The Bed Ceremony in ancient weddings | What was the point?

Surely in some period film you have seen that after a wedding, the bride and groom, their family and friends formed an entourage and headed to the bedroom. In a procession that was usually accompanied by jokes and merriment, the bride and groom were accompanied to the very bed. This custom spread for centuries and was not just for royalty or nobility, everyone practiced it, especially in central and northern Europe. Join us to discover the Bed Ceremony at ancient weddings and you will know what meaning it had at that historical moment.

Although it may seem impossible to us, the bed ceremony It was celebrated in many places in Europe between the Middle Ages and the 18th century, although it was very different depending on the places where it was held.

The Bed Ceremony at ancient weddings

This ceremony, which today seems like an unacceptable interference in the intimate affairs of a couple, was in its historical moment a ritual that was very important. Weddings were not as we know them today, and on many occasions what certified that a couple was really married was the consummation of the marriage. To ensure that this was the case, the couples were accompanied to the marriage bed and, although symbolically, the companions became witnesses of that consummation. It also symbolized the participation of the entire community in that marriage since the couple was usually accompanied to the bed in a procession and the participants did not hold back on crude jokes and obscene songs. It was also customary that once placed in bed, the companions continued with the party and noise outside the bedroom so that the couple in their first relationship could not be heard.

In the case of royalty, the bed ceremony had a protocol character of great importance. The couple was accompanied by many courtiers and it was even common for them to The bishop blessed the bride and groom when they were already in bed. For both the monarchy, the nobility or the plebs, the original purpose of the bed ceremony was the confirmation that there had been consummation, since otherwise that union could easily be annulled.

In some places, but not in Western Europe, this ceremony was not only symbolic but that first sexual relationship needed real witnesses for the marriage to be valid. In Iceland, for example, marriage was only considered legal if it included bed ceremony and this had been witnessed by six men. For the Swedes and practically throughout medieval Scandinavia, this ceremony was unavoidable if the couple wanted their union to be legally valid.

Not all places acted the same. Perhaps the most curious tradition is the one followed in England in which, first, a priest blessed the bed and the couple prepared for bed by drinking spiced wine. Once inside the sheets, the groomsmen and bridesmaids sat around the bed and the bride and groom at that moment threw their stockings. The one who caught them would be the first to marry. After this nice ritual, The bed curtains were closed and the couple was left alone.

If you are a fan of the series “Game of Thrones” you will remember a scene similar to the ritual that we have described, which is referred to as “Bedding.” We will not give you details of who participates in it to avoid revealing plot secrets to those who have not seen the series or read the books.

The “Encamamiento” is clearly inspired by the bed ceremony, although it has a somewhat more unpleasant point, since it is the invited men who take the bride to the bed, undressing her on the way, while the women do the same with the boyfriend. The newlyweds only remain alone in the room once they are naked and, even then, the guests wait outside the bedroom for the union to be consummated.

What did you think of the bed ceremony? Have you heard of her? If you want to know other curious customs related to marriage, we invite you to read the post: Traditional Chinese wedding | 10 strange customs before marriage.