The bouquet:Ancient Greeks and Romans made their bridal bouquet with a pungent mix of garlic, herbs, and grains. The garlic was supposed to ward off evil spirits and the herbs or grains were to insure a fruitful union. In Poland, sprinkling sugar on the bride’s bouquet kept her temper sweet.
The cake: Ancient Romans broke a cake over the bride’s head to symbolize fertility or abundance. Other cultures dropped wheat, flour or cake on the bride’s head, and then ate the crumbs for good luck. The early British baked baskets of dry crackers, and every guest took one home after the wedding. In medieval times, guests brought small cakes and piled them on a table. The bride and groom then attempted to kiss over the cakes. Eventually, a young baker decided to put all the cakes together and cover them with frosting, thus the tiered wedding cake was born.The dress: Through the 18th century, most brides just wore their Sunday best to their wedding. Red was a favorite during the Middle Ages in Europe. Other colors that have been worn for symbolic reasons include blue (constancy) and green (youth). As years passed, white was worn as a symbol of purity.
The veil: Originally, the veil is thought to have been used to hide the bride from abductors, just as the similar dress of her bridesmaids was meant to do. A more romantic interpretation posits that concealment renders what is hidden more valuable. According to another tradition, the veil symbolizes youth and virginity.
The ring: The wedding ring has traditionally been worn on the third finger of the left hand because it was believed that a vein in this finger ran directly to the heart.
The kiss: Many cultures believed that the couple exchanged spirits with their breath and part of their souls were exchanged as well.
The rice: The custom of throwing rice, originated with the ancient Hindus and Chinese. In these cultures, rice is the symbol of fruitfulness and prosperity, and so tossing it after the ceremony was believed to bestow fertility upon the bride and groom.
The honeymoon: Primitive weddings consisted of a groom taking his bride by capture. He would hide her away from her relatives and villagers, where they stayed for one moon and drank mead, a wine make from honey, to make them more amorous. Thus, the word “honeymoon” was born.
Source: Honeymoon Cruise Shopper