There are so many things for good or ill which the bride herself must
or must not do that she would have a very anxious time keeping them all
in mind if she is very superstitious. These customs begin on the eve of
her wedding, when, for luck, she steps on a chair, and then mounts the
table to ensure good fortune and a rise in the world.
On the morning of the day--the happy day--if she should be awakened
by the singing or chirping of a bird, even of a sparrow, or by
swallows sweeping past her lattice at dawn, she may accept these as
signs of great good luck. She must be careful, however, not to break
anything, particularly the heel of her slipper, as such things spell
disagreement and trouble with her new relations.
A cat mewing betokens the same undesirable state of affairs, so she
would be wise to see that it has its breakfast in time. If it sneezes,
that means the best of luck.
The bride must not gaze on her reflections, however pleasing, in
the mirror, after she has fully dressed. If she happens to do so,
then she must put another pin in her veil, button her glove, or make
some addition to her toilette, to avert evil consequences. The girl
who keeps a pin removed from the bridal veil is not supposed to get
married, and yet in Brittany the girl who secures one, makes sure of a
speedy marriage.
If a small spider is found in the folds of the bridal gown or
trousseau, it is accepted as an excellent sign that money will never be
wanting in the family, but the spider should not be killed: it must be
taken out of doors.
Under no circumstances may the bride read or listen to the reading of
the wedding service immediately before the ceremony, not even on the
day previous. She must not try on her wedding ring, and if it falls
during the ceremony woe betide her. It is considered unlucky to pass
a funeral on the way to church, or to meet a monk, a pig, a hare, a
lizard or a serpent. On the other hand, it is a happy omen to encounter
a lamb or a dove, as both of these are emblems of Christ, and the only
forms into which the Evil One cannot enter, according to mediaeval
superstition.
A storm of thunder and lightning during the service is regarded as
fateful, and so is an open grave in the churchyard. In entering the
church and returning to her home or the place where the reception is
held, the bride should step with her right foot first. If she sees
her groom before he sees her, she will rule him absolutely, but if he
forestalls her glance, then he will be the master.
The bride and bridegroom are not supposed to meet each other until
they do so at the altar, and in former times a bride did not appear at
breakfast, or even emerge from her room, until she was fully attired
and ready to go to church.
The forward individual who steals the first kiss before the bridegroom
has had a chance to do so is supposed to ensure good luck throughout
the year. It was wont to be the prerogative of the clergyman, but it
seems a trifle hard on the newly-made husband.