Traditions and customs at weddings go back thousands of years and are full of meaning. The deep meanings of these signs include love, trust, and the joining of two lives. Today’s couples can make their ceremonies more meaningful and memorable by learning about the symbols that were used in past weddings. This article will discuss some of the oldest wedding symbols and how they are used today.
The Circle: A Symbol of Eternity
Over thousands of years, the circle has been a potent wedding symbol, standing for love that will never end. Ancient people thought the wedding ring’s round shape meant the couple’s love would last forever. Changing rings is still an essential part of wedding traditions today. It represents the couple’s eternal bond.
The Veil: A Symbol of Purity and Protection
An old Roman bride wore a flame-colored veil called a “flammeum” to keep away evil spirits. This is where the wedding veil got its start. Modern weddings use the veil to represent many things, such as purity, modesty, or the start of a new life together. The lifting of the veil is a symbol for some couples to show each other who they really are after the wedding.
The Unity Candle: A Symbol of Coming Together
In modern weddings, lighting a unity candle is a custom that comes from ancient meanings. Lighting a single lamp from two separate ones is a metaphor for combining two lives into one. Gathering for this ritual can be a vital sign of togetherness and the start of a journey together.
The Handfasting Ceremony: A Symbol of Binding Lives Together
An old Celtic tradition calls for tying a couple’s hands together with a cord or ribbon to represent how their lives will be bound together. In modern ceremonies, this custom can still be a physical sign of the couple’s love for each other, with the cord or ribbon being kept as a souvenir.
The Wedding Cake: A Symbol of Abundance and Sweetness
An old Roman custom called “fertility” involved breaking a cake of wheat or barley over the bride’s head. This is where the wedding cake got its start. The couple’s first act together is symbolically cut the wedding cake today. The sweetness of the cake represents the sweetness of their future life together.
Incorporating Ancient Symbols into Modern Ceremonies
Many modern couples can include these old symbols in their ceremonies, such as by picking a ring with a meaningful design or doing a hand fasting ritual. These symbols have deep meanings and histories that couples can learn about to make their ritual beautiful and full of history and meaning.
Final Thoughts
Symbols used in ancient weddings can help modern couples who want to make their rituals more meaningful and complex. For a wedding that respects the past and celebrates the beginning of their future together, couples can use these timeless symbols. By exchanging rings, lighting a unity candle, or including a hand fasting ritual, these old symbols can add deeper meaning to the celebration of love and commitment.
