Bridal Party 101 | History

It Takes A Community To Have A Wedding.

The Bridal Party is the Bride and Groom’s entourage chosen specifically because of their proven support of the happy couple. According to history, their duties have included anything from kidnapping to providing the bride with a dowry if the parents were disproving of the marriage. Here’s a couple of fun historical facts behind the wedding Wedding Posse– oops! Party**

Photo: True Photography

“Bridesmaids and groomsmen had to dress just like the bride and groom to confuse vengeful spirit presences (or real-life jealous suitors) who might try to harm the newlyweds.”

 

This tradition seems to have changed only recently! Nowadays, there is usually subtle differentiation between the Groom and his Groomsmen, but the Bridesmaids leave the white to the Bride. We’re seeing a larger variety in color, style, and texture in bridesmaids’ dresses as each wedding season passes. It just depends on the Bride’s preference!

Photo: Shelly Anderson

“In a time in which ‘marriage by capture’ was practiced, close friends of the groom would assist him in taking the bride from her family. They’d form a small army to fight off angry relatives so that he could escape with her.”

 

Thankfully this doesn’t happen anymore! Imagine women being kidnapped left and right out from under their family’s nose! (Talk about awkward table conversation at Thanksgiving…)

We understand why the need for the most important people by your side remains. Choosing the ones to support you, be that shoulder to cry on when you need it, can share in good times with you, are all top factors to your bridal party.  At the Ranch, we’ve witnessed it all.

Photo: Maryanne McGuire Photography

“Ancient Roman law required 10 witnesses to be present at a wedding, which is considered a precursor to the bridal party tradition.”

Today, Bridal Parties can be as small as two people and as large as 30–as long as the MOH and Best Man have some good organizational skills! We say the more, the merrier, it adds a little energy to the event as a whole, and you know the dance floor will never be empty.

Photo by Audrey Rynberg Photography

“The tradition of the ‘best man’ is thought to have originated with the Germanic Goths of the 16th century.”

“He was the ‘best man’ for, specifically, the job of stealing the bride from her neighboring community or disapproving family, and he was probably the best swordsman, too.”

 

Consider this, gentlemen: is your Best Man willing to fight to the death for your love?

Photo by True Photography

“In some early traditions, the groomsmen were called Bride’s Knights because they helped protect her—and her dowry, and her virginity—or because they assisted in her kidnapping.”

Photo by Muse Moments Photography

Kidnapping seems to have been pretty prevalent back in the day, but it’s not just the Groomsmen who are known to get into some mischief during the Bachelor/Bachelorette parties anymore. (Hollywood made a few movies about all that.) Although we would never promote kidnapping, we’re sure some good clean inner-party fun is still had.

Photo by True Photography

Thanks to all these fun Bridal Parties and the awesome photographers who captured them at their best!

We love seeing what each unique group is like and how the clients we’ve gotten to know so well fit into the crazy mix.

Photo by Jordan Galindo

As always, big thanks go out to the staff at Personal Touch Dining, who Coordinate, Manage, and cater to all these wonderful events!

To learn more about weddings traditions and their origins, check out these two articles:

’21 Surprising Historical Duties of the Wedding Party’ by Jen Doll

A History of Anglo-Saxon Wedding Customs‘ by Arden Ranger

 

Garter and Bouquet Toss Alternatives!

The Garter and Bouquet Toss are infamous time-honored traditions at weddings.

Unfortunately, guests’ reactions to this tradition can be an unpredictable mixed bag, potentially throwing off the mood of your event.

We got our experts together to cook up some fresh twists to help rejuvenate this wedding ritual, so old customs can be tailor-fit to you as a couple on your big day!

 

Give New Life to an Old Custom!

 

Consolation Prizes

-Kids Prizes: Weddings with lots of children might want to encourage a separate kids-toss with fun prizes so the adult toss can be ore traditional. This way, everyone feels included, and nobody accidentally gets stepped on during the excitement!

-Cash Incentive (AKA Singles for the Singles): Placing a bit of money on the bouquet, or with garter, before the toss can add a little motivation for your guests to claim the prize! Gift cards are a fun alternative as well and could encourage future romantic dates for the lucky winner.

-Bottle of Booze: Winning a bottle of something nice to accompany the bouquet or garter might also promote a little more interest from guests!

 

New Methods: Fresh perspective on old fun!

-Hot Potato: (Similar to musical chairs, but with fewer chances for accidental injuries.) While a song plays in the background, guests can pass the garter or bouquet around in a circle until the music stops. The one left holding the prize is the lucky winner!

-Box of Treasure: Have guests pick a key out of a mixed pile to unlock a box or birdcage with the award.

-Ribbon Pull: An old European version of this tradition. Many false ribbons are held in the Bride’s hands above her head, with one secret winner tied around the bouquet. Everyone pulls at the same time and the winning ribbon reels in the prize!

-Toss the Boutonniere: If you still want to throw something to the single men, but you don’t want the scandal of the garter toss, then toss the boutonniere – but take the pins out first!

-Football/Three Flies Up: Easier to throw and catch–especially concerning the garter, a football can be an easy alternative. This saves the integrity of the bouquet and modesty of the Bride.

 

Pranks: For couples Who Love to Laugh Together.

– Blindfolded “Quick Switch”: Groomsmen can throw on a thrift store wedding gown and swap out with the Bride in the chair. The blindfolded Groom will be none the wiser when he goes for the garter, and guests will be on the floor rolling with laughter. The topic of family gatherings for years to come!

-Magic Trick: Pull random items from beneath the dress stashed out of sight behind the Bride. She’ll be shocked as everything, but the kitchen sink comes out from under her skirt!

-Breakaway Bouquet: Why battle over a single bouquet? Throw a “Breakaway Bouquet” made of separated flowers, so everyone in the crowd gets one!

-Gender-Bend: Surprise unsuspecting guests by swapping outfits, and reverse the garter retrieval! Hilarity is sure to ensue.

 

Or, Toss the Tradition Entirely.

-Anniversary Dance: Honor the longest-married couple by giving them the bouquet.

-Cake Pull: Many variations of this technique exist, but it is popular in Southern traditions and similar to a “King Cake” from Mardi Gras celebrations. Small charms placed in a cake or cupcakes for participants indicate different types of prizes, such as good fortune in money or love. By either pulling a ribbon to extract the charm or eating the cake, guests can see what they’ve won. Be sure to warn guests before they take a bite!

-Pass The Torch: Give the Bouquet to the next Bride-to-Be with a wedding coming up. The ribbon or other decoration from that bouquet can be for “something borrowed” on her wedding day.

 

Have fun with the tradition and make it fit your personality however you see best!

 

Guests will be delighted by any efforts to keep it alive in your special way.

 

 

Thanks to True Photography for the fantastic pictures!

 

Check Rates & Availability

Short Form

"*" indicates required fields