As you plan your own wedding, have you stopped to consider how marriage as an institution came to be? Ultimately, the history of marriage—as with a number of elements related to weddings, such as the honeymoon—isn't quite as sunny as you'd expect. Simply put, marriage was originally viewed as something far more transactional than romantic. Most ancient societies needed a secure environment for the perpetuation of the species, a system of rules to handle the granting of property rights, and the protection of bloodlines, and the institution of marriage handled these needs. For example, in ancientHebrew, the law required a man to become the husband of a deceased brother's widow.
Here, we share the full history of marriage, including when it first started and how it's evolved to be the happy tradition we experience today.
A Glossary of Wedding Words and Terminology from A to Z
How Long Has Marriage Existed For?
Before we get into the institution itself, it's important to note that the word "marriage" comes from Middle English and was first seen in 1250-1300 CE. The ancient institution, however, likely predates this time period. Themain goal of marriage was to serve as an alliance between families, so parents throughout history arranged marriages for children that would benefit both sides. Most couples didn't marry because they were in love, but rather for economic liaisons.
According to The Week, the institution of marriage is over 4,350 years old. The first recorded marriage took place in 2350 B.C. in Mesopotamia.
The History of Women and Brides in Marriage
Throughout history, some marriages were done byproxy, some involves adowry(the bride's family giving money or presents to the groom or his family), and some requires a bride price (the groom or his family giving money or a present to the bride's family). In these cases, few marriages included an pre-nuptial courtship or dating, but most had deeply-rooted traditions.
As for a woman's role in deciding whether or not she wanted to get married, different periods of time and various cultures have very dissimilar histories. Ancient Egypt, in theory, gave women equal rights as men, but it wasn't always practiced. Medieval women, on the other hand, faced dual responsibilities to religion and marriage.
Cultural Customs Related to Marriage
One nearly universal marriage tradition is that of the engagement ring. This customcan be dated back to the ancient Romans and Egyptians. It is believed that the roundness of the ring represents eternity. Thus, the wearing of wedding rings symbolizes a union that is to last forever. In fact, it was once thought that a vein or nerve ran directly from the "ring" finger of the left hand to the heart.
Many forms of marriage exist today:
- Common Law Marriage:An informal marriage and legal network that makes people married due to living together for a period of time.
- Cousin Marriage:A marriage between cousins. 26 states allow first cousin marriages.
- Endogamy:The tradition of marrying within the limits of a local community only.
- Exogamy:When you marry outside of a specific clan or tribe.
- Monogamy:Marrying one person at a time.
- Polyandry:Women who have more than one husband.
- Polygamy:The practice of having more than one spouse at the same time.
- Polygyny:A man who has more than one wife.
- Same-Sex Marriage:Partners of the same sex who are married.
Marriage and Religion
The notion of marriage as a sacrament—not just a contract—can be traced to St. Paul, who compared the relationship of a husband and wife to that of Christ and his church (Eph. 5 v, 23-32). Joseph Campbell, in the Power of Myth, mentions that the 12th-century troubadours were the first ones who thought of courtly love in the same way we do now. The whole notion of romance didn't exist until medieval times and the troubadours.
Pope NicholasIdeclared in 866, "If the consent be lacking in a marriage, all other celebrations, even should the union be consummated, are rendered void." This shows the importance of a couple's consent to marriage. It has remained an important part of both church teaching and marriage laws through the years.
The History of Marriage Celebrations
According to the Catholic church, many marriages were taking place without witness or ceremony in the 1500s, and the Council of Trent was so disturbed by this that they decreed in 1563 that marriages should be celebrated in the presence of a priest and at least two witnesses. The marriage took on a new role of saving men and women from being sinful and procreating. Love wasn't a necessary ingredient for marriage during this era.
Years later, the Puritans viewed marriage as a very blessed relationship that gave marital partners an opportunity to love and forgive. Today, many people hold the view that regardless of how people enter into matrimony, marriage is a bond between two people that involves responsibility and legalities, as well as commitment and challenge. That concept of marriage hasn't changed through the ages.
The History of Wedding Cakes
Article Sources
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Oxford English Dictionary 11th Edition, "marriage"
https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/mdsweddings/pdfs/Second_Reading_D07.pdf
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/twentyfourth-session-of-the-council-of-trent-1491
