The institution of marriage pre-dates written and oral history. The rituals and traditions we observe today are thousands of years old. One of the most curious traditions is the role of the father of the bride. Many people wonder why the father gets to give his daughter away. Like many rituals, it once had social significance.
As the head of the household, fathers were responsible for their children. Since women did not work outside of the home, it was dad's job to find an
