Many wedding traditions have origins across the globe and are ancient, but wedding traditions evolve over time and new ones co-exist with the old. One lovely wedding tradition is the wearing a tiara and is taken from ancient times where there was a white ribbon worn around the shoulders and head of a king, which signified his power and wealth. The tiara has changed a great deal down the years and in it's more contemporary form is shaped like a half moon and can be adorned with gemstones and made from all manner of exotic metals.



The bridesmaids can also wear a tiara but they must not be as elaborate as the bride's which usually sits on top of the veil to hold it in place. The majority of wedding dresses will feature a tiara and there is no doubt that a wedding dress without one does not have quite the same impact; many brides will treasure their tiara for the rest of their lives. Often the bride's attendants like bridesmaids, flower girls and maid of honor are presented with rings shaped like miniature tiaras which can make really beautiful wedding favors for those directly involved in the wedding.

There was a time when it was customary for members of the wedding party to escort the couple to their place of honeymooning. Once there they would then race to retrieve the wedding garter from the bride's leg and either wear it upon their hat or give the newly won prize of fertility and consummation to the lady of his choice for good luck. This wedding tradition worked for a while but owing to the amount of drink that many of the male guests consumed, the bride often found herself being undressed for the garter so in an effort to stop this they would toss the garter into the crowd once the service was over.

The lucky man to catch the garter would be considered as the next person to marry but once again drunken behavior signaled many men to try and take the garter before the bride was ready to throw it too them. In an attempt to maintain good taste at a dignified occasion the bride then started throwing her bouquet instead. Some rituals do not really die though and the wearing and tossing of the garter has re-surfaced at many weddings even though it no longer has any real meaning.

Some brides wear a small ribbon at the foot of their gown which is supposed to have the same meaning as a garter but those women who do wear a garter will normally have one in blue as it traditionally means good luck will come. Today you will find a number of wedding nuptials incorporating the groom taking the garter from the leg of his bride and then either tossing the garter over his shoulder or snapping it with his fingers to fly threw the air for his single groomsmen or male wedding guests to catch. For the lucky man that catches the garter it is said that he will be the first to marry within the year following the wedding, providing he is a bachelor of course.

Why not try to incorporate a few of these more traditional wedding rites into your ceremony and reception? They can be a lot of fun!