It’s no secret that marriage has been a sacred union for centuries and while we know a lot about the rituals that have prevailed over the years, how much do we know about getting married in the 21stcentury? You may be surprised by how far the industry has moved on and how much expectations have changed, so there’s no need to fear any part of getting wed. As a contemporary couple in a modern world, you can make your wedding whatever you want it to be.
So, let’s take a look at some of your most asked questions and bust a few matrimonial myths while we’re at it!
Which is the wedding ring finger and where did the tradition come from?
The wedding ring finger is the fourth digit on the left hand; a western tradition. This custom can be traced back to Ancient Romans who believed the finger had a vein in it that led directly to the heart, called the ‘vein of love’. Despite scientists examining the circulatory system discovering that all fingers on the hand actually share the same vein structure, the ritual remains in most European countries.
Who traditionally pays for what at a wedding?
With the average cost of a wedding now peaking at £30k, whose responsibility is it to foot the bill? As tradition would have it, the parents of the bride were once expected to pay for the wedding reception. But even if the father-of-the-bride does cover the cost of this part of the wedding, who pays for everything else? The cost of rings, the ceremony, transport, hen party, stag do and many other aspects are often shared by the bride and groom with family members gifting what they can. It was once thought that the groom should pay for the honeymoon, but nowadays the couple save up for this jointly or invite wedding guests to contribute towards their trip in place of a wedding gift.
Can wedding guests wear white?
While it can be tempting to wear a crisp white or pale coloured dress, especially during the summer, it is an unwritten rule that you simply do not wear anything white or off-white to a wedding. By going against this golden rule, you risk showing yourself up by appearing as though you are trying to upstage the bride on her big day, and nothing can be worth doing that on the biggest day of someone’s life. Even if you think your dress looks ‘the bomb’ and did, in fact, cost ‘a bomb’, you can bet that the bride’s wedding dress cost a lot more!
Who sits where at a wedding?
As with many ceremonial conventions, times have moved on and what was once believed to be the norm is being turned on its head. The bride’s guests would, at one time, have sat on one side of the altar whilst the groom’s family and friends would have sat on the opposite side. Modern weddings, however, don’t necessarily follow this rigid system as many couples enjoy seeing their extended families all getting along and mixing together. So long as friends are considerate of letting relatives sit closest to the front, there should be no need for spats or disagreements!
Our Planning Team can help you at Warwick House once you book your wedding here. You will get your own personal Wedding Planner to answer all these sorts of questions.
When should wedding invites be sent?
The general rule is that wedding invitations be sent out roughly 8 weeks in advance, but certainly no later than 6 weeks prior to the event if it can be helped. If you hope to have guests attending from abroad, take into account the postage delay and aim to have these sent out at least 10 weeks before the big day. Wedding etiquette suggests that all invitations be sent out by post, even your neighbour’s and your parents’ invites.