Answers to Trivia

Now for the answers to the trivia..

Question 1.
Why is the engagement ring and wedding band worn on the left hand?

Answer:
In ancient cultures, the ring was placed on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that the vein in that finger led directly to the heart.

Question 2.
Why does the guy have to present a diamond engagement ring to his fiance?

Answer:
In 1947 De Beers diamond company came out with the clever marketing campaign, "A Diamond is Forever." The idea was then introduced to present your newly betrothed with a diamond engagement ring. (Before then, the stone did not have to be diamond, and there could quite possibly be no stone.) The De Beers jewelers were unofficially educated by De Beers to instruct men that two to three months personal wages were an ideal price to pay for the engagement ring that their prospective fiancee's would gladly accept.  Now, girls have come to expect a diamond ring, perhaps making the campaign one of the greatest marketing strategies of the century.

Question 3.
Why does the bride carry a bouquet of flowers?

Answer:
During the 15th century, people took their yearly baths in May and would generally get married in June. Just to be safe, brides carried bouquets to mask the smell of body odor.

Question 4:
Why does the groom toss the bride's garter to his unwed male guests?

Answer:
The garter tradition originated back to the 14th century. In parts of Europe the guests of the bride and groom believed having a piece of the bride’s clothing was thought to bring good luck. They would actually destroy the brides dress by ripping off pieces of fabric. Obviously, this tradition did not sit well with the bride, so she began throwing various items to the guests – the garter being one of them. It became customary for the bride to toss the garter to the men. But this also caused a great problem for the bride….sometimes the men would get drunk, become impatient and try to remove the garter ahead of time. Therefore, the custom derived at having the groom remove and toss the garter to the men.

Question 5.
Why does the bride wear a veil?

Answer:
The bride's veil and bouquet are of greater antiquity than her white gown. Her veil, which was yellow in ancient Greece and red in ancient Rome, usually shrouded her from head to foot, and has since the earliest of times, denoted the subordination of a woman to man. The thicker the veil, the more traditional the implication of wearing it.  According to tradition, it is considered bad luck for the bride to be seen by the groom before the ceremony. As a matter of fact, in the old days of marriage by purchase, the couple rarely saw each other at all, with courtship being of more recent historical emergence. The lifting of the veil at the end of the ceremony symbolizes male dominance. If the bride takes the initiative in lifting it, thereby presenting herself to him, she is showing more independence.

Question 6.
Why does the bride have bridesmaids?

Answer:
The tradition of asking your closest girlfriends to be your bridesmaids dates back to ancient times. Maids would typically dress in fashion similar to the bride to confuse evil spirits who are trying to kidnap her. Today, bridesmaids are chosen for their loyalty and supportiveness to the bride and the fashion tends to compliment the bride´s wedding theme, and the bride herself.

Question 7.
What was the original purpose of the flower girl?

Answer:
Having a flower girl as part of the wedding party dates back to the Victorian Era. The original intention was to use her as a way to provide entertainment to guests who would "oooh and aah" as she walked down the aisle. These days the flower girl’s main purpose might not be to entertain, but guests are still delighted when she walks before the bride.