When it comes to the groom’s traditional wedding
duties, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Popping the question and
placing the ring on the finger of the love of his life. But what this blog post
is going to look at is the actual wedding day and wedding traditions for the
groom.
Things for the groom to do on wedding day
While this shouldn't have to be said, one of the most
important things for the groom to do on his wedding day is to show up for the
ceremony on time. With that said, according to traditions listed in Emily Post the groom's traditional responsibilities include:
- Hand the wedding officiant the fee (donation) or make arrangements for the best man to do so
- Stand in the receiving line (if there is one) or join the bride in greeting all the guests at the reception
- Make a toast and respond to toasts at the reception
- Dance the first dance with the bride
- Dance with his mother
- Dance with the maid/matron of honor
- Cut the wedding cake with the bride
Superstition based traditions for the groom
Along with the traditional responsibilities there's one wedding day tradition for the groom that's steeped in
superstition. The groom carrying the bride across the threshold. This tradition
is very old and can be traced back to Roman times. The original belief was that
the groom carried the bride over the threshold to protect her from evil spirits lurking
within the new home. Along with this, it was thought that if she tripped as she
entered the doorway it would bring the couple bad luck. Thus, being carried
over the threshold took care of it all.
The groom’s boutonniere tradition
Another longstanding tradition tied to the groom is wearing a boutonniere. This small floral arrangement, pinned to the groom’s left lapel, may look like a simple accessory, but it carries deep history and symbolism.
Dating back to ancient times, warriors wore flowers and herbs for protection and courage. Over centuries, the boutonniere evolved into a romantic gesture, often matching the bride’s bouquet to symbolize unity. Today, the groom’s boutonniere remains an important detail—tying his attire to the wedding’s overall style while also representing love, good fortune, and his special role in the celebration.
New wedding tradition
All traditions start somewhere, and while this one is new
enough that I’m not sure it constitutes as a tradition yet, but I think it has the
potential of becoming a popular one.
Writing a love letter: The groom writing a love letter to his
bride for her to read before the ceremony. I’ve seen videos of the bride
reading such a letter trying not to spoil her wedding makeup. And it is worth
saying here, that the bride should write one to her groom.
Love letters make such a
perfect keepsake.
Photo credits: pxhere.com,
wikimedia
