A wedding isn't a wedding without its share of drama, laughter, tears, blessings and a whole lot of love showered on the newlywed couple. While the essence of all weddings remains the same, traditions around the world differ widely, some of which range from hilarious to bizarre.
Take a look at these wedding traditions around the world!
1. Money dance
Where: Cuba, southern United States, Poland and Greece
If you want to dance with the bride or groom, according to tradition, you must pay up. Meant to help the newlyweds raise some cash, men who want to dance with the bride must pin money to her dress.
2. Treat (chamber) bowl
Where: France
In this tradition, known as the pôt de chambre, guests interrupt the married couple's wedding night by getting a lot of champagne, chocolate and other goodies and fill the chamber pot with it. The happy couple then has to eat out of the chamber pot. Thankfully, this is not taken literally and the goodies are served in bowls shaped like chamber pots. This is meant to provide the couple with stamina and vitality for their first night together.
3. A hat to hide horns
Where: Japan
Japanese brides celebrating a traditional Shinto ceremony on their wedding day don white clothing from head to toe. Along with the apparel, they must put on a hood called tsunokakushi. The white brings out the purity and maidenhood of the bride and supposedly, hides the 'horns of jealousy' that she might feel towards her husband's mother.
4. A beautiful cake to fit a beautiful occasion
Where: Norway
Cakes served at Norwegian weddings are grand and tall and are known as the kransekake. Created out of iced almond cakes, the towering structure usually has a wine bottle in the middle. The cake is broken off to reveal the bottle. Wine and cake anyone?
5. A little spittle for luck
Where: Parts of Kenya
When a Maasai bride leaves home to be with her new husband, the father of the bride spits on the chest and face of his daughter to bring them luck.
6. Strong bladders build strong bonds
Where: Sabah, Malaysia
The Tidong tribe has a curious tradition when it comes to newlywed couples. The couple is supposed to stay together and is forbidden to go to the toilet for three days before the wedding. This ritual is believed to bring the couple closer and forge a strong bond to eliminate the possibility of infidelity. Better stay away from digging into that five-course meal!
7. Groom and bride missing? No need to panic
Where: Venezuela
Don't get alarmed if the couple goes missing after the reception. It is considered to bring good luck to the newlyweds if they sneak away without getting caught. If they get caught, the guest who finds them gets the luck!
8. The things we do for good omens
Where: Mongolia
For a good-omened wedding date, Mongolian couples hold a knife together and cut apart a baby chicken in search of its liver. If the liver is healthy, then that's good for the couple. If not, more baby chicks are in line.
9. A hilarious song or gifts? Take your pick
Where: Russia
According to this tradition, a Russian husband-to-be must go to his bride's parents' house on the wedding morning and prove his worth. He can either pay in kind for his bride by hauling in gifts for the family or by some embarrassing singing and dancing until the family begs him to stop.
10. On your wedding day, only a human rug will do
Where: Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia
After the wedding winds to an end, the relatives of the bride lie face down beside each other to form a human rug. The bride and groom then walk over them. Pray the bride doesn't have pointy heels.
11. Crying rehearsals
Where: China
The Tujia tribe in China have a ritual which involves all the women of the bride's family crying in sync to form a melody of joy. It might sound ironic but the ritual starts a month before the wedding with the bride crying and ten days after the women of the family join in.
12. A wedding shower of feathers, ash and treacle
Where: Scotland
Scottish brides and grooms are kidnapped by their buddies the day before their wedding and plied with alcohol. A mixture of molasses, ash, flour and feathers is poured over them. They are then paraded about town to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
13. You may kiss the bride
Where: Sweden
This one's a cheeky tradition. If the bride leaves the groom alone, the ladies can approach on him to steal a kiss. If the groom leaves his bride alone, the gentlemen around can do the same!
14. This one is a fun abduction
Where: Romania, Russia, Germany and Wales
This tradition has various versions but the gist stays the same. Friends and family abduct the bride before the wedding and take her to an unknown location. The groom has to pay a ransom of alcohol, food or a romantic song in order to get back his wife.
Which one is your favourite? Tell us in the comments below!
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