The Washington herald., 1912-09-29

The origin Of wedding customs is an
appropriate subject of inquiry just about
now: Why do people make wedding
gifts? Why do they throw rice and the
old shoes? Why do they use a ring,
and why place 1t on the third finger OF
the left hand? Why does the bride dress
as she does? Why are certain seasons
and days more favored than others7
In answering these questions, a writer
says that the custom of giving wedding
presents runs back in England at least
to the Norman conquest. The money or
articles then bestowed by one peasant
upon another were understood to be but
loans, to be returned when the couple
were well established. But as the feudal
lord grew in power he came to expect
gifts for his children's marriages from
all persons dependent upon him, and
indeed had laws passed compelling a
present in value up TO one-twentieth of
the tenants yearly rent.
The common people, seized with the
same greed, originated the bidding or
penny wedding. at which light refresh
ments were served, and a plate was
passed around for cash gratuities. AS
much as. El0o fully equal to E1.0oo in
modern money! was sometimes collected
by this means. The. custom survives in
a slightly changed form In the pound
party" often given the newly married
in this country.
The present at length became so i'm
portant a part OF the institution Of mar
rage that many churches Kept a register
for the accurate listing OF such tokens
and the terms Of their presentation. FIRE.
quently. to increase this source Of matri-
monial income, the bridesmaids collected
the gifts during the wedding at the
church porch.
Brides Wore White.
In the old days. as now. the bride
generally dressed in white. From early
Saxon times down to the eighteenth CEN
fury a bride Of the poorer Grasses came
to the wedding arrayed In a plain white
robe as a public warning that since she
brought nothing to the marriage her hus-
band was not responsible for her debts.
Brides soon began to add some little
touch of color. Blue was for constancy
and green for youth. but In some places
these might not be used because OF feuds
between families using these tints in their
liveries. Yellow might not be worn, as
it stood for jealousy; golden might not,
as it meant avarice. ....
The Anglo-Saxon bride went to the
wedding with her hair hanging loose as
a sign Of freedom, but upon reaching her
new house Immediately bound 1t up as a
sign of submission. In the days Of
Shakespeare the veil began to take the
place of the flowing tresses. but this,
however was not original with the Brit
ish, for centuries. earlier the Roman and
Hebrew brides had worn yellow wells.
while the early Christians OF Southern
Europe had enyeloped both man and wife
in one large cloth.
Whatever was lacking, however, In
gorgeousness of dress was compensated
among all nations by the profusion of
flowers chosen for their significance
There was long a custom for each guest
to dip a sprig of rosemary into his cup
of wine before drinking to the couples
health. Then, too, the bride Cif she were
not a widow and the bridegroom wore
garlands of wheat as a SYMBOL of plenti-
fulness and increase. and at the present
time the bridal wreath of orange BIOS
some possesses the same meaning. Gar
lands, garlands everywhere-so many
that often men had to be hired to carry
them in the procession. Even the re-
jected sutton sometimes wore the garland
Of gray willow.
Ring Kinds Authority.
As for the wedding ring, for ages 1t
has been a token of binding authority
As connected with marriage, the gold
symbolizes purity of affection; the circle
the endlessness of love; the price takes
the place of the ancient purchase money
II the ring be lost 1t is warning that
the husbands love will soon pass away;
IL broken. that he viii soon die
Il 49,