Wedding Traditions from Around the World, Part 1
Wedding traditions and customs vary from one country and culture to another. Each one is special and celebrates the marriage bond of the newlyweds.
AFRICA
- Young girls are trained to become good wives at an early age.
- Soon-to-be brides are sometimes taught a secret language allowing them to communicate with other married women…without their husbands understanding.
- In Somalia, a girl might be engaged even before she is born.
- In Sudan, the groom must pay his wife’s family in cattle for the loss of their daughter’s labor.
- The bride’s veil is made of plaited hair, representing reserve, and the wedding guests wear traditional regional costumes.
- Wine is poured on the land as a dedication to the gods.
ARABIA
- Often, the bride and groom meet for the first time on their wedding day.
- Arabian law permits a man to have four wives, but today, since expenses can be very high, men are generally sticking to a single wife.
- The bride wears an elaborate veil and has her hands and feet decorated with elaborate drawings created with henna.
- During the wedding reception, men and women are separated.
BULGARIA
- The bride tosses a dish filled with wheat, coins and raw eggs over her head, and if the dish breaks, it will bring her good luck.
- It is considered good luck for the bride and the groom to each step into the church with their right foot first.
- Once the official wedding papers are signed, another wedding custom, stepping, occurs. Whoever steps on the other’s foot first will be dominate and will provide for the new family.
BERMUDA
- The bride and groom walk under a moon gate after the ceremony to bring them good luck.
- The bride and groom have separate wedding cakes.
- The bride’s cake is a tiered fruitcake covered in silver leaf. On top is a small cedar sapling, which will be planted after the ceremony to symbolize the growth of the couple’s love.
- The groom’s cake is covered in gold leaf to represent prosperity.
CHINA
- Firecrackers greet the bride when she arrives at the wedding ceremony to ward off evil spirits.
- Chinese wedding dresses are red adorned with gold for good luck.
- Decorations and gift-wrappings are red and gold to symbolize happiness and wealth.
- Peanuts are associated with virility and are a lucky gift for a new bride and groom. The most traditional type of wedding sweet is a hard peanut and sesame candy, and it is said to bring the bride and groom a large family.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
- An infant is laid on the wedding bed to symbolize fertility.
- The bride and the groom break plates into as many pieces as possible. The number of pieces is proportionate to the success of the marriage. The more pieces, the more successful the marriage.
- Brides often plant a tree in their yard and decorate it with ribbons and painted eggshells. It is their hope that they’ll live as long as the tree.
DENMARK
- Arches of pine branches are built in front of the bride’s home, which symbolises fertility.
- During the reception, when the groom disappears to the restroom, or wherever, all the unmarried young men run over to kiss the bride. When the bride disappears, all the single young girls run over to kiss the groom.
- After the wedding waltz, the male guests lift up the groom and cut the tips of his socks to symbolize that he should no longer walk in the footsteps of other women.
Look for Part 2 of Wedding Traditions from Around the World next week.
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Lisa Bakewell
Tags: Non-traditional Wedding, Planning, Tips, Unique Weddings, Wedding Ideas, Wedding Tips, Wedding Traditions
