Cutting the Cake

The most well known tradition associated with wedding cakes is the joint task of cutting the cake. Here the first piece is cut by the bride with feigned assistance from the groom. It has come to symbolize the first task in the couple’s life together. Immediately after the cutting, the bride and groom feed each other the first slice. This action symbolizes the commitment to provide for each other that the bride and groom have undertaken. However, in most American weddings, this task has the appearance of a traditional slapstick food-fight.

Wedding Rings

The marriage ring represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love. It is a representation of the promises joining both the bride and groom together. The wedding ring is placed on the third finger of the left hand because it was traditionally believed that this finger was a direct connection to the heart -the perfect place to place a symbol, representing endless love and commitment.

Kissing at the end of the ceremony

No wedding ceremony is complete without the kiss. Dating back from early Roman times, the kiss represented a legal bond that sealed all contracts.

Throwing flowers

In ancient times, it was believed that a bride was especially lucky on her wedding day. Guests would sometimes tear at her dress for a souvenir piece of good luck to take home. The bride’s tossing of her bouquet grew from her desire to offer a good luck souvenir, and prevent guests from bothering her during her reception. The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.

Catching the garter

Brides have also tossed a garter, rather than a bouquet, at wedding receptions. In the 14th century, this custom changed after brides tired of fighting off drunken men who tried to remove the garter themselves. According to legend, the garter toss in England evolved from an earlier tradition of “flinging the stocking.” On their wedding night, guests would follow the bride and groom to their bedroom, wait until they undressed, steal their stockings, and then “fling” them at the couple. The first person to hit the bride or groom on the head would be the next person to marry.

This ritual dates back to a time when women wore hoses with a garter belt. It was a chance for the single men to share in the good fortune of the groom. Today, it is believed that the man who catches the garter when it is thrown will be the next to marry.

Rice throwing

Believing newlyweds brought good luck, guests used to shower them with nuts and grains to insure a bountiful harvest and many children to work the land.

During years of a poor harvest, rice was tossed instead. This tradition continues today with rice or birdseed, or bubbles to wish the bride and groom happiness.

Incidentally, it is only a superstition that birds eating rice thrown after a wedding ceremony are destined to have their stomachs enlarge and eventually explode. This myth may have simply evolved from church/synagogue employees weary from cleaning after every wedding ceremony.

-www.yourweddingplan.com