Wedding Traditions from Around the World You Would Be Curious to Know

When it comes to wedding traditions around the world, we can all agree on one thing— some of them never go out of fashion. Yet, if we had a chance to attend a wedding in a different country, we could notice there are some major differences. Yes, all couples swear their love to each other, but in some countries, they take things to a whole new level. From decorations to rituals, different cultures honor the matrimony differently. So, if you ever wondered how others do it, here is an overview of wedding traditions from around the world.

China

While in the rest of the world groom leans for a kiss, in China, he shoots the bride with arrows. Arrows are then collected and broken in half as a testament of love. We can only hope they don’t accidentally use real arrows at a Chinese wedding, as that would turn Cupid act into murder.

Congo

Most brides and grooms perceive their wedding days as the happiest day of their lives, sharing a laugh with family and friends. Not the one in Congo. In Congolese culture, married couple on their wedding day must sustain from laughter in order to show they’re serious about marriage.

France

All weddings need a wedding cake. Not French, apparently. The ancient custom dictates that French couple must consume champagne and chocolate out of a toilet bowl, to avoid years of bad luck. Well, if you ask us, a good old food plate with these two should also do the trick.

Cuba

Paying the wedding is certainly not a problem for couples from Cuba. The money dance ceremony ensures the profit as whoever dances with the bride during the reception is required to pin money onto her dress.

Sweden

When it comes to sharing love, Sweden definitely wins. As a part of the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom are separated for a few moments during the ceremony. During that time, they’re allowed to kiss whoever they wish, and after that, they’re considered married. What can we say, sharing is caring. It’s probably good to skip out on this free folk wedding custom if you’re a jealous type as the tradition doesn’t exclude either of the spouses.

Japan

Around the world people can find unusual wedding traditions as there are cultural peculiarities in every country. It can be difficult or even impossible to understand why things are done in a certain way. Talking about a white wedding dress, Japan has it too, but not quite like you think. Their all-white dress code includes a white hood for the bride which is supposedly intended to hide her horns. The hidden horns also allow the bride to hide a reserved hatred she has for her mother in law.

Kenya

As a bride, leaving your father’s house is always an emotional moment for both you and your father. Well, in Kenya, a father of the bride spits on his daughter as she leaves. This is only one among many customs which are based on a belief that overly joyful wedding ceremonies attract evil spirits.

Mongolia

Getting things done before the wedding is stressful enough, but in Mongolia, they take it to a different level. A husband and wife to be must kill a chicken and dissect the liver in order to proceed with the wedding. Sounds gross, but apparently it’s as important as a wedding dress.

India

The bridal party is all about the strippers. Um, no, at least not for Indian women. On the night before the wedding, the bride to be is getting a tattoo. Not a real one, obviously. In India, your bridesmaids paint your body with red henna, pointing out your future status in the society.

Russia

Paying the price for the bride is taken literally in Russia. The groom comes on the day of the wedding and asks what he must do in return. The family then can come up with a request. It’s usually either a symbolic amount of money or something embarrassing like a dancing in the snow.

Turkey

In Turkey, wedding guests come with gunfire. The elders, usually the male members of the family, fire their guns towards the sky in order to let the nearby villages know there will be a new child born soon. Talking about the pressure on the newlyweds, huh?

Ireland

There are many unusual wedding customs and traditions around the world, but the Irish dancing beats them all. First dance as newlyweds is something special, right? Well, in Ireland, the couple must dance with their feet firmly on the ground, as there is an ancient belief that if they lift their feet off the ground, their luck will be taken by tiny evil creatures also known as fairies.

Germany

In many countries, couples receive cash from most of their guests. Well, in Germany they do it differently. As a part of the wedding reception at home, guests throw porcelain dish on the floor, creating a mess around the house. After the party with nearest and dearest, newlyweds must clean the apartment themselves. The ritual is a symbol of unity and the mess that couple will have to deal with together throughout their life.

Peru

Getting the largest piece of the wedding cake is not a thing in Peru, especially for single ladies. A true fight is over the piece that contains a fake wedding ring, as it’s believed that the one who gets the piece of cake containing the ring is the next in line.

Scotland

The Scottish can well contribute to our list of world wedding traditions.Winter weddings are not the worst thing that can happen to your hair. In Scotland, there is a practice where the bride and groom are abducted day before the wedding. The abductors throw them in ash and mud, and once they’re covered in black dirt, they parade them around the village.

Wales

In Wales, a diamond ring is not the only thing you need to get for your beloved one. As the ancient tradition dictates, a groom must manually carve a set of wooden spoons in order to prove his love and commitment.

While there may be a plenty of different cultural wedding traditions, the truth is that they all share the same idea. Weddings are about unity and love. Customs can be followed or ignored, but we all know that after a while, they do become the fondest of memories, stored away in a photo album. Make your wedding a memorable one, as the strangest details will be the only thing you’ll remember.