“You may now kiss the bride”
The groom lifts her veil and seals their vows with a kiss. The crowd goes wild.
The words sound so cliché when it comes to weddings but there’s a real story behind this wedding tradition that has now become a compulsory ritual. Everyone thinks it is normal to kiss the bride after the couple has been pronounced husband and wife as a mere formality, but the tradition is believed to have originated from ancient Rome.
A husband who thought his wife was dishonest kissed her on the lips to check if she had taken any wine and in good time, this marriage kiss became a sign of goodwill between lovers. It’s interesting to also know that kissing is actually not a compulsory part of a religious ceremony as many ceremonies have taken place without the couple kissing after the union rites. So, the actual kissing of the bride that takes place after the ceremony and sometimes during the photoshoot session outside the church is just intended to show emotion as the couple chooses.
History also tells us of many variations concerning kissing the bride; one story from Scotland tells that the pastor was always first to lock lips with the bride because her happiness was at stake. Other stories say if the husband kissed the bride and she did not cry, her marriage will be full of tears. The most interesting however, is that the bride had to kiss all the men present. That will most definitely not work in today’s society!
It’s also believed that the bride and groom may have not yet kissed before their wedding so the prompting of the words “You may now kiss the bride” was to be the cue to finally seal the magical deal. However, this is seldom the case with modern day marriages as the couples may have kissed several times and may even have kids! Also, the tears of a bride on her wedding day drop out of emotion and not necessarily for fear of being perpetually unhappy.
photo credit: Vexels