Usually, young children are the ones chosen to give the horseshoe to the bride. This happens at the end of the ceremony after the couple has been presented as Mr and Mrs and then take their first walk together down the 'aisle.
But in more recent ties, the horseshoe motif has simply symbolised luck, so gifting the bride & groom one is seen to be a way of bringing them good luck and fortune for the duration of their lives together. These days you'll find young children gifting the horseshoes to the bride.
Brides in Scotland have long carried a horseshoe in their bouquet for good luck. It was held open side up to catch the luck. In some areas the bride would have a silver horseshoe sewn into the hem of her wedding dress.
Horseshoes would be presented to the bride and groom and they were often displayed as cake-toppers. In order to retain the good luck the horseshoe should be hung upside down with the shoulders pointing upwards otherwise all the luck in your marriage would fall out.
Horseshoes have always been a traditional symbol associated with good luck . One tradition with a decorated horseshoe is after a Scottish wedding ceremony, a child will present the bride with a Wedding horseshoe as she leaves the church. A perfect keepsake!
Horseshoe jewellery, and other good luck charms, has become quite popular over the last few years. To many, the horseshoe is a symbol of good luck and protection. It has become a very superstitious symbol dating very far back to a blacksmith and his dealings with the devil.
Bride feet washing
We're straight in and straight away it's weird, isn't it? Apparently back in the good old days woman would have their feet washed before their wedding day by an older married woman. In some parts of Scotland gals still practice this luck-attracting act and it is thought to symbolise good fortune.
For instance, many believe that to hang a horseshoe with the ends pointing upward, is good luck as it acts as a storage container for any good luck that happens to be floating by, whereas to hang it with the ends pointing down is bad luck because all the good luck will fall out.
Hanging a horseshoe facing upwards in a "U" shape is said to keep evil out and bring good luck into your home. Conversely, hanging it upside down will have luck flowing out of your home. Whether you believe the legend or not, you have to admit, a lucky horseshoe hanging above a door makes for interesting home decor.
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."
The Bride. If you're still following tradition, then the bride is only responsible for paying for the groom's wedding band and wedding gifts for her bridesmaids. However, there are many wedding costs (everything from a coordinator to flowers and décor) that are often shared between the bride and her family.
Traditionally, the Sixpence, a coin from England, has been placed in the Bride's left shoe before walking down the aisle, as a good luck wedding ceremony coin.
Groom Buys the Shoes
In Greece, the groom-to-be buys the shoes as a surprise to the bride. He tucks money into the shoes and either has them delivered to her or brings them to her himself. If he chooses to bring them, he will put the shoes on her himself. The money stays tucked in the shoe even while it is on her foot.
The bride's side of the family traditionally pays for the bride's wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Increasingly, however, bridesmaids are paying for their own dresses.
In traditional weddings, the father of the bride walks her down the aisle and hands her off to the groom. If this seems old-fashioned, that is because it is. The practice dates back to the days when women were the property of their father, and he gave her away in exchange for a dowry.
However, red and white are considered the best for weddings. Along with decorations, wedding Kimonos in Japan are often made of these two colors. The combination of white and red is supposed to bring good luck to the new couple.
Indians consider yellow and red as lucky colours for marriage. Yellow signifies purity, and red signifies fertility and prosperity. These two colours dominate everything in an Indian wedding.
June. The month of June was named for the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno, so it's no surprise that it is one of the most popular months to get married.
Red is considered lucky as, in many cultures, it is the colour of luck and wealth. If one does not want a red horseshoe, tie a red ribbon on it to welcome happiness.
Some people hang it open-end down to share the luck with others, while others hang it open-end up to collect luck. You should hang the horseshoe on an interior wall or a barn wall or above an entry door outside as both a good luck charm and decor. It is believed that used horseshoes draw the most luck.
The front door or doorway of a house is a great location for hanging the horseshoe. It is usually hung outside the door as a protection symbol, but there are no disadvantages of displaying it inside the door. Some people also prefer keeping the horseshoe on a wall or a window.
As one of the most essential first night tips for bride, relax and enjoy the present. if you're busy with the past or future, all that anxiety won't do any good. And anxiety affects the sexual experience, so it's better to relax and go with the flow.
A secondary tradition is the bride spending the night with her bridal party. "The point of bridesmaids has always been to make things easier for the bride and bring her luck," explains Gage.
A rehearsal dinner is typically held the night before a wedding, and like the name suggests, is a rehearsal to the following day's events. This dinner is a great opportunity for both the bride and groom's family and friends to mingle and spend some quality time with the couple before the actual wedding.