Back in time, exchanging wedding rings was mainly done by the wealthy and in poorer marriages the groom would break a coin in half keeping on piece himself and giving the other to his bride.

This tradition evolved from a Germanic custom where marriage was seen as a contract between the bridegroom and the bride's family.  Acceptance of the ring or coin was seen as agreement to the contract.

However today the exchange of rings symbolises much more than a contract.   As a continuous circle of precious metal it has come to symbolise eternal love.

In Roman times the wedding cake was not eaten but thrown at the bride!

The idea of the wedding cake as we now perceive it dates back to medieval times when guests would bring cakes and buns and make a large stack of them.  The bride and groom would then attempt to lean over the stack and kiss.

Cutting the Cake

Along with the first dance and tossing the bouquet cutting the cake is one of those photo opportunities that grace every wedding album. The cake cutting represents the first activity done as a couple, although historically the bride did this act alone to symbolize the loss of her virginity.
Often the bride and groom feed each other a small bite of cake. This action symbolises a commitment to provide for one another and a show of love and affection. 
 
Saving the Top Tier

Most couples cannot save the top tier of their wedding cake to eat on their first anniversary or a christening ceremony. In the past, christenings were often within a year of the wedding so this made perfect sense. Now, most couples are more likely to create a small cake eating ceremony around their first anniversary. Sharing this small cake is a wonderful reminder of a special day.
 
Sleeping with piece of cake under the pillow
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It is thought that a person sleeping with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow will dream of her future partner that night. This custom dates back almost 300 years.
 

Have you ever wondered where the wedding traditions we all consider to be part of a wedding day come from.  

This month I am going to look at a few of these traditions in my blog.

So why do most brides wear a white dress ?

This tradition didn't start until the 1800's.  Prior to this time couples got married in their "Sunday best" and during the Middle ages brides often wore blue as a symbol of purity.

It was Queen Victoria who set the trend for white wedding dresses, when she wore a lavish white dress.  This became so popular that even today most brides opt to where white or ivory.  Interestingly, in a nod to the past brides often also have "something blue"