Groom can't see the bride...

Factual Questions
1

Where did the superstition that the groom can’t see the bride before the wedding come from and what is the supposed rationale for the “bad luck”?

Also, what is the correct interpretation of the superstition? Does it mean:
[list=A]
[li] The groom can’t see the bride in the wedding dress before the ceremony[/li][li] The groom can’t see the bride on the day of the wedding before the ceremony OR[/li][li] The groom can’t see the wedding dress before the ceremony[/li][/list=A]

2

My brother just got married a few months ago. The answer was B: on the day of the wedding, he couldn’t see his bride-to-be before the service began. Answer C might be correct, too, but I’m not sure.

3

Well, Snopes can’t figure out the origin of B: http://www.snopes.com/weddings/customs/notsee.htm

I’ve heard C too.

4

It is actually “C” The others are watered down versions of it.

http://www.weddings.co.uk/info/tradsup.htm

And

http://www.ido.co.uk/good_luck_traditions.cfm

5

My fiancee refuses to let me see the wedding dress, due to this superstition. Even funnier: she went out searching for dresses with her mom and sister and was wearing the aforementioned dress when I called her cell phone. She freaked out, saying, “I can’t even TALK to you in my wedding dress!” There are also apparently pictures of her sister trying on the veil, and I am not allowed to see these pictures, either. Obviously, the power of superstition “C” is far-reaching.

Of course, if “C” is true, “A” must be true as well (urm, if “true” is the correct word…). And superstition “B” was active at all three of my brother’s weddings.

6

Dude, your brother needs to find some new superstitions to observe. “B” isn’t working for him. By the way, how did marriage number 3 go?

I am amazed that people actually take these things seriously. Then again, I’m amazed that anyone ever spends more than a thousand dollars on a wedding.

My fiancee will be living in my guest room for the week betweeen her arrival in the USA until our wedding, so it would be pretty difficult not to see her on the day of the wedding. She is, however, reasonable about our wedding, so this is of little consequence.

7

This superstition annoys me, and I’m the bride! My fiance says that he doesn’t want to see me on the day of the wedding until I walk down the aisle. However, that means we’ll have to miss most of the cocktail hour taking pictures, rather than doing the pictures beforehand.

I guess it’s to keep couples from fighting on the wedding day, when everyone is stressed out. Also, it really isn’t a good idea to let the groom see the dress before the wedding day. I showed him a picture of the style of dress I was thinking of, and found out that he hates square necklines :frowning: That’s ok, I’ve only imagined my dress that way since I was eight.

8

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Number Six *
**

Uh-oh, typo. That should have read “brothers’”

I have three brothers who have all been married once, at least so far.

I really should know better…