Исследовательская работа “CHEERS” vs “GORKO” or WEDDING PERCULARITIES IN ENGLAND AND RUSSIA

I Республиканская научно-практической конференции учащихся

по английскому языку «Язык и культура. Проблемы современной коммуникации»

Секция:  Страноведение

Исследовательская работа

 “CHEERS” vs “GORKO” or WEDDING PERCULARITIES IN ENGLAND AND RUSSIA

Ткач Полина и Алексеева Анастасия, ученицы 10 класса Б

Направляющая организация: Муниципальное бюджетное общеобразовательное учреждение

«Средняя общеобразовательная школа №7 г. Лениногорска» МО "Лениногорский муниципальный район" (Школа - центр компетенции в электронном образовании) Республики Татарстан

Научный руководитель:

учитель английского языка высшей квалификационной категории

 Галимова Сания Ибраевна

Contents

 I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….. 3

II. Main part.

   2.1 Wedding traditions in England ……………………………………..........................4

   2.2 Wedding traditions in Russia ………………………………………………………7

  2.3  Similarities and differences in wedding traditions in Russia and England ………...11

 III. Results of the sociological survey…………………………………………………….13

 IV.  Conclusion …………………………………………………………..……………….14

 V.  Literature/Resources …………………………………………………………………..16

 VI.  Appendices .……………………………………………………………….................17

I. Introduction

   What is a wedding? One of the Oxford dictionaries gives the following definition:  A marriage ceremony, especially considered as including the associated celebrations.  So, a wedding is a ceremony accompanying marriage.  Peoples have a lot of superstitions, omens and rituals connected with a wedding. Weddings are often   described by many poets, writers, musicians.  There are many movies covering   a wedding celebration. In each country  this occasion  is celebrated in a special way: somewhere more discreet and ceremoniously, and somewhere  noisily on a noble scale,  In this work    we will disclose all the peculiarities  of holding English  and Russian  weddings.

      England and Russia are   famous for their love and respect to their traditions and customs. However,    whatever the customs are, no matter how highly the nations’ adherence to traditions is highly appreciated, but time takes its toll.

        The relevance of this work. As far as we know, there are no special studies devoted to   the comparison of marriage traditions in England and Russia. In this connection, we have decided that it seems necessary to turn to the study of this topic. Moreover, studying this important aspect of any country, we learn about its culture and history. 

       The research problem: Are there any similarities and differences between Russian and English wedding traditions?

       Object of study: The national wedding rituals of Russia and England.

       Subject of the research: Peculiarities of the national wedding rituals in Russia and England.

      Objective: To identify the peculiarities of national wedding rituals in Russia and England.

      Hypothesis: Every nation has its own culture, customs and traditions.  We suppose that wedding ceremonies in Russia and England are still held according to their national cultural traditions but if they have anything in common.

     To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set:

• To reveal traditions and features of English and Russian   weddings
• To reveal the preserved traditions from the past centuries in both countries
• To make  a brochure of main wedding terms and proverbs

Research methods: To solve the problems and to test the hypothesis, the following research methods were used: a method of theoretical analysis and comparison, observations, questioning and testing of married couples, mathematical processing of collected data, a method of recording data (tables, graphs).

All these let us in combination with diagnostic methods (observation) to achieve the solution of the task.

 Sources of information: dictionaries, encyclopedias, books, Internet resources. The results are presented in the table. The material collected in the process of our work can be used at English lessons    at school, and also, it can be helpful to people who are interested in traditions of Russia and England.

II. Main part

 2.1 Wedding traditions in England

        The English are known for their careful and quivering attitude to their traditions. Despite the high progressiveness, the English know how to preserve all the best from the past. Therefore, the ceremony of marriage in England is shrouded   by many customs and rituals, which give it a special charm. In modern England, couples prefer to get married in a church rather than register their marriage in the Town House.

       The Catholic wedding differs from our Orthodox, and it has a slightly different role in the life of the Catholic society. After all, Catholics do not share the concept of "wedding" and "wedding service in church", they are equivalent, since the marriage is legalized by the priest in the presence of witnesses once and for all. Many people  are involved in the ceremony of a Catholic wedding. So, for example, a bride and groom can have several witnesses on each side, more often up to three. The ceremony looks very impressive, a bride is usually surrounded by three witnesses in the same beautiful outfits.

        One of the main "roles" is assigned to the bride’s father. He takes the bride to the temple and leads her through the whole church to the altar along the beautifully decorated path, where the groom awaits them. It is worth noting that this is one of the most touching moments! In case the bride does not have a father, another person takes part in his role, who took the responsibility for taking caring of  her: an elder brother, an uncle, and sometimes even her husband's father. True, modern brides   prefer to go to the altar on their own.

         One of the important characters of the Catholic wedding may be a little girl (or several girls and boys) dressed in   wedding dresses. A little girl becomes a decoration of the  ceremony, which shows the image of "innocence"  and pure spirituality.

         At this time, the witnesses are tiled on two sides from the newlyweds. (Appendix 1)  A priest is standing in front of them. Other invited are sitting on the benches. It should be noted that all the guests are aware of how to hold the ceremony and know their place and role in this scenario. The wedding ceremony is held by a Catholic priest. He says the opening words, reading the prayers and communе the young couple. Be sure to hear the question: "Is there anyone or any reason that could prevent the marriage?" Next, the bride and groom give each other a vow of fidelity, they say beautiful words – words of gratitude and love to each other. The main witness gives the groom the rings, the married couple exchanges them. Then the couple signs in the church account book. After that, if no one prevented the marriage, if everything was done strictly according to the traditions and   marriage rituals– the wedding took place.

           It should also be mentioned that the wedding is not permitted if:

1. One of the applicants is already married;

2. One of the spouses is a monk or a nun;

3. One of the spouses is Muslim.

            The last point is particularly interesting. Indeed, early Catholicism allowed marriages only between Catholics, but today it has to allow marriages between Catholics and unbelievers, Catholic and Orthodox, but not with a Muslim.  If you consider   marriage between the Orthodox and the Catholic, according to the teachings of the Pope, the wedding can take place both in the church and in the Orthodox Church. But in later life it is recommended to educate children in the Catholic traditions. As for divorces, they are not allowed.  So, the spiritual Catholic marriage can be broken only by death of one spouses, otherwise Catholics can separate and live in different places, but their marriage is not broken.

        The couple usually prepare for the wedding in advance and are very attentive to all detail, including the venue of the feast after the wedding ceremony. Brides and grooms rehearse the wedding ceremony, dancing and other moments.   A couple of days before the wedding they have stag and hen parties. Weddings traditionally take place in the afternoon, after which guests are invited for lunch, which is called the wedding breakfast.

          British women prefer more modest wedding dresses than Russians or Americans (Appendix 2). You can pay attention to Kate Middleton’s dress who has recently become a member of the Royal family. The material was selected mainly dense, heavy silk, velvet and satin. Beautiful white lace was sewed to the dress. Women who   married again usually put on dresses matching the fashion that prevailed at that time, or very often wore a blue dress that was usual in the early twentieth century.  It was important to attach a horseshoe to the dress.    It was believed that it would bring good fortune. This is a very long tradition going back to centuries, which was not left without Princess Diana’s attention, who married Prince Charles.

        The modern English bride   prefer not to leave her  wedding dress for her daughter, because fashion is constantly changing, and it is unlikely that the daughter will be happy about the prospect to put on their wedding dress which is 25 years old . So the wedding dress after the wedding is usually  sold , or use  it for another purpose-   the wedding dress fabric is used to sew   baptismal garments for the firstborn.

        Brides still try to keep the old English tradition "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and 6 pence in the shoe". Old can be a mother's bracelet, blue –a garter borrowed from the elder sister, etc. but   new is not difficult to find. Guest going to the wedding try to cover their head preferring fashionable flirty hats. Bridesmaids (usually six people) are dressed in dresses, color and style are chosen by the bride and her mother pays for these.  

       The bride's garter of blue colour  is her indispensable attribute. (Appendix Ш) It should be noted that the blue color is from the British traditionally love to the colour of hope.  The   bride’s bouquet   can be made from  red roses, which in turn are an integral symbol of England.  The groom's suit accessories with the symbols of the nation    including cylinder were invented by the British.   For the wedding ceremony, men wear coats with long tails and short blue waist, narrow trousers, tights, slightly not reaching the ankles, black stockings and patent leather shoes.

A scenario of the wedding

        The couple usually prepare for the wedding in advance and is very attentive to all detail, including the venue of the feast after the wedding ceremony. Brides and grooms rehearse the wedding ceremony, dancing and other moments.   A couple of days before the wedding they have stag and hen parties. A compulsory element of the English wedding is holding a touching ceremony in the church,   England still has a tradition to seat the guests in the pre-designated seats. Each individual guest has his individual place.   There is a sign with the guest's name on the table or a chair. Apparently, this tradition makes the service personnel’s life easier and    helps to organize the table setting. Before the wedding feast business cards with guests ' names are put on tables as well as little bags with sweets, expressing the gratitude of the newlyweds to the guests.  The menu of the wedding feast has a great diversity and range. The leading place among the specialties is roast lamb, then come   champagne, wine, and dessert which contains a lot of different fruits.  Toasts at a wedding party are delivered after eating, and the first toast should be said by a bridegroom’s friend.  The British believe that a well-fed and drunk guest is more generous than sober and hungry.

        As for wedding gifts, there is no certain ceremony of them.    The so-called wedding registries – lists of expected gifts, compiled by the bride and the groom are becoming more and more popular.  This register passes through the hands of relatives and friends, everyone chooses what they will give. Gifts can be presented to the wedding or sent in advance – on the eve of this event. Gifts cannot be unpacked after the end of the honeymoon. After unpacking the gifts, the couple sends thank-you cards to the guests.

               Then all go for a walk and then arrange incendiary dances. Young couple dance their first dance     The bride also throws her bouquet away, single ladies try to catch it. (Appendix III)

2.2 . Russian wedding traditions.

           Wedding traditions formed over the centuries. Some of them are modified, and some, unfortunately, are altogether forgotten disappearing forever from the wedding repertoire. By the way, our vast country is no exception from the common rule, and description of many classical wedding ceremonies can be found now, perhaps, only in the library on a dusty shelf, in the collections of Russian folklore.  In the modern   wedding ceremony they are   preserved mainly in the form of a theatrical performance. However, the interest in the wedding celebration   in the old Russian style has increased substantially.

            Now, many newlyweds prefer to celebrate their wedding with respect to the beautiful, memorable ancient wedding traditions, celebrating the marriage exactly the same as it was done three hundred, and even five hundred years ago by our glorious predecessors.

            According to them every wedding starts with the engagement and matchmaking. Engagement is the period between the decision to marry and the beginning of the wedding.   However, during the engagement there is a discussion of the details of the upcoming wedding and preparations for it. Between engagement and wedding the most crucial and interesting moment in the life of a young couple – matchmaking comes. This ceremony preceded the wedding. If the groom embraced the bride and her parents,  they agreed to  organize   the wedding – if not, then parents gave matchmakers a pumpkin as a sign of failure.   Matchmaking in Russia demanded respect to a variety of signs, rooted in deep antiquity,   according to ancient beliefs they might seriously influence the newlyweds’ future life. For example, all dogs and cats were compulsorily kicked out of the house, and then, in silence, people sat at the table decorated with a loaf of bread and salt – a symbolic representation of prosperity and loyalty. Matchmakers should cross the threshold with the right leg. . The observance of such signs was considered to guarantee protection from the bride giving the groom a mitten.  Matchmaking usually takes place at the dinner table. And if the owners of the house invite the in-laws to the table, it means that the owners give a consent to the wedding and now both families become closer and dearer than before.

        Bachelor party and bachelorette parties are held before   the wedding.  It is an ancient Russian custom, but it is still followed today.   At the   party the bride prepared for the wedding, and friends charmed her from evil spirits. The bachelor party is usually attended by the groom’s father, brothers and friends. They sang songs wandering along the streets.

           A wedding is an ancient Orthodox ritual which is performed among the faithful couples and today this ceremony symbolizes the spiritual Union between a man and a woman. In the past the parents blessed their children after the wedding.

          According to our observations there are the following characteristics of our weddings: Most couples internally resist familiar, but often not suitable rituals for the  modern society traditions and  do not want their wedding to take  place "like everyone else’s", but most often it turns out that way.  Russian weddings usually have a large amount of alcoholic beverages.

       Modern couples tend to plan their weddings in the European manner. But at the same time they preserve national customs and traditions. As a result, a contemporary Russian marriage ceremony is a combination of local and Western traditions.

       Planning a wedding in Russia takes at least 3-6 months. Once a young couple decides to get married, things get in motion. Once everything is figured out, the couple starts looking for the place where the ceremony will be held. Depending on the amount of money available, they can hire a wedding planner or just a host for the party.

        The remarkable day starts early in the morning when the future wife goes to a beauty salon. A makeup artist and a hairdresser may also come to her home. In short, they make the girl look gorgeous.

        Before the registration the groom should pay ransom (Appendix 4). There is no certain amount that needs to be paid. It’s just a great fun for both bridesmaid’s and groom’s friends to enter a battle of wits. Of course, the groom will get his bride. Bridesmaids make the guy do  various tasks  before he can get his sweetheart. Some couples end up being late for their official ceremony because the man and his friends are    not capable enough to pass all the ridiculous quests and tests.   For example, the groom is given a towel and asked to tie it up as hard as possible to symbolize the strength of his love. When it is done, girls request him to untie it as quickly as possible. It shows how quickly he will manage problems the couple may face in the future.

        One of the most loved tasks is saying compliments to the bride. While the guy is going upstairs, he should find one compliment per step to get to his bride’s floor. Imagine if she lives on the 16th floor and the lift is helpfully blocked by the girlfriends. The more the groom is humiliated, the merrier it is. If he cannot pass the task set by girls, the guys have to pay “ransom” to go to the next stage. It may be real or fake money, cookies and chocolates etc., whatever the bridesmaids will accept. They prefer real money but it is not always an option, and once the groom has exhausted his cash reserves, they become more agreeable to accept other forms of payment.

          It happens so that the bride and groom in Russia meet and decide on the wedding themselves. Sometimes it also happens that the parents learn about the wedding after the children’s registration Most often, however, the date of the wedding is known   beforehand by all the possible relatives and friends. The date of marriage registration in Russia is scheduled from six months to one month in advance.

             The bride's wedding dress is traditionally white (Appendix III). Up to the time of Catherine II the bride in Russia was in red. The white attire of the bride symbolizes   purity and innocence; it dates back to   Ancient Greece being a symbol of joy and prosperity. Catherine got married in a white dress and thus  it  turned into a Russian tradition.

             A wedding day, as in any other country, starts with   hair, makeup and dressing.  The bride can do her hair and makeup in a beauty salon or have specially trained people     in her room with improvised tools. The groom decorates cars and gets a wedding bouquet.

             The first stage of the Russian wedding is a ransom. This is the oldest tradition, preserved in the Russian wedding. Girlfriends of the bride need as much fun as possible to torment the bridegroom, ask him to do a wide range of funny tasks and solve riddles and at the same time get a ransom from him. It can be money or sweets. After the ransom there is a moment the roots of which were preserved   from antiquity, when the mother gave the bride the so-called "talisman". It could be a piece of  jewellery or   a family heirloom. These talismans were of great value and under no circumstances they were sold. The bride in turn gave them to her daughter on the day of her wedding. At modern weddings this sometimes also happens.

      The second stage is the wedding service in church. This rite has been known since ancient times and  involves the following: in front of God in the church the young couple swear on the Book    to love each other in sorrow and joy, support and be true to each other.

       The third stage is more formal – it is the registration in the Registry office. In Russia, according to the tradition, the bride and groom come to the ceremony separately. The bridegroom must come first in order to meet the bride at the registry office and help her get out of the car.  After the brief preparation everybody goes to the hall for marriage registration   According to the legislation, the ceremony is festive and solemn, accompanied by    Mendelssohn's famous march.

         The fourth stage is a walk around the city. This custom allows young people to relax after the responsible official ceremony.   During the walk, the most beautiful and extraordinary pictures are usually taken, which will remind the spouses this event forever.

        The fifth stage is a feast. Young people are greeted in a cafe and sprinkled with croup and coins, which symbolize wealth and prosperity. Sweets   and all kinds of sparkles (that everything was bright and romantic) can also be poured. Then the parents of the young people give them a loaf of bread. This is also an old Russian tradition the bride and the groom try to bite off a larger piece — who manages   will supposedly dominate in the family.

         Then the feast begins .  Guests shout "Gorko" and young should stand up and kiss each other. Since the arrival at the café the scenario of the wedding is completely in the hands of one man — a toastmaster or a groomsman. It is also an ancient tradition   transformed into the modern one. Before the wedding a groomsman was chosen among the wisest but cheerful and outgoing people.    He   ruled the wedding from the very beginning and was considered to be the chief   of this event.  His task was to follow all the rituals and support the merriment among the guests. In ancient times, the wedding was attended by theatrical elements:

    1. A friend is now called a "toastmaster" and leads only a feast.

    2. A toastmaker conducts all sorts of competitions, quizzes, staging.

    3. A toastmaker distributes accurately the time for raising toasts and screams "bitterly" or “gorko”,  which    happens at a frequency of  once every 5-10 minutes

     4. The feast can be conditionally divided into two parts: "meal" and the traditional "official part".

      The wedding itself in Russia was celebrated for three days. The first day was dedicated only to the bride and groom. The bride and groom came to the bride's house in the morning, after which the young people went to the wedding. After the wedding, they received a blessing from their parents, congratulations from the guests and a feast began. The wedding could last until morning, the guests were treated to wine and the most delicious dishes, but the newly-made husband and wife were not supposed to have wine. On this day, guests, as a rule, stayed overnight in the bride’s house.

       The second day of the wedding was no less intense than the first. Many traditions of the second day of the wedding are observed today. On this day the guests gathered at the groom's house and continued their feast.   The parents of the bride and groom were greatly   honored - they were congratulated and seated in the most honorable places and entertained.

       On the third day of the wedding, the young wife was given real tests - they checked what she could do  and what kind of  hostess  she is.

       Many weddings in Russia are held in accordance with these traditions. Some of them have changed beyond recognition, others have disappeared, and also new ones have appeared. Modern married couples run pigeons "for luck" and go with guests to walk to the central parks and embankments. Some, not wanting to forget their roots, use the traditions of their nationalities.  There can be bride kidnapping, visiting a bathhouse on the wedding day or decorating a banquet hall in an ethnic style. Having developed a fantasy, the bride and groom can turn this significant day of their life into a wonderful holiday, which they and their guests will remember for a long time.

  2.3 Similarities and differences in wedding traditions in Russia and England

        Having studied the extensive material from different sources of information on the topic , comparing the features of the wedding traditions in Russia and England, we  compared wedding peculiarities in England and Russia. (Appendices I and II)

         Englishmen and Russians differently understand the meaning of the wedding. So, in modern Russia, a wedding is more than just a marriage, it is also a set of significant ceremonies (wedding feast, bride price, etc.), while in England it is more a regulated legal act with the signing of a marriage contract.

          When studying and comparing the wedding traditions and rituals of Russia and England, we found many differences, and at the same time found common features (Appendices I and II). We think this happens, despite the diversity of cultures, because most of the traditions came to us from ancient Rome and other cultures of antiquity.

Chart1

III. Results of the sociological survey

 We also carried out a sociological survey and asked our parents and relatives whether they had kept any wedding rituals.  According to it we found out that  most of the respondents followed the most interesting rites such as  ransom, wearing a white gown and veil, a  bridal bouquet, exchange rings,  a festive cake. But less popular ones turned out to have a wedding service and to go on holiday for a honeymoon and of the respondents signed a marriage contract.

Results of the survey  

In total 40 spouses were asked. Here are the results:

What wedding rituals do Russian people follow today?

According the survey, the most popular rituals are the following:

1. Ransom

2. Holding a bridal bouquet which   seems to have evolved quite a bit from its origin, but today’s tradition for the bouquet: added beauty and personal expression. (Origin see in Appendix IV)

3. A wedding cake

4. A white dress

5. A wedding train or cortege

Less popular ones are:

1. Honeymoon. It happens because not all newly married couples can afford to go somewhere because of their family budget.

2. Religious marriage service. The wedding is one of the sacraments of the church, and, like all the sacraments, it can only be done by believing people, Christians. Therefore, it is unacceptable to put an ultimatum to your future spouse: "if you love me, you must get married"   Contrary to popular belief, the Orthodox Church does not consider any unmarried marriage to be sinful. The marriage registered in the registry office is recognized by her as legitimate and deserving of respect. So, if one or both of the future spouses cannot firmly say that making a wedding is an act of faith for them, it is better to limit oneself to state registration.

3. A marriage contract. Most people who are going to start a family do not think about signing a marriage contract. Such a "western thing"   even arouses bewilderment and is considered rather an exotic rather than a vital necessity

V. Conclusion

           Having studied all the material revealing our topic,   we discovered something new. In the course of the work we gave a comparative analysis of the peculiarities of wedding traditions in Russian and English. We also got acquainted with the culture Russia and Great Britain. Based on our research, we released a brochure. Knowledge of culture, folklore, traditions and beliefs helps us get to know the customs of another country, with its history and spiritual life, and enrich our own outlook. The more we know about another country, the less is the gap between our mutual understanding and friendly relations.   Carrying the research we came to the conclusion that a wedding is always a bright and memorable event in both countries because it means the beginning of a new stage in the life of every person. Regardless of where in the world the wedding is going and what kind of nationality the newlyweds belong to, the wedding will be the most spectacular event in their life.  We found out that wedding ceremonies have similarities, as well as differences  because people of both countries try to keep their traditions but adopted to a modern way of life.  How many countries and peoples, there are so many wedding customs, traditions and beliefs. Almost all of them are rooted in ancient times and today may seem strange, incomprehensible and not always relevant, but nevertheless, in all of them there is a hidden secret meaning, therefore they are carefully stored and transmitted from generation to generation in both countries.    To believe or not to believe in these traditions let everyone decide for himself, but the history of their emergence is worth learning    them.

V.  Literature/Resources      

1. D.M. Balashov and Y.I. Marchenko  “A Russian Wedding”  -  Мoscow: “A Contemporary”, 1985
2. E. E. Goncharova . ‘Wedding Rituals Around the World’- М., 2011
3. M. Korotkova “Traditions of Russians” – St.Petersburg: Drofa -Plus, 2008, 96 p
4. N. Shirokova  “ Myths of Kelts”— Moscow:   Astrel,   2004 г.
5. Oxford English Dictionary on line
6. http://www.cvadbu.ru/article_65.html
7. http://99foto.ru/wedding/russkaya-svadba-traditsii-i-sovremennost/
8. http://wedding.ua/
9. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding
10. http://slovari.yandex.ru
11. http://www.weddingdetails.com/lore-tradition/england/
12. http://www.sthilarywallasey.org.uk/home-home/weddings-1/14650576_10208998972145509_3401028291781817214_n/#main
13. http://www.sthilarywallasey.org.uk/home-home/weddings-1/14485177_10208998773940554_2319010704964690393_n/#main
14. http://camaraphotographyevergreen.com/2012/04/30/wedding-traditions-why-does-the-bride-carry-a-bouquet/

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VI. Appendices

Appendix I

Similarities of wedding traditions in England and Russia

Appendix II

Differences of wedding traditions in England and Russia

Appendix III

Wedding vocabulary

English and Russian proverbs about weddings

Marriages are made in heaven — браки заключаются на небесах или как кому сужденоl

Love in a cottage — с милым рай и в шалаше

Love is neither bought nor sold — любовь не продается и не покупается

Love should not be all on one side — любовь должна быть взаимной

Faults are thick where love is thin — когда любви мало, то недостатков много

Unlucky in love, lucky at play — несчастлив в любви, да счастлив в игре

Love is blind — любовь слепа

A good wife makes a good husband —за хорошей женой и муж пригож

A successful marriage is an edifice that must be rebuilt every day

- Счастливый брак – это сооружение, которое надо перестраивать каждый день.

The most dangerous food is a wedding cake-самое опасное блюдо- свадебный торт.

Appendix IV

The process of a religious marriage

The marriage registration at a Registry Office

A wedding dress                                             A  garter

Ransom                                                                                                                            A wedding waltz

A wedding cake

Appendix V.

                     Why does the bride carry a bouquet? The origin of this tradition is a little blurred…. One of the reasons that brides carried bouquets was born out of the ‘necessity’ of covering odor, trying to smell pretty on that special day.  Ever take a tour in one of the older cities in Europe, let’s say Edinburgh for example?  It was a very odiferous lifestyle way back then!  In the 1600’s and for a very long time afterwards, people bathed extremely infrequently. According to the Huffington Post, during the 15th century, people took their yearly baths in May and would generally get married in June. Just to be safe, brides carried bouquets to mask the smell of body odor.  You will find this reason repeatedly if you research the tradition behind the bride carrying a bouquet. Another old and popular custom for carrying a bouquet, was to ward of evil spirits.  Usually these bouquets were made from very pungent herbs, spices and yes, garlic could be involved.  I am thinking that you could kill two birds with one stone with a garlic bouquet; evil spirits and evil odor could be knocked out with one bouquet! Oh the old days!  Sometimes the spices/flowers that were included in the bouquet, for example; dill and marigolds (edible) were added and subsequently served up at the wedding feast to promote lust.  So think about the fun that you can have with your bouquet! 

         This custom seems to have evolved quite a bit from its origin, but today’s tradition for the bouquet: added beauty and personal expression.