Army Saber

Title: Army Saber

General Information about Item:

Informant Data:

Tim Gorman is a 22 year old man from Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Bend, Oregon and then attended West Point, graduating in 2018. He now serves as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army and is stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: The best man slaps the bride on the rear with his army saber at as the couple leaves the wedding chapel. This is customary at army weddings, at which all military dresses in formal uniform. The sabers are a sort of long sword which are granted to officers in the army.
Social Context: This folklore tradition is practiced at most traditional army weddings. It serves as light-hearted moment at the end of a formal wedding ceremony. It is a way of symbolically saying to the bride, “Welcome to the army.” Most people who have formal army weddings are those who intend to stay in the army for quite a long time, so this is a signal to the bride that she is now being welcomed into the larger army family as well.

Item (Direct Quote):

“At most military weddings, when the bride and groom exit the wedding chapel the groomsman create an arch with their sabers. Traditionally, the best man will be at the end of the arch line, and when the bride walks past him, he will slap her butt with his saber and say ‘Welcome to the Army.’ This tradition serves to integrate the bride not only with the family she will start with her husband, but with her husbands Army/unit family as well that will offer her support during the challenges and trials of being a military spouse.”

Collector’s Name: Natalie Knight

Tags/Keywords:

Dartmouth Folklore Archive