“I Do, Not”
June 23, 2009 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition
In honor of yesterday’s post, here is a list of “24 Noted People Who Never Married”. Click back to yesterday to see where I got the list.
1. Jane Addams, US social settlement worker
2. Susan B. Anthony, US women’s rights leader (woot!)
3. Jane Austen, English novelist
4. Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer
5. Elizabeth Blackwell, US physician
6. James Buchanan, US president
7. Frederic Chopin, Polish composer and pianist
8. Emily Dickinson, US Poet
9. Elizabeth I, queen of England and Ireland (Heck yes! You go girl!)
10. J. Edgar Hoover, US director of the FBI
11. Henry James, English novelist
12. Joan of Arc, French heroine and saint
13. Charles Lamb, English essayist
14. Maria Montessori, Italian physician and educator
15. Ralph Nader, US consumer advocate
16. Sir Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician
17. Florence Nightingale, English nurse and hospital reformer
18. Alexander Pope, English satiric poet
19. Cecil Rhode, South African administrator and financier
20. Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher
21. Adam Smith, English economist
22. Henry David Thoreau, US author
24. Voltaire, French author
Husbands and Wives
June 22, 2009 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition
If you think planning one wedding is a lot of work for one lifetime, try 9,000 weddings in one lifetime. Okay, okay, so maybe King Mongut of Siam probably didn’t technically have 9,000 weddings, but according to “records”, he is the the dude at the top of the “21 of the Most Married People in History” list. Check out the full list below!
1. King Mongut of Siam (now Thailand). He also happens to be the king in The King and I. This guy had 9,000 wives and concubines. Found this pic on Clouds of Memory, a very interesting blog.
2. King Mutesa of Uganda. This royal had, count ‘em, 7,000 wives. The picture below is actually of King Mutesa II, and to be honest, I have no idea if it was the first Mutesa or the second that had all of his honeys. This picture is from Royal Portraits, another rather interesting blog.
3. King Solomon of Isreal. Good ole’ Solomon had 700 wives. It’s no 9,000, but let’s admit it, it’s still a lot. Picture below is from The Australian Casa.
4. Queen Kahena of Barbary. Let’s hear it for the ladies!! Queen Kahena had 400 hubbies. As an unmarried woman myself, I would imagine one husband is enough work. I can’t imagine 400 of them. But, I guess when you’re royalty, it’s probably not that rough. The image below is from a Resource Center for Afrikan Jews in the Americas website.
5. Augustus the Strong of Saxony. This strong man had just 365 wives. Still a lot in my book, though.
6. Fon of Bikom, of Cameroon is in 6th place with 100 wives. I can’t find a picture of him, so here is a map of Cameroon. I know I know, not quite the same. Pic from the U of Texas.
7. Theresa Vaughn of England. Shout out to the ladies again! Theresa had 61 husbands. According to Duhaime.org, “On December 19, 1922, Theresa Vaughn, then only 24, told the Police Court in Sheffield, England that since 1917, she had married some 61 men (in addition to her first) without ever having obtained a divorce from any of them, in cities in Europe, South Africa and England, giving a whole new meaning to the word polygamy.” Wow.
8. Joseph Smith from the US of A. Mr. Smith had 49 wives. I would have thought this was a large number before I read 1-7. Below is a pic from a LDS.net forum. Not sure if it’s a legit pic or not…but it looks like the other images I found on Google. 
9. Ibn-Saud of Saudi Arabia had 35 wives. Pic below from Tour Saudi Arabia.
10. Brigham Young from the US had 27 wives.
11. Heironymus of Rome – 21 wives
12. Glynn de Moss Wolfe, US – 19 wives
13. Beverly N. Avery, US – 16 husbands
14. Ike Ward, US – 16 wives
15. Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard), England – 14 wives
16. Martha Jane Burke (aka Calamity Jane), US – 12 husbands
17. Tommy Manville, US – 11 wives
18. Kid McCoy, US – 10 wives
19. Pancho Villa, Mexico – 9 wives
20. Marie McDonald, US – 8 husbands
21. Artie Shaw, US – 8 wives
NOTE: 1-10 were all polygamists, meaning they had multiple spouses at the same time. The rest must have gone through their spouses one at a time…. Also, someone found this list in a book from the 60’s – the Book of Lists, as a matter of fact. There is an updated copy – check it out if you want to read some really, really interesting (and some rather odd) things! I could look at the pages in that book for HOURS!
Happy Birthday, BRIDES!
January 8, 2009 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition
Happy Thursday (the best day of the week)!
BRIDES Magazine turns 75 this year! Here are some little fun facts that were shared with me and I thought it would be fabulous to pass them along!
BRIDES was the world’s first wedding magazine, launched during the Great Depression by a Condé Nast executive who saw weddings as recession-proof.
The magazine was first titled So You’re Going to Be Married. By 1936 it was renamed The Bride’s Magazine. In the ‘70s it became simply BRIDE’S and in 2005 the apostrophe was history.
Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Badgley Mischka and Carolina Herrera all debuted their wedding gowns in the pages of BRIDES.
BRIDES was the very first wedding magazine to cover pregnant brides, intercultural couples, and same-sex marriages .
After 75 years BRIDES remains the #1 wedding magazine, with over 6.4 million readers .
In the ‘40s, BRIDES created a Gift Preference Card that could be filled out and left with the ‘Bridal Bureaus’ of fine stores. This was the precursor to the registry list.
Heidi Klum can thank BRIDES for her very first magazine cover.
There have been only four editors of BRIDES over 75 years. Current Editor in Chief Millie Martini Bratten is celebrating 15 years at the helm.
Famed photographer Richard Avedon shot an entire issue of BRIDES in 1950.
You’ll find BRIDES in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest magazine ever produced, at 1,271 pages.
Interesting, eh!? Don’t forget to check out our $3,000 Hilton GIVEAWAY! Go enter right this second!
Something Old, Something New
July 7, 2008 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition
We all know the saying: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.
Some brides will go the the Nth degree to make sure they cover all of the above, but do they really know the meaning behind it? Something old is supposed to represent the bride’s past and family. Something new, the future of the couple, full of hope and joy. The item borrowed should be from a happily married woman, and the something blue ties into the rich history of weddings and the meanings behind colors. Lastly, the silver sixpence is for good luck in wealth (though it sounds rather uncomfortable to me).
While we could go into the details more specifically, this post is less for the history and traditions and more for the “today” and the way brides (and grooms) are tying in this little saying into their big days.
Some WeddingFanatic favorites:
Something Old: Classic or vintage car (a Roles Royce gets two thumbs up from me!)
Something New: A new fragrance for the big day, or a custom scent made just for the bride
Something Borrowed: A special piece of jewelry from Grandma or Mom (extra points if it’s from an in-law)
Something Blue: Tiny blue bow sewn into the inside of your dress (blue shoes are a close second), or funky blue socks on the groom (and/or his groomsmen).
Here is a great article from The Knot with some fabulous ideas for all of those “somethings”. Check it out!
More from “Just for the Bride”
June 4, 2008 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition
Here are a few more traditions and lore from “Just for the Bride”, a book I posted on not too long ago.
Showing ones affections through poems and serenades wasn’t just in Shakespeare’s day. Guys in Spain, Brazil, and the Philippines still take this tradition seriously. They will compose verses for their loved ones and often invite groups of their friends to join them in making music while singing and dancing, often all night!
During colonial times, English and Dutch emigrants from rural areas introduced a custom of couples courting each other in bed! This practice, called “Bundling” was supposed to cut down on heating costs. Couples trying to get to know each other could do so, fully or partially dressed, while in bed. A “bundling board” was placed in the bed to keep the couple separated, but this practice did lead to a few pregnant brides!
From Using Books
We get the term “spooning” from a Welsh custom, but it meant something else back in the day. When a man wanted to woo his beloved, he would carve an elaborate wooden spoon. If she wanted to return his feelings, she would attach the spoon to a ribbon and wear it around her neck as a sign of the engagement. (Side note: I like the ring idea a bit better!)
From Steven Fletcher
In rural Poland, if a man was interested in a woman, he would visit her and ask her about purchasing a horse. During their conversation, if he revealed a bottle of vodka wrapped in red ribbons and flowers, she’d know the real reason he was there! Instead of asking for her hand in marriage, he would ask for a glass. If she felt she was ready to be his wife, she’d return with glasses and her family to celebrate their engagement.
From Arena Flowers
Wedding Dresses : Retro to Modern
May 28, 2008 by Katie
Filed under Fashion and Trends, History & Tradition, Just for the Bride, Pure Inspiration
Vintage. Classic. Timeless. There is just something about [some] “old stuff” that I find irresistible. This especially holds true in the world and history of weddings. I saw a post over at Peonies and Polaroids about retro swim wear (which I really wish could come completely back into fashion) which has inspired this post. I hope you like it.
The retro “Princess Bride”:
*From Millie Motts
The modern dress:
*From Michelle Roth
The retro “Full Skirt & Bolero Jacket”:
*From Millie Motts
The modern dress (minus the jacket):
*From Vera Wang
The retro “Dress with Sleeves”:
*From Millie Motts
The modern dress:
*From Badgley Mischka
The retro “Glam Dress”:
*From VAM.ac.uk
The modern dress:
*From Hannah Hartnell
Finding “The One” : Superstitions of the Past
May 26, 2008 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition, Just For Fun/Humor, Just for the Bride
Hello! I got a little book over the weekend with some fun little tidbits in it that I simply must share with you! (The book, “Just for the Bride”, is published by Parragon Publishing.) This first post is, as the title states, about some superstitions young ladies of the day believed would help lead them to their future husbands. Read on to see what you might have been told if you were searching for Mr. Right.
“On Christmas Eve, stand before the fireplace and gaze into the flames to see the image of your future husband.”
“If you love a man and want to know if he will propose, throw a nut into the fire and say his name. If the nut jumps, you’ll marry. If the nut doesn’t move, the relationship will have no spark.”
“You can learn the temperament of your future husband by plucking a piece of hay from a hayloft at midnight. A crooked piece foretells a surly man; a straight piece signifies a good-natured man.”
“In case you are lucky enough to be a bridesmaid, plant a spring of myrtle in front of the newlywed’s home. If it takes root, you’ll marry within the year.”
“Peel an apple in a single strip and toss the peal over your left shoulder. The shape of the peel will reveal the first letter of the name of your spouse to be.”
“Pluck some wild daisies from a nearby field and put the roots under your pillow to dream of your groom.”
“On All Hallows Eve, brush your hair three times in front of the mirror. If you glimpse a man standing behind you, wedding bells will ring before the year is through.” (I don’t know about you, but I find this one rather creepy)
“When attending a wedding, be sure to take a piece of groom’s cake home and put it under your pillow. That night the face of your future husband will appear in your dreams.”
Note: Traditionally, groom’s cakes were fruitcakes…thanks goodness times have changed!
If the groom’s cake bit doesn’t work, “soak your shoelaces in water until they are saturated. Then throw them against the wall to see the initials of your soon to be betrothed.”
Hope you enjoyed! I think these types of things are always fun. And, it’s always fabulous to see where some of the things we still do today came from. Share with us any traditions or superstitions you’ve heard of or your family still participates in!
The Horror!
June 25, 2007 by Katie
Filed under Bridesmaids, Fashion and Trends, History & Tradition
Check out these horribly hideous bridesmaids dresses we found on People Magazine’s website.
Prepare yourself.
Something Old: “Parachute Wedding Dress at Smithsonian”
May 28, 2007 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition, Random
Talk about “Something old”! Check out this dress that was created from a World War II parachute. The dress is quite unique, but the story behind it is even better. Thanks for the awesome find, BridesClub.com!
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Diamonds are a Bride’s Best Friend
May 24, 2007 by Katie
Filed under History & Tradition, Jewelry & Accessories
I don’t think anyone knows the exact time and place that the engagement ring came about, but they have been in the works for a long time. In ancient Rome, brides often wore rings of iron. They called them betrothal (truth) rings The earliest surviving records suggest that Archduke Maximilion of Hamburg may have started the tradition of diamond engagement rings in 1477 upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy. The meanings, symbolism, and styles have changed time and time again, but married people today still wear them, just like those thousands of years ago.
In the 18th century, diamonds became more popular when a supply was discovered in Brazil. Diamond cluster rings were popular amongst the wealthy. The 19th century brought the discovery of the Kimberley diamond region in South Africa in 1870 and within 10 years, DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd was formed. Today, DeBeers still controls 65% of the world’s diamond trade.
Ever heard “A Diamond is Forever� DeBeers created the advertising campaign in 1947 and diamonds have been the standard ever since. According to the site diamondwholesalecorporation.com, DeBeers unofficially educated jewelers to instruct men that the amount of money they should be paying for their beloved’s engagement ring should be equivalent to two or three months of personal wages.
While much of the tradition is still there, times have changed. Today, engagement rings can be whatever you want them to be; diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, or no gems at all. Whatever suits your lifestyle, personality, and budget is the perfect engagement ring for you.
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