Seeing The Dress
Bad Luck Omen
It is, as we all know, unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony itself. But why?
There doesn't seem to be any real reason for this custom. The most likely explanation is simply that seeing the bridal dress in advance
ruins the surprise for the groom. Since the wedding day is the start of the new couple's life together it makes sense that it should begin with them seeing each other at
their best.
The wedding gown is designed to make the bride look fantastic - she should take the groom's breath away. If he's already seen her wearing it then it removes one of the elements that make the day so special and memorable.
Why doesn't it work the other way round? Simply because men have always had less flexibility in their formal wear. Today it may be unusual for the bride to have seen the groom in a tuxedo - or even a suit - but in earlier times a gentleman would have worn such things frequently. There was no surprise to be ruined.
Mirrors
A less well known variation on this superstition is that it's unlikely for the bride to see herself in the dress before the wedding. To prevent this happening some people have the dress made in multiple pieces. Each piece is tried on separately and the whole ensemble only donned just before the ceremony.
Of course the temptation for the bride to check out her appearance in the complete outfit is extremely strong. For this reason the tradition is often interpreted
very loosely. "Not seeing the whole dress" can be interpreted as - for example - simply leaving one glove off until the last minute!