Fun Wedding Traditions
With the traditional wedding season upon us, we thought it would be fun to look at how other parts of the world celebrate this wonderful union.
Buzzfeed shared these with us and now we are sharing them with you:
1. Releasing doves, Philippines
At traditional Filipino wedding receptions, the bride and groom release two doves in the air to represent a long, peaceful, and harmonious life together.
2. Confetti, Italy
3. Sake-sharing ceremony, Japan
In the beloved Japanese tradition of san-san-kudo, the bride and groom take three sips each from three flat sake cups, after which their parents do the same, bonding the families together.
4. Log cutting, Germany
In Germany, newlyweds must instantly put their bond to the test by working together to saw a log in half in front of all their guests. The act is intended to showcase the bride and groom’s ability to work together and face the obstacles that may come throughout their marriage.
5. Kransekake, Norway
6. A goose for the bride, Korea
According to Korean tradition, grooms give their new mother-in-laws wild geese or ducks. The monogamous animals represent the groom’s pure intentions and loyalty to his bride. In a more modern reincarnation, brides and grooms exchange wooden geese and ducks on their wedding day as a sign of their commitment.
7. Blackening, Scotland
In this Scottish tradition, the bride, groom, or both, are taken out on the day before their wedding, plied with alcohol, and covered in treacle, ash, feathers, and flour by friends and family. The celebratory mess was originally carried out to avoid evil spirits and bring good luck.
8. Ring of flowers, Pakistan
9. Croquembouche, France
French weddings often serve a croquembouche, a truly delightfully tower of cream-filled pastry puffed that can be dipped in any number of sweet sauces, as the wedding cake. A croquembouche can be decorated with fruit, nuts, and glazes, and makes a fantastic centerpiece.
10. Stealing the groom’s shoes, India
11. Black wedding cake, Jamaica
At weddings Caribbean countries often serve a dark cake, made from dark fruits and rum. The same cake can be served at Christmas, and has a lot in common with a traditional Christmas fruit cake.
12. Spitting on the bride, Kenya
In Kenya, as the freshly married bride and groom leave the village, the father of the bride spits on his daughter’s head and chest, so as not to jinx their good fortune.
13. Money dance, Poland
14. Breaking a white bell, Guatemala
At a Guatemalan wedding reception, the mother of the groom breaks a white bell to welcome the newlyweds to the party. The bell, filled with flour, rice, and grains, is meant to bring luck and prosperity.
15. Polterabend, Germany
German hen parties and stag nights grew out of the tradition of Polterabend, in which family and friends smash dishware outside the homes of the upcoming bride and groom and the night before their wedding.
16. Ransoming the bride, Romania
In Romania, a mock abduction game is common before wedding ceremonies take place. The bride is kidnapped by friends, family, or hired entertainers, and the groom must come to her rescue and pay her ransom through drinks, money, or romantic gestures.
Bride-napping turns out to be a common trope across European countries, with versions in Russia, Germany, and Wales. In the latter, a Welsh best man takes the bride to the pub before the wedding, and the groom-to-be must find them and pick up the tab.
17. Bridal sedans and red umbrellas, China
A traditional Chinese wedding features a full procession, with the bride escorted to the ceremony in a bridal sedan. Red is a powerful color in Chinese weddings, symbolizing boldness, luck, and love. According to tradition, the bride wears a red veil to hide her face, and her mother or attendant holds a red umbrella over the bride’s head to encourage fertility and grow her own family.
18. Henna, India
As part of the elaborate and visually stunning traditional Indian wedding, brides and other female attendees are often dyed with intricate henna designs to represent the joy, hope, and love of the occasion.
19. Two bouquets, Mexico
In Mexico, it’s common for a bride to carry a bouquet for herself, and a second as a tribute to the Virgin Mary.
20. Carrying fire, South Africa
In South African tradition, the parents of the bride and groom bring fire from their own fireplaces to the home of the newlyweds. The bride and groom use the flames provided from their childhood homes to ignite the hearth in their new home together.
21. Unity bowl, Australia
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