Magical herbs for matrimony add romance and a historical touch to the big day.

Did you know that two basil leaves placed atop a hot coal can predict the tone of your marriage?  At least that's what herbal lore tells us.  If the leaves burn quickly and fade to ash, the marriage will be harmonious.  If they crackle and spit, you'll have stormy times ahead!

Historically, basil had other matrimonial uses, too.  In ancient times, women would set a pot of the plant on the windowsill to indicate they were ready to greet their suitors.  Italian men would don a sprig of basil to reveal intentions of marriage. 

It was also believed that if you gave your heart's desire a clipping of basil, he or she would fall in love and never leave.  (If a man needed a little courage to propose, the woman would smuggle borage into his tea to coax things along.)

Long considered a symbol of love, basil has figured in the courtship of countless lovers.  But it's not the only herb made for amorous suitors.  Plants of all types played a role in matters of the heart--especially matrimony.  Rosemary, lavender, myrtle, yarrow, rose, ivy, and many others were used for centuries by those aspiring to find love, preserve fidelty, prompt fertility, and inspire happiness, good fortune and luck.

Many cultures have incorporated herbs throughout the marriage celebration, in the hopes of enjoying the benefits of their magic.  Brides wore headdresses fashioned from a variety of herbs to ensure a successful ceremony and a lifetime of happiness.  Herbs also graced garlands, bouquets, favors, and food.  Cumin, for example, appeared throughout wedding ceremonies held in the Middle Ages.  A bride and groom who carried cumin would lead a blissful life.  Brides also wore it to banish negative energy from their ceremonies.

If you count yourself or a family member among today's engaged, herb-loving couples, why not revive the traditions of our ancestors with an herbal celebration?  Many will stand up well throughout the day, not only looking attractive but costing less than standard florist fare.

THE HERBAL DECOR

The reception hall makes a great starting point for incorporating herbs into today's celebrations.  Centerpieces, garlands, and favors can all contain an herbal element.

• Make garlands and strewing mixes from meadowsweet, an herb traditionally so popular for weddings that it acquired another name:  bridewort.  An ancient Celtic test titled Mabinogion reveals the tale of Lleu, a Celtic god cursed by his mother to never obtain a name, a weapon, or a wife.  His uncle, Gwydion, assists Lleu in overcoming this curse by conjuring a bride out of oak, broom and meadowsweet.
• Create topiaries for the tables using ivy. Trace the recption hall with the plant, and dangle it from the bride's bouquet.  In Medieval times, brides carried ivy for luck, but it also shields against negativity and promotes fidelity.
• For fertility, brides often chose myrtle, herb of Venus, the love goddess.  Myrtle was born from Myrrha, the dear priestess of Venus.  To protect her from the advances of undesirable suitors, Venus turned Myrrha into the myrtle plant.  Myrtle is said to preserve love and, when planted on either side of the home, will ensure that peace and love reside within.  For an aromatic bridal wreath, tie flowering myrtle into a loose circle, then fasten with string and pin to the top of the bride's tresses.
• Here and there throughout the reception space, place vases with water and resh herbs like yarrow, the herb of everlasting love.  Hung over the newlywed's bed or used in arrangements, it is said to ensure seven years of true love.
• Pin bunches of mint along the tablecloth edges as a symbol of hospitality.  Legend has it that Menthe was a water nymph with whom Hades had an affair.  When his wife, Persephone, found out, she tried to stomp the Naiad into the ground.  Hades save Menthe by transforming her into the fragrant mint plant.

HERBAL ACCESSORIES

When incorporating herbs into the bridal party's accessories, remember that woody plants like rosemary and thyme work best and shine in groups of threes.  Consider the meaning behind the plant before you begin and choose herbs according to the message you want to convey.  Boutonnieres, corsages, and bouquets (or tussie-mussies, as they were called in Elizabethan England) can all be crafted from herbs.

• To make boutonnieres and corsages, begin with a sprig of thyme for health and courage.  (Women of the Middle Ages embroidered thyme on knights' garb before they charged into battle.)  Back it with rosemary for remembrance and sage for longevity, as an old proverb states, "How can a man grow old who has sage in his garden?"  Get creative and use variegated thyme or purple sage.  Wrap with floral tape and fasten a bow around the item.  Refrigerate until the ceremony.
• For a bridal bouquet, begin with three roses, unopened, and secured with floral tape.  The roses represent the maiden, mother, and crone--the three life phases of a woman.  Complement the roses with sprigs of myrtle, rosemary, marjoram (Aphrodite's herb) and lady's mantle, often considered a woman's best friend for its ability to relieve gynecological pain.  Build the bouquet to the desired size, taping as you go. Envelop it with a large-leafed plant like angelica, and tie it with a wide ribbon for a breathtaking display.
• The bouquets for the wedding party can be smaller versions of the bridal bouquet or they can be created to send a special wish to the bride's friends.  For a simple arrangement, use a mixture of sunflowers (for making wishes come true), lovage (for love), and catnip (for good friends).  Hold catnip in your hand until it becomes warm and then grasp the hand of another to ensure a lifelong friendship.  Save the catnip and the charm won't fail.

HERBAL FEAST

Food and drink naturally lend themselves to an herbal theme.

• For the main meal, serve a chicken dish that calms the Voodoo goddess of love, Erzulie.  Haitians offer fresh basil plants to this goddess who has claimed the herb for herself.  By baking chicken with this flavor, you can do the same.
• For an accompanying dish, take a cue from Shakespeare, whose Hamlet said, "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance, pray, love, remember," and serve rosemary roasted potatoes.  The herb stimulate sthe memory and for this reason, Elizabethan and Victorian brides would present guests with this pine-scented herb as a symbol that they would not be forgotten after the ceremony.
• Toast the evening with an herbal punch infused with lemon balm and pineapple sage.  When soaked in wine, strained, and then shared, lemon balm (a healing herb that tugs at the heartstrings, according to Arabian herbalists) will tempt two people to fall in love.  Fill a pitcher with lemon balm and pineapple sage leaves.  Pour in four cups of water, one-half cup of sugar, and one bottle of sweet white wine.  Chill for one hour, stirring often.  Strain mixture and place in a punch bowl; then add one bottle of champagne.  Float sliced lemons and pineapple sage flowers on top.  The lipstick-red flowers are edible and lend a tropical flavor. Makes 12-servings.
• As for the wedding cake, Victorians often baked it with rosewater, adding the perfumed elixir to muffins, cookies and cakes.  To capture that distinctive flavor on the big day, make an amaretto-rose cake.  (For a pretty presentation, use a rose-shaped cake pan or heart bundt pan, both found at cooking or craft stores.)  Prepare your favorite white cake recipe, or follow instructions on a packaged mix.  Add two teaspoons of rosewater and one teaspoon of Amaretto just before baking.  To glaze, whisk together one cup of powdered sugar, three tablespoons of light cream, and one teaspoon of rosewater.  Drizzle glaze over the cake so that it runs down the sides.

The possibilities are endless whenit comes to incorporating herbs throughout wedding decor.  Enchant guests with the allure of herbs by using your imagination to create your own combinations.  By employing these sacred plants, you send a secret wish to the gods of nature--and capture a little magic for yourself.

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