A bride who wears pearls on her wedding day invites sorrow and emotional hardship in her marriage.

Wearing Pearls as a Bride Brings Tears

Details

This superstition holds that a bride should avoid wearing pearls during her wedding ceremony. Pearls, with their round, glistening shape and off-white color, are said to resemble tears. Folklore suggests that adorning oneself with these ‘tears’ invokes sorrow within the marriage, symbolically ensuring a union filled with hardship, sadness, or weeping. The practice most commonly urges brides to replace pearls with happier symbols like diamonds or other gemstones seen as auspicious. In some traditions, inherited or gifted pearls may be considered more acceptable, especially if passed down by women with long and happy marriages, although this exception varies across cultures. The belief is often accompanied by older sayings such as, “Beware the bride who wears tears,” invoking caution against symbolic misfortune.

Historical Context

This superstition primarily emerged in Western wedding customs in the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, symbolic interpretations of color, shape, and texture were widely accepted in personal adornment. Pearls, though beautiful and historically valuable, were linked to tears and grief in many cultures. In Victorian England, mourning jewelry often incorporated pearls to represent tears of loss. Over time, this symbolism extended to weddings—another emotionally charged rite of passage—leading to the belief that pearls might introduce sorrow into what should be a joyful bond. It reflects a broader cultural tendency to imbue personal items with metaphorical significance, especially in emotionally significant rituals like marriage.

Modern Relevance

Today, many brides choose to wear pearls without concern for this superstition, particularly in Western societies where symbolic interpretations of jewelry have waned. Pearls are often chosen for their elegance and traditional appeal. However, the superstition still circulates in some areas, especially among older generations or in conservative households, where traditional beliefs about marriage and symbolism are more likely to persist. Online bridal forums occasionally mention the ‘pearls are tears’ belief as part of a larger discussion on wedding luck traditions. In East Asian and South Asian wedding planning circles, where cultural symbolism remains strong, this superstition can sometimes influence jewelry choices, especially if elders are involved in the wedding planning. Still, modern reinterpretations of the pearl as a symbol of purity or wisdom are helping to weaken the superstition’s grip.

Sources

Gillis, Stacy. ‘The Cultural Construction of Emotions in the Victorian Era.’ Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012.

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