Reading Material 10　Bridal Customs and Traditions

Brides of ancient Israel wore blue on the border of their wedding clothes.The reason was to signify the law of God.It showed the holy and pure thoughts of God himself.

Bouquet of Flowers

The art and practice of bundling flowers into bouquets dates back to the 14th century in France.

Water was so hard in parts of Europe that brides and grooms did not bathe very often and it was often too cold as well.So a bouquet of flowers helped cover the smell and so did perfume.

Would you believe that the largest bouquet for the world record measured 60 feet long and was made of over 28，000 flowers?

Care tips for flowers:For flowers to last the longest in a bouquet，you should cut the stems at an angle under water.This will help ensure that no air gets into the stems.If you cut them at an 45 degree angle then this will allow a larger surface area for absorbing water needed to hydrate the flowers and keep them fresh…

Groomsmen and Bridesmaids

Would you believe that Roman law required ten witnesses to make a wedding legal?

The breaking of the glass at a Jewish wedding:

I have never seen it in the Bible，but the traditions of the Jewish people live on.According to the Rabbi's，the Jewish tradition of breaking glass by stomping on a glass wrapped in cloth was symbolic of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Roman army.The breaking of the glass during a wedding ceremony symbolizes the mix of joy and sorrow in life.It also shows that by the breaking of the wedding vows can never be whole again.It also shows how fragile life is.The breaking of the glass，by the groom，is also the last time in the marriage that he gets to put his foot down.

Unity Candle

This is where the two flames become one.The representative of the bride's and grooms family light a candle and the couple light the center candle together.This is the symbolic joining of the two families and friends.

The Sand Ceremony

Is it similar to a unity candle ceremony above，only you would use sand? This is a nice touch for a beach wedding ceremony.You can use the actual sand from the beach of where your marriage takes place.You can use a nice lead crystal container and it is nice to have this beautiful container for putting on a hutch or on a mantle of the house for display.

Wedding Ring

We Americans put a wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand，due to an ancient Greek custom from a belief that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart.If you are looking for rings that are different，very durable and strong，and，at the same time，are not particularly expensive，you may wish to consider wedding rings or bands constructed of titanium.Titanium is an extraordinary metal that，by weight，is stronger than steel.It is an also an inert metal that is impervious to corrosion or decay.And，nicely enough，despite the fact that it is so very strong，bands made of titanium tend to be fairly inexpensive.Yet titanium may be a perfect choice for those who work with their hands，such as mechanics and carpenters.It also does not conduct electricity very well and maybe a good choice for those that work around high voltage，like electricians or industrial power plant workers.