wedding traditions explained!
WE LIVE IN A WORLD FILLED WITH SUCH CULTURAL DIVERSITY...
HERE'S A FEW WEDDING DAY TRADITIONS WE DISCOVERED IN OUR TRAVELS!
STEAL THE GROOM's SHOES
In South Asian weddings, the bridesmaids steal the groom’s shoes and hide them on the day of the wedding, forcing him to be shoeless at the reception. The younger crowd gathers to take part in a negotiation of how much money the bridesmaids should get for the shoes. There’s even an iconic Bollywood song about it.
CRYING BEFORE WEDDING
In China, crying is pre-planned. The bride is expected to cry for about an hour each day for a month before her wedding. Her mother, grandmother, sisters and other female friends also join in for several days.
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
The tradition of having something old, new, borrowed and blue comes from a Victorian rhyme: "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue ... and a silver sixpence in your shoe."
NO WASHING
In parts of Malaysia, newlywed couples aren’t allowed to go to the washroom for three days and nights after their wedding. It’s believed that it will bring bad luck, such as divorce or infertility. To ensure they follow the rules, their families keep close guard of washrooms.
NEVER LEAVE THEIR SIDE
In Danish weddings, if the bride or groom leaves the other’s side, the remaining spouse gets swarmed with kisses from the wedding party until their better half returns. Better hurry up!
Bad Luck To See The Bride Before The Ceremony
This Western superstition is from back when arranged marriages were more common. The couple were kept separate in case they didn’t like what they saw and backed out. How romantic.
Sing-Off Between Bride’s And Groom’s Guests
In many South Asian cultures, the bride's and groom's sides enter into an intense sing-off. They sit gathered around a drum and take turns singing songs. The side that sings louder typically wins.
Brides Dances To Pay For Honeymoon
Because Cuba is a communist state, weddings can be difficult to afford. To have enough money for the honeymoon, the guests at the wedding do a money dance. Every man who dances with the bride pins money on her dress.
Blackening Of The Bride
This Scottish tradition involves dumping flour, tar, spoiled food (and whatever else they can get their hands on) on the bride and groom. The ritual is meant to ward off evil spirits.
Raisins For All
In Yemen, the groom’s father throws raisins on the ground for guests to pick up. Raisins are meant to symbolise happiness for the happy couple.
