The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-30
SOME MARRIAGE CEREMONIES.
The Origin Of the Bridal Ring and Cake
When Bridesmaids Became
Fashionable.
THE RING AND BRTpECAKE

THE RING AND BRIDECAKE
are among the most remote of the customs
connected with the marriage ceremony. A
ring and wheatcake among the heathens SOL
emniZed an agreement, contract, or anything
of that sort, and from this source they have
been applied to the most solemn of all en-
gagements, the bridecake having only re-
placed the cake Of wheat or barley. The bride
was formerly sprinkled above the head with
wheat, and in Yorkshire the bridecake, even
to this day, is cut into little squares and
thrown over the heads of the bride and bride
groom, and then put on the ring. Sometimes
the cake is broken over the brides head and
thrown into the crowd. In places the bride
cakes were placed on the table towards the
end Of dinner, piled one over the other, and
the bride and bridegroom saluted each other
with a kiss above them.
The wedding ring has been for ages worn
on the fourth finger Of the left hand, because
it was believed that small artery ran from
this finger to the heart. It was at first worn
through the second and third to the fourth
finger. The heather origin to which the mar
rage ring is ascribed came very near causing
its abolition by the Puritans, during the time
Of the commonwealth.
BRIDESMAIDS.
The use of bridesmaids at weddings appears
as old as the time of the Anglo-Saxons, among
whom, as Strut says, ''the bride was led by
a matron, who was called the brides woman,
followed by company of young maidens,
who were called the brides maids" Brides
maids and grOOmsmen, or bridegroom men,
as they were called, are mentioned in old au-
thors treating of marriage rites. Among the
early offices Of the bridesmaids was to lead
the bridegroom to church, while the grooms-
mems duty was to escort the bride thither.
Both sexes of attendants in later times pre-
coded the bride and bridegroom to the church,
bearing Ozier wands in their hands. Mission
says, in his Travels: "The bridesmaids carry
the bride into the bed chamber, where they
undress and lay her in the bed. They must
then throw away and lose all the pins: Woe
to the bride If single one is left about her;
nothing will go right. Woe also to the brides
maids If they keep one of them, for they will
not be married before WhitSuntide." Another
writer places the time to the next Easter at
the soonest.
THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY,
or part of it, was anciently performed in the
church porch or before the door Of the church.
The ancient Etruscans We're, married in the
streets, before the door Of the house, which
was thrown open at the conclusion of the
ceremony. The old Missals mention the
placing OF the man and woman at the door OF
the church at the beginning of the ceremony.
By the parliamentary reformation of mar
riage and other rites under King Edward the
couple were first permitted to come into the
body or middle of the church. Wine was for
merry drunk, and the Jews retain custom Of
breaking the cup or glass from which the
poL nave Supp6us W ISLlluu bllSIu VI tUClI
mortality. bottle Of good usquebaugh,
known as the agreement BOTTLE is drained by
the parents of the contracting parties prior
to the marriage.
THE NUPTIAL KISS
has its origin in the kiss which was the fee of
a lady's partner for dancing with her. It is
still customary among persons of middling
rank, in parts of England, for the young. men
present at the ceremony to salute the bride
with kiss: In a provincial poem the bride is
represented as being waylaid at the church
stile, after the ceremony, for this purpose.
the brides selling all on the day after mar
riage, aud receiving as large or small return
in money or yaluables as the purchaser cared
to give her. There were other customs, such
as winning the kali, or running to get first to
money from the bridegroom; attending the
parties to church with music, and having
music at the feasts.