Wedding Traditions

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Brides sew a good luck charm, such as silver bells or horseshoe to the hem of their wedding dresses. Old English tradition also calls for the bride to carry a horseshoe, streaming with ribbons, as it will bring both good luck and fertility.

Horseshoes have always been considered lucky. There is a story about the devil asking a blacksmith to shoe his single hoof. When the blacksmith recognised who he was, he carried out the job in such a painful manner that the devil roared for mercy. He let the devil go only on condition that he would never enter a place where a horseshoe was displayed.

The English consider rain on a wedding day a sign of good fortune.To change the date is considered unlucky, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Seeing a chimney sweep on the journey from the church will bring good fortune as the soot covered sweep had magical associations with the family and hearth. Other good luck signs are, if you see a rainbow, have the sunshine on your back or have a black cat cross your path.

To marry during a full moon is lucky, during Lent it is a poor choice. Hence the saying "If you marry in Lent, you're sure to repent.

All the best bridal carriages used to be pulled by grey horses and it is still considered good luck to see a grey horse on the way to the church.