Pat, thank you for the informative message about marriage customs for widows. There is another marriage custom called "throwing the stocking" which I have always been curious about. Jonathan Holmes described the custom in his diary as follows: 25 Apr 1737 "in the after part of the day I went unto John Bards: Peter Bowne being with me it being wedding times there. at evening as the young folks was a shoeing tricks in the outward room the Groom and Brid Luckeyly Sliped into Bed and fastened the doore: Some notice was given of the matter before the groom was gott to bed. Some indeavored to peep but the females hindered us with a seeming desire to have all to themselves & that while the groom was ondressing some said that they would open the doore and fe (see) that the brid was rightly put to bed and would throwe the Stocken. after some time the wind rose or something that drew the window sheet open & a person jumpd in and opened the Doore then all hands in a seeking for the brides stocking which after awhile I found in my hand and another I found under the bed then to throwing the stocking after some I threw & hit the brids nose which made lafter (laughter) and after we had done I saluted the brid and so shut the door & window" (John E. Stillwell, "Historical & Genealogical Miscellany", 3:368, Jonathan Holmes' Diary). Any ideas on what throwing the bride's stocking symbolized? Susan