A bridal train is usually made up of the chief bridesmaid, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, little groom, little bride, page boy and balloon girls.
Some even go as far as having more than one chief bridesmaid or best man. However, the big question is do we know the significance of having these people tag along you and your spouse on your wedding day?
If you just followed the band wagon and had or intend to have a bridal train… It sure does have its significance in history like almost every other thing.
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According to the Roman ritual “confarreatio”, 10 witnesses were required to be present at a wedding while the couple recited sacred verses. Though these witnesses were all men, female attendants did escort the bride to the groom’s home for the ceremony.
Furthermore, the bridesmaids were required to dress just like the bride in order to confuse vengeful spirit presences who might try to harm or sabotage the newlyweds.
Another comes from the Bible, in the time of Jacob’s marriage to Leah and Rachel, each wife brought a female servant to the ceremony. They were literally the bridesmaids.
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Groomsmen, however, have a much darker back story. Much of their history revolves around marriages by capture, when a bride was literally captured and abducted from her family.
In some traditions, groomsmen were called Bride’s Knights because they helped carry the bride to the wedding. More like they were taking her from her disapproving relatives to be joined with the man she loved, protecting her from would-be kidnappers.
Time has changed and so has the role of each group on the bridal train.
Main Photo Credit: Kamdora
