Wedding Traditions from Around the World
When it comes to every country's traditions wedding traditions are the most beautiful ones, it is mostly believed that if you follow these traditions you will live a happy life with your loved one.
There are many beautiful wedding traditions that have become a part of our celebrations, for example, the bouquet toss is one of the most popular wedding traditions known to the entire world. In this wedding tradition, brides throw their wedding bouquet to a group of single women. Whoever catches the bouquet is supposedly next to get married.
But if you love to know more about unusual wedding traditions from across the globe, here are a few more:
Arab Muslim Wedding Traditions
The Tolba: Or Tolbe, is a pre-wedding event where the groom formally asks the bride's parents for her hand in marriage. And the families should give their blessings, and read "Al Fatiha" from the Quran.
Katb Kitab: The official marriage ceremony, where a sheikh gets the couple married with an official contract signed by the bride and groom.
Mahr: Or the dowry, is when the groom must give a certain amount of money for the bride as a gift, which is presented during the Katb Kitab.
Check out: Tips and Ideas for Your Engagement Ring Presentation
Image: Mirna and Ahmad's Wedding
More Arab Wedding Traditions
Other than the traditional Muslim wedding traditions there are many wedding traditions most Arab countries have in common. Here are just a few:
The Zaffa: Or Zaffe is the bride and groom's grand entrance to their wedding party. Some couples enter their wedding together and others prefer to enter separately with the bride's father walking his daughter to her groom. They are then followed by dancers or drummers who walk them to their wedding venue. Click here for the top Zaffa songs!
Henna: Henna is very popular in most Arab countries, a henna night is where the bride and her female friends and relatives celebrate the bride and draw henna on their feet and hands. It is considered to be similar to the bridal shower or bachelorette party.
Separate Weddings: Many Arab weddings have separate wedding celebrations for men and women, where they book two halls at the same venue one for men and one for women.
Indian Wedding Traditions
Indians’ 7 Steps: In Southern India, the couple takes 7 steps together to signify their friendship, which is considered the anchor of marriage.
Joota Chupai: On the day of the wedding, in a ritual called "Joota Chupai," an Indian bride's sisters and female cousins take the groom's shoes and demand ransom money for their safe return.
Henna: Henna is also a very popular Indian wedding tradition. Henna (also known as mehndi) has been a tradition among Indian brides for more than 5,000 years. Also check: Indian Henna for Your Arabian Wedding
The Haldi Ceremony: On the morning of the wedding, the bride and groom apply Haldi, a yellow turmeric paste, onto themselves for good luck.
Because Indian weddings are rich with beautiful wedding traditions, see this article here for more details: The Anatomy of an Indian Wedding
More Wedding Traditions from Around The World
China:
In China's Yugur culture, grooms shoot their future brides with a bow and arrow (without the arrowheads of course!) three times. The groom then breaks the arrows to ensure the couple stays in love forever.
Korea:
In Korea, the groom has his feet beaten with fish or a cane before his wedding to test his true strength and character.
Ireland:
In Ireland, the bride's feet must stay on the floor at all times when she and the groom are dancing. This is due to the belief that if they are not on the ground, evil fairies will come and sweep her away.
The Irish’s Handkerchief: The bride carries a handkerchief stitched in a way that allows it to be turned into a baby’s bonnet, and back into a handkerchief for the baby’s future wedding day.
Germany:
Guests to traditional German weddings bring the happy couple any type of porcelain except glass and then smash them in the belief that this will ward off evil spirits. The couple is then expected to clean up the mess together, to learn that married life will not be easy, but by working together, they can overcome any challenge.
The German’s Stepping on the Groom’s Foot: The groom kneels on the bride’s wedding gown to symbolize who is in charge of the household. Afterward, the bride inevitably steps on the groom’s shoe to set the record straight on the matter.
Italy:
Italians’ Money Bag: The bride has a special bag usually made of satin -called ‘la borsa’- where guests place envelopes of money in the bag, with the intention of helping out the couple.
African American:
African Americans’ Jumping Over the Broom: Jumping over a broom symbolizes sweeping away the past and starting a new home.
