According to the Diamond Information Center, before the diamond ring became the "universal" symbol of engagement, it had an exclusive and mysterious fascination. Until the 15th century, only kings wore diamonds, as a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. In India, where it was first discovered, the diamond was valued more for its magic than its beauty and was believed to protect the wearer from fire, snakes, illnesses, thieves, and great evil.
According to Anita Diamant, author of The New Jewish Wedding, there are no Jewish laws regarding where a wedding may or may not take place. During the Middle Ages, some weddings were even held in cemeteries, since it was believed the life-affirming act of marriage could halt plagues.
Wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was believed that the vein of love ran from this finger directly to the heart.
As reported in a February, 1840 edition of The London Times, Queen Victoria's wedding cake was more than nine feet in circumference.
Eighty-five percent of all Canadian brides receive a diamond engagement ring, giving Canada the highest diamond engagement ring acquisition rate in the world.
The longest engagement on record was Octavio Guillen and Adriana Martinez. After "dating" for 67 years, they finally got married. They were both 82.
The most married man in history, in the monogamous category, was Glynn Wolfe, a former Baptist minister from Blythe, California. He was married twenty-eight times.
The most married woman in history, in the monogamous category, was Linda Lou Essex from Anderson, Indiana, who was married twenty-two times.
The most notorious bigamist on record is Giovanni Vigliotto, who married one hundred and four women. He was convicted for fraud and bigamy and sentenced to twenty-five years in prison, plus a fine of $336,000.
The oldest bridegroom was Harry Stevens, who at the age of 103 married Thelma Lucas, a young 84. They were wed in Beloit, Wisconsin in 1984.
The oldest bride was 102 year old Minnie Munro, who married an 83 year old gentleman named Dudley Reid in Point Clare, New South Wales, Australia.
The youngest couple ever to marry was an eleven month old boy and a three month old girl who were married in Bangladesh in 1986. The marriage was arranged in order to settle a twenty year feud over a disputed piece of farmland.
Two couples share the record for the longest marriage in history. Sir Temulji Bhicaji Nnman and Lady Nariman were married from 1853 until 1940, when he died. Lazarus Rowe and Molly Weber were married in Greenland, New Hampshire in 1743 and remained married until 1829, when she dies after their having been married for 86 years.
The largest mass wedding was held in The Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea where 35,000 people were married in a ceremony officiated by Sun Myung Moon. Another 325,000 couples around the world participated in the August 25, 1995 event via satellite link.
Richard and Carol Roble are the most re-married couple. They wed each other 56 times, beginning in 1969.
The most expensive wedding on record was a seven-day celebration of the marriage of Mohammed, son pf Sheik Rashid Ben Saeed Al Maktoum, to Princess Salama. The wedding took place in Dubai and the bill came to $44 million.
The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife, who died in childbirth. Work on the Taj began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years. required the labor of 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.
The worst place for love and romance to survive is the United States. We hold the record for the highest divorce rate in the world (4.6 per thousand) . . . . so Good Luck!
