Las Vegas Wedding Tidbits

The average cost of a traditional wedding is over $30,000 while the average cost of a honeymoon is $2,400. An average destination wedding cost between $375 - $4,500.

Many newlyweds are just too exhausted to do the deed on the wedding night, according to a new survey, which reveals 30 percent of newlyweds admit they didn't have sex on their wedding night and more than half say it was because they were just too tired. Other matrimonial stats include the fact that 63 percent of couples became "born-again virgins" and abstained from sex before their weddings, 38 percent of couples kept themselves pure for at least a month before the big day, but 36 percent admit they only withheld from sex for one week before their wedding day and 63 percent of brides admit their new hubby didn't carry them over the threshold on their wedding night.

The white wedding dress was made popular by Anne of Brittany in 1499. Before that, a woman just wore her best dress. In biblical days, blue (not white) represented purity, and the bride and groom would wear a blue band around the bottom of their wedding attire, hence something blue.

It is unknown when wedding rings were first worn. The ancient Romans believed that the vein in the third finger ran directly to the heart, so wearing the ring on that finger joined the couples hearts and destiny.

Weddings just wouldn't be complete without fertility symbols, like the wedding cake. Ancient Romans would bake a cake made of wheat or barley and break it over the bride's head as a symbol of her fertility. It became tradition to pile up several small cakes, one on top of the other, as high as they could, and the bride and groom would kiss over the tower and try not to knock it down. If they were successful, it meant a lifetime of prosperity. During the reign of King Charles II of England, it became customary to turn this cake into an enjoyably edible palace, iced with white sugar.

Tying shoes to the bumper of the car represents the symbolism and power of shoes in ancient times. Egyptians would exchange sandals when they exchanged goods, so when the father of the bride gave his daughter to the groom, he would also give the brides sandals to show that she now belonged to the groom. In Anglo Saxon times, the groom would tap the heel of the bride's shoe to show his authority over her. In later times, people would throw shoes at the couple, and now we just tie shoes to their car.
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" was quoted in a 1883 newspaper and ascribed to "some Lancashire friends."

Something old tradition- no pre-20th century citations. The editors point out a possible link to the belief that "something old" will protect a baby, first cited at 1659.

No citations for "something new."

Something borrowed-same 1883 paper (one issue earlier) "it is widely accounted 'lucky' to wear something...which has already been worn by a happy bride at her wedding."

Something blue- Wearing blue to express faithfulness traced back as far as a 1390 citation from Chaucer's "Squire's Tale."