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Thought to have originated from Roman law, which required ten witnesses at the wedding in order to outsmart evil spirits by dressing in identical clothing to the bride and groom, so that the evil spirit would not know who was getting married.
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Bridesmaids:
Other people cite the biblical story of Jacob, and his two wives Leah and Rachel, who both literally came with their own maids as detailed in the Book of Genesis (29:24, 46:18) as the origin of bridesmaids. These women were handmaidens (servants or slaves) instead of social peers.
Groomsmen:Long ago, brides were often taken from different tribes by force. The groom would bring along his Best Man and friends to make sure the kidnapping went off without a hitch. These days, the role of groomsmen is less physically (and criminally) demanding.
