Facts about marriage you didn’t know

The Oneida community, founded in 1848 in New York (a mid-19th-century religious group), endorsed a form of marriage called “group marriage,” where every woman was married to every man. They also practiced a system called “scientific reproduction,” where parents were chosen based on physical and mental health by a committee.

Traditionally, bridesmaids were dressed similarly to the bride to confuse rival suitors, evil spirits, and thieves.

In Italian weddings, breaking a glass by the bride and groom is quite common because the number of pieces the glass shatters into is believed to represent the number of years of happiness the couple will have together.

Some researchers trace the English word “bride” to the Indo-European root “bru,” meaning “to cook, boil, prepare soup”.

A 2008 study showed that marital satisfaction increases after children leave home, although if there were pre-existing marital issues, this often reveals previously hidden problems.

The word “groom” comes from the Old English word “guma,” meaning “man.”

February 11, 2025 | 5:41 am