Weddings are one of the biggest Life Occasions around \u2013 and they are by no means \u201cone size fits all.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Around the world, wedding traditions surrounding this happy event are as varied as there are places on the map. In the Congo, for example, couples are forbidden to smile throughout the entire wedding ceremony (to show how seriously they\u2019re taking their commitment). In Greece, the groom\u2019s best friend gives him a shave on the big day.<\/p>\n
Those are just a few interesting wedding traditions from around the world; here are a few more.<\/p>\n
Back in the day, Chinese brides were escorted to the groom\u2019s home in an elaborate sedan chair. Her attendants would toss rice her way (symbolizing prosperity and good health), and shield her from public view with parasols. She would also be accompanied by a \u201cgood-luck\u201d woman along the route. These days, Chinese couples still look for the luckiest dates to wed. A fortune teller is routinely hired to examine how well-matched a couple is, and the Chinese Almanac is consulted to pick the best dates for the marriage ceremony.<\/p>\n
An old tradition in Scotland is called \u201cblackening the bride.\u201d The poor girl is \u201ckidnapped\u201d by her friends before the ceremony, and taken out for a big night of partying. But it doesn\u2019t end there: she is then the target of all kinds of trash: dead fish, spoiled milk, feathers \u2013 any nasty piece of garbage you can think of is thrown at her. Then, she\u2019s tied to a tree for a bit. The idea behind this tradition is, if she can deal with that, she can deal with whatever comes her way in the marriage.<\/p>\n
At many Spanish wedding receptions, the groom\u2019s closest friends descend upon him with a pair of scissors and cut up his tie. Those small pieces are then \u201cauctioned\u201d to the guests \u2013 because each piece is supposed to bring amazing good luck.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re so used to the idea of American brides working hard to lose weight for their Big Day, that this custom may seem weird. On this island nation located in the Indian Ocean, brides-to-be are given the keys to the buffet and ordered to chow down all the way up to their wedding day. Because gaining <\/em>weight is The Thing. The reason? A chubby bride reflects positively on the groom: he\u2019s seen as \u201crich,\u201d able to afford all the food she\/he\/they will ever want. Bring on the cupcakes.<\/p>\n German brides get an early start. After the birth of a girl, a few trees are planted in her honor. Once she\u2019s grown and has set a date for her wedding, those trees are \u201csold\u201d to help build up her dowry. Upon her wedding day, guests do their bit to help solidify the new couple\u2019s bond by breaking a ton<\/em> of porcelain dishes. The reason is two-fold: one, the noise wards off any evil spirits. And second? Cleaning up the mess together lets them know they can \u201cclean up\u201d any troubles that may come their way.<\/p>\n In the land of the Rising Sun, brides who participate in a Shinto religious ceremony take the concept of \u201cwhite\u201d to a whole new level. The bride wears a white kimono, elaborate white makeup \u2013 even a white hood to hide the \u201chorns of jealousy\u201d (representing how she supposedly feels about her new mother-in-law). Over the course of the wedding reception, she\u2019ll do a few costume changes, starting with a red kimono \u2013 and ending with a Western-style dress. Of course, sake is involved in the ceremony: once the new husband and wife share their first sip, it\u2019s representative of their union.<\/p>\n An old Welsh tradition is for a man to carve himself a wooden spoon, then give it to the woman he wants to make his bride. If she accepts it, they\u2019re officially engaged. On the wedding day, the bride weaves myrtle into her bouquet \u2013 and gives cuttings to her bridesmaids. Those bridesmaids take the myrtle cutting and plant it; when it blooms, she\u2019s guaranteed to marry soon.<\/p>\n Before the wedding ceremony, someone finds an infant baby and lets it hang out on the bed of the future couple as a way to boost their fertility. For an extra nudge, their guests will throw either peas, rice or dried lentils at them (all three are rumored to boost reproductive power).<\/p>\n Many traditional brides in Norway wear a sparkly crown featuring small, spoon-shaped charms. The idea is the motion and sound of those tiny charms wards off any negative energy. Many brides also opt to wear a silver gown (or at least one with heavy silver accents). As for the groom? They wear something called a \u201cbundas,\u201d a hand-made woolen suit. Hope they\u2019re not getting married in the summer\u2026<\/p>\n Bourbon is a \u201cthing\u201d in many parts of the American South. And in some of those areas, they use it as a good luck charm. About a month before the wedding, the bride and groom take a full bottle of good bourbon and bury it upside down near the location where the ceremony is scheduled to take place. The idea being, it will ensure good weather for the Big Day plus good fortune overall. At the reception, that bottle is dug up and shared among the guests. Cheers!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Something that\u2019s becoming a \u201cnew\u201d tradition is opting for a dazzling cubic zirconia wedding ring.<\/a> It\u2019s nearly indistinguishable from a diamond and far more affordable. No wonder even the wealthiest brides are opting for this beautiful (and smart!) choice in wedding rings. Let Birkat Elyon<\/a> show you the range of gorgeous options available.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Weddings are one of the biggest Life Occasions around \u2013 and they are by no means \u201cone size fits all.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Around the world, wedding traditions surrounding this happy event are as varied as there are places on the map. In the Congo, for example, couples are forbidden to smile throughout the entire wedding ceremony (to show how seriously they\u2019re taking their commitment). In Greece, the groom\u2019s best friend gives him…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":192,"featured_media":2159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[11,54,121,120],"yoast_head":"\nGERMANY: A SMASHING TRADITION<\/h3>\n
JAPAN: A REALLY<\/em> \u201cWHITE WEDDING\u201d<\/h3>\n
WALES: TAKE MY SPOON, PLEASE<\/h3>\n
CZECH REPUBLIC: NO RUSH OR ANYTHING\u2026<\/h3>\n
NORWAY: WHAT\u2019S THAT SOUND?<\/h3>\n
SOUTHERN UNITED STATES: DRINK UP<\/h3>\n