50+ Lifestyles

The History of the June Bride

By Eloise Graham

Do you remember a time when June was the Number #1 month for wedding ceremonies? There is a reason or two for that.
Reason number 1 dates back to Roman times and their pagan gods. June 1st is the beginning of the festival celebrating the marriage of the deity Jupiter to his wife Juno, who just happened to be the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Many couples thought that marrying in June would bless their union.

Reason number 2 has more to do with the “fragrance” of the
people. In the 14th and 15th centuries, late April or early May was the time for the annual bath. That’s right. People bathed only one time a year. So by June, they still weren’t TOO smelly. Flowers were blooming at this time, so carrying a bouquet helped mask any body odor that was starting. Men opted to wear a flower near their nose; hence the boutonnière became popular.

The History of Flag Day
The year was 1777 and the date was June 14. The Second Continental Congress made a
resolution to adopt the flag of the United States. While the majority of the people celebrated this day as Flag Day, it was not until 1916 that President Wilson issued a proclamation
officially proclaiming it as Flag Day.

Other June History Facts
June  1, 1868 – James Buchanan died
June  2, 1935 – Babe Ruth played his last game
June  4, 1778 – United States Secret Service organized
June  6, 1933 – First drive-in movie opened in New Jersey
June  8, 1847 – First Lady Ida McKinley was born
June  8, 1925 – First Lady Barbara Bush was born
June 11, 1947 – Rationing of sugar ended
June 12, 1838 – Iowa territory was organized
June 14, 1965 – the Beatles US album, Beatles VI, was released
June 16, 1876 – Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” was published
June 17, 1928 – Amelia Earhart, first women to fly across the Atlantic
June 20, 1782 – the Great Seal of the United States was adopted
June 21, 1731 – First Lady Martha Washington was born
June 22, 1870 – Congress created the Department of Justice
June 24, 1938 – National Minimum wage law enacted at $0.25 an hour.
June 27, 1880 – Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama
June 30, 1768 – First Lady Elizabeth Monroe was born