around to all the guests with a tray on which they put money. There was a glass on the tray, the guest drank it and said: “Bitter!” - as a sign that what was drunk was vodka, not water. Next, the invitee kissed the bride, thus sweetening the bitterness received from alcohol. Gradually, this method was replaced by the requirement of a kiss from those getting married.
Present
Wedding gifts are considered an important aspect of the special day. Signs regarding this part of the important day read:
Signs for guests
Guests who come to congratulate the newlyweds should also know some wedding signs. What can and cannot be done for guests on this important day for the newlyweds?
When is the wedding?
Weather
The wedding ritual has long been accompanied by certain rituals and signs associated with them. Rituals, having passed through the centuries, have become softer, simpler and more humane. But wedding signs, although they were replenished with new superstitions, remained just as strict. Whether to believe them or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves. But following “safety precautions” will help avoid unnecessary conflicts and quarrels at any wedding.
How did signs for a wedding appear?
Any superstition did not arise out of nowhere. Human observation showed its strengths during the celebration of a wedding, noticing causes and their consequences. That is why most of the signs can be explained even by the most categorical people by ordinary life situations.
As a rule, all beliefs and signs for a wedding, what is possible and what is not, are, in one way or another, related to people’s health, preservation of property and the ability to be happy. For example, torn dresses and suits always mean grumpy relatives. Which is not surprising, because in ancient times, wedding attire was often a family property and was passed down by inheritance. And damage to such a dress easily led to a family scandal.
As for future happiness, everything here is traditionally built on the “vice versa” principle. So, if dishes break during a celebration, it means there will be no quarrels in family life. In modern interpretation, this sign has become a separate obligatory ritual, when the bride and groom, leaving the registry office, break the glasses in which they drink champagne “for good luck.” At the same time, over the centuries, people have combined this sign with another one: it is believed that if broken glasses fall into large pieces, then the first child will be a boy, and if they are small, a girl.
Also, signs of a happy wedding advise the bride to cry before the celebration itself. In fact, in ancient times, brides cried without any special purpose, because they really left one family for another and forever left behind their free life. Today this is not at all the case, but from a psychological point of view, such tears help reduce nervous tension, which means that the celebration itself, as well as family life, will be a joy for the girl. Therefore, brides cried and cry at the wedding, sometimes not knowing that this is an important sign that promises happiness in marriage.
Wedding dress and signs associated with it
A girl moving into a new family was the key to prosperity and the future of an entire family. Hopes were pinned on her for the birth of children and grandchildren. And the ability to keep the house clean, create comfort and find a common language with new relatives is important for the personal happiness of every bride. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was the bride who was and remains under the closest attention of the guests. And most of the restrictions are associated with her actions and outfit.
Thus, signs about a wedding dress prohibit the bride:
- put on your outfit through your legs, not over your head;
- wear a borrowed wedding dress (although today this sign is not observed so strictly);
- wear a dress that has knots, laces and braiding as decoration, but you can attach a special knot charm under the dress;
- dress and appear in a dress in front of the groom before the ceremony;
- wear a two-piece suit rather than a one-piece dress;
- let someone else try on something from your closet: a dress, veil, shoes or ring.
By observing these wedding signs and superstitions, the bride will avoid quarrels, poor health and early separation from the groom.
It is also believed that if the entire wedding dress was put on before the wedding, for example, during fitting, then the wedding itself will not take place. Therefore, when choosing in a store or studio, it is customary not to wear some part of the outfit. Most often - gloves.
As for the color of the dress, it hardly matters. White, cream, red... Popular wisdom condemns only green color, which has nothing to do with the wedding ritual. This is what you should avoid in your outfit.
Among the huge number of beliefs, you can also find warning signs:
- a torn dress - to a grumpy and angry mother-in-law,
- to sell a dress means to lose the protection of the clan.
And if you make a few stitches on the hem of the dress or sew two red ribbons, the bride will be protected from the evil eye. Also, the witness can pin a pin to the bride’s dress for the same purpose.
The best dress for a bride has long sleeves, a closed back, a floor-length skirt and embroidery as decoration. And by treating the wedding dress as a symbol of family wealth and a shrine, you can avoid a bad mood, both during the ceremony itself and after it.
Other wedding signs that the bride should know
What about shoes, underwear and various outfit details? There are rules here too. The bride is required to wear only white underwear. This is due to the fact that it is not just aesthetically pleasing and beautiful, but also symbolizes purity of thoughts. The belief itself does not depend in any way on the color of the dress.
Shoes should be comfortable and, best of all, old. This is a very practical superstition, because the wrong shoes can cause foot pain and swelling, which will interfere with the wedding fun. In order to comply with all the rules, the bride is advised to walk around the house for several hours in her shoes a couple of days before the important date, wearing out and thereby aging her shoes.
As for jewelry, wedding signs for the bride condemn all types of jewelry, except costume jewelry. Beads made of pearls are especially bad, because from time immemorial this stone has been associated with bitterness and tears. Why would there be extra sadness in future family life?
Ideally, for the wedding the bride will wear something new, something old and something borrowed. The dress itself is new, the shoes are old, and the borrowed handkerchief may be an embroidered handkerchief taken from the mother. Such a scarf will not only be an additional talisman, but will also be useful for wiping away tears.
According to European tradition, something blue should be added to this list. As a rule, blue is the chosen garter. The use of this particular color for such an intimate detail of the toilet symbolizes the wife’s future fidelity to her chosen one.
And in any case, the bride is strictly forbidden to borrow, sell, or simply let someone wear her veil. This taboo is caused not only by the fact that the veil is a ritual symbol, but also by the belief that terrible damage can be done to the veil. After the wedding, the veil is kept by the young wife.
But wedding signs about the bride’s bouquet appeared quite recently. This is due to the fact that in ancient times there were no such bouquets in Rus'. But there were flowers in wreaths. At the same time, folk wisdom here prohibits sticking individual flowers into the hairstyle itself - they should only be in a veil or in the form of a wreath. As for the bouquet, along with it came from Europe the tradition of throwing it into a crowd of unmarried girlfriends. Whichever one of them catches the bouquet will be the next one to get married. During the day, the bouquet should be held in your hands, and during the banquet it should be placed in a vase on the table in front of the bride. If it is made from natural flowers, then you can put it in water.
Also, the bride herself can benefit her friends and sisters without throwing a bouquet. It is believed that the girl to whom the bride gives a piece of cheese before leaving her parents' house will soon get married. And if the bride pulls the tablecloth on the dining table before going out, then her younger sisters will soon become married women.
What about the groom and witnesses?
People's observation did not spare the groom either. True, the main wedding signs for the bride and groom are very similar and differ only in small details. Of course, no one expects tears from the future head of the family, and his suit does not require such a reverent attitude, however, red ribbons sewn onto the jacket, pins or stitches made are also needed here to protect against the evil eye. And the groom’s boutonniere after the wedding is kept at home as carefully as the bride’s veil.
As for individual signs for the future husband, there are not very many of them. First of all, these are those associated with the ritual of throwing the garter. The groom removes the bride's garter from her leg or takes it from her and throws his unmarried friends into the crowd. The one who catches her will marry the beauty.
It is also important that the groom buys the wedding rings. At the same time, both he and the bride’s rings should be made of the same metal and absolutely smooth, without stones, engravings or curls. What kind of rings - such is the life of newlyweds. You should not make wedding rings from other jewelry, even if your parents' rings were used for this. Violation of this taboo promises someone else's fate.
You should also be very careful when exchanging rings. In ancient times, it was believed that if the ring was dropped on the floor at this moment, it would lead to the breakup of the family. If such a nuisance does happen, then the groom and groomsmen at the wedding should mitigate this omen: for this purpose, they specially prepare a white thread in advance, which is threaded through the fallen decoration. Thus, the thread takes away all the bad things and the ring can again be used in the ritual.
But the loss of a ring means separation for spouses. And here, unfortunately, it will not be possible to soften the omen in any way. Although the bride or relatives may not believe in such a superstition, if the wedding ring is lost, a spoiled mood is guaranteed. But even if the ritual exchange of rings was successful, the groom could not touch the empty box from under them or a special plate. They are brought and removed by both witnesses or just the best man.
Also, the groom's friend, before the groom brings the bride into his house, can place an unlocked lock under the threshold of the house. Once the newlyweds are inside, the lock is closed and the key is thrown away. This sign-rite symbolizes strong family happiness. The groom must carry the bride in his arms. In this way he protects her from damage.
The role of a witness at a wedding is important, and the signs associated with it are very categorical. First of all, a girl who meets strict criteria is selected for this “position”:
- not a widow
- at least one day younger than the bride,
- not namesake.
Moreover, if the witness has already played this role somewhere, it means that she herself will have a happy marriage. Also, it is the bride’s friend who must pin a pin on the dress or hem the hem with thread. At the same time, she should not inject herself or inject the bride. If she injects herself, it promises her misfortune in her personal life.
Among other things, it is the groomsmen and groomsmen who shout “Sweet!” during the wedding banquet, when the guests shout “Bitter.” And since no one should cross the path of the bride and groom on the wedding day, it is the witnesses who go first everywhere before the newlyweds.
Wedding signs for guests
There are far more prohibitions than permissions associated with guests and relatives and friends invited to the wedding. So, guests should not be allowed into the newlyweds’ bedroom until they themselves find themselves in this situation. In some customs, guests accompany the bride and groom to the bedroom with songs, jokes and parting words, but even then they enter after the newlyweds. In many ways, this tradition protects the future husband and wife from theft of guests or much greater troubles.
Also, parents and witnesses should ensure that none of the guests, whose responsibilities include the right to dress the bride and groom, do not adjust their clothes.
To make the wedding fun and with lots of gifts, it is customary to invite an odd number of guests. Guests should not give forks, spoons or knives. But if they do give them as a gift, then in exchange they should be given at least a coin. Traditional wedding omens prohibit guests from giving roses to the newlyweds. Especially red ones. Chrysanthemums, lilies, peonies and many others are considered wedding flowers.
What else do you need to know from superstitions to hold a perfect celebration?
Much of wedding superstition has to do with the weather and seasons. In different cultures, girls were married off in different ways: in some places the spring months were considered the most suitable for this purpose, but most often such celebrations took place in August-October. Today, a wedding can be celebrated on any day of the year. Therefore, some of the signs are related to weather conditions.
Thus, rain on a wedding day is a sign that promises happiness and wealth. The heavier and longer the rain, the better. However, even a simple rain is better than a cloudless sky. But you shouldn’t have any complexes about the beautiful weather on your wedding day.
And since in Rus' winter was also considered one of the most suitable wedding seasons, snow is also a good symbol, meaning prosperity and well-being. In general, a special wedding in winter has special signs. If the wedding takes place on the day of Maslenitsa, it means that prosperity and a cheerful life in the house will go hand in hand.
February is considered the best winter month for a wedding. Marriage at this time is life in perfect harmony for the future husband and wife. A wedding in December is also good. Here beliefs promise an eternal feeling of love between spouses. But a January wedding promises quick widowhood.
The influence of the wedding ritual is so enormous that celebrating a wedding is a very common sign. But it is complex in that it has several different and contradictory meanings. So, it is believed that this is also a sign of an imminent wedding in the family, as well as an addition to the family, sometimes even the birth of twins. But at the same time, the day on which such a meeting took place is not very good for business and, in general, is considered not profitable.
Of course, these are not all the well-known signs and superstitions for a wedding. However, this important event for every person is so dependent on rituals and beliefs that even people who are far from understanding their meanings unwittingly observe them.
Whether to believe in the power of folk wisdom or not is up to the newlyweds to decide. In any case, no matter how ideal the wedding is, without mutual understanding, respect and trust between spouses, there will be no prosperous family life.
