▁from ▁their ▁f athers . ▁ ▁A ▁woman ' s ▁friends ▁would ▁give ▁her ▁several ▁g ifts ▁to ▁allow ▁her ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁necessary ▁dow ry ▁to ▁marry ▁whatever ▁man ▁she ▁chose . ▁ ▁Many ▁cou ples ▁will ▁make ▁pre ca utions ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁will ▁not ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁see ▁each ▁other ▁until ▁their ▁wed ding ▁ceremony . ▁ ▁Today , ▁this ▁is ▁done ▁merely ▁to ▁u ph old ▁tradition ▁and ▁super st ition , ▁but ▁the ▁idea ▁st ems ▁from ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁when ▁mar ri ages ▁were ▁arranged . ▁ ▁In ▁these ▁cases , ▁the ▁b ride ▁and ▁gro om ▁would ▁meet ▁each ▁other ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁at ▁their ▁own ▁wed ding . ▁ ▁Cer em ony ▁and ▁reception ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ceremony , ▁it ▁is ▁custom ary ▁to ▁include ▁br ides ma ids ▁and ▁gro oms men ▁in ▁the ▁event . ▁ ▁The ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁br idal ▁party ▁are ▁chosen ▁to ▁share ▁the ▁happiness ▁with ▁the ▁couple ▁getting ▁married . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁br ides ma ids ▁in ▁the ▁ceremony ▁origin ated ▁as ▁a ▁technique ▁of ▁confusing ▁evil ▁spirits ▁as ▁to ▁who ▁the ▁actual ▁b ride ▁was . ▁ ▁Gro oms men ▁origin ated ▁not ▁for ▁protection , ▁but ▁many ▁centuries ▁ago ▁when ▁men ▁had ▁to ▁capture ▁women ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁marry ▁them . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁ste al ▁the ▁woman ▁they ▁chose ▁to ▁marry , ▁men ▁needed ▁to ▁pick ▁the ▁most ▁capable ▁man ▁to ▁help ▁him , ▁hence ▁" best ▁man ". ▁ ▁Today ,