Unlike other wedding or marriage customs in the past, both the woman and the man had to be of mature age. They were also not allowed to take more than one love as their husband or wife. The concept of divorce was not even in the mix during this time, which was seen throughout the first 500 years of Rome. This meant that the marriage partner that you selected was going to be there for the long haul. It was common for the groom to be at least 14 years old and the bride has to be at least 12 years old. Now this may seen quite young to get married, but keep in mind the life expectancy at that time, as well.

The couple could not possess any close relations to one another. It was a rule of thumb that a marriage could not be held between two people that were related by four times removal. A marriage could also not be conducted if the couple were connected to one another through marriage. This meant that a marriage to a fourth cousin was prohibited and that cute sister of your brother’s wife was off limits.

Before any marriage could take place, permission was needed. There were three main points to consider when seeking out approval. The first thing that had to be settled was quite easy and common. The consent had to be displayed for the public to see before any wedding plans could be made. This could be achieved by holding hands while strolling through the streets or other friendly and affectionate gestures. The consent was then carried over during the wedding ceremony. The final step towards consent was when the couple reached the door to their new living arrangements. This was to occur before the bride steps foot inside the home.

As for the engagement, there was often a waiting period before a ceremony, which was considered the polite thing to do. This was not required of couples during this time; it was merely viewed as a courtesy. When it comes to the ring, whether or not your future husband could afford it decided this part. Women during that time did not wait around for the ring to be slipped on the finger. If you ever wondered why it was customary to wear a ring on the third finger of the left hand, you should know that this tradition comes from ancient Roman ways. The meaning behind this act was that it was thought that a nerve in that finger ran all the way to the heart. Check out Part 2 to get to the nitty gritty of the actual wedding preparations and ceremony.