Wedding Customs From Around The World
Weddings are special in every country. Read about weddings celebrations worldwide.
African weddings have customs that not only take
place during the ceremony, but also beforehand and afterwards.
Throughout the ceremony, the bride keeps her face hidden behind a veil of
braided hair. This is to represent her modesty. In order to encourage fertility,
she would wear a necklace made of “Cowrie” shells,
During the ceremony, the wedding couple are bound together at the wrists as a
symbolic way of linking them together. Also during the ceremony, wine is poured
onto the ground as an offer to the Gods and a way of inviting them to the join
in the celebration of marriage.
As a way of showing the ending of a carefree single life, the custom known as
“Jumping the Broom” is used. It originated as a symbolic jumping through the
doorway or threshold and leads you into the responsibilities of domestic life
and a future together. Effectively you are sweeping out of the old and welcoming
in the new. Its origins come from an old African tribal ritual when the couple
would lay sticks on the ground.
Generally American weddings are not much
different from traditional British weddings. The main difference is that
Americans tend to have extra celebrations leading up to the wedding day.
One of the most popular American celebrations is known as the “bridal
shower”. This is a party usually held at a house when the bride invites all of
her girlfriends. They then offer her gifts, often with a theme, such as a
wedding, a commitment or even of a comical nature. The gifts can also include
items for a new home or gifts pertaining to the season. They then indulge
themselves with good food and party games.
On an evening before the wedding, a rehearsal dinner is held by the groom’s
parents. They invite their immediate family and also the bride’s immediate
family and this is a way of joining the two families together. The bride’s
father sometimes holds a covered dish, which is filled with coins and symbolises
the bride’s dowry.
After the wedding, the usual ritual of tossing the bouquet to the single women
is done; however, the bride also tosses her garter. This is directed to all the
single men at the wedding. It is said that the man who catches the garter is
said to be the next to marry, so the eternal bachelors suddenly become very
clumsy!
In Latin American weddings, the Flower Girls and Ring Bearer are dressed as
miniature versions of the bride and groom.
In early American history the settlers had a
tradition of placing some cloth, wood, bread and a dollar bill into a small
purse. The bride would then pin this to her petticoat. These items symbolised
clothes, shelter, food and money, and were carried to ensure that there would
always be sufficient of each for the couple.
Before the ceremony, the bride and groom wash
their hands. This symbolises them ridding themselves of evil and washing away
their past loves.
During the wedding ceremony, the couple share a meal of corn mush made of both
white and yellow corn. The white represents the male and the yellow represents
the female. This meal shows the bond that will tie the couple together.
The bride’s dress is woven with traditional colours that point to the four
corners of the earth - black for north, blue is for south, white is for east and
yellow is for west.
The Amish wedding ceremony can be quite plain,
yet most effective for it’s simplicity. The bride and groom personally deliver
an invitation to each of their guests and this invitation is to the bonding of
their relationship.
To ensure that everyone can attend the wedding, they plan the celebration so
that it is after the harvesting season. This usually makes the wedding in the
middle of the week. The ceremony is usually very simple, as is the bride's
dress, which is new but is something ordinary so that it could also be worn to
church on Sunday.
Arabic wedding ceremonies are very serious
affairs and they follow the traditions of their countries very carefully. Both
the ceremony and receptions are treated with the same respect and both have
areas segregated for men and women.
The women at the ceremony perform the “wedding wail”, which symbolically
mourns the loss of the bride to the family.
The bride’s dress is a often made from caftan, which is both ornate and very
beautiful, and the bride’s hands and feet are bound in intricate lace-like
patterns painted with henna dye.
Before the wedding, the Chinese bride goes into seclusion along with her friends for a symbolic mourning for leaving her parental home. Before the wedding, the married couples from the groom's family visits the bride's place with gifts in red baskets and boxes. One of those baskets contains 'uang Susu' or milk honey. Three days before the wedding, the women from the bride's family bring return gifts to the groom's family.
It is mandatory for the couples to get married in the half hour of their wedding day rather than at the top of the hour, which denotes that the couples would begin their lives together on an upswing as the hands of the clock are moving up and not down.
Cuban wedding receptions have two very unique customs.
The first is very famous as most brides and grooms from all over the world would love this to be a part of their wedding; each man that dances with the bride must pin money to her dress – this is the one night that the groom must be pleased to see his wife dancing with so many men.
The second tradition sees the bride and groom
giving a gift to each guest. This is a way of saying thank you to each guest for
coming to the wedding and being part of the special day. Generally the reception
at a Cuban wedding is alive with music and dancing.
Before the Czech wedding ceremony takes place, the couple's wedding bed is “blessed”. This is done very simply by laying a baby on it, which is meant to enhance their fertility. As another symbol of fertility, the bridesmaids pin pieces of rosemary onto each guest.
Before the actual wedding ceremony takes place,
the couple stand together on the steps of the church. They are then presented to
their guests by the couple’s male sponsor, know as their “Starosta”. He
gives them a stern lecture about their duties as husband and wife.
The bride keeps her veil on throughout the ceremony, however the veil is removed
and replaced by the traditional matron’s bonnet, while the guests sing the
Czech wedding song, “Pisen Svatebn”.
After a Dutch wedding, the couple plants lily-of-the-valley in their garden so that they can renew their love for one another every year when the plants bloom.
English
Older, more traditional English Wedding
celebrations used to begin on the way to the ceremony, with young girls
scattering flower petals along the path that the bride is walking. This was done
in the hope of providing a happy path in life. The bride would walk down the
path carrying a horseshoe decorated with ribbons on one bent arm, to bestow good
luck on herself.
A traditional English wedding cake is a usually a basic fruitcake. The top tier is known as the “christening cake”, which is saved for the baptism of the couple’s first child. The cake is typically made of raisins, ground almonds and cherries and topped with marzipan.
During the 1500’s most people got married in June. This was because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June (well, some of them did!). However, most were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour, hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.
At a Filipino wedding, the couple, to symbolize their undying love for each other, release a pair of doves that had been previously caged in an elaborate bell made of flowers.
During the evening when the guests dance with
them both, the bride and groom have money pinned to them. Sometimes the families
compete to see who will collect the most; either way the happy couple hope to
have a sound financial start to their wedded life together.
Early summer is the most popular time for weddings in Finland. In the early evening, groups of women or men, headed respectively by either the bride or groom, take to the streets. The leader in each case, often masked and perhaps even partly clothed, amuses their friends by handing out hastily scribbled advice on life to passers by.
French weddings are best known for their elegance. It is a tradition for the bride’s dress to be white, as in many other countries. However in France is it also tradition for the table wear and decorations to also be in white, which is said to represent elegance.
Once the couple are married and leave the church after the ceremony, laurel leaves are scattered outside the exit by the wedding party.
At the reception, a special cup is used to toast
the newlyweds’ future. It is called the “Coupe de Marriage” and has
two-handles, one for each person. This special cup has usually been passed down
through the generations.
After the wedding reception, when it is time for the newly weds to share some
quiet time alone, some of the couple’s friends are often seen (and heard)
interrupting their peace, by banging pots and pans and singing loudly outside
their bedroom window. The groom is then supposed to invite the pranksters in for
refreshments and be polite about it!
A wedding in Germany can quite easily be a three-day celebration!
On the Thursday, the couple get together with close family and friends to go to the city centre for their civil ceremony. Afterwards they go out together for dinner.
It is on the Friday that the real fun begins. Friends and neighbours visit the couple for the ‘Polterabend,’ or wedding-eve party. The celebration entails the smashing of plates and other breakables as a sign of good luck by driving away evil spirits (may nothing ever be broken in your home again).
On the Saturday, the newlywed’s religious ceremony takes place. It begins at the bride’s parents’ home, where all of the guests congregate and then walk in pairs to the church. Children and single couples lead the procession, followed by the bride and groom and then finally the married couples.
The ceremony is then followed by a fun reception,
which often includes games and sketches performed by the guests. In Germany, the
bride is abducted from the reception by the best man, and then taken to a nearby
bar. It is then the groom’s job to search for and find them, then pay for what
they have both drunk.
Before the couple can finally sneak out of the party, friends place garlands of
flowers, greenery and ribbons at the exits. The groom must ‘ransom’ the
couple out with promises of money or a party.
A Hawaiian wedding ceremony is full of symbolism. Leis (necklaces of flowers) are worn as a symbol of the couple’s commitment to each other. The lei are the Hawaiian symbol of love. The hands of the bride and groom and bound together with leis by the ‘Kahuna Pule’, who is the religious man who will conduct the ceremony.
There are a number of different Hispanic traditions, which are dependent on the country where the actual wedding is to take place.
Prior to the wedding ceremony, a Spanish groom presents his bride with thirteen gold coins. This is his promise to support and care for her. The “Arras” is a small chest of coins symbolising wealth and strength. In both a Mexican and a Puerto Rican wedding, these coins are blessed by the priest during the ceremony; they are then given to the groom. He in turn gives the coins to the bride, who keeps them along with other mementos of their wedding day. These are kept to ensure the couple have good fortune and prosperity throughout their marriage.
In Spain, the bride’s parents represent the roles of the Best Man and Maid of Honour. The bride and groom are blessed at home by their parents before the ceremony. In Mexico, the “Padrinos” (godparents) are especially honoured by being part of the wedding.
Certain aspects of clothing are worn at Hispanic weddings to symbolise various things. Spanish grooms wear a shirt that has been embroidered by the bride. In Mexico a rosary tied into a lasso is wound around the couple’s shoulders and hands to tie the couple together symbolically. It hangs down during the ceremony to represent the union and protection of marriage.
At the reception, all of the male guests who dance with the bride have to pin money to her gown. Special pins, called “capias” are displayed on a doll, which is dressed like the bride. The “capiases” have the bride and groom’s names and the wedding date inscribed on them and are given as favors to the guests.
Sweets, eggs and money are inextricably linked with the wedding themes of India as they respectively symbolize a sweet life, fertility and prosperity. Hindu wedding ceremony has the ritual of warding off the evil spirit from the new journey of life of the newly wed. After the wedding vows are exchanged, the family members of the bride and the groom showers flower petals to the newly wed.
An Indian groom often wears a turban on his head. Traditional Indian brides wear pink or red sari or lehenga on the day of wedding. They adore themselves with as much jewelry as possible. The custom of putting mehendi on hands and feet of the bride is also common to almost all the communities.
The “Claddagh” wedding tradition originates from the tale about a man in ancient Galway. He was soon to become married and was taken prisoner by roving sailors and forced into labour in a foreign land. During his time in labour, he taught himself the art of jewellery making. When eventually he returned to his homeland, he discovered that his maiden had never married and in his happiness he fashioned the now famous “Claddagh” wedding ring. The ring depicts a heart, held by two hands with a crown over it. Many girls now wear the “Claddagh” ring, but only those who are married wear it with the hands facing inwards.
There are many dances at an Irish wedding, but one of the more notable is the “Janting Char” where the groom is carried in a chair to be presented to the guests. In certain areas, a wedding dance takes place on the eve of the wedding day at the bride’s home. A group of nine “Straw Boys” arrive with a straw mask or straw petticoat; one will dance with the bride and the others will dance with the other female guests.
The Irish shamrock is often used within the floral displays and sometimes as a motif on the wedding stationary and as decoration on the cake. It is also traditional to serve Guinness or Murphy’s for the toasts at the reception.
An Italian marriage would traditionally be arranged by the bride and groom’s families. Often the brother or another male relative of the groom would speak to the bride’s father or uncle to ask permission for the wedding to take place. Once the two families have agreed, the engagement can be announced. In ancient Rome, the groom bought the bride by paying three copper coins to her parents.
The “sposalizio” (wedding ceremony), is officiated by the local priest. Marriage is usually avoided during the months of May and August and it is strictly forbidden to get married during the time of Lent. May was meant to be reserved for the veneration of the Virgin Mary and August was said to invite bad luck and sickness, whilst Lent was not considered proper for personal enjoyment such as a wedding.
In the small villages of Italy, after the Wedding Mass, the newly married couple walks through the town plaza, greeting their friends, relatives, and neighbours. There the villagers will set up a sawhorse, a log and a double handled ripsaw. The newlyweds must then saw the log apart with the prompting and cheering of the crowd. When the job is finished and the log cut, it symbolizes that the man and woman must work together in all of life's tasks.
Food is naturally an extremely important part of an Italian wedding; in fact it is the focal point of the festivities. Certain foods symbolise good luck, such as twists of fried dough and sweets. Sweet liquors are served to the women and strong liquors to the men. At an Italian reception, five candy-covered almonds are given to the guests called “bombonniere”. These represent the bitter and sweet things in life. “Bombonniere” were the original Italian confetti and these are sometimes still thrown at the bride and groom by the guests to ward against childlessness.
The bride uses a “busta” (gift bag) to hold her gifts of money, as money is the most common gift at an Italian wedding.
During the reception, the groom's tie is cut up and all of the pieces are sold to pay for the couple’s honeymoon; lets hope he wears a large tie!
The bride's attire for the wedding includes a chogori (short jacket with long sleeves) with 2 long ribbons which are tied to form the otkorum. A chima, a full length, high waisted wrap around skirt is worn. Boat shaped shoes make of silk, are worn with white cotton socks. It also flaunts bright symbols and flowers. The groom's attire for the wedding includes a jacket (chigori) and trousers (paji) and an overcoat (turumagi). The jacket has baggy sleeves; the trousers are sizeable and tied with straps at the ankles. A vest and a black hat can also be worn over the shirt.
Professional matchmakers harmonize the ideal candidates for marriage, with the new couple often meeting for the first time at their wedding! Both the family believes in consulting with fortune tellers for predictions about the couple's future life together.
Some of the customs of Korean wedding includes the use of hand lanterns. Hand lanterns are used for illuminating the way from the groom's home to the bride's home on the night before the wedding. Traditionally, the groom's family has to carry a wedding chest filled with gifts for the bride's family. Wedding ducks are used as a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Today, many couples likes to have a small, intimate, traditional ceremony wearing traditional Korean attire followed by a formal 'Westernized' ceremony with tuxedo attire and white wedding gown.
Family surnames are considered to be a very powerful lineage in Korea. Women do not change their ancestral surnames after marriage.
At their reception, the couple are given certain foods that represent the “elements of life”. They are given bread and salt so as never to be hungry, and wine and honey for everything good in their life together.
One of the most elegant yet simple of ceremonies is the Moravian wedding ritual. The bridal couple light one large candle together. The flame is then passed along to each guest, all of whom have been given a hand-made beeswax candle. Each guest then lights the candle of the one beside them until the whole church is aglow with the warmth of love of family and friends. What a lovely way for all your friends and family to join in your big day.
On the way to church, children block the couple’s way. It is the best man’s job to pay a toll to them to let the couple through.
At the reception, their respective parents meet the bride and groom. Their parents give them gifts of bread and salt, which represent both the prosperity and the bitterness they shall meet in life. They are also given wine to drink as a wish for good health, good cheer and many friends. If the bride manages to drink a glass of wine without spilling a drop, extra luck is given to her.
As with a Greek wedding, Polish celebrations
include a money dance. Guests give the bride money by pinning it to her dress
and in return she gives them small gifts. This also gives the guests a chance to
buy a dance with the bride. Traditional Polish dances are the Polka or Mazurka
and these are usually performed as the first dance of the reception.
To symbolise the bride entering womanhood, the ritual of ‘unveiling’ takes
place. Everyone forms a circle around the bride and the bride’s mother
proceeds to take off her daughter’s veil. She then places it on the head of
the Maid of Honour, who then dances for a few minutes with the best man. The
Maid of Honour then passes the veil on to one of the other bridesmaids. The
bride’s traditional maidenly braids are undone by her bridesmaids in a custom
called “Rospleciny”.
On her wedding day, the bride asks her parents
for forgiveness for any offence she may have caused. Her parents then present
her with bread and salt, in the hopes that she will never want for food.
At the reception, champagne glasses are thrown to the floor after the couple is
toasted. If the glasses break, they shall have happiness in their marriage. If
the glasses do not break - well we will leave it at that!
To show their preferences for their first child, the newlyweds tie symbols to
the front of their wedding car; a doll for a girl and a bear if they would like
a boy.
On the way to church, the wedding procession
includes violinists and trumpeters.
To represent her purity, the bride wears a jeweled crown called a “Vasa”.
The church is adorned with birch branches, as is
the altar. The bride and groom are hidden by “care cloths” during the final
blessings in the church. All this is meant to keep them free from evil
influences.
Swedish tradition states that if the bride and groom put a silver coin belonging
to their father in their left shoe and a gold coin from their mother in their
right shoe, the couple will never go without.
In Finland, the wedding guests throw rice after the ceremony. The number of grains that catch in the bride's hair predicts how many children she will have.
In Holland and Switzerland, pine trees are symbols of luck and fertility and so a tree is often planted outside the home of the newly-weds. Dutch couples also plant lily-of-the-valley in their garden to remind them of their love every year when the plants bloom.
Wedding attire for the man in a Scottish wedding is equally as important as the dress is for the bride. The groom proudly wears the kilt of his “Clan” and occasionally after the vows have been exchanged, the groom places a shawl or sash in his clan’s tartan over the shoulders of his bride.
Bagpipe music is usually played at the entrance and recessional of the bridal party. Traditional waltzes and country dances, such as ‘The Gay Gordon’ and ‘Highland dances’ are enjoyed at most Scottish receptions.
Unlike the British tradition of throwing the bouquet to see who will be married next, Scottish weddings have their own tradition for finding that out - the ceremonial ‘feet washing’. The bride invites her friends over on the eve of her wedding and they all crowd round to help wash her feet. A ring is placed into the water before the ceremony begins and the first person to find it is said to be the next one to get married.
Scottish symbols are often incorporated into the theme of the wedding, for example, the thistle, tartan motifs, Robert Burns and The Loch Ness Monster can be found on wedding stationary, cakes and decorations.
The groom leads a procession to the bride’s house, accumulating family and friends along the way. When they arrive, they present the bride with gifts of clothes, jewellery and money. The groom's mother is the only one that does not join the procession and this is to show the bride that there is no rivalry between them.
Like the Scottish, the Welsh often incorporate
their national symbols in their weddings. For example, red dragons, leeks and
daffodils are used as decoration on wedding stationary, on the cake, in the
bouquets and even on the grooms tie or waistcoat. Florists sometimes use baby
leeks and baby daffodils for the buttonholes.
The Welsh love spoon is usually presented as an engagement gift from the groom
to his bride-to-be. Love spoons are carved from a single piece of wood; each
spoon has images carved to represent promises of love, wealth, devotion and
security.
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