Why is it such a big deal for the groom to not see the bride before the wedding?
It has always been a prevalent, superstitious tradition that the groom cannot see the bride before the wedding, but have you ever stopped to wonder why? This is the biggest day of their lives thus far, and they can’t even spend the first half of it together.
This tradition also emerged from the practice of arranged marriages. To save the families from embarrassment, the groom was not allowed to lay eyes on his bride before the ceremony in order to prevent him from changing his mind and bolting if he was not pleased with the arrangement.
As time passed and fear and evil spirits and practice of arranged marriages dwindled, the tradition remained as a way of building up the moment and emotion of the wedding ceremony. Everyone wants to see the bride and groom get emotional at the sight of each other as they start their lives together.
In modern weddings though, it is becoming more and more popular for the couple to stray from tradition and see each other the morning of the wedding before getting ready for the day. Even more couples are choosing to see each other in a more private moment before the ceremony. "First Looks” have become popular for those who want more time to take photographs on their wedding day without keeping wedding guests waiting for hours at the reception.
Whether you choose to see each other before the ceremony or wait until the doors open and the bride walks down the aisle, there is no question that the moment the bride and groom first lay eyes on each other is a special moment.
See some of our favorite first look moments here: Rachel & John, Tiara & Billy, Megan & Blane, Ashley & John, Kevia & Jeremy, Sydney & James and Sydney & Sean.
Sources include MentalFloss.com and People.HowStuffWorks.com.
