The History of Wedding Gifts (go back »)

The history of Modern Wedding  Gift stretches back through the millennia, for as long as men and women have been pledging to spend their lives together. Throughout history, wedding gifts have ranged from the simple agreement to marry to a romantic pledge written by the bride and groom, but the basic tradition has remained the same. The wedding gifts are the symbol of a commitment to build a new life together.

In the early history of Wedding gifts this commitment was not necessarily between two people, but between a person and an entire village. In ancient times, people drew together to find safety in numbers. The very first wedding gifts in history were most likely a symbol of a newcomer’s commitment to watch over and protect a tribe or group, in exchange for their protection as well. Even as late in the history of wedding gifts as the Middle Ages, marriages were considered more an affiliation between families than a symbol of romantic love.

In later medieval times, the history of wedding gifts changed slightly to include a marriage at the church. In order to make it publicly known that the couple was officially wed, the ceremony was not held inside the church, but rather in front of the doors. The history of wedding gifts in Celtic times was also a little different from what we know today. The Celts made their gifts in a ceremony known as a hand fasting, which was a legal marriage that was binding for a year and a day. At the end of this time period, the gifts could be renewed permanently, or the couple could go their separate ways.

Today, the history of wedding gifts continues to evolve in detail while remaining the same in foundation. Couples today have the option of using a historic wedding vow or writing their own unique gifts.

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