Why do we bury the bourbon?
This Southern wedding tradition, while very common, is rooted in mystique. No one knows exactly where it originated, though many believe it to have emerged in Kentucky, where bourbon production is almost hand in hand with state culture. Whatever the true roots, we know one thing for sure – Any wedding planner or photographer in the South who’s even a little superstitious has a story about bourbon warding off rain.
Legend has it that burying a bottle of bourbon upside down thirty day before your wedding day brings clear skies on your special day. Digging it up and toasting together after your ceremony will bring longevity & lifelong happiness to your marriage.
Because so many wedding ceremonies take place outside in Virginia, it’s no surprise that many couples buy into the superstition behind the tradition. You may as well, right?
I’ve seen this work countless times, but the best, most clutch moment was June of 2023. As our bride, the ever stunning-even-under-emminent-gray-skies Tucker, finished her hair & makeup at Farmington Country Club and stepped outside for photos with Katie Lewis, thunder rumbled ominously and gray clouds steamrolled in, truly like a scene from a movie. We all kept our cool,
because after all, the bourbon had been buried–surely things would turn around!
Sure enough, a quintessential Virginia summer thunderstorm raged through the area for about 15 minutes, while our bride, groom & wedding party were safely under cover. The humidity broke and the skies cleared, again, almost unrealistically, like a scene from a movie.
Our ceremony took place indoors, and by the time guests were out at cocktail hour, Tucker & Billy and dug up their bourbon and toasted the success of this Southern wedding tradition.
That’s not to say bourbon is everyone’s cup of tea, though it does bring folks together for a celebratory toast. I’m ever charmed by this shot by Hunter & Sarah Photography of our gorgeous bride Michelle, moments after she married her high school sweetheart Andy at their family’s estate in October 2024.
Here’s how to bury the bourbon, according to superstition:
- Go to your ceremony location 30 days before your wedding date.
- Bury an unopened bottle of bourbon upside down (pro tip: wrap it in a plastic bag so you don’t find yourself opening a very dirty bottle of bourbon in a month!)
- Enjoy sunny skies on your wedding day!
- Dig up the bourbon after your ceremony and toast with each other, or invite your wedding party to join in the fun!
