Female Speaker: You've arrived at MagRack and now inside weddings.
Female Speaker: We are at the -- rooftop a popular spot to get married in New York City. You know there are so many traditions woven into weddings, the white dress, the bouquet flowers, the cake, but how did these time honored customs get their start. Why do we marry the why we do? Everything we do when we say I do is significant. From the kiss to the toss of the bridal bouquet.
Female Speaker: I do love when they cut the cake.
Male Speaker: Cocktail hour is my favorite.
Female Speaker: My favorite part of the wedding is ceremony.
Female Speaker: My tremendous delight to now pronounce you husband and wife.
Female Speaker: Despite the romantic overtones of weddings today, few traditions began with -- in mind. Ancient weddings were about property plain and simple uniting two families meant more than for each and therefore more power. Believe it or not back in tribal days the easiest way to win a bride was to kidnap her. If a man got a lady awaiting for family -- well he was pretty much married to her.
Female Speaker: My favorite part was walking down the aisle with my dad in my fairy toe princess gown that you know i always dreamed of. It was absolutely magical, I felt I was floating.
Female Speaker: That magical walk down the aisle used to symbolize was little freedom of woman had in marriage. The father of the bride was giving the bride to the groom. Handing over ownership of her to the groom and his family. Luckily times have changed, the brides escort -- is a matter of choice.
Female Speaker: I didn't have any level of things I had until I physically walked down the aisle that we are you know these entire church turns around and looks at you and suddenly you know the spot lights on and that is the only time when we want to pass out.
Female Speaker: There was witnesses gathered at the wedding may be overwhelming but they play an important role, they help make the union officially binding.
Male Speaker: We are gathered here and we welcome you as we celebrate a sacred and joyful occasion where in
Female Speaker: Families of the bride and grooms stand on separate sides during the ceremony because each represents a distinct clan. With clans not always getting along way back when it was important to keep them apart. Likewise the groom keeps his bride to his left during the ceremony. Because he needed his right hand free to reach for -- after all he never new someone might try and steal the bride. Lucky for the groom the best man got his name for being the best swordsman.
Female Speaker: Do you know what type of bridesmaids?
Female Speaker: Absolutely not.
Female Speaker: Why does a bride have bridesmaids?
Male Speaker: Because women cannot get makeup their mind on their own.
Female Speaker: Brides are bridesmaids I think traditionally to help them with the wedding and with all the preparation but today I think its just more for fun.
Female Speaker: True, bridesmaids are supposed to help a bride prepare her for her wedding. They are generally members of the family and closest friends. They are easy to spot in their matching attire. But bridesmaids at all didn't just dress alike they use to dress exactly like the bride. That way evil spirits couldn't tell which lady was getting married and couldn't harm her. And why does a groom gallantly carries bride over the threshold.
Male Speaker: That's a good question.
Female Speaker: Why -- do that oh my god.
Male Speaker: This is like a portal bringing good tidings of your future love together over the threshold.
Female Speaker: Not quite while the gesture is considered lucky carrying the bride over the threshold was another way to protect her. This time from spirits hiding in the floor boards and around doorways. Flowers were used to wardoff evil spirits too. Before roses -- strong smelling herbs were carried. And all that clapping and clinking it was believed that evil spirits didn't like loud sounds.
Female Speaker: A bride wears white because traditionally white symbolizes virginity.
Female Speaker: I think it's purity, its a good thing too. It signifies purity and innocence but not many girls are like that any more.
Female Speaker: To this the colour of a bride's gown has less to do with virginity than it has to do with fashion. White is a colour of joy and celebration but brides used to wear all colors, whatever they had in the closet really, a wedding dress was typically a best dress. And then in 1840 Queen Victoria chose to wear white satin on her wedding day. Not the traditional velvets or bouquets worn by most brides. Her choice -- the public brides have been dressing in white ever since. The veil worn by a bride is a symbol of purity. It was lifted after the ceremony to show the brides emergence in her role as a married women. Some believe that veil is a - of the day when a bride was kidnaped, she was often covered in a cloth.
Female Speaker: John I give you this ring.
Male Speaker: As a symbol of my --
Female Speaker: As a symbol of my --
Female Speaker: The ring is our most enduring symbol of a marriage believe it or not early rings were made of grass or hay. Not any more.
Male Speaker: It was interesting going down to the jewelry -- the stones the size of you know -- and everything in between.
Female Speaker: While diamonds of the gem of choice when it comes to engagement rings. The wedding band is often a simple band of gold.
Female Speaker: This ring I to give.
Female Speaker: Gold was a metal preferred by the Egyptians and the ring is usually placed on the fourth finger of the left hand, because it was believed that vein ran from that finger directly to the heart.
Female Speaker: I will be wife.
Male Speaker: Now that you joined yourself.
Female Speaker: It became popular for men to wear wedding bands during world war 2, soldiers wanted to wear to remember loved ones back home.
Male Speaker: Have great pleasure in declaring you husband and wife, would you like to kiss your wife.
Male Speaker: Absolutely.
Female Speaker: No wedding ceremony is complete without a kiss. It's more than an expression of a couples love it binds the union. It was also believe that a person shared a bit of his or her soul with a kiss. And what's with the rice.
Male Speaker: To blind them temporarily and then wish them good luck.
Female Speaker: Well not exactly rice signified fertility. Now it's often replaced by rose petals. The cake represents fertility too and cutting the cake means the couple is sharing their good fortune with others. If the bride eats first even better she will soon become pregnant. The bouquet toss may have the most surprising roots of all which you believe it was once a means of self defense. In ancient times the bride and all she wore are carried was considered good luck. Weddings got a little - it seems and the bride and groom were chased to their bridal bedroom by the guests. Tossing the flowers as well as clothing by - worn by the bride occupied guests while the bride and groom made their get away.
Male Speaker: Alright guys, here we go.
Female Speaker: Luckily weddings tend to be common these days even with a loud music and the occasional Congo line. Our weddings are more about old friends and good food with that great big dose of romance thrown in. It's a hopeful time a fresh start whatever traditions we follow the end result is the same, making a union meant to last.
Female Speaker: -- and much more settled feeling much more. I guess more that more devoted to each other and its highly recommended.
Male Speaker: For more information on this another MagRack programs, please log on to magrack.com.
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