Wedding traditions from around the world - part 2
In present-day times many weddings follow a generic style. But some traditions are still practiced or incorporated into the modern wedding.
Modern weddings almost always have a wedding cake, the cake can be in a variety of styles and flavours. There is also a cake for other wedding-related ceremonies such as engagement cakes, mehndi cakes, nikkah cakes and first anniversary cakes.
Wedding traditions from around the world part two
India
India is a huge country and there are many wedding traditions from different parts of the country. Just a few will be described here.
A day or two before the wedding the bride will gather with her female relatives and friends to have henna or mehndi patterns painted onto the hands and feet. The henna patterns will last for a couple of weeks.
Before the wedding ceremony starts, in some parts of India, the bride’s sisters and female cousins will steal the groom’s shoes. This ritual is called Joota Chupai. The groom must pay a ransom for their return.
Ireland
When the bride and groom are having their first dance the bride must keep one foot on the floor at all times to prevent evil fairies from coming and taking her away.
Italy
In Italy, the night before the wedding the groom will arrange for musicians to serenade his bride outside her window. This often turns into a party with food and all the wedding guests in attendance.
Japan
In Japan the traditional wedding ceremony is known as the Shinto ceremony. The bride is dressed all in white in a white kimono and hood and her makeup is also white. White symbolises purity.
Lebanon
On the day of the wedding celebration parties take place in both the bride and groom’s houses where there is dancing and music. Everyone then goes to the bride’s house and the bride and groom have rose petals scattered on them as they leave for the wedding ceremony.
Mexico
As a Mexican couple exchange vows at the wedding ceremony an el Lazo, a rope of rosary beads and flowers is draped over their shoulders in the form of a figure of eight. This represents the union of the couple and also the infinity shape represents their marriage lasting forever.
Mongolia,
Before the wedding date can be decided upon, a Mongolian couple will, together, slaughter a chicken.
Niger
A desert wedding in Nigeria will be accompanied by music and a “dancing” camel
Norway
In Norwegian tradition the bride, on her wedding day, will wear an ornate crown or silver or gold. The crown will have charms hanging from it and these will tinkle as she moves. this sound is supposed to ward off evil spirits.
Another Norwegian tradition is a cone-shaped cake tower made from rings of iced, almond cake and a bottle of wine is often placed in the centre of the cone.
Peru
The wedding cake in Peru will traditionally have charms on ribbons placed under one of the cake layers. One of the charms will be a wedding ring. During the wedding reception all the unattached women will take hold of a ribbon and pull it out. The one who gets the ribbon with the wedding ring will be the next to marry.
Philippines
In the Philippines, the bride and groom will release a pair of white doves symbolising a happy and united life together.
Romania
Some of the wedding guests, before the ceremony has begun, will pretend to abduct the bride and demand a ransom from the groom. The ransom typically being a few bottles of wine or something like that.
Russia
After the wedding ceremony the bride and groom are presented with a sweet biscuit which is decorated with wheat representing prosperity and interlocking rings symbolising faithfulness. Each must take a bite from this without using their hands and whoever takes the largest bite will be the dominant partner.
Scotland
To ward off evil spirits the bride and groom are covered in flour and feathers the day before the wedding.
Sweden
During the wedding reception if the bride leaves the table the female guests may give the groom a kiss and if the groom leaves the table the male guests may kiss the bride.
Spain
After the wedding ceremony some of the groom’s friends sometimes cut up the groom’s tie and the pieces of the tie are sold to other guests. The money is then given to the couple.
Wales
The bride’s bouquet will contain myrtle. Myrtle is an herb that represents love. Pieces of myrtle are then given out to the bridesmaids after the ceremony. The bridesmaids would plant the myrtle and if it grew they would be the next bride.
Welshmen would carve a wooden spoon to give to his sweetheart as a marriage proposal. He would carve a key decoration onto the spoon to symbolise the key to his heart.
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