Wenning's Wedding Tip Wednesday

Since it is finally October and getting close to Halloween we will be having fun with everything that is spooky and scary.  Have you ever wondered where the main wedding traditions originated from?  This month we will be talking about several different traditions and how there was a sinister start to them.  Have you ever wondered what the true purpose of being the best man in a wedding is?

Was the best man really the groom’s best friend or his body guard? The wedding tradition of the “best man” originated back in the 16th Century during the Germanic Goths period.  Unlike today’s tradition, this man wasn’t your closest friend, he was there for other crucial roles. Here are some of the important things the best man did for the bride and groom.

Back in the era where chivalry was the main system in place, women were sometimes forced to stay home under close watch.  To address the issue, the best man played the role in helping the groom capture the bride from her home.  Helping fight off angry family members was very common and resulted in a lot of deaths. Once the capture was successful, the best man would lead them to a secure area where no one would find them.  The couple would stay there until the day of the wedding.

Just like in today’s tradition, the best man stands next to the groom during the ceremony.  The original reasoning for this was that he was able to guard the couple from any outrageous family members.  The best man would usually stand to the right of the groom so that he had quick access to his sword.  Anyone that dared to charge the alter would have to go through the best man first which gave the couple time to escape.

Next time you are at a wedding, imagine the best man having to fight of several angry family members of the brides.  Even try to imagine him and groom going to the bride’s house and capturing her to be married.  Time have certainly changed; will your best man be a good swordsman, or will he just be your best friend!

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