20 Interesting Wedding Traditions And Superstitions

As I was watching Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici's wedding last Sunday with my friend, I mentioned how it looks like it's going to rain. She responded," I hope it does, that means good luck." I asked, "Really? I have never heard that before." She answered, "Yes! You should look it up and write about it on your blog." So sure enough I looked it up and am now blogging about it and other superstitions and traditions to make sure you have luck on your day!

A lot of these traditions and superstitions I found from theKnot.com as well as from Martha Stewart.

• 1. Rain on your wedding day is considered good luck according to Hindu tradition.
• 2. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Funny- it's the most popular day of the week to marry!
• 3. The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below.
• 4. In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds' home as a symbol of fertility and luck.
• 5. Engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was once thought that a vein in that finger led directly to the heart.
• 6. In the symbolic language of jewels, a sapphire in a wedding ring means marital happiness
• 7. A pearl engagement ring is said to be bad luck because its shape echoes that of a tear.
• 8. Aquamarine represents marital harmony and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
• 9. Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since.
• 10. Brides carry or wear "something old" on their wedding day to symbolize continuity with the past.
• 11. The "something blue" in a bridal ensemble symbolizes purity, fidelity, and love.
• 12. In Egypt, the bride's family traditionally does all the cooking for a week after the wedding, so the couple can…relax.-Wish this was the case in America!
• 13. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake.
• 14. The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.
• 15. Seeing Each Other Before The Wedding-This superstition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, when people believed that if the couple saw each other before the ceremony, it would give them a chance to change their minds about the wedding. Today, however, many couples choose to meet up and even have portrait sessions before saying their "I dos."
• 16. Knives as Wedding Gifts-According to folklore, a knife signifies a broken relationship and is bad luck to give as a wedding gift. If knives are on your registry, just give the gift giver a penny. That way it's a purchase, not a gift.
• 17. A Spider On Your Wedding Dress-Finding an eight-legged creature on your gorgeous gown might seem like a wedding-day nightmare, but English lore claims that finding a spider in your wedding dress is a good omen.
• 18. Ringing Bells-Bells are traditionally chimed at Irish weddings to keep evil spirits away and to ensure a harmonious family life. Some Irish brides even carry small bells in their bouquets as a reminder of their sacred wedding vows, and they are a common gift for newlyweds.
• 19. Breaking Glass-In Italy, many newlyweds smash a vase or glass at their wedding, and they put a lot of muscle into it, too. The tradition says that however many pieces the glassware breaks into will symbolize how many years they'll be happily married. Some of you may remember this from the movie When In Rome when actress Kristen Bell can't break the glass at her sister's wedding. 
• 20. Crying on Your Wedding Day-It is supposed to be good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day because it symbolizes that she has shed all her tears and will not have any to shed during her marriage. So go ahead and get teary-eyed. Just be sure to wear some waterproof mascara. 

Now you are all informed on where all these fun wedding traditions started and how to ensure you have good luck on your wedding day. 

Emily & Mike O'Bryant

So my dear brother-in-law and now sister-in-law recently were married two days after Christmas. It was crazy we flew out on Christmas Day. We rushed through opening presents to leave for the airport at two o'clock in the afternoon. Our flight was then delayed turning what was supposed to be a four hour trip into a six hour trip! It wasn't very fun to say the least, BUT it was worth it. We were welcomed by 70+ degree weather and what felt like summer. It made it hard to fathom that it was still Christmas day.

The wedding was at the Los Angeles LDS Temple. It was very special because my grandparents served a church mission there. I was able to go to the visitors center and see where they served and was able to think about them as they are have passed on. The Los Angeles Temple is GORGEOUS and huge! We found it's the second largest temple and would be the largest if the Salt Lake Temple's underground areas weren't accounted for.

Anyways, the ceremony was beautiful. Mike & Emily make a very handsome couple and it was a pleasure to be apart of it. They had their reception at the Sterling Hills Golf Club in Camarillo. I was asked to help set up and got a few pictures before everyone got there. They're obviously not professional- as I took them on my phone and you can see some boxes on the tables and signs not hung up but you get the idea :) As you can see their colors were mint green and navy blue with some accents of grey and cream. It all turned out very nice.

I didn't get any pictures of the couples first dance, nor the father-daughter and mother-son dance unfortunately, but they did have that and have a video of them playing in the background.

The nice thing about paying for a good venue is not having to worry about the take-down of the whole thing. All we had to do was clean up all the decorations that we brought. We didn't have to worry about the linens or the leftover food because it was all provided.

Congrats Mike & Emily couldn't be more happy for you guys!

4 Hair & Makeup Trends For 2014

Here is what 2014 is forecasting for the hottest wedding makeup and hairstyle trends:

1. Boho Braids: Wedding braids have been talked about for a while now but they are going to be HUGE for 2014. Braids are not just a casual hairstyle anymore they are becoming more glamorous and dressy. Brides are going to be feeling a lot different about braids this year whether it's a simple braid or a bunch of small braids put into an up-do.  

2. Cat-Eyes: Cat-eye makeup has been fashionable for a while now and has become quite popular amongst brides. It gives brides a retro look and classic look while looking AMAZING in photos.

3. Pretty Pink Lips: Notice-me-berry and baby-pink lips are a 2014 spring look for this year. Pink is going to be the statement look for brides. These colors aren't as bold as the red and go perfectly with all flowers, themes and tones. The nude lip is also trendy and stunning and will give a more simple, natural look for brides.

4. Hair Pieces: The vintage hairpieces have been loved by brides. They are a bit limited as to matching with your dress, theme and style but they are becoming more and more recognized and trendy for all brides. I personally love them and think they are very romantic and elegant.

Yay for hair and makeup trends for 2014 :)

Bridesmaids Gifts

As a bridesmaid you help and do a lot for the bride and for the wedding. As a bride you should definitely be thinking about what you are going to give each of your bridesmaids. It doesn't have to be big but it should be meaningful and show your appreciation for all their help. As a bridesmaid you do do a lot and it's nice to know that the bride appreciates what you do. Depending on your budget you should set a small amount of money aside to use for bridesmaids gifts and maybe the groom wants to do so something small for his groomsmen as well.

Most brides have their bridesmaids buy their own dresses. The bridesmaids help plan the showers, and help with all the wedding day festivities prior to and during the actual day. I had a good friend tell me that she was a bridesmaid in another wedding where she was in charge of all the wedding favors. She made over 300 sugar cookies for her friend's wedding which took over six hours! Now I would say that is above and beyond a bridesmaids duties. Being a bridesmaid takes time, money etc. and so as a bride respect your bridesmaids and get them something. They didn't have to be a bridesmaids you asked them and they accepted because they love you. Now depending how much the dress and shoes they had to buy you should make sure you give them a good gift for that. If you bought their outfits, shoes etc. then you can probably get by with getting them something smaller like some lotion, a giftcard, jewelry etc. The possibilities are endless! So don't worry about what to get them. Remember it's the thought that counts! It's nice to write them a nice letter of appreciation as well. 

No matter what your budget it is PLEASE do them a favor and get them something, or they might just not like you anymore and never talk to you again ;) haha. Just kidding (kinda). 

Here are some cute ideas for bridesmaids gifts...