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Have you ever wondered why we save the top layer of wedding cakes, only to freeze it and consume it an entire year later when chances are it won't be quite as delicious?

Here's a hint:

First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes a baby in a baby carriage.

It used to be a very common occurrence that by the time the one-year anniversary rolled around a couple would be busy planning a christening. So instead of baking another cake for the occasion, people just baked a huge cake for the wedding and saved part of it to be served at the christening.

How very practical yet sad for the little one, don't you think?

Of course, nowadays there is no such expectation, but the tradition of saving a piece of cake lives on. And now you know why.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day we can all go a little Irish. It's a land rich with history, tradition, superstition, and really great parties -- there's something for each of us to take away and use for our own wedding plans. So, take that little leprechaun's advice and follow the pot of gold to your own riches. Other brides will be green with envy when you incorporate these Irish wedding customs into your celebration (from The Traditional Irish Wedding).

When I was ten years old, I bought my mom a decorative candle for her birthday. It's been lit once or twice during blackouts, but otherwise it's been sitting on a shelf on display in my parents' family room for the better part of two decades. It just goes to show that a well made candle can last as long as most keepsakes that aren't made of wax.

If you're using a unity candle in your wedding ceremony, do you plan to throw the candle out after the ceremony with all the dead flowers and leftover maps to the reception, or do you plan to keep it forever as a cherished reminder of when you lit it for the first time?

If you're going to keep the candle, you want to select one that not only matches your wedding style, but also the style of your living room.

Everyone knows that weddings are all about the bride. (Though this question is somewhat up for debate, no one denies that this is the norm.) So when the bride is your little girl, what role do you have?

The main players in the wedding planning will probably be the bride, the bride's mom, and the bride's best friend, but dads have a part, too. This part is less defined by tradition, so you probably don't have a clue what's expected of you. Here's a short list, with suggestions provided by Groomgroove:

The jewelry industry is great at giving people reasons to spend money. Whoever came up with the idea that engagement rings should cost three months' salary was a marketing genius -- and an evil, evil person. Birthstones, too, are all a creation of the marketing gurus to make sure jewelry will sell year round, and not just at the major holidays. One of the latest traditions created by the jewelry industry is the past present future design, to symbolize your past, present, and future in love.

Past present future jewelry can be any three stone piece, but diamonds are the most common, especially rings and pendants. The first stone represents past, the second is present, and the third is future. Often the stones are graduated with the smallest on top and the largest at the bottom, or in a ring, with one larger stone between two smaller ones.

Though the design may be a marketing ploy, it's a popular one. The specific symbolism is especially appropriate for weddings, and many brides choose to accessorize with this style of jewelry. Past present future designs also make popular anniversary gifts.

My first anniversary is approaching, and I've been married since 2004. How is that possible? Well, my husband and I tied the knot on Leap Day. That's right, our anniversary is on February 29.

What would possess someone to get married on a day that guarantees they'll only see the date once every four years? As we were planning, we talked about February 29 since it was approaching. We thought it would be fun to have such a different wedding date. It was an impulse, really. After all, not a lot of people choose to have a once-every-four-years anniversary. For good reason.

One thing we didn't think about was our family tree. My parents print out a family calendar every year. This is the first time in four years that our marriage shows up in February, thanks to our "unique" date.

And what date are we supposed to celebrate on? February 28? March 1? We're not really sure from year to year. Heck, we're lucky to even remember it because the date that sticks in our minds isn't coming up. Until this year, thankfully. And gifts? Cards? Are we supposed to give them every year? Just on the actual anniversary? It's all so confusing. Okay, I am being a bit silly here. I do realize that these things are up to us and we have to decide what's best for us. But it's not as easy as it sounds, trust me.

With all of that said, it's still pretty fun to have this wedding date. Even if it'll be another four years before we see our anniversary. Oh well. That gives my husband a LOT of shopping time.

Tell us, would you choose February 29 as your wedding date? Does something like that matter to you as you're making plans?

Are you still looking for the perfect something blue to wear with your wedding dress? We're all big fans of jewelry here at AisleDash, and if you want blue gems, you're in luck, because there are lots of them! We'll start with aquamarine, since it's the March birthstone and that's just right around the corner.

Aquamarine is the light blue variety of the stone beryl (emerald is the green version), with a Mohs hardness of 7.5. This means that the stones are hard enough to resist scratches and breaks from normal wear, but soft enough that they are more susceptible to damage from rough wear, so you should treat your aquamarine jewelry with care.

Aquamarine prices have a wide range, but you should be able to find good quality aquamarine gemstones for not more than about $100 per carat, so you can get some nice pieces without breaking the bank. This doesn't factor in metal prices, of course. As you will see in the gallery below, most aquamarine jewelry is set in white gold, because yellow gold tends to mute or distort the color of the stone. This is a matter of preference, though, and most jewelers will be happy to reset your jewelry in a different metal if you so desire.

You've probably seen these rings before -- the ones with the hands, heart, and crown -- but did you know they are more than just a popular design? The Claddagh design first emerged in Ireland in the 17th century as a symbol of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown).

Claddagh rings are often given as gifts of friendship or familial love, but with the associated symbolism, it's no surprise that the rings are popular wedding and engagement rings as well. Traditionally, when the ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, that means that the wearer is single. On the right hand with the heart facing the body indicates that the one wearing the ring is in a relationship. Worn on the left hand, the ring symbolizes engagement when the heart faces outward and marriage when the heart faces the body.

There are some variations on the design, and often the rings will feature a gemstone in the heart. They can be worn by both men and women, and claddaghs are a great symbol both of love and Irish heritage. Check out the gallery for examples of traditional and contemporary style claddagh rings.

From both the guest's and the bride's perspective, I have to say that I really hate receiving lines. I think it's boring and silly to stand in a long line only to get a few seconds of face time, certainly not enough for any meaningful conversation, anyway. And as the person doing the receiving, I feel like this tradition can be quite tedious, and it puts a lot of pressure on you. You have to come up with something to say to each and every one of your guests so that they don't feel like they've just wasted the last fifteen minutes waiting in line to talk to you -- and heaven forbid you forget someone's name!

The rules of etiquette demand that you acknowledge and speak to all of your guests, and as Peggy Post points out, a receiving line is the most efficient way to do this, either at the end of your ceremony or at the beginning of your reception. But it is by no means the only way. If you've got assigned seating at your reception, you can simply work your way through each table before people start getting up to dance. With smaller guest lists, you can just mingle naturally, making sure to make your way around to everyone. I feel like this method gives you the opportunity to really speak to each of your guests, without the pressure of a long line of people waiting behind them to get to you. And if someone's name slips your mind, you've got time to ask someone who can remind you, so you can properly introduce them to your new spouse.

At the "end of the world" in a corner of predominantly Christian Bulgaria, Fikrie Sabrieva upholds winter wedding ceremonial customs, despite decades of persecution, poverty, and a world in which most women want to be modern. In a private, female-only family ceremony, her face is painted with white chalky paint and elaborately decorated with sequins. She is presented to her husband-to-be wearing a long red veil over her face, baggy pants, and a colorful bodice. Fikrie is not allowed to fully open her eyes until the priest blesses the couple. After facing Communist dominance, her people identify themselves by their Muslim religion, and they do not want to modernize. Upholding these traditions makes them who they are.

In Northern India, the beautiful practice of Mehendi has been part of wedding ceremonies for hundreds of years. The word Mehendi, technically the name of a small tropical shrub, refers to the practice of decorating the bride's hands with reddish dye that is made from leaves of this plant. Traditionally, the bridesmaids gather before the wedding and apply Mehendi to the bride. This takes hours and gives them a chance to have quality "girl talk" before the wedding. The reddish/brown color of the dye symbolizes the prosperity that the bride will bring her new family, and it is often thought that the darker the color, the more the bride's mother-in-law will love her. As if that's not enough to convince her to go dark, she is also not expected to do any housework until the dye wears off. Darker is indeed better! The practice of using henna to dye the hands is a widespread nuptial tradition. In popular culture, Mehendi has become a substitute for tattoo art. It offers the same intricacy of design without the pain or permanence of real tattoos.

In Chinese culture, wedding days are meticulously chosen based on astrological signs, and weddings often begin on the half hour, which brings luck because the hands of the clock are moving in an upward motion. Chinese ceremonies usually involve just the bride and groom's families and are followed by a larger reception and cake cutting. Key cultural symbols are also incorporated into marriage ceremonies to bring good luck to the new couple.

The first custom is the use of vibrant red, which symbolizes love, joy, and good fortune. The bride's gown is often red, along with invitations and many decorations. Also, the bride and groom's houses are traditionally decorated in red.

Second, two xi characters placed together create a symbol (double happiness) that according to a story from the ancient Tang Dynasty, means ultimate joy, and this symbol often adorns decorations placed where the bride and groom must see it.

Finally, the traditional guest book consists of a large piece of red silk, typically printed with the symbols above. Guests use a brush and ink to sign the cloth and create a keepsake for the couple.

Give your ceremony some Chinese flair by incorporating Chinese motifs into your decorations.

Are you engaged and thinking about setting the date? Well, if you're considering a Christmas wedding for next year, rest assured that you don't have to stick to red and green for your color scheme and poinsettias for your bouquet -- there's a whole world of Christmas traditions you can opt to follow. Here are some traditions from all over the world, some of which might surprise you.

• Costa Rica -- Huge stables are constructed to make "the Christ" as comfortable as possible in his manger.
  
• Micronesia -- Families attend church all day, singing carols and giving gifts like bars of soap. Each recipient applauds him- or herself as they receive the gift.
  
• New Guinea -- Tribes exchange an infant son, and the tribe adopting the son (called the Peace Child) cares for him until his death, as his death ends the treaty of peace.
  
• Sicily -- A fast begins at sunset on December 23rd and breaks at sunset of the 24th. An enormous feast is held, including eels and larks. A kind witch (La Befena) fills the childrens' stockings on January 6th, giving them plenty of time to digest their fabulous meal.

Now, how many of these customs are ancient and how many are still currently practiced, I couldn't tell you. But at least you know that there are lots of options for your holiday nuptials!

In western culture, the bride's white dress has come to symbolize virginity. But according to some recent statistics, there aren't so many virgin brides anymore -- but still the white dress prevails. Some uptight traditionalists might say it's wrong to wear white if you're not a virgin, but actually, virginity was not the original meaning of the white dress.

The tradition of wearing white isn't even that old, really. It gained popularity when Queen Victoria of England married Albert of Saxe-Coberg in 1840, wearing a white gown to incorporate some lace that she owned. At that time, a white wedding dress was extremely uncommon, and not a sign of purity, but a sign of wealth -- for only very wealthy women could afford a dress that could never be worn again (cleaning a white dress was not so easy in 1840).

Though many copied the queen's style for their own weddings, it still wasn't until the mid-20th century that white came to dominate the wedding dress market, as pictures and videos from weddings of the world's wealthiest and most famous really spread the trend.

Really, the white dress was more a symbol of vanity than virginity. Before Victoria, brides married in almost any color, except black, the color of mourning, and red, which was associated with prostitutes. Brides who wanted to wear a symbol of their purity wore blue.