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SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JUNE 2025 9 By Karen Range, Resident e month of June has historically been the traditional month for weddings. For the June edition of e View Magazine then, what could be more appropriate than to explore the history of wedding traditions? Here are some of the more popular traditions and how they got started. e Roman goddess Juno. e tradition of June weddings began in ancient Roman times. e month of June is named aer the Roman goddess Juno. Juno was associated with feminine vitality and fertility and was also considered the equivalent of Hera, the Greek goddess of love and marriage. Another reason given is that in the Middle Ages, bathing sometimes took place only once per year, generally in late spring, making June a pleasant time to marry as people would smell fresher for their wedding. Warding o evil spirits. e rst bridal bouquets were made out of aromatic bunches of herbs, garlic, and grains, ingredients that were believed to drive away evil spirits. And again, due to bathing practices in the Middle Ages, carrying a bouquet of fragrant herbs and owers helped to keep brides smelling sweet for their wedding. With this ring. In ancient times, wedding rings were exchanged to symbolize various aspects of a marriage, including commitment, love, and a promise of delity, oen representing a contract or dowry. ey also served as a physical representation of the vows taken, reinforcing the bond between the couple and their families. Early rings were made from simple materials like reeds or leather, later transitioning to metal and eventually, to gold and precious gems. Rings were worn on the fourth nger of the le hand because it was believed that a vein ran directly from this nger to the heart. What's under that veil? Historically, brides wore veils to symbolize modesty and protection. Also, back when most marriages were arranged, the groom did not see the bride before the wedding. Families feared that if the groom saw the bride ahead of time and didn't like her looks, he might not agree to marry her. erefore, the veil was used to conceal the bride's appearance up until the very moment to be wed. Sixpence in her shoe. e wedding tradition of "something borrowed, something blue" stems from a Victorian-era rhyme, "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe." ese items were believed to bring good luck and ward o evil spirits. • Something old: Represents the bride's past and continuity. • Something new: Symbolizes optimism for the future. • Something borrowed: Borrowed items are said to bring luck and happiness, oen borrowed from a happily married woman. • Something blue: Represents love, purity, and delity, as well as warding o bad luck. • Sixpence in the shoe: A British coin, representing prosperity. Next time you are a guest at a wedding, or perhaps get married yourself, you will have a better understanding of how familiar wedding traditions began (and maybe even enjoy a bit of a chuckle).

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