According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, 2.5 million Americans marry each year with the average cost of a wedding is $20,000 to $25,000. That includes the reception, the attendants, the rings, flowers, wedding favors, mints, etc. It also includes some of the set-up costs related to the new marriage. Eileen Monaghan, vice president of the consultants' association, said that outdoor weddings typically run about 10% more than indoor weddings because although a back yard costs a lot less than a hotel or hall, it doesn't come equipped with tables, chairs or ice buckets to chill the cheap beer being served instead of champagne.
Why a Ring?
If you've ever wondered why Americans put the wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand, it's because of an ancient Greek belief that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart. And if you've ever groaned at having to buy both an engagement ring and a wedding ring, you can blame Pope Innocent III, who instituted a waiting period between engagement and marriage in the 13th century and also insisted that a ring be used in the wedding ceremony. Before that, rings were used to seal an engagement only (as well as other important agreements).
Standing at the Altar of Love
Traditionally, the bride stands on the left, the groom on the right. (Although the Jewish wedding tradition reverses this.) The reason for this is because eons ago, weddings used to be a lot more like the ones you watch on daytime TV, with dastardly ex-suitors and other thugs sometimes rushing the altar. And of course, some wedding crashers were heroes, just trying to rescue a captured bride. Whatever the reason for the interference, the groom needed to keep his right hand free so he could grab his sword, thus the bride stood clear and to the left.
White Wedding Dress
The practice of wearing white wedding gowns began as a tribute to true love and started with Queen Victoria. After a daring and whirlwind courtship, the Queen married Prince Albert in 1840 and marched down the aisle in a stunning display of white lace. Her appearance captured the imagination of the world and soon afterward, white became the color of choice for wedding gowns.
