338. To be married in anything but white garments indicates bad luck for the bride, white being emblematical of innocence.
They say that white is a heavenly hue.
Another has added,
It may be so, but the sky is blue.
_Ma.s.sachusetts._
339. White is emblematical of holiness and truth. Blue is emblematical of peace and security; bright green of true learning, as being the uniform clothing of nature.
_Maine and Ma.s.sachusetts._
340. A bride must not look in the gla.s.s after her toilet is complete, _i.e._, she must add a glove or some article after leaving the mirror.
_Maine and Ma.s.sachusetts._
341. It is bad luck for a bride to keep any of the pins that she used when she was married.
_Alabama._
342. You will be unhappy if you lose your wedding ring.
_General in the United States._
343. If the bride just before leaving the house throws her bouquet over the banisters, the one who catches it is next to be wedded.
_Philadelphia, Pa._
344. If a drop of blood gets on a garment in making, it will be one of your wedding garments.
LUCKY DAYS.
345. Marry in Lent, Live to repent.
_New York._
346. The day after a wedding is called the bride"s day, the next day the groom"s day; the condition of the weather on these days will indicate whether their lives are to be happy or otherwise.
_Salem, Ma.s.s., and Queen Anne Co., Md._
347. The wedding day is the bride"s day, and the weather foretells her married life. The following is the bridegroom"s, and his married life is shown in the same manner. The third day shows how they will live together.
_New York._
348. The two days before the wedding are the bride"s days. If they are pleasant, she will have good luck, etc.
_Waltham, Ma.s.s._
349. Marriage days.
Monday--a bad day.
Tuesday--you will have a good husband and will live long.
Wednesday--a grand day; you will have a good husband, and will live happily, but will have some trouble.
Thursday--a bad day.
Friday--a bad day.
Sat.u.r.day--no luck at all.
Sunday--no luck at all.
_Baltimore, Md. (negro)._
350. Wednesday is the luckiest day on which to be married. Sat.u.r.day is the unluckiest. Friday is also unlucky.
_Bathurst, N.B._
THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.
351. Happy is the bride that the sun shines on.
_Northern Ohio._
352. If it rains on the wedding, the bride will cry all her married life.
_Talladega, Ala._
353. To marry in a storm betokens an unhappy life.
_Peabody, Ma.s.s._
354. It is unlucky to drop the ring at the marriage ceremony.
_New York._
355. A bride must step over the church sill with her right foot.
_Orange Co., N.Y._
356. A double wedding is unlucky; one of the marriages will be unhappy.
_Ma.s.sachusetts._
357. The pair to be married should stand in line with the cracks in the floor, and not at right angles to them.
_Omaha, Neb._
358. When a couple are married and are driving off, if old shoes are thrown after them for good luck, and one of the shoes lodges on the coach or carriage, it is a sign that one of the party will die before the year is out.
_Waltham, Ma.s.s._
359. After the marriage ceremony is performed, the one that walks first from the altar is the one who will die first, either bride or groom.
_Alabama._
360. Old slippers or rice must be thrown after a bride for good luck.
_General in the United States._
361. If the younger sister is married before the elder, the latter will have to dance in a pig"s trough.
_Western Ma.s.sachusetts._
362. Runaway matches will prove unlucky.
_New York._
363. It is a sign of ill luck to take off the wedding ring.
_General in the United States._
COURTING AND WEDDING SIGNS.