Marriage Rituals Around the World

Philippines: Releasing Doves

At a traditional Filipino wedding reception, the couple performs the ritual of releasing doves to symbolize that the two of them will have a long and happy relationship.

Italy: Confetti

In Italy, "confetti" refers not to confetti, but to sweets, especially sugared almonds. Guests would be given candy at dinner parties, which they would then use to sprinkle on the newlyweds to cheer them up, although not many people do this nowadays.

Japan: Drinking Sake

A traditional Japanese wedding ceremony is called san-san-kudo. During the ceremony, three bowls of sake are used, and the bride and groom take three sips from each bowl, and then both parents repeat the process. This ceremony symbolizes a long and successful marriage.

Germany: Sawing

In the traditional German wedding, the bride and groom must immediately after the ceremony in front of all the guests to saw the wood into two halves, in order to test whether the two people are the same heart, but also on behalf of the future encountered obstacles are also willing to **** with the determination to face to overcome.

Norway: traditional circle cake

Most wedding receptions in Norway serve a traditional circle cake, which is actually a frozen almond cake and is said to be so sweet that some families eat it during the holidays.

Jamaica: Black Wedding Cake

The color black is taboo for Chinese celebrations, but in the Caribbean, black cake is often served at weddings. This cake is made with dark fruits and rum, and they also use it at Christmas.

Kenya: fathers spitting on their daughters

Can I just say this is the hardest wedding custom to understand? In Kenya, when a couple leaves the village, the father of the bride spits on his daughter's head and chest as a sign that he won't pollute the couple's good fortune. It's a lovely starting point, but still a bit much to take in.

Poland: guests give money to dance with the bride***

In a traditional Polish wedding, guests can give money to dance with the bride*** during the reception, with the bridesmaids charging for the privilege, and the proceeds going to the couple for their honeymoon. Feeling a bit weird about this one though?

Guatemala: Breaking the white bell

At a traditional Guatemalan wedding reception, the groom's mother breaks a white bell to welcome the couple in. This bell is filled with flour, rice and grains and is meant to bring good luck and prosperity.

Germany: breaking cups and saucers on the floor

In addition to sawing logs, there is also a special, money-burning wedding custom in Germany where guests bring dishes to the door of the new couple's house the night before their wedding and frantically drop them on the floor as a way to help the couple chase away bad luck and past troubles.

South Korea: Geese for the Mother-in-Law

This is the first time we've heard of a groom giving wild geese or ducks to his mother-in-law. The gift of these monogamous animals, symbolizing the groom's simple and dedicated heart, the future of the bride will certainly be from the end. The couple will also give each other wooden geese or ducks as a promise.

Scotland: The Blacking Ceremony

In Scotland, the Blacking Ceremony was conceived as a means of good luck and protection from the devil. The day before the wedding, the bride and groom-to-be would be brought out by a group of friends and family to be doused in wine, and then covered in honey, feathers, soot, and flour, so wretched, and so avoided, that the devil would not want to come close indeed.

Pakistan: garlands

In traditional Pakistani weddings, the groom usually hangs a large ring of garlands around his neck, and sometimes the bride does the same.

Romania: Kidnapping the bride

Romania has seen a rise in recent years in the trend of kidnapping the bride at the wedding. Before the ceremony, family, friends or professional performers will abduct the bride and then inform the groom to come and ransom her, usually with wine, money or a declaration of love.

India: henna tattoo painting

India tattoo painting is used to bless the Indian marriage, the bride's palms and feet are to henna painting, the process is very tedious, is the bride before the wedding of the 16 decorations in the most important one.

Mexico: two bouquets

In Mexico, the bride will generally have two bouquets, one belonging to the bride herself, the other is a gift to the Virgin Mary.

South Africa: Parents take fire from their home to give to the bride and groom

In South Africa, the parents of the bride and groom will take a fire from the family fireplace and bring it to the bride and groom's home, and the bride and groom will then light their own hearth or fireplace with the two fires brought from their parents' home.

1 Australia: the unity stone

At some Australian weddings, there is a ceremony called a 'unity bowl'. Guests are given a stone to hold throughout the ceremony, and at the end of the ceremony, the guests place the stone in a beautiful container, and the couple takes the "unity bowl" home as a souvenir to remind them of the support and love of their friends and family.

France: Croquembouche

The most traditional wedding cake in France is called "Croquembouche", which consists of round puffs with caramelized sugar on the outside and creamy filling on the inside, signifying sweetness. In addition to this, there is another peculiar wedding custom in France, which does not fit the image of French nobility at all. This wedding custom is called "La Soupe", dinner leftover food will be poured into a clean toilet or a toilet-shaped basin container, the bride and groom must eat a mouthful, as a prayer for good luck?

India: Stealing the groom's shoes

In traditional Indian weddings, when the groom walks into the bridal tent, the bride's sister steals the groom's shoes, and if the groom wants his shoes back, he must bribe these sisters. This wedding custom and the Chinese to receive the bride when the groom to give the sisters to open the door Li is a meaning.