Anticipation can be complicated. While a sense of excitement is present, there is also an underlying worry that something will go awry. This is typically the case with weddings. Throughout history, couples have gone to all kinds of lengths to ward off bad spirits and gain as good luck. To this day, people will follow peculiar customs and commit to strange tasks to ensure their nuptials flow well. Learn more about the origins of some common wedding superstitions and discover how to keep the vibe positive for your own event.

Avoid Seeing Each Other

One superstition many are familiar with but few follow is the couple avoiding seeing each other before the ceremony. Since many people live together prior to getting married, this custom is difficult to achieve in a practical sense. More than this, however, is the reasoning for the belief. Arranged marriages were once quite customary across Europe, as they still are today in various parts of the world. Couples would be kept apart prior to the wedding so that they wouldn’t see each other and change their minds about the union. 

Change the Registry

Have you put knives or any other type of cutlery on your gift registry? If so, one custom might make you rethink this decision. Though the origin has been lost to history, some say a knife given as a gift will cut the bond between the gift giver and receiver. There is a loophole with this belief, though. If the person receiving the gifts pays any amount of money to the giver, even a penny, the bad luck will stay away because the gift will technically be a purchase. 

Don’t Jump the Gun

When you’re super excited about tying the knot, you might make a few hasty decisions to expedite certain processes. If you plan on changing your name, you may start using your new name before the wedding to get used to the shift. According to one superstition, doing this might put a dark cloud above your nuptials. Even something as small as ordering decor or stationery with your new name before the wedding might be enough to invite bad energy to your door.

Ring Those Bells

Bells are a very common symbol in weddings, especially for couples who marry in Christian or Catholic settings. In certain cultures, these bells act as far more than a method of ringing out in raucous celebration. According to superstitions from Ireland, bells are one of many ways for people to keep bad spirits away. By ringing bells at a wedding, the couple is driving out any bad luck that might be sneaking about. At one point, it was commonplace for brides to sew bells into their dresses to avoid contact with negative entities. 

Go Ahead and Cry

Tears at a wedding are very normal. In fact, some customs suggest they are actually a necessity. Certain superstitions believe that the more tears shed during a wedding, the fewer tears will fall during the marriage. While some traditions say it’s the bride who must cry, other customs extend this to anyone present for the nuptials. Whether it is the couple crying in joy as they read their vows or the guests getting misty throughout the festivities, flowing tears are about far more than sentimentality when it comes to the spirit world. 

While believing in some common wedding superstitions can go against logic and reason, a majority of people still recognize their origins and continue to practice them. As long as you don’t get too carried away, there’s nothing wrong with committing to whatever provides you with peace of mind for your upcoming event.