Have you ever been to a wedding where nobody shed a tear or two? Probably not. As we all know, weddings are momentous occasions that are all about touching moments that do not leave a dry eye in the house. It is no wonder that the wedding handkerchief is deemed as one of the most important accessory that a bride should carry on the day of her wedding. But do you know that aside from simply being a fabric that is intended to wipe away your tears, a wedding handkerchief is actually a sentimental keepsake for most families? This type of handkerchief also comes by the name, the heirloom wedding handkerchief.
Heirloom wedding handkerchiefs originated during the Roman times. At that time, this piece of cloth was soaked in perfume and was used to wipe the face of the bride before the wedding. It was also worn on the shoulders or around the neck to keep the bride smelling good for the rest of the day. This tradition was carried on from Rome to Venice to France. In France, the handkerchief became somewhat a status symbol, as only the royalty and very wealthy people were able to have one.
Here in our country, it was the early farmers who used the handkerchief for a special significance. At that time, tears shed during the wedding day were considered lucky and was said to bring rain for the crops. This also signified that the bride would never cry again during her marriage. Today, the wedding handkerchief carries a wide variety of meaning and sentiments especially those that have to do with your family. Most wedding handkerchiefs have been passed on from one generation to another, making it a very sentimental accessory that may have been worn even by your great great grandmother.
Wedding handkerchiefs of today come in different styles. Some of the most popular are the embroidered ones which can have the names of the bride and groom. Some have a romantic message such as “loving each other till death do us part.” Others have a line with the names and dates of weddings of the couples in the family that have used the wedding handkerchief. All of these sentiments can make your wedding more special and meaningful. Not to mention, you can also use the handkerchief for the “something old” or “something borrowed” tradition. Embroidery is not only for texts and phrases but also for the handkerchief design and patterns.
Whether you use a family wedding handkerchief or you buy your own, you can still pass this as an heirloom to your child, which she can pass down to her own children when the times comes. Weddings are big events not only because a couple is uniting as one but also because these kinds of occasions bring together families and in some instances, even clans. Make sure that you take care of your wedding handkerchief even after the wedding is over because it can hold various sentiments not only for you but for the whole family as well.
Unity candle ceremonies
A bridal shower is usually the first of many parties the bride and groom will attend after announcing their engagement. The bridal shower is a descendant of the old fashioned bride’s dowry.
When you first told your parents that you are getting married, you know your mother shed a tear or two. It is not any different with your groom’s mom, whom you know loves her son oh-so-dearly too. You know that your mother’s and your groom’s mom’s tears are tears of joy because they know that you two love each other so much and that you want to spend the rest of your lives together.
