Just in case you weren’t sure, your wedding band goes on the fourth finger of your right hand (that’s the one right next to your pinky). Why this finger? Ancient Egyptians believed there was a “vein of love” that ran from the tip of that finger to the heart (sweet thought but not true). They also invented the ring which was a never ending circle symbolizing eternal love (Ancient Egyptians must have been romantic!). In olden day Christian ceremonies, the groom would slide the ring over the thumb, then the index, and then the middle finger to symbolize the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The next available finger was where they put the ring.

The reasons behind wearing a veil vary across cultures. In Asia it represents modesty, in Ancient Rome the subordination of the wife to her husband and for Courtesans it represented mystery and sensuality. Ancient cultures were very superstitious and believed the veil would protect a bride from being recognized by evil spirits who were jealous of marriages. But more traditionally speaking it was because a groom was not allowed to see his bride until the wedding night.

Who lifts the veil? If a veil was lifted by the groom it used to show the male dominance. But thanks to the modern ideal of equal partnerships, that now symbolizes how the groom takes over responsibility of his bride. If the bride lifts her own veil it symbolizes her independence. Some have their father lift the veil as part of giving his daughter away.

The garter toss originated in 1500s France and England as a little naughty tradition that adds fun to a reception. It is placed on the thigh and removed by the groom either with his hands or teeth. He then tosses it to the bachelors of the wedding. Originally the man who caught the garter would put it on the woman who caught the bouquet, but since most women don’t want a stranger groping them that part of the tradition has been done away with. Modern brides will now wear two garters, one to keep and be handed down through generations and another to be thrown to the waiting bachelors. This is also the element where a lot of women will incorporate the “something blue”.