“If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.”– Bern Williams.
Summer brings ice cream on hot days, getaways at the lake, outdoor fun that lasts till 8 p.m., and wedding bells.
Longer days, fresh and abundant flowers, and vacation time are the perfect storm to conjure up a wedding. For many the extended hours are the sweetest part of a summer wedding, allowing the party to stretch into the dusk. For others, the larger groups are better entertained outdoors. For folks in Europe during the Middle Ages it was bathing season, meaning thorough head-to-toe scrubs. During this time, many people believed that excessive bathing exposed individuals to unwanted diseases. However, contrary to popular belief personal hygiene was tended to most everyday (hand washing, teeth cleaning, and bird bathing).
Women in the 19th and early 20th centuries often married as early as 14 or 15. The church, tradition, and superstitions played an important role in all aspects of an individual’s wedding season.
Here and around the Appalachian Mountains many European traditions followed settlers.
I am sure you have heard of: Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. This is part of an older European folktale that is set to protect the new bride from the “evil eye” and encourage a prosperous future. The entire rhyme goes: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe.
Today the bridal party are often seen in similar dresses; this stems from an old superstition of protecting the bride. The coordinated dresses were worn to confuse any evil spirits or attendees looking to wish ill will on the bride or her groom.
More often than realized, trouble was close by. Maybe the bride was with child and the nuptials were forced. Perhaps an outsider was being introduced to the community; or an arranged marriage parted a pair in love. Each wedding comes with trials and excitement often resonating from the upkeep of a tradition.
For Abby Bedsaul, a local bride to be, it is all excitement. When I spoke with Abby last week, she told me about some of the traditions she would be keeping at her wedding. She will be borrowing the veil from her sister, Sydney, and her mother Heather’s pearl necklace.
Karen Nealis, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s office manager, participated in a traditional money dance at her wedding. This is where the wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress in order to dance with her.
My mother, Tracie Bowman, spoke of “Shivarees,” a teasing of the bride and groom on their wedding night. The men and boys would run around the newlywed’s house singing and carrying on, while the women spent time in the kitchen, cooking up a storm.
Here in the foothills and mountains money was often tight. Individuals may have not had the cash to spend on wedding bands or even a honeymoon. Many folks believe the wedding ring and double ring quilt had their origins in these hard times. The story goes that a solider returning from war had no money to buy wedding bands. A matriarch of the family decided to give her ring quilt to the new couple symbolizing their devotion to one another.
These are just a few stories and traditions from our region. Traditions come from single families, communities, and geographical regions. I imagine everyone reading has a wedding tradition or story different from the ones within this article. We hope that you will share those stories with us sometime. Be sure to examine the photos and captions to learn more interesting wedding facts and traditions!
We want to wish Abby and all the engaged couples getting married this summer a long and happy marriage. We wish you all the best.
Emily Morgan is the guest services manager at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. She and her family live in Westfield. She can be reached at eamorgan@northcarolinamuseum.org or by calling 336-786-4478 x229
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com