The Meaning Behind June Brides by @karilemor #RomanceGems

 

June is a very popular month to get married. These days, it’s often because the weather is starting to get nicer, but not too hot. But why is being a “June Bride” such a big deal?

Going back in history, we see the name June is derived from the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno. Many people believed when a couple got married in June their marriage would be blessed forever with happiness.

But June weddings were also done for quite logical reasons. Many people married in June so conception wouldn’t interfere with the harvest. Yep, count nine months later and you don’t want the wife trying to pick the crops as she’s about to give birth.

Another theory is that in many years past, baths weren’t as common as they are today. Some families only got one a year (and they had to share the water – yuck!) Often the yearly bath was in May or early June. So marriages took place to ensure the bride still smelled fairly decent for her groom (and vice versa). Yet, the bride wanted to be sure to have a pleasing scent, so she carried a bouquet of flowers to help.

But flowers and bouquets had other meanings too. Summer was great for taking advantage of fresh flowers for the ceremony. There are numerous symbolic meanings with flowers that show loyalty, purity, and love. In early Rome, the bride did not carry a bouquet but rather wore a garland that symbolized a new life and fertility. Often aphrodisiacs such as Dill were added so the newlyweds got in the right mood for the wedding night. Some cultures added stronger herbs and plants to the bouquet (like garlic!!!) because they were superstitious and wanted to ward off evil spirits from showing up at the wedding.

The tradition of tossing the bouquet goes way back. At weddings, the bride was considered to be lucky, so many women guests wanted a piece of that luck. Thus, they would try and tear off a piece of the wedding dress. So the tradition of throwing the bouquet to grant luck onto another guest began, avoiding decimation of the lovely bride’s gown. Can you imagine paying a bazillion dollars for your dress just to have people tear it apart?

The tradition of wedding rings has also been around for a very long time.  The band represents eternity because it doesn’t have a beginning or an end, and is what the happy couple wishes for their marriage. The couple places the rings on their fingers as a sign they agree to a never-ending commitment.

Another tradition is ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.’ Is still around today. The old represents continuity and stability. Something new symbolizes optimism and good fortune in your new life together. Something borrowed represents borrowed happiness from someone who loves you. And the blue symbolizes love and fidelity.

Whether you’re a traditionalist or prefer something more modern, weddings are beautiful because they show us that two people love each other so much they are willing to work together to and sacrifice to be with each other.

I have a few books that have weddings in them but I think my favorite is my Marriage of Convenience story, Elusive Dreams. Erik has promised to look after and adopt two children he rescued from the same bombing that left him seriously injured. But that injury is keeping him from being the ideal candidate to take the kids. Enter introverted neighbor, Tessa. She’s crushed on Erik since she was a teenager and now he wants to marry her? It’s her dream come true.

Here’s a peek at their wedding:

When she looked to the end of the aisle, there stood Erik, and her heart actually stopped. But when it started again, it beat triple time. God, how could any man be so devastatingly handsome? His Marine uniform was blue from broad shoulders to above his spit shined shoes. The red stripe down the lighter blue pants focused attention on his long legs. His white cover sat on top of the fresh haircut he’d gotten two days ago and the amount of decorations he had on his chest filled her lungs with air and pride. This was no mere mortal. This man was a hero and for some strange reason he’d agreed to her stupid suggestion of getting married. There were a dozen women in town who he could have asked who would have agreed to marry him to keep the kids. One who was much prettier and not such a fr…introvert.

He looked up. His eyes glowed and a huge grin crossed his face. It was similar to the one he’d worn the times they’d practiced kissing this week. Forget about her heart. Every damn organ stopped functioning. How would she get the last few steps to reach him?

“Don’t keep him waiting, dear,” Hans whispered in her ear. “It’s obvious he’s a mite impatient.”

She took a step and then another. Soon she was close enough and he shifted his cane and reached out with his left hand. Putting her hand in his, she held on tight. For Erik, she’d hold on as tight and as long as she needed to.

ELUSIVE DREAMS

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