Why Do Brides Carry Flowers?

Everyone has seen a beautiful bride carry flowers down the aisle, but few people know the significance behind the flowers. While it's true flowers add a touch of glamour to a wedding, there are deeper reasons their presence.

History -
According to the Huffington Post, during the 15th century, people took their yearly baths in May and would generally get married in June. Just to be safe, brides carried bouquets to mask the smell of body odor.

Function -

Flowers symbolize a number of emotions, values and wishes. In the past, brides carried flowers or herbs because they were believed to ward off evil spirits. Today, brides carry flowers to follow tradition, and to add beauty and elegance to their wedding.

Types -

Brides use a variety of flowers for different reasons. According to 800florals.com, roses represent everlasting love, lilies represent virginity and purity, orange blossoms represent marriage and fruitfulness, zinnias represent lasting affection, and ivy represents fidelity.

Benefits -

In addition to carrying on ancient traditions and superstition, flowers add a touch of color and beauty to a wedding. Likewise, carrying flowers adds a nice fragrance to the room.

Fun Fact -

According to OurMarriage.com, during earlier times when people had significant fears of demons, brides carried smelly herbs and spices in their bouquets to ward off evil spirits.