If you ’ve ever been abridesmaid , it can feel like your duties are dateless . Planning a bridal shower and a bachelor girl party , spending money on a dress — it can be overwhelming . But it ’s also a huge honor and typically end up being a portion of fun . Be thankful , even if the bride is a bridezilla .

Centuries ago , however , the part of the maid of honor was quite serious . bridesmaid could mean the deviation between life sentence and destruction . Seriously ! Early papist law required a wedding have 10 witness ( which later morph into maid of honor and groomsmen ) . These informant had to arrange precisely like the St. Bride and groom to trick any malevolent spirits in the room from come after the happy match .

In early 19th century England , if a couple make love someone opposed their marriage , they would also have their wedding party enclothe the same as them , so the opposing party could n’t doom the wedding . maid of honor also protect their brides from thief or disgruntled ex - boyfriends as they traveled to gather their dowry [ source : Wedding bundle ] . And , having a matron of honor at a hymeneals is thought to be capital luck , as it complain off your marriage in the presence of an already happily get hitched with womanhood .

Now that we know bridesmaids have always been a flesh of protection and honorable hazard to Bridget , how about the maid of honor ? Do they get anything lucky out of it ? Well … it ’s complicated .

An old superstition holds that if a woman is a bridesmaid three fourth dimension , she ’s destined to be an " honest-to-god maid " and never get get married herself . This might have something to do with the evil spirits note above . A bridesmaid can only protect her bride from malefic spirit so many time before those spirits might follow after her . A more modern hypothesis is that a maid of honor always looks her best at a wedding . If she has n’t attracted a husband after three public junket in her best clothes and make-up , she probably never will . A more advanced hypothesis , sure as shooting , but also more sexist .

If you ’ve been three times a maid of honor , do n’t care . According tofolklore , you’re able to turn the curse . The first room is to catch the bridal corsage . Or if you ’re not a secure backstop , simply be a bridesmaid four more times , making it seven time in total . We suggest practicing your detection , as it ’s a passel chinchy than buying four more bridesmaids dresses !

If you ’re numb localise on not becoming a bridesmaid for the third time , or you ’re trying to make your hex - breaking goal of seven , one cleaning woman in the United States has a fresh idea . yell herself a " professional bridesmaid , " Jen Glantz rents herself out to brides and bridegroom to perform bridesmaid duties like design the bridal shower , revving up the guests at the reception , writing address and holding the bride ’s dress while she goes to the bathroom to refreshen up [ reservoir : Taniabretonwpix ] .

At the clip she was interview about her fresh career , Glantz had antecedently been a bridesmaid three clip . We wonder if she ’s endeavor to split a swearword ?

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