While we love a good hora, there are plenty of wedding traditions we're more than happy to skip (er, Garter belt, anyone?)
That's because a lot of wedding traditions are pretty deeply rooted in old-school gender norms that don't accurately represent modern relationship dynamics.
That said, there are a few forgotten weddings traditions of yesteryear that we think deserve a revival, simply because they are absolutely, positively awesome. Here are five of our favorites:
1. Giving kittens to new brides.
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Vikings used to give new brides the best gift ever: house cats! This was done to honor Freyja, the goddess of love, who, according to legend, drove a chariot led by cats. A brand new kitten probably beats that blender you got from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
2. Wearing a flame-colored wedding veil.
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Ancient Roman brides wore veils with pictures of flames on them to ward off evil spirits. The happy side effect was looking seriously badass.
3. Going for a sauna night on the eve of your big day.
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In Finland, it was common up until the 19th century for the bride to visit a sauna the night before her wedding. Sometimes, the groom would join her, and other times she'd invite all her besties. Either way, after months of mapping out seating charts and picking napkin colors, a nice trip to the sauna seems like a great, relaxing ritual.
4. Honey-mooning like the ancient Teuton people.
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In one ancient Germanic tribe, couples would marry under a full moon, and then proceed to drink honey wine together for an entire month, which may have inspired what we today call the "honey moon." Thousands of years and thousands of honeymoon destination options later, nothing quite beats post-marital alone time with excellent beverages.
5. Going shopping at your neighbors' houses.
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According to records from the 19th century, it was customary in Scotland for a couple to go "thrigging," which is like thrifting at all your neighbors' houses. They'd go door-to-door in their neighborhood and select a piece of furniture or household decoration from each home. Guess that saved them the trouble of making a registry.
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