One of the most common wedding good luck charms are accessories shaped like a horseshoe. Based on Greek tradition, the horseshoe, which has a similar shape as the crescent moon, symbolizes fertility. The Romans also used horseshoes to ward off evil spirits.
Bride Good Luck Gifts
From horseshoes to spoons and shamrocks to blue ribbons, the traditions around bringing luck to a bride are many and varied.
Horseshoes. Horseshoes have long been seen as a symbol of good luck in everyday life. For your wedding day, if the bride carries a horseshoe with ribbons tied on it during the ceremony, it collects all the good luck from the day.
When thinking of a gift that will give the couple luck, think of historically and spiritually lucky symbols, like the horseshoe, which is the universal symbol for good luck. This item is especially popular in Irish weddings, where brides are given a charm or bracelet with the horseshoe to wear down the aisle.
Today, when women do include the sixpence tradition in their special day, they'll commonly substitute a penny or another small coin. While wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” is a pretty outdated tradition, many brides still have fun with it today.
Veil or head piece. Necklace(s), earring's, bracelet(s), ring(s), wedding band, and other accessories. Rain boots, umbrella, rain jacket (If there is a chance of rain) Sewing Kit, extra buttons & extra pins.
But if you look at the list, you get a very telling testimonial of what most brides want for their wedding days: experiences, uniqueness, food and lots of fun. They also want some nostalgia with the bouncy house and ball pit callouts.
Usually, the page boy or flower girl presents the horseshoe to the bride with the horseshoe facing upwards in its U shape to contain the luck. The use of horseshoes goes all the way back to the time of the Greeks. Their association of the horseshoe with the crescent moon was thought to symbolize fertility.
Marriage coin charms (traditional Chinese: 夫婦和合花錢; simplified Chinese: 夫妇和合花钱; pinyin: fū fù hé hé huā qián) are a category of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese numismatic charms that depict marriage, harmonious, and/or sexual imagery.
These days you'll find young children gifting the horseshoes to the bride. Traditionally it happens at the end of the ceremony, as the newlywed couple are walking back down the aisle. If you're looking for a great wedding gift, be sure to check out our selection of wedding horseshoes, available online and in-store.
While you'll see different colors all around, yellow and red are considered the luckiest colors. Yellow signifies purity and red signifies fertility and prosperity.
The Chinese calendar marks auspicious days throughout the year that correspond with luck for a variety of life events from travel to signing contracts to saying "I do." According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, the best months for marriage in the Year of the Rabbit 2023 are May, July, August, October, and November.
The Food. This is probably not too surprising—62 percent of wedding guests said that food is one of the most important things they pay attention to at weddings. That's why you'll probably spend about half of your budget on your catering and venue—because the last thing you want is hangry guests.
The tradition is based on an Old English rhyme that dates back to 19th-century Lancashire. It describes the items a bride should have on her wedding day: "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe."
Exchanging gifts is completely optional, so our best tip is to talk the idea out with your future spouse.
The symbolism of wedding customs is shown in the wedding ring, joining of hands, and the presence of small children around the bride. The children are a form of sympathetic magic, and symbolize future children. The custom of throwing grain, rice, or confetti is another fertility symbol.
The word arras in Spanish means "earnest money,” and the coins represent the groom's promise to provide for the family. The bride's acceptance of the coins symbolizes her trust in her soon-to-be husband to do so. “Traditionally, there are 13 coins, 12 gold and one platinum, all the same size,” de Velasco explains.
And some traditions that you're less likely to see:
We doubt there are many brides who would leave it on now. A wooden spoon might not be the most exciting gift, but giving one to the bride was meant to help her become a good cook for her husband.
Traditionally a real horseshoe would be given to the bride. These days you can create something a little more modern that still ties in the tradition.
"Helping the bride into her dress and placing the veil is, and will always remain, such a sweet, time-honored tradition [for the bride's mom]," says Easton.
Finalizing a guest list may be the most stressful part of wedding planning. You, your fiancé, and both sets of parents often have opinions about who should (and shouldn't!) be invited on the big day.
A bride's something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue are often given to her by her friends and relatives.