Fertility folklore in weddings

The answer is d, all of the above

We asked which common wedding traditions, namely the wedding cake, flower girls, and throwing rice arose out of wishing the couple a fertile life, and the answer is all of them. The wedding cake began as many small wheat cakes, which were not eaten but actually crumbled over the bride's head to bestow fertility. Wheat, being a symbol of a fruitful harvest, was also carried by the first flower girls as they preceded the bride down the aisle, to assure her a fertile womb. Finally, showering the new couple with grains and nuts, so-called "life-giving seeds," gave way to throwing rice, and now bird seed. In some European countries, more adventurous well-wishers even throw eggs, the ultimate sign of fertility and birth.

April 6, 2002