The Tradition Of Child Bridesmaids In British Weddings

In British weddings, it is customary for bridesmaids to be children or young teens rather than adults. This tradition is especially prominent in British royal weddings, where bridesmaids are typically children or early teens. For example, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Princess Charlotte served as one of the bridesmaids, and Prince George was a pageboy. This tradition may have originated from the Biblical story of Jacob, whose two wives, Leah and Rachel, both came with their own maids.

Bridesmaids were used to ward off evil spirits

In ancient times, bridesmaids were used to ward off evil spirits who might crash the wedding. Back then, it was believed that evil spirits were especially attracted to happy occasions, like weddings, and would try to ruin the couple's happiness. Bridesmaids acted as decoys in floor-length dresses to confuse and distract any evil spirits that might be lurking. The idea was that the spirits would be drawn to the bridesmaids instead of the bride and that the bridesmaids could then successfully lead the spirits away from the happy couple.

Having multiple bridesmaids was also seen as a way to strengthen the protective circle around the bride and groom. The more bridesmaids present, the more likely it was that any evil spirits would be successfully fooled and repelled. Young girls were often chosen as bridesmaids, as they were seen as being especially pure and innocent, and therefore more effective at warding off evil influences.

In addition to wearing similar dresses, the bridesmaids would also carry strong-smelling bouquets. These were thought to be effective at repelling evil spirits, as it was believed they disliked strong scents. The bridesmaids would also link arms with the bride and form a protective barrier around her as she walked down the aisle, ensuring that no evil spirits could get too close.

While today's weddings are less concerned with evil spirits and more focused on celebrating the union of two people, the tradition of having bridesmaids has persisted. The role of the bridesmaid has evolved, however, to focus more on supporting and celebrating the bride, rather than protecting her from supernatural forces. Today, bridesmaids often help with wedding planning, attend pre-wedding events, and provide emotional support to the bride on her big day.

Bridesmaids and bride dressed similarly to confuse evil spirits

The tradition of having bridesmaids dress similarly to the bride is rooted in the belief of deterring evil spirits, ghosts, or kidnappers. The idea was that if the bride and her bridesmaids wore matching dresses and veils, it would confuse any ill-wishers, who would either give up or kidnap the wrong person.

This tradition dates back to ancient Rome, where there was a requirement for at least ten witnesses at a wedding, who then became the bridal party. Brides were also susceptible to kidnapping by rival clans and hooligans in feudal China, so dressing bridesmaids like the bride lowered the risk of her being identified and taken. This was also a legal requirement according to certain Roman wedding customs. Similarly, brides are said to wear veils to mask their faces from evil spirits and kidnappers.

In modern times, bridesmaids are no longer dressed like the bride, with the focus now being on the bride herself. However, some of the historical protector powers remain, such as deflecting drinking requests for the bride in some Chinese ceremonies.

Bridesmaids were originally servants

The tradition of bridesmaids dates back to a time before ancient Roman culture, where they were used to ward off evil spirits that might harm the bride. In ancient times, the bride and all the bridesmaids wore the same dress and heavily veiled their faces to confuse jealous suitors and evil spirits. In ancient Rome, it was believed that bad spirits would descend upon weddings, so bridesmaids wore similar outfits to the bride to confuse the evildoers.

In the Bible, Jacob's two wives, Leah and Rachel, were escorted to the wedding by their own servants—the brides' maids. In the early days of weddings, bridesmaids were not the best friends or closest relatives of the bride—they were servants. The bride's favourite maid would accompany her and be at her beck and call. In some cultures, the bride's maids were handmaidens (servants or slaves) instead of social peers.

In Anglo-Saxon times, bridesmaids played a role in the wedding by throwing their shoes at men, and the first man hit would be the one to wed. In ancient Roman weddings, the matron of honour was a moral role model, known for fidelity and obedience. She joined the right hands of the bride and groom for the first time at the ceremony. In medieval times, some bridesmaids made the bride drink and eat a concoction of plum buns in spiced ale to "restore her energies".

Royal bridesmaids are children

Royal bridesmaids in the UK are typically children or early teens. This tradition of having young bridesmaids can be traced back to Queen Elizabeth's wedding.

At royal weddings, bridesmaids are usually the children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. For example, Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. Similarly, Prince George was a pageboy at the same wedding.

The tradition of having young bridesmaids is not unique to the UK. In some cultures, like Norway, the Netherlands, France, and Victorian Britain, it is customary for bridesmaids to be young girls. They may carry flowers during the procession and pose with the married couple in bridal photos.

The role of a bridesmaid is to attend to the bride on her wedding day and assist with planning the wedding and reception. In the past, bridesmaids also served the purpose of warding off evil spirits by dressing similarly to the bride and carrying aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs, and grains.

The bride walks first in British processions

The wedding processional is a group of people walking down the aisle in a specific order to mark the beginning of a wedding ceremony. While the specific customs may differ by religion, the bride's walk down the aisle is always one of the highlights.

In British royal weddings, it is customary for bridesmaids to be children or early teens. Since Queen Elizabeth's wedding, royal bridesmaids have been children or young teenagers. In the US, bridesmaids are typically a representation of the bride's closest friends, but this is not the case in the UK.

In a traditional Christian wedding ceremony processional, the processional starts with the mother of the bride walking down the aisle. Next, the officiant and groom enter from the side and take their places at the altar. The groomsmen, bridesmaids, maid of honour, ring bearer and flower girl follow, with the bride and her father bringing up the rear.

In a Jewish ceremony, the wedding ceremony procession often begins with the officiant, usually a rabbi and/or cantor. The bride is escorted by both her parents and stands under the chuppah (wedding canopy) with them rather than sitting with the rest of the guests.

In a Hindu ceremony, the groom makes a grand entrance, arriving on horseback, by elephant or in a special vehicle. The bride then makes her entrance with her family and wedding party.

In a nondenominational ceremony, the officiant enters first, followed by the groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, maid of honour, ring bearer and flower girl. The bride is the last to enter, escorted by one or both parents or another VIP.

In a modern wedding ceremony processional, the officiant begins the ceremony by walking down the aisle and standing at the altar. The parents of the couple walk down the aisle together or escorted by their children or step-parents. The wedding party members walk down the aisle in pairs or individually, with the maid of honour and best man being the final wedding party members to walk down the aisle. The ring bearer, flower girl or other attendants walk down the aisle before the bride, who walks down the aisle alone or escorted by her parents or partner.

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