Wedding Myths

There are many wedding myths and superstitions most are based on events or omens that are said to foretell either good luck or bad luck. Ironically, some myths have both positive and negative connotations. Like all superstitions wedding myths have no scientific basis, however, it never hurts to keep them in mind just in case!

I recently heard a wedding myth that I've never heard before and thought it was kind of neat: You should get married at half after the hour (4:30 p.m.) because the hand of the clock will be moving upward towards heaven and is said to bring blessings on the marriage. I'm so glad we scheduled our wedding ceremony for half after four in the afternoon!

Here are a few other wedding myths...

Wearing pearls: this is one of those wedding myths with both bad luck and good luck meanings. The ominous version of this myth holds that pearls represent future tears; thus wearing them will bring many tears and heartache in the marriage. The luckier version of this implies that the pearls take the place of the bride's real tears, thus she'll have a happy, tear-free wedding.

Tears on the wedding day: it is considered good luck for the bride to cry during her wedding. She will have cried all her tears away leaving none for the marriage. Another theory holds that a bride's tears are good luck as they bring rain for the crops.

Rain on the wedding day: this is another good luck - bad luck wedding myth. In the good luck version, rain is said to foretell the coming of children just as rain promotes growth in the farmer's fields. In the unlucky version, rain drops represent the many tears a bride will cry throughout her marriage.

Sign your married name before the wedding: it is considered bad luck for the bride to sign her married name before the wedding as it tempts fate. For the same reason, the bride should avoid wearing her entire bridal outfit (wedding dress, bridal veil, shoes and jewelry) prior to her wedding day.

Dropping the wedding ring: this is another contradictory wedding myth. On the one hand, dropping the wedding ring during the wedding ceremony was seen as lucky as it would shake out evil spirits hiding in the ring. On the other hand, dropping the ring was considered the most ominous of events; whoever dropped the ring was said to be the first to die.

The bride shouldn't make her own dress: this wedding myth states that for every stitch of the wedding dress the bride sews herself she'll shed one tear during her marriage.

Time of day to get married: the couple should exchange their vows as the clock's minute hand is moving upwards, therefore any time half past the hour, for example 2:30 or 4:45. The upward movement is said to bring blessings upon the couple as the minute hand is "ascending towards heaven."

Surname of the same first letter: it is considered unlucky for the bride to marry a man with a surname that begins with the same first letter as hers. This wedding myth is summarized in the following Victorian rhyme: "To change the name and not the letter; is to change for the worst and not the better."

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What are your favorite wedding myths?