Ever wondered why a bride wears a veil or how a "something borrowed" has become a wedding-day must-have? Here is some of the most common and surprising wedding superstitions and traditions and the reasons behind them.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue

We've all heard this common rhyme used when someone gets married, but what does it mean? Wearing "something old" represents the bride's past, while the "something new" symbolizes the couple's happy future. The bride is supposed to get her "something borrowed" from someone who is happily married in the hope that some of that person's good fortune rubs off on her. "Something blue" denotes fidelity and love.

Wearing a Veil

This custom originated in Rome, when a bride would wear a veil down the aisle to disguise herself from evil spirits who were jealous of her happiness. Other stories say that the viel was worn when marriages were arranged to hide the face of the bride in the event she wasn't as pretty as the groom expected. 

Seeing Each Other Before The Wedding

This superstition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, when people believed that if the couple saw each other before the ceremony, it would give them a chance to change their minds about the wedding. Today, however, many couples choose to meet up and even have portrait sessions before saying their "I dos."

Rain on Your Wedding Day

Rain on your wedding day is good luck because it signifies that your marriage will last. As you know, a knot that becomes wet is extremely hard to untie – therefore, when you “tie the knot” on a rainy day, your marriage is supposedly just as hard to unravel! We can thank Hindu traditions for this belief.

Knives as Wedding Gifts

According to folklore, a knife signifies a broken relationship and is bad luck to give as a wedding gift. If knives are on your registry, just give the gift giver a penny. That way it's a purchase, not a gift.

Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

This superstition began in Medieval Europe where many believed that a bride was extra vulnerable to evil spirits through the soles of her feet. To avoid bringing in any evil spirits, the groom carried the bride into their new home.

A Spider On Your Wedding Dress

Finding an eight-legged creature on your gorgeous gown might seem like a wedding-day nightmare, but English lore claims that finding a spider in your wedding dress is a good omen.

Using Your Married Name Before the Wedding

Some think it is tempting fate for the bride to write out her married name or monogram before she's actually married, and that the wedding will not take place if she does so. If you're superstitious, save the monogramming for your reception decor and registry items.

Ringing Bells on your wedding day

Bells are traditionally chimed at Irish weddings to keep evil spirits away and to ensure a harmonious family life. Some Irish brides even carry small bells in their bouquets as a reminder of their sacred wedding vows, and they are a common gift for newlyweds.

Breaking a Glass

In Italy, many newlyweds smash a vase or glass at their wedding, and they put a lot of muscle into it, too. The tradition says that however many pieces the glassware breaks into will symbolize how many years they'll be happily married.

Crying on Your Wedding Day

It is supposed to be good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day because it symbolizes that she has shed all her tears and will not have any to shed during her marriage. So go ahead and get teary-eyed. Just be sure to wear some waterproof mascara.

Wedding rings on the left hand

It is thought the the vein in the ring finger of the left hand goes directly to the wearers heart. There fore the ring on the left hand is the closest to the heart.