Historic Uptown New Orleans Wedding: Julie + Michael | New Orleans Wedding Photographer
Do you know the origins of the wedding party? According to tradition, only an unmarried woman could be a maid of honor, and only the brother, best friend, or father of the groom could be the best man. The original purpose of the bridesmaid and the best man was to aid in the capture of the bride, get her to church on time, and keep any hostile family members away!
The “best” in best man refers to his skill with a sword, should the need arise. His purpose was as a backup to the groom in case he had to resort to kidnapping his intended bride away from disapproving family members.
Once the flower girl’s role was not simply to spread petals down the aisle, but to protect the bride from the Devil with her shield of virginity. Today, the ring bearer can be a girl, boy, or even a dog!
Now that you're educated on a few fun facts of the origins of the wedding party, I hope you enjoy a few photos from Julie and Michael's stunning classic, Southern Spring wedding at The Elms Mansion in Uptown New Orleans.
New Orleans Terrell House Wedding | Marlo + Rachel: New Orleans Destination Wedding Photographer
Back when arranged marriages were the norm, couples were generally kept apart and not allowed to see each other before the ceremony actually took place. In the event that the bride was undesirable, the groom may have wanted to call off the wedding. When you consider the purpose of arranged marriages (think: political alliances, securing land and wealth, keeping specific families in power, etc.), it would be fairly embarrassing and shameful to the family should the groom be given the chance to change his mind. So, as a result, the groom and bride were forbidden to see each other prior to the ceremony. This is in keeping with the same purpose of the bride having a veil as well. Nowadays, the tradition has simply carried over and the meaning has changed significantly. Some consider it bad luck (amounting to purely superstition), while others think it simply makes the event more special and exciting.
Marlo and Rachel chose to spend the day getting ready WITH one another. While they had separate bedrooms where they spent time among close friends, they soaked in various moments and sentiments of the day together, as well. Seeing the two of them enjoy such a monumental day unfold with one another was like a huge gust of fresh, cool air on a hot summer day.
Oh man, I love the feeling of a Spring Wedding in New Orleans.
What's better than enjoying a few quiet moments and a glass of rose' with the love of your life before a monumental life event?
