• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where did the Custom of Having a Best Man For the Bridegroom at a Wedding Come From?

Where did the Custom of Having a Best Man For the Bridegroom at a Wedding Come From?

March 10, 2020 by Karen Hill

In ancient times, most marriages were arranged, and so the groom wasn’t always the bride’s first choice.

The man she favored would often swear to carry her off before or during the wedding.

To avoid this, the groom stood on the bride’s right to keep his sword arm free and would enlist a warrior companion to fight off the rival if he showed up.

This companion was, in fact, what we call the “best man” today.

Related Facts

  • How Did the Wedding Ring Originate and Where Did the First Wedding Rings Come From?
  • Why Is There a Best Man at a Wedding?
  • How Did the Tradition of Serving a Wedding Cake At a Wedding Reception Originate and What Does it Symbolize?
  • How Did the Custom of the "Bridal" Party Originate and Where Did the Tradition of a Wedding Reception Come From?
  • Where Did the Custom of Wedding Banns Before a Marriage Come From and What Does the Tradition Mean?
  • How Did the Custom of Throwing Confetti at a Wedding Originate and What Does the Tradition Mean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Why Do Brides Wear “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue” To Their Weddings?
Next Post: How Did the Custom of the “Bridal” Party Originate and Where Did the Tradition of a Wedding Reception Come From? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy