It’s a sight that’s become almost expected at weddings – the bride with tears streaming down her face as she walks down the aisle or says her vows. But why exactly do brides cry on what’s supposed to be the happiest day of their lives? Here’s a look at some of the emotional reasons behind those wedding day tears.
Overwhelming emotions
The most obvious reason brides cry is because weddings stir up so many intense emotions. Most brides have spent months or even more than a year planning their big day and have been imagining it for far longer. Finally experiencing the day leads to an overwhelming feeling of joy, excitement, nervousness, and love. The flood of emotions releases itself through happy tears.
Brides may also feel touched and overwhelmed experiencing the love and effort that friends and family put into the wedding preparations. Seeing how everything came together can be a moving experience. Additionally, the constant attention, greetings from guests, and photographs help ramp up the intensity of emotions.
Feeling nostalgic
Looking back on the past and towards the future often brings up nostalgia and sentimentality on your wedding day:
- Remembering loved ones – Brides may find themselves wishing deceased loved ones could be there or thinking about special childhood memories with their parents.
- Reflecting on the past – Brides reflect on their journey to finding their spouse, from first dates to the proposal.
- Imagining the future – The wedding marks the start of a new chapter, which leads brides to imagine future moments like having kids.
The mix of happy memories and unknowns ahead stirs up nostalgic tears.
Feeling the love
Seeing all the loved ones who have shown up to support their marriage reminds brides how lucky they are to have them. Touching speeches and toasts made by close friends and family about the couple’s love and bright future bring happy tears. The immense feeling of love from friends, family, and most of all their spouse-to-be leads to tears of joy.
Stress and relief
The wedding planning process is very stressful for most brides. Even the most organized brides feel frantic in the final days and weeks trying to pull everything together. After months of stress, brides may cry tears of relief that the big day has finally arrived and the countless details were somehow pulled off.
Brides may also feel nervousness and stress in the hours leading up to the ceremony, wondering if something will go wrong. Once the ceremony starts successfully, tears of relief and release may flow.
Realizing a dream is coming true
For most brides, their wedding day represents a long-held dream finally coming true. After countless hours spent pinning wedding inspiration over the years and imagining meeting “the one”, the wedding makes those dreams a reality.
Seeing months of meticulous wedding planning come to fruition in ceremony and reception decor is the realization of a vision. The flood of realizing nearly a lifetime of hopes and dreams are culminating in one day understandably brings happy tears.
Recognizing a major life change
Brides usually cry because getting married represents an enormous life change. Making a lifelong commitment to your spouse is huge. Trading your single lifestyle to form a new family unit brings major changes.
Realizing this major milestone and transition in life is an emotional experience. Even brides marrying their long-term partner or moving in with a fiancé they’ve lived with already recognize the enormity of the change marriage represents.
Feeling connected to other brides
In today’s hyper-connected world, brides are likely to have seen videos of other emotional brides or read stories about brides crying. Knowing that they are experiencing common emotions connects them to brides past and present. The solidarity of going through similar feelings brings tears.
Brides may also cry happy tears when they see others like their mother or grandmother cry at the wedding. Seeing their loved one’s emotional reaction can cause their own tears.
When do brides tend to cry most?
While brides can get emotional any time on their wedding day, some key moments tend to provoke tears more often:
- Walking down the aisle – Taking that walk on their father’s arm to meet their groom at the altar is often the time when emotions peak.
- Exchanging vows – The heartfelt vows and seeing their groom choked up can set the bride off.
- Father-daughter dance – Having a meaningful dance and embrace with dad stirs up sentimentality.
- Speeches – Touching words from the groom, family, and friends bring happy tears.
Do all brides cry? What factors may influence it
It’s estimated that on average about 20-30% of brides cry on their wedding day. However, the percentage can vary based on several factors:
| Factor | Influence on Crying |
|---|---|
| Age of bride | Younger brides in early 20s may be more emotional |
| Temperament | Brides who are naturally weepy are more likely to cry |
| Size of wedding | Bigger, more lavish weddings provide more stimulation to trigger tears |
| Speeches | Speeches, especially from father, increase chances of tears |
So while it’s common for brides to get emotional, not all brides will actually shed tears. Factors like culture and personality also influence how likely a bride is to visibly cry.
Are groom’s tears on the rise too?
It’s not just brides—grooms are tearing up more than ever on their big day too. Some estimate up to 15% of grooms now cry at some point during the wedding or reception.
Grooms say exchanging vows, seeing their bride walk down the aisle, and dancing with mom spur the waterworks. The breakdown of rigid gender norms means grooms no longer feel the need to restrain emotional responses.
Many grooms also take a more active role in wedding planning instead of leaving it to the bride. This gives them a greater emotional investment in the wedding vision and events of the day.
Key reasons grooms cry
- Seeing their bride during the first look or walk down the aisle
- Exchanging heartfelt vows they wrote
- Gestures from bride like a gift or personalized vows
- Thinking of deceased loved ones
- Bonding moments like dancing with mom
How to handle wedding tears
For brides or grooms worried about having an ugly cry attack on their big day, these tips can help preserve your wedding look:
- Use a tear-proof mascara and eyeliner
- Apply a primer under your makeup
- Carry blotting tissues to dab up tears
- Use a setting spray to seal in makeup
- Keep eye drops or artificial tears on hand
- Have multiple touch-up kits for makeup on site
- Designate bridesmaids to swoop in for blotting and repairs
But resist the urge to fight the tears completely! Letting some happy tears flow keeps the wedding joyful and authentic. trabajo hecho!
Conclusion
Weddings represent one of life’s most emotional days. The overwhelming love, support, stress, nostalgia, and change of transitioning to marriage unleash waterworks for brides and grooms alike. Crying at your wedding is totally normal—embrace the joyful tears as a testament to the magic you’ll remember forever.