Here's a shortlist of just some of these wedding traditions around the world.
1. Germany – Teamwork
On the night before the wedding, guests arrive and smash any porcelain object. But, it's the couple that has to clean up the mess which symbolizes their will to work things out together as any upcoming obstacles in their marriage. Another German tradition that symbolizes their teamwork is known as Baumstamm Sägen where they're given a two-person saw and they need to saw a tree trunk.
2. Romania – Kidnapping a Bride
A part of the Romanian wedding tradition is 'kidnapping' a soon to be bride by her family or friends before the wedding. The groom must find her and pay her ransom which is usually done through gifts, money or by displaying some romantic gestures. 'Kidnapping' the bride is part of the tradition in some small villages in Germany, too.
3. Fiji – I Love You From the Inside
Part of the Fiji culture and marriage tradition is giving a large sperm whale tooth by a groom and his family to the bride when the groom is asking for permission to have her as a future wife. Tabua symbolizes good luck but also the status of the family – buying a tabua means the groom's family is well off. Apart from the engagements and weddings, tabuas are given at births, funerals and as a way to apologize.
4. Cuba – Dancing With the Bride
Dancing with a bride in Cuba comes with a price. If you wish to have a dance you'll have to pin some money to the bride's dress. This kind of wedding tradition is not only fun for the guests but it’s practical since it helps the newlyweds to pay for their wedding and possibly a honeymoon. This kind of tradition is also practised at Polish weddings.
5. Balinese ceremony
For Balinese, their wedding is the most important moment of their life. Getting married in Bali follows unique processes that involve the couple's family and their locals. The first part of the wedding process is meeting the parents. After that, they choose the wedding date which is based on Balinese Hindu Calendar. Balinese Hindu wedding ceremonies are followed by religious rituals, Balinese music and dancers.
If you're not a Hindu but you'd like to have your Bali wedding you could use some of the elements of Balinese wedding ceremonies. The most popular is having a Balinese blessing ceremony, Balinese flower decorations, traditional music or any other element of their traditional wedding you could use.
6. China – Tea party
Typical wedding tradition in China is serving tea as a way for newlyweds to show love and respect for their relatives. Tea ceremonies are practised to honour the bride and the groom family and a way of showing appreciation for raising them and taking care of them. During this ceremony, each person takes a sip and hand the couple a red envelope that usually contains money or jewellery.
7. Scotland – A Dirty Wedding Tradition
In this tradition, the bride and the groom are kidnapped a day before the wedding and covered with anything that their friends and family can get their hands on. This usually includes ash, alcohol, flour, rotten eggs and other nasty things. The practice is believed to bring good luck to the new couple and avoid evil spirits.
8. India – Mehndi
Instead of wearing hand jewellery, an Indian bride spends hours on getting her hand-painted. The paint is made from henna and this is known as mehndi. Even though this practice requires a lot of patience, it's worth it since this wonderful work of art lasts up to two weeks. Apart from its aesthetic purposes, this has medical properties as well – it is believed that mehndi calms the bride and helps her deal with the stressful day.
Interesting Reads: Wedding Destinations in India
9. Jamaica – Try Your Best
An interesting thing about Jamaican tradition is that in the wedding, everyone is a critic. During a wedding, villagers line up and take a look at the bride. If her appearance isn't up to the required standard they have to call out negative comments. If most of the villagers are critical and have negative comments, the bride goes home and can have a second attempt later on.
10. Turkey – The jewelry pinning ceremony
The guests bring gifts such as gold and money, so after the wedding ceremony, all the guests come one by one and pin gold/money to the piece of clothing attached to the outfits of the couple. Then they take pictures with the couple and congratulate them by kissing them on cheeks. This ceremony takes more than an hour.
Summary
Wedding traditions are practiced across the world by different people and their various cultures. These ceremonies bring out the best in everyone and present a joyful celebration. Some of the traditions are common for different countries and cultures, and some are unique and can’t be practiced anywhere else. The common thing for all of them is that it’s believed that they increase newlyweds’ chances of a lifetime of love and happiness.