Planning a wedding takes a lot of time, work and decisions. Some decisions are made for us in the form of traditions that were created by our ancestors, but what do they really mean?

While some may believe that wedding traditions are superstitious, the symbolism they represent was developed out of reason and a purpose in their time. Some examples include:

*The groom used to kidnap his bride and hold her on his left arm, so that his sword arm was free to fight off any other suitors. Presently, when the bride walks down the aisle to meet the groom before the alter she stands to his left.

*Marriage was often used as a means to bring together two opposing tribes so the families sat on opposite sides to avoid any fighting during the ceremony. Today, wedding guests will sit on the bride or groom ’side’ depending on who they’re related to, or which member of the wedding party is their friend.

*Wearing a wedding ring has several different historic meanings. The circular shape was a sign of never-ending love, without beginning or end. Some early engagement rings were symbolic of the ’sale’ of the bride from her father to the groom. And, the ring finger is believed to contain a vein that is directly connected to the heart.

*Brides wore a veil to be unrecognizable to evil spirits who may try to snatch her away.

*The white wedding dress was worn to symbolize purity of heart and innocence of childhood. Queen Victoria popularized the style upon her wedding to Prince Albert at which time white symbolized the bride’s virginity.

Perhaps the most well-known of wedding traditions is the rhyme ‘Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.’ What does it mean? Something old is for the durability of marriage and continuity of your old life into the new one; something new symbolizes the start of your new married life; something borrowed should come from a happily married woman whose virtues you most wish for yourself; and something blue symbolizes the promise of love, fidelity and purity of heart.

Whether you want to follow all the historical traditions or create your own is entirely your choice and there are options.

One alternative to the blue garter is to wear jewelry with blue gemstones. Among your choices, sapphire, lapis, turquoise and tanzanite, prized for its vibrant shades of sapphire blue, amethyst and blue violet, and frequently confused with sapphire.

“If you look closely, tanzanite is one of the few gems that feature three colors. Blue and purple are the primary colors, but many pieces also show a flash of red,” explains Scott Parker, graduate gemologist and Jewelry Television host. “This adds to the mystique and rarity of tanzanite. In the gem world, we call this a ‘trichroic’ gem.”

Discovered in 1967 and mined only in Northern Tanzania, Africa, tanzanite is 1000 times rarer than diamonds and because of its limited availability, rapidly growing in value.

Tanzanite costs approximately $600 per carat wholesale — and this price doubles or even triples depending on location. At this rate, the stones make a fine alternative to the diamond engagement ring. “I believe one of the safest buys in a gemstone is tanzanite,” continues Parker. “Not only is the stone beautiful, it is valuable. Tanzanite is truly a generational stone that will someday be one of the most prized gems to own.”

The lighter-colored blue gemstones are usually less expensive than the darker stones, and are perfect for the bride’s ’something blue,’ bridesmaid’s jewelry and even for mother-of-the-bride (or groom).

Legend has it that wearing a well-cut tanzanite imparts confidence, individuality and maturity. Regardless of which wedding traditions you fit in or whether you create your own, if your wishes are well, that is what will carry into your new lives together.

To learn more about tanzanite, log on to Jewelry Television’s learning library at www.jtv.com and visit the Bridal Store for bridal jewelry ideas.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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