Very Superstitious

Very Superstitious

February 29th, 2012 @ 8:34 am by Mrs. Castle
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There are a lot of superstitions when it comes to weddings. You can’t see the bride before the ceremony, rain on your wedding day is supposed to be bad luck, and of course the whole “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.” Someone once told me that if your mothers cry during your wedding, you will have a rough first year of marriage. That one sounded a little crazy to me—pretty much all mothers are going to cry!

Image via artisanphotography.com / Photography by Artisan Photography

So I was wondering, where did all these superstitions come from? In researching this I came across some superstitions I had never heard of! One has to do with changing your last name. Apparently it is unlucky for the bride to marry a man whose last name begins with the same letter as hers. There is even a rhyme that goes along with this one: “To change the name and not the letter, is to change for the worse and not the better.”

I also read one that says it is good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day because she will have cried all her tears away, leaving none for the marriage. I’m sure I’m going to cry, and if that means no tears during the marriage, I’m on board. As far as rain on the wedding day, I found more on it being good luck than bad. It is said that rain is a symbol of children in their future. It actually rained on my parents’ wedding day and they ended up having four kids! So maybe there’s some truth to that one.

Image via thehollywoodgossip.com

To be honest, I’m not a very superstitious person. After all, I do have a black cat and you better believe he crosses my path a million times every day. I have no issues with seeing Mr. Castle before the ceremony, but he has been very adamant on not seeing me until I walk down the aisle. If it means that much to him it’s fine with me. I read some articles stating that tradition was started with arranged marriages. They didn’t want the groom to see the bride and try to back out of the wedding if he didn’t find her attractive.

Personal Photo / My black kitty Artemis…in my path

One of the most outlandish superstitions I came across was this: If you can persuade a cat to eat out of your left shoe one week before the wedding, good luck will bless your married life. I’m pretty sure I could make this one happen. Come over here, Artemis! But what shoe? Your wedding shoes, your everyday shoes? I would guess the wedding shoes. If I pull this off I’ll be sure to take a picture.

Image via redbubble.com / Photo by Tamara Kenneally Photography

Have you heard of any weird wedding superstitions? I think they are all so funny.

Tags: nyc, southern-california, traditions |

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18 Responses to “Very Superstitious”

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piperhallie (message) 182 posts, Blushing bee

Love this post! I’m with you- not too superstitious when it comes to weddings. My mom, on the other had, is very traditional Chinese and majorly superstitious. It’s been interesting finding out all the things that I have to do prior, during, and after my wedding this summer!

2/29/12 @ 8:40 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Aardvark (message) 807 posts, Busy bee

I read somewhere that if the bride wears green it means she was a floosy (becasue she was rolling around in the grass….?) I think that was the craziest I’ve heard. And I love green!

2/29/12 @ 8:46 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Unicycle (message) 397 posts, Helper bee

I’ve heard the one about the last name too! The cat one is just strange. I’d feel bad making a cat eat out of a smelly shoe hahaha

2/29/12 @ 8:53 am (reply)

Member

Miss Ke Aloha (message) 797 posts, Busy bee

The Groom has to arrive at the church first or Bad luck will follow them throughout their lives. Another one is dropping the rings, veil or other things of wedding importance during ceremony means unhappiness in your marriage.
my fiance is very superstitious. Even though he doesn’t actually believe in it, he says there is no reason to leave things to chance. When we move in somewhere the first items to be moved in is uncooked rice and salt. I do not understand but if it supposedly keeps bad spirits away than I’m good.

2/29/12 @ 8:53 am (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Snow Cone (message) 1,073 posts, Bumble bee

I had never heard about the first letter of the last name thing. When I was in grade school, I actually wanted to marry someone whose last name started the same with mine - I figured it would reduce issues with monograms, haha!

2/29/12 @ 8:53 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Dragon (message) 1,458 posts, Bumble bee

Haha, that cat eating out a shoe thing would be waaaay too easy in my house! Although if it’s a black cat eating out of your shoe (and with three of ‘em they cross my path constantly, too), does that cancel out the luck?

2/29/12 @ 9:55 am (reply)

Member

haelmai (message) 248 posts, Helper bee

I never heard the same first letter issue (which we both have), but I’m not worried about it because I’m not changing my name at all. Take that superstition!

2/29/12 @ 10:01 am (reply)

Member

friedicecream (message) 43 posts, Newbee

Back when conspicuous consumption was frowned upon the whole wedding party dressed alike in order to keep the evil spirits from getting to the bride. This is also one root of why the bride and groom don’t traditionally make a speech/toast at the wedding. It would make them conspicuous and the evil would get them.

2/29/12 @ 10:08 am (reply)

Bee

Miss Castle (message) 479 posts, Helper bee

@Miss Aardvark: That is totally crazy, but also hilarious!

@Miss Ke Aloha: That’s interesting about the uncooked rice and salt. It’s true better not to leave things to chance. And if it doesn’t take much effort might as well do it!

@Miss Dragon: I’d like to think that with the black cat you get extra luck

@friedicecream: That’s so interesting about the color of the bridesmaid dresses! Ive never heard that before!

2/29/12 @ 10:40 am (reply)

10.

Bee

Mrs. Cucumber Sandwich (message) 589 posts, Busy bee

I think we should make up our own superstition and try to spread it around. Like if you spin around three times before you walk down the aisle you will have good luck! I have never heard of the mothers crying is bad luck but how is that even possible… all mothers cry!

2/29/12 @ 11:17 am (reply)

11.

Member

ItsPronounced_ABear (message) 867 posts, Busy bee

May I ask why your cat is named Artemis? There was a cat in Sailor Moon with that name. Ah the 90’s… memories…

2/29/12 @ 11:26 am (reply)

12.

Member

ItsPronounced_ABear (message) 867 posts, Busy bee

Oh, I guess I should comment on your actual post topic. I’m not superstitous really but I did the “Something Old, something New” thing.

Also, I always wanted to marry a man with the same first letter as my last name because my Initials spell the beginning of my first name. JAN. (and my twin sister was JEN, wanna guess her name?) Now we’re JAH and JEW. lol.

2/29/12 @ 11:28 am (reply)

13.

Member

Star Fruit (message) 33 posts, Newbee

My FI and I are both Filipinos and one of the superstitions regarding marriage is that you can’t have a wedding within the same year as your sibling’s because it will bring bad luck or lifelong competition/jealousy with your brother/sister..
good thing none of our siblings are engaged yet! =)

2/29/12 @ 11:56 am (reply)

14.

Bee

Miss Castle (message) 479 posts, Helper bee

@ItsPronounced_ABear: My cat is named after Artemis from Sailor Moon! I loved that show growing up. We had a family black cat named Luna but she died a couple years ago. So when we got Artemis I couldn’t help but give him that name

2/29/12 @ 12:08 pm (reply)

15.

Member

Miss_Manda (message) 301 posts, Helper bee

I’m somewhat of a supserstitious person myself, but even I am kind of tempted by the first look photo shoot… not my honey, though. He’s adamant that one of the most important moments of the day is when he sees me coming toward him for the first time, at the other end of the aisle. Who am I to nay-say something that is so powerful for him?

2/29/12 @ 12:14 pm (reply)

16.

Bee

Mrs. Pony (message) 5,386 posts, Bee Keeper

I’m in love with Artemis! So cute!
I’ve never heard of most of these superstitions, so interesting!

3/1/12 @ 5:53 am (reply)

17.

Member

Future Army Wife (message) 1,924 posts, Buzzing bee

I love your kitteh’s name and the shoe photo. You should totes try that!

3/3/12 @ 6:52 pm (reply)

18.

Member

MsRobyn (message) 28 posts, Newbee

My family likes to make up traditions as we go along. So a baby cried during my cousin’s ceremony and now it’s lucky to have a baby cry during your ceremony. It rained during my aunty’s wedding and now it’s lucky to have rain at your wedding. The best thing is all of the older people nodding sagely and declaring these traditions like they’ve been that way forever. I think they also use “tradition” as a way to make us do daft things!

3/6/12 @ 4:28 am (reply)