4 Wedding Events and Engagement Traditions Explained

The wedding events world is full of traditions and customs. Everything from the way you pop the question to the words used to say your ‘I do’s’ has been established over hundreds of years of couples getting married. Add the influence of the wedding industry on top of that, and you have a lot of expectations and frameworks to guide your big day. 

It’s up to you and your partner to decide what traditions, customs, and wedding events will be included in your ceremony. While it can be fun to include some popular traditions (something blue, perhaps?), your wedding is your celebration and should be planned according to your interests, wishes, and chosen customs. 

A Proposal With a Twist

In most opposite-sex couples, a man will propose to his partner. This goes back to the tradition of men asking their bride-to-be’s family for permission to propose marriage. After receiving a blessing from the father or family, he can propose. This is a dynamic that often continues with modern-day proposals, although the practice of asking for a blessing before proposing has transitioned into an optional social custom. 

For all the women planning to do the proposing, there’s a tradition for that, too! A tradition that dates back to the 5th century in Ireland decrees that women can propose to men on a Leap Day, which happens every four years on February 29th. 

Something Blue

Image from E&D’s wedding by Amy Michelle Photography.

This is a well-known tradition. The whole phrase (which you might not have ever heard in its entirety) is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe.” The tradition dates back to Victorian England, when carrying the relevant items was considered good luck for the bride. 

Throwing Rice at Wedding Events

After you say your ‘I do’s’ and run down the aisle towards your new life, there’s a tradition of throwing rice over the heads (or directly at) the happy couple as they leave the church. This tradition has potential roots in a couple different cultures, both Roman and Celtic. Roman tradition is to shower the happy couple with grains or seeds to symbolically represent new life, growth, and fertility. This specific tradition has largely faded away, and most couples will choose a more romantic alternative like sparklers or rose petals for their send-off. 

Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

This is a tradition with a number of possible influences, not all of them pleasant. Like many wedding events and marriage traditions, carrying the bride over the threshold is thought to be a method of holding onto your good luck (and not allowing any evil spirits to travel from the threshold into a bride’s feet). It has other roots in less savory traditions, like proving a bride’s reluctance to leave her father’s home or forcefully removing a bride from her home. Suffice it to say, this is a tradition with a lot of weight behind it, but it can be a fun way to have an excuse to get close to your partner. 

Traditions are popular in the wedding world because they provide a framework for couples to use when planning their wedding. As any bride- or groom-to-be knows, planning a wedding is a lot of work! If you’re looking for assistance in bringing your big day to life, look no further. Blue Linden Weddings & Events has you covered — from planning the proposal to orchestrating your wedding.