Wedding Tradition Wednesday: Burying the Bourbon
Weddings are full of sweet traditions. “Something old, something new, something blue,” is one of the most popular southern traditions we’ve seen brides and grooms incorporate into their big days, but there are plenty of old wives’ tales to go around! Every few months, we’ll highlight wedding traditions on the Oakland Farm blog so you can choose which ones will mean the most to you and your honey! We’re kicking this new series off with one that involves a little liquid courage.
The size nor make matters, but if you think Mother Nature might enjoy a nice cocktail, it wouldn’t hurt to pull out the top shelf goods! On the day of your ceremony, dig up the bottle and share it with your bridal party or guests to toast your marriage and start the party! Oakland Farm Bride, Kayla, buried a bottle of bourbon 30 days before her outdoor ceremony last September. Kayla says, “Guess what the weather was perfect! 75-80 degrees, light breeze, and low humidity - exactly what I had prayed for.” Just don’t forget where you buried the bottle, or your groom might be digging all day!
Even if the weather doesn’t work out as you hoped, still crack open that bottle and share it with friends! A little rain on your wedding day won’t stop the celebrations! The memories of your big day, exchanging vows with the one you love most and promising each other forever, will be the sweetest, no matter how damp or sunny. Plus, another legend says that rain on your wedding day is good luck! Does burying a bottle of Maker’s Mark or Buffalo Trace seem like something you’ll incorporate into your special day to guarantee perfect weather? If not, stay tuned for other southern wedding traditions to make your day extra fun!
Every bride envisions her wedding day with bright sunny skies, the weather at room temperature with a slight breeze. In North Carolina, that’s almost an impossible guarantee. Bring your umbrella for hurricanes in September, be prepared with shorts and a t-shirt occasionally on Thanksgiving, and have your boots handy for early March snow. Some brides whisper a quick prayer for the shining sun on her wedding day while others take it into their own hands by burying the bourbon.
According to Southern folklore, burying a bottle of bourbon will bring a promise of good weather on your wedding day. The bottle of hooch must be placed beneath the earth at your venue 30 days before wedding day. Legend has it that the burial day needs to be the same weather you’re wishing for on the day you say “I do.” Bury the bottle upside down, and don’t try to sneak any sips while digging! The bottle needs to be full and inverted to ensure maximum weather.
