When we think of a bride, we straightaway picture her walking down the aisle in a white gown, carrying a bouquet of flowers – but have you ever wondered why?

Unfortunately the reason behind this tradition isn’t quite as glamorous as we would have hoped.

During the 15^th century, people used to take their yearly bath in May and would generally get married in June – so just to be safe, brides would carry a bouquet to mask any body odors. Brides would also include herbs in their bouquet, as to ward off evil spirits.

Leonore Dicker