A June wedding is practical…at least based on the origins of this longstanding tradition. The roses are blooming; school is out; travel is easy with good weather. In the 21st century, good reasons for June weddings are many and varied. However, this tradition actually goes back thousands of years to the Roman era.

The Roman goddess Juno was the sister and the wife—keep in mind she is a mythical being—of Jupiter, who was Mr. Big in Roman mythology. She was very busy as the divine watcher over women, and she was also the goddess of marriage, among her other “responsibilities.” The month that honored her and bore her name was June, which made weddings during this month especially auspicious and lucky for the Romans.

Vatican Statue of Juno Sospita

Other wedding traditions have leaped the millennia to the present, as well. Back in Roman times, brides were decorated in flowers. Special cakes were prepared and dedicated to Jupiter (no cute photographs of frosting-covered faces back then, the groom broke the cake over his bride’s head…I’m not making this up!). The groom gave his bride a ring that she wore on her left ring finger, because the Romans believed that the vena amoris (vein of love) ran up from that finger straight to the heart, a symbol of love. And the flowing white veils of today began as flame-colored (yellow or red) coverings worn to ward off evil spirits and demons. The more things change, the more they are the same!

What a stroke of luck that Juno was assigned her month in the late spring. Most likely there was really a practical purpose to this fortunate timing. If a new bride got pregnant in June or July, she was able to assist her husband with the harvest that fall. The baby would be born and the bride recovered enough, and if the groom was lucky, she could help at a second harvest, as well. Eventually the babies would put the wife out of commission as a farmer, but the husband would have been ensured one good fall of hard work from his bride, and possibly two. Kind of takes the romance away from June—once it is put into historical perspective–doesn’t it?

But keep in mind, in the 21st century, good reasons for June weddings are many and varied!