Popular Wedding Traditions With Creepy Origins

When you think about it, your typical wedding requires a lot of manpower. Aside from the caterers, bartenders, ministers, and other employees, there are the groomsmen and the bridesmaids. It's literally an army of people dispatched to organize a single ceremony and party.

When you think about it, your typical wedding requires a lot of manpower. Aside from the caterers, bartenders, ministers, and other employees, there are the groomsmen and the bridesmaids. It's literally an army of people dispatched to organize a single ceremony and party.

These days, the main thing bridesmaids have to worry about is whether or not the dress they're forced to wear is hideous. But back in the day, they had a lot more to worry about — because they were essentially decoys meant to draw danger away from the bride.

There's some disagreement as to the nature of that danger. Author Ellen Bell suggests that, centuries ago, bridesmaids were once brought along to the wedding in order to draw evil spirits away from the bride. Reader's Digest notes it might have been to confuse rival lovers or even criminals seeking to kidnap the bride — dating back to Ancient Rome and feudal China. The idea is obvious: Have a bunch of women dressed in similar outfits and anyone seeking to abduct the bride will have a heck of a time deciding which one to grab. Per Racked, the tradition of bridesmaids wearing dresses identical to the bride's persisted until the 1880s.

Of course, modern bridesmaids who consider the role less of an honor than a job with a terrible uniform should consider something else noted by Reader's Digest: In ancient times, the bridesmaids were literally the bride's maids. At least these days you usually get a gift for your work.

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