The wedding ring has been part of marital tradition for centuries.  Although different cultures carry out different wedding customs, almost all have a wedding ring involved.  In North America, a wedding ring symbolizes marital commitment and fidelity.  It is widely considered as the symbol of the sacred bond shared by the two spouses.  While today men tend to wear wedding rings, it was not always the case.  Traditionally in North America and the U.K., the wedding ring is worn on the third finger of the  left hand.  This tradition hails from an old belief that this particular finger had the vein of love.  This vein was thought to go directly from the heart to the hand, so the wedding ring was to symbolize the "chain" that united the two spouses.  Many other countries wear the wedding ring on the right hand.

White has long been accepted as the traditional color of the wedding dress, but they were not always white.  The marriage of Queen Victoria to her cousin Albert in 1840 has had more influence on weddings than any other.  Queen Victoria was married in white and thus the tradition began.  Though brides continued to wed in gowns of different colors, white was now set as the color of choice for weddings and has continued ever since.  

The white wedding dress in those days had nothing to do with being virtuous - it was all about wealth.  Getting married in a white, extravagant gown was a sign that you could afford to buy a dress that you would never be able to wear again because of its style and color (whites were not easy to clean in those days as they are today!).

It is a common belief that it is bad luck for the groom to see his bride in her dress before the ceremony.  Therefore a veil was used to keep her hidden until after the ceremony.  In fact, in the days of arranged marriages, the groom rarely saw his bride at all before the wedding day.   If she was unattractive, a veil might have prevented him from running away.  Veiling the bride is a symbolic way of tantalizing the groom by concealing her beauty until he becomes her husband and is permitted to see her.

Another purpose of the wedding veil was to conceal the bride from demons.  Family and friends were aware that the veiled figure standing next to the groom was the bride, but fortunately the goblins were apparently fooled. 

In the 14th century, it was customary for the bride to toss her garter to the male guests.  Frequently the men got too drunk, and would then become impatient and try to remove the garter ahead of time.   In the interests of decorum the custom changed to tossing the bridal bouquet.

The wedding was considered a target for evil spirits determined to destroy the couple's happiness.  The bridesmaids would dress in similar fashion to the bride in order to confuse the evil spirits and provide decoys.  By protecting the bride in this way the bridesmaids also exposed themselves to some of the evil influences they were defending against.  This would build up over time if they attended more than one wedding.  This is possibly the origin of the saying: "Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride".

As time went on, the protective role of the bridesmaids became more down-to-earth.  The wedding dowry and presents were a target for thieves and the presence of the bridesmaids was to confuse, deter and stop such activity.

Most often these bridesmaids were servants doing a job.  It was only later that the role of the bridesmaid became one of honor and the maids actually began to accompany the bride up the aisle.

Throwing things at a newly married bride and groom is a very old tradition that may date back to ancient Rome or Egypt or even further back.  The custom is intended to give newlyweds good luck, and most of the items thrown at the couple represent fertility and abundance.

Food has always been a popular choice because it symbolizes plentiful crops.  Seeds and nuts symbolize fertility because a little seed may grow into a big plant, an appropriate sentiment for a newly married couple.  Grains such as wheat and rice were thrown over the newlyweds in the hopes that the couple would be prosperous and have many children to work the land.

While tossing rice became most popular in America, many countries have their own traditions.  In some places figs, dates, and raisins are thrown to encourage a "fruitful" union, while in others sweets and sugarcoated nuts shower the newlyweds. 

New tossing trends include rose petals and other blooms, sunflower seeds, fall leaves, and paper snowflakes.  Bridal businesses also promote blowing bubbles or waving lit sparklers at the departing couple.

This is an old British ritual dating back to the 14th century.  Originally called "flinging the stocking", guests of the bride and groom would rush into the couple's bedroom, and take their stocking.  The first guest to throw the stocking and hit either the bride or groom on the nose was the next to get married.  Today the custom is that the groom removes the garter from his bride's leg and then tosses it into the group of unmarried male guests at the wedding.  The unmarried male who catches the garter is said to be the next to be wed.

The wedding cake is a very ancient custom which is steeped in history and occurs in many cultures.  The Romans had a cake made out of flour, salt and water which was eaten during the ceremony.  Today the wedding cake is a focal point at the reception.  

Tiered and iced wedding cakes were introduced to Britain from France after the Restoration in 1660.  The shape of the modern three tiered cake is associated with the spire of St. Bride's Church in the City of London.  In past times it was the tradition, probably as a relic of former fertility rites, to throw many small cakes over the bride.  This later evolved to crumbling cake over the bride's head.

Cutting the cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception.  It is customary for the Bride and the Groom to make the first cut in the cake together, symbolizing their shared future.  The groom places his right hand over the right hand of his bride.  Her left hand is then placed on top and she places the knife point at the centre of the bottom tier of the cake and slowly cuts the cake, helped by the groom.  Tradition dictates that the couple should then cut a slice and share it between them.

The Bridesmaids keep their slices and place them under their pillows that night in the belief that they will dream of their own future husbands.

Another tradition that has evolved is that of preserving the top tier to celebrate their first anniversary or the christening of their first child.

The tradition of tying tin cans to the back of the newlywed's vehicle originated long ago when items which would produce noise were tied to the back of the couple's carriage to scare away evil spirits.

As most people know, the honeymoon is a traditional vacation taken by a newlywed couple immediately after their wedding celebration is over.  Generally, a honeymoon can last anywhere from a week to a month, though it is sometimes of a shorter or longer duration.

No one can say for certain what the origins of the word "honeymoon" are, though various theories exist.  Many historians agree that the "moon" part of the word refers to the "Full Moon" of the wedding; in ancient times.  Teutonic weddings were only held under full moons.  Some people believe that the "honey" part of honeymoon refers to the tradition in some European countries of a newly married couple drinking honey mead for a month. \

However, there are others who believe that the word "honeymoon" is merely a corruption of "hymeneal," which refers to a wedding song.  Whatever the case, the honeymoon has been a tradition ever since ancient times, though its function has changed somewhat.

The first uses of the word "honeymoon" appeared in the 16th century, though it did not refer to a vacation at that time.  As couples were expected to remain chaste until marriage, the honeymoon was simply a time for them to get acquainted in a more physical sense.  The inclusion of a vacation became part of the honeymoon tradition much later, first appearing in the 1800s, though it did not become a common practice for the general public until around 1930.

Though the honeymoon is still seen as a time for the newly-married couple to be intimate without interruptions, it is now also a chance for couples to explore unique parts of the world and enjoy the outdoors.