Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

     It is clear that nowadays newlywed brides and grooms appear to be inseparable. Generations ago however, this was not so. It was considered lady-like for a woman to appear to be a bit hesitant in "giving herself away" to her new husband. It is because of this very custom that the tradition of "carrying the bride over the threshold" came to be.

     During Victorian times, when such customs existed, men would often carry their brides over the thresholds of their bridal chambers. By doing so, they "encouraged" their brides to go in with them. Although it was quite the forceful image back then, it is considered a quite sweet one nowadays. It is a tradition that has evolved, but has not quite faltered in general.

By Julia Dankov