“They have their own wedding, we have ours!” - a famous phrase from a popular movie. In fact, this solemn rite has exactly as many features as there are nations. How do different nations celebrate this significant event, and how do they prepare for it? Italian women cook a huge pot of spaghetti the day before their wedding. German women enthusiastically break dishes the day before... And these are just some of the traditions that are strictly observed before the wedding in different countries. A short tour of different countries will show us some specific details of the wedding ceremony.
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of China
It would seem that when preparing for the wedding, everyone should rejoice and congratulate the bride and groom. But people living in China prefer to do the opposite. The crying of the bride and family begins a month before the wedding. An unusual wedding ritual involves crying and lamenting every day for half an hour. After 10 days, the mother-in-law picks up the baton, and on the eve of the wedding ceremony, they are supported by friends and other women from the clan. But the ubiquitous red color at a wedding represents joy, love, and prosperity. There is so much of it in the Chinese wedding theme that it is impossible to think about the sad event. Wedding gifts are wrapped in red cloth or paper, and only the glasses from which the newlyweds drink at the wedding are tied with a red ribbon.
During matchmaking, the groom sends a scarf to his chosen one and patiently, albeit with bated breath, waits for her answer, which, according to tradition, consists of slippers knitted by her; they are certainly accompanied by either a bunch of sweet bananas, meaning an unconditional “Yes!”, or a bunch of bitter green onions - a symbol of a categorical “No!” In the southwestern part of China this custom continues to this day.
India - lifting the curse
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A wedding ceremony in India is full of rituals and traditions. But today we are looking at a very strange belief. People believe that if a girl was born on the day of the convergence of Saturn and Mars (astrological combination “Manglik”), then she is cursed from birth and promises her future husband an early death. But the cunning sages came up with a way out - first, the girl is given in marriage to a banana tree and they cut it down, fulfilling their destiny. Thus, the girl is cleared of the curse and can marry the chosen one.
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of the Philippines
Only a rich enough person can now be a groom in this country. Pre-wedding events and rituals require non-stop expenses, you even have to pay for the right to visit the bride! Food and drink in the presence of the bride are paid separately, as well as conversation with her. Most likely, there are strictly established tariffs for these pre-wedding “troubles”. It’s curious, what if there are several suitors vying for a girl’s hand? The bride’s parents can directly enrich themselves by “charging what is due according to tradition,” especially if they also have several daughters...
Denmark
During the wedding party, the bride ensures the groom's fidelity in a rather original way. Right during the holiday, she cuts a hole in her lover's sock. Now who, besides her, needs a man with holey socks?
An interesting thing is that if the groom is not in the hall where the party is taking place, any guy can ask the bride for a kiss. Just like when the bride came out, the groom can kiss any of the girls.
American wedding ceremonies and traditions
In America, it is considered good luck if the bride's outfit follows the formula: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Everything is clear here: the bride’s outfit must certainly contain something that has long belonged to her or her family; something new - never worn; something foreign, borrowed for a while, in order to be sure to return it; I also need some kind of blue or dark blue item. A mandatory and main requirement is that all this should be in plain sight. Another noteworthy detail: it is the bride's family that bears the wedding expenses. About 80% of the US population belongs to one of the Christian denominations, so, as a rule, it all starts with a beautiful ceremony in church. Alternatively, you can invite a priest to perform the marriage in any other place convenient for the newlyweds: a private house, a park, or the ocean coast. An important detail: one or two weeks before this, lovers go to the state marriage registration office. The marriage certificate is sent to the newlyweds by mail.
After the ceremony, the celebration moves to a restaurant (bar, rented hotel or private home), where dishes are changed according to the menu, and alcohol flows like a river - in this Americans are not much different from us. Walk like that! They start planning the event at least six months in advance, and more often even a year in advance, immediately after the engagement. The issue of wedding gifts in America is usually resolved this way: the newlyweds register at one of the large stores (Macy's, Nordstrom, Target), where they make a list of gifts - utensils, decorative items, electrical appliances. Everything is available and inexpensive. Guests just have to make one of their wishes come true - they don’t even have to go to the store to do this; a gift from the list can be ordered online. In the same way, you can order holiday packaging and gift delivery to the newlyweds.
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of Great Britain
The Scots are skilled masters of inventing all sorts of signs, and they themselves strictly monitor their observance. Grooms, for example, are required to throw a special, “named” checkered shawl over the bride’s shoulders, i.e. a shawl with a check of some kind - this is considered a sign of union; brides should sew some kind of talisman on the back of their wedding dress. A large dish of fresh bread and buns is broken “for good luck” over the bride’s head. The old shoe, which is thrown out of the young couple's car after the wedding ceremony, must be caught by the bridesmaids; the one who catches him will marry next. This symbol of future marriage may not be very elegant, but such are the signs and customs of the Scottish highlanders.
The rite of passage into a wife involves throwing mud, in the literal sense of the word. The custom says that the more smeared a girl is, the less negativity there will be throughout her married life. The ritual is unusual. All invited guests diligently throw mud at the bride, smear her with soot, and pour sauces over her wedding dress. The mixture turns out sticky and unpleasant. This is exactly the beauty that will walk through the streets. In the summer, she is obliged to visit all the pubs she comes across. On the wedding day, it is customary for grooms to wear a national men's skirt - a kilt, which, as usual, is worn without underwear underneath.
Scotland
Only the most desperate girls are now ready to get married according to ancient Scottish traditions. The Scots have very extraordinary views on the appearance of the bride, who, according to local tradition, must literally be thrown with mud. The more dirty the bride gets, the less bad things await her in marriage. The wedding guests try to conscientiously throw mud at the young woman, pour sauces on her dress, and smear her with soot. The smeared, sticky bride must parade through the streets in this form. The Scots are confident that a bride who manages to overcome such a test will not be afraid of any trials in life. The groom gets off easier - he just needs to wear a kilt (without underwear, of course).
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of the French
The French are world famous romantics. And what could be more romantic than unexpectedly releasing a large flock of light-winged and beautiful butterflies during a wedding? Or: at a wedding banquet, the bride and groom are required to drink from a special two-handed wedding cup. This cup is a family heirloom; it is passed down from generation to generation as a talisman for a successful marriage. Being loud is one of the most annoying wedding traditions. It is common in some areas of France and is called chavari. This means that people must have metal accessories that create a lot of noise. The families of the bride and groom gather near the house where the first wedding night is to take place and begin to organize a concert. But instead of singing, the young couple hear screams, and spoons, pans, and pots serve as musical instruments. This is done in order to kill the romance and lure the newlyweds out into the street with drinks and snacks. After which they are released, giving them privacy.
According to French tradition, the groom and his friends are expected to meet the bride and her family at her home. They take a whole motorcade of cars, often honking and yelling to announce their happiness to the whole world. And passers-by shout out good wishes to them. The bride must wear a white dress, which symbolizes her purity and innocence. The sock dance is an integral part of any French wedding. The unmarried siblings of the bride or groom are forced to wear funny socks and do a happy dance, and guests throw money at the performers, which the bride and groom will later collect. Some couples include traditional French tunes in their wedding music as a way to honor their French roots. The French, in order to avoid unnecessary wedding gifts, do not hesitate to indicate to the invitations that guests bring only money.
Interesting Facts
Did you know that
- In Vietnam, two weddings are organized, the first - the bride's side, the second - the groom's side.
- English beauties are so superstitious that they sew a talisman or amulet onto the hem of their wedding dress to protect them from the evil eye.
- In Mexico, the godparents of the newlyweds must take care of the financial issue in organizing the holiday.
- In Germany, immediately after the wedding, the witness secretly takes the bride to a restaurant, where she must drink alcohol until the groom finds her, who also must pay for all this.
- In Greece, a girl must put a lump of sugar in her glove, this will bring joy to her family life.
All nations of the world are famous for their beautiful wedding rituals, which fill the holiday with meaning and allow you to feel the culture of your country.
Wedding rites and traditions of the Greeks
A traditional Greek wedding is filled with numerous ceremonial rituals dedicated to the Holy Trinity. In Greece, brides wear yellow or red veils representing fire to ward off evil spirits. Some modern brides still decorate their bouquets with a mixture of herbs and plants that symbolize fertility. Among the Greeks, small children first enter the newlyweds’ bedroom and jump, having fun on their marriage bed. Only after them the bride and groom appear. This procedure is considered a guarantee of healthy offspring and well-being. The bride and groom are protected from the evil eye by small eyes that their best friends attach to their clothes. Another feature is that just before the wedding, the happy bride writes the names of her unmarried girlfriends on the soles of her shoes. But only those girls destined to get married soon will have their names erased from their soles before the celebrations are over.
Greek weddings sometimes turn into cooking competitions, with guests bringing baked goods and sweets to the ceremony to earn praise. Greeks dance a lot during wedding celebrations. Kalamatiano is an energetic circle dance that is performed at the very beginning at the reception. Sometimes, the bride and groom perform a "money dance" during which guests throw bills at them. At a Greek wedding, it is customary to smash dishes on the floor as a sign of happiness. At the end of the ceremony, the groom cuts the ribbon that binds the newlyweds, and the couple “sells” the pieces to the guests.
Greece – beds
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Let's move on to a calmer and more interesting tradition. In Greece, a couple of days before the wedding, family and friends get together and prepare a family nest for the future spouses. Experienced married women make up the marriage bed and give the groom the opportunity to evaluate the quality of the work done. After making the bed with marital sheets, money is placed on top, which will ensure prosperity and success for the couple. Also, grains of rice are thrown onto the bed, which symbolize “putting down roots” and bless the young for a speedy continuation of the family. At the end, a child is rolled across the bed - a boy or a girl, depending on the gender of the first-born desired by the couple. After marriage, spouses have the right to reunite on a pre-made bed.
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of India
In a society ruled by caste, people believe in reincarnation, and wedding traditions are strong. Here, temporary marriage is practiced for girls who are ugly or have teeth. The groom is chosen from among our smaller brothers. Hindus believe in infusing all sorts of evil spirits into girls with an unsightly appearance. The only way to drive out an evil spirit from an Indian woman is to marry her to a pet. An Indian wedding is all painted in yellow and red, and this is probably why every celebration of the birth of a new happy family usually takes place next to a large blazing fire. The color of the bride’s wedding dress should be bright red; in addition, the groom smears the forehead and parting of the hair on the bride’s head with red paint - all this as a symbol of the fact that she is now becoming his wife.
For hundreds of years, rituals have been preserved unchanged in India, however, depending on the area, they may have their own characteristics and differences. Following the ancient tradition suggests that on the wedding day neither the bride nor the groom should eat anything until the evening. Only after the wedding ceremony has been completed can they break this miniature fast. So, there are as many customs as there are peoples on earth. In Russia, for example, it is customary to decorate a wedding celebration with balloons, while in Mexico they prefer freshly picked, still living flowers; they are used to decorate the bride’s hair, the hall, tables, and cars.
One thing remains common and unchanged everywhere - wishes to the newlyweds happiness and love, and a long married life. There is a belief: the younger brother should not marry before the older one, so as not to cause trouble. If the latter is still single, he chooses a tree spouse, thus approving the younger one's marriage. The newly-made wife is cut down after the ceremony. An integral part of Indian pre-wedding rites is the muharat mandap, where the bride and groom are smeared with turmeric, a yellow powder that makes their skin smooth. In addition, the bridesmaids hand-paint the girl's hands and feet with henna patterns. Red symbolizes good luck in Hinduism, which is why brides in India wear traditional red colored sarees with white and gold detailing. The most important part of a Hindu wedding ceremony is Saptapadi, or the exchange of vows. At this time, the bride and groom must walk three circles with the sacred fire. After the first round (seven steps) they exchange vows. After the third, the groom gives the bride a silver ring as a sign of love. The couple also exchanges flower garlands as an additional symbol of their feelings. Guests at Indian weddings wear traditional attire in subtle colors. Instead of cake, Indian newlyweds usually feed each other honey and other sweets.
Wedding traditions of the peoples of the world
Unusual wedding traditions of different nations
What unites all the peoples of our planet is the desire to create a family and continue their lineage. And this happens through the ceremony of marriage. Our country has its own original wedding traditions, which are rooted in the distant past. Each of the elements of the Russian wedding ceremony is a tradition of our ancestors. For example, among Russians it is customary:
- block the road for the wedding procession;
- before going to the registry office, treat the children in the yard with candy and other sweets;
- steal right at a wedding and then ransom the bride;
- release doves into the sky.
The Russian newlywed, according to ancient wedding tradition, is the first to cut the festive loaf. With this action, she shows everyone that she is now the mistress of the house. After the wedding ceremony, the mother-in-law removes the veil from the daughter-in-law, which symbolizes the addition to the groom’s family. Another ancient wedding ritual, which is still popular today, is the meeting of the newlyweds after the painting in the registry office with bread and salt. Following custom, young spouses must break off part of the wedding loaf. Whose piece is larger, according to ancient belief, will be the main one in the house.
Recently, at weddings, the Slavs have developed another tradition: the bride throws her bouquet over her head to her unmarried friends. The girl who catches him must marry soon. There is a similar ritual on the part of the groom: he removes the garter from his young wife’s leg and throws it to his single friends. Whoever catches the garter first will soon meet his betrothed. However, if you read history well, then mention of this wedding tradition can be found in manuscripts of the 14th century. At that time, it was believed that any item taken from the newlyweds would bring its new owner the favor of the opposite sex.
But the most fascinating and popular is the Russian wedding custom - bride price. Usually witnesses do this, and in some cases the groom himself becomes a participant in the ritual. Traditionally, the newlyweds are redeemed with money, sometimes champagne, vodka, flowers and sweets. Neighbors, guests and acquaintances also participate in this wedding ceremony. Other nations have a similar ritual, for example, Muslims give a bride price for a bride. But the ransom from the Russians is more of an entertainment event than a monetary interest.
Wedding traditions in Australia
The main national feature of Russian weddings is fun and entertainment. But among other nations, wedding ceremonies often amaze with their practicality, minimalism and romance. For example, in Australia, preparations for a wedding begin a year before the scheduled date of the celebration. Australians are Catholics, so civil marriage as such does not exist among them. All newlyweds are married in the church, and only after that the wedding feast begins.
Three months before the wedding, the future husband and wife regularly go to the priest - he prepares the guy and girl for life together and draws up a wedding plan. Australians are very practical, which is why wedding gifts are discussed well in advance. Future spouses make a list of valuable things they would like to receive. Guests look through this list in advance and decide among themselves who will please the young Australian couple and with what.
This country has an original wedding tradition - making a lot of noise on the way to church. The roots of this ritual go back to hoary antiquity: people then believed that loud sounds drove away evil spirits and evil spirits. Today, to create a sound effect, empty cans or other metal objects are tied to the newlyweds' car, which create an unimaginable roar.
The tradition of breaking champagne glasses exists in different parts of the world. When the newlyweds leave the church, they are given glasses of sparkling drink. Having drained them to the bottom, the bride and groom cheerfully smash their glasses on the ground. If both break up, then the young spouses will have a happy and rich life together. If one of the glasses remains intact, then this marriage will not bring joy and happiness to the spouses. There is another explanation for this ritual - people used to believe that the sound of breaking glass drove away evil spirits from young spouses.
Wedding traditions in Europe
Hungary
Following wedding tradition, the young Hungarian bride must take off her shoes and place them in the center of the hall. A man who wants to dance with a newlywed must put coins in her shoes. The gentleman who puts in the most coins can dance with the bride first. Another interesting Hungarian wedding tradition is morning washing. The next morning after the celebration, the young wife goes with the guests to the well and washes them all in turn, and then wipes each one with a towel.
Slovakia
The girl chooses it herself, and then gives her groom a shirt and a ring. The shirt should be made of natural silk. The guy buys a silver ring for the bride and puts on a chastity belt for her. Weddings in Slovak cities are played with traditional entertainment, competitions, games and a buffet, and in the villages you can still see the national Slovak folk ensemble.
Norway
There is a strong belief that in countries with cold climates, people express their feelings more calmly. Norwegian wedding traditions are proof of this. The beautiful half of humanity in this country is much less than the strong one, for this reason guys start looking for a bride as early as possible. Since ancient times, Norwegian women have had equal rights with men, so not only the eldest sons, but also the eldest daughters are considered heirs in Norway.
There is no such thing as a dowry here, and the newlyweds celebrate their wedding with their own money. The most beautiful wedding tradition in Norway, which newlyweds observe to this day, is the following: guests go to the wedding in boats decorated with bells and other wedding attributes.
Netherlands
Some wedding traditions in the Netherlands may come as a shock to people from other parts of the world. But the newlyweds here are not too concerned about prejudices and false modesty. They believe that everything natural should not be forbidden. The guests are having fun and having fun at the wedding without the virtue of the Slavic peoples, and the competitions here are more than obscene and cross all lines of our usual decency. The more obscene performances there are at a wedding celebration in the Netherlands, the more successful, according to local residents, it was.
At the wedding feast there is no traditional birthday cake. Guests are treated to national sweets called “bride's sugar.” They have different shapes and taste very different. The bride orders sweets from different confectioners, and if suddenly one person gets the same sweets, it is for luck.
African wedding rituals
Nigeria
Following Nigerian wedding customs, the newlywed's parents invite a professional matchmaker to select a bride who will meet all the requirements of the groom's family. The matchmaker’s duty is to check the bride candidates for virginity, and having chosen a suitable girl, present her to the guy’s parents for the final decision. After a wedding, Nigerians have an interesting ritual - the young spouse must pass through a corridor of relatives who beat him with sticks. Legend has it that only after such an execution is a young man completely ready for family life.
Ethiopia
Family life for a woman in some African tribes begins with trials. In the Ethiopian Surma tribe, there is a custom: six months before the wedding, the bride’s lower lip is pierced and a clay disc is inserted into it. The two front teeth are pulled out so that they do not interfere with the foreign body. It is believed that the larger the disc in a girl’s lip, the more dowry that bride will have. And the people of Ethiopia also believe that the clay disk serves as protection against evil spirits and evil spirits that can enter a girl through her mouth.
Egypt
Egypt is the birthplace of traditional African marriage. It was the ancient Egyptians who were the first to suggest that people make the relationship between a man and a woman legal. The Egyptians were also the founders of the marriage contract. It spelled out in detail the responsibilities of the spouses. Egyptian wedding traditions are somewhat similar to Muslim customs. It is in Islam that a husband can afford four wives, but on condition that he supports them. But in modern conditions, not every Egyptian can afford such luxury.
There are many beautiful national dances in Egyptian culture. They are paid tribute at all wedding celebrations. Particularly popular is the dance with a skirt and swords, as well as the well-known belly dance. Exchanging rings is a long-standing tradition of the Egyptians, which was adopted by almost all nations. The Egyptians have a ring that symbolizes love and wears it on the middle finger. It is believed that the cardiac vein passes through the middle finger of the left hand. And the heart, as you know, is a symbol of love!
Rwanda
The wedding ceremony in the Bahutu tribe is filled with passion. After all, custom requires newlyweds to express hatred towards each other. After the end of the wedding ceremony, the woman with the veil goes to her husband’s house, where an impressive action unfolds - a massacre! The wife scratches her husband, leaving noticeable wounds on his body and face. The husband, in turn, shows aggression towards his wife.
The fight lasts until the morning, and the action takes place in complete silence - the spouses do not say a word throughout the entire fight. This ritual can last for several nights. At the end of the fight, the wife moves into her husband's house forever. From this moment on, peace and tranquility begins in the new Rwandan family. With the help of this ritual it is easy to check how ready the newlyweds are for life together. Perhaps thanks to him, most families in the Bahutu tribe live happily.
Customs of the peoples of Asia
Thailand
Thai wedding traditions do not require a monochromatic outfit for newlyweds. On this day, the bride can change into multi-colored and white dresses a dozen times. Her clothing depends on the ritual that is performed at a certain point in the wedding ceremony. For each ritual you need to wear your “own” dress. The only color prohibited is black, which is worn by Thai widows. It is not even used in the decoration of a wedding dress. Traditional Thai wedding colors are gold, orange and red.
China
Residents of the Celestial Empire love the color purple, so at a Chinese wedding absolutely everything can be red: the bride’s outfit, gift boxes, envelopes with money and rose petals.
The tradition of drinking from glasses tied with red ribbons also came from China. A wedding celebration in this country requires large financial expenses, but most often the wedding pays off, since in China it is customary to give the newlyweds money. They are even passed on by relatives who were unable to attend the wedding in person.
India
Indian wedding ceremonies are the brightest and most colorful spectacle on the entire globe, incorporating the beliefs of Indians, a manifestation of spiritual culture and religious roots dating back to ancient times. Most often, Indian newlyweds see each other for the first time at their own wedding, but despite this circumstance, Indians almost never get divorced. This is a mystery for other nations, because even in those countries where people marry primarily for love, divorces occur much more often.
In India, flowers are the main wedding attribute. You can see a huge number of them at Indian wedding celebrations. And all because the gods love the scent of flowers very much; because of the many fragrant buds, they will hear the requests of ordinary people much faster. An important moment of an Indian wedding is the festive table. However, only vegetarian dishes will be displayed there. Meat, eggs and fish are strictly prohibited in India.
Bali
A wedding celebration in Bali has recently become very fashionable among all newlyweds around the globe. The belief says that if you enter into a legal marriage on this Indonesian island, it will be long and happy. In addition, the wedding ceremony in Bali is very colorful and spectacular: the island’s residents bring donations of thousands of flowers to the local gods, smoke incense, and the newlyweds are dressed in very bright wedding dresses, decorated with several layers of gold embroidery.
The newlyweds arrive at the wedding ceremony site on a golden carriage, and the richest couples arrive on decorated elephants. When the newlyweds enter the temple, they are showered with petals of different flowers, the priests read prayers intended for such occasions, everyone wishes the newlyweds to be happy throughout their lives. An Indonesian wedding is a special flavor and harmony next to the ancient deities of a fabulous island.
North and South America
USA
In the United States of America, things are a little different. A wedding celebration is part of a business, so it is organized by wedding agencies. Marriage in America begins as in any Catholic country:
- a young man proposes to a girl;
- together they set an engagement date, at which the groom presents his beloved with a ring;
- an official ceremony is held.
There are no special restrictions at wedding celebrations in America, but the clothes of the newlyweds are chosen in a traditional style. The bride, in addition to the wedding dress, should wear any old thing and something blue. The antique element is a symbol of connection with relatives, and the blue object symbolizes fidelity to the husband. An American bride can invite not one, but several bridesmaids to the celebration, so that none of them feels deprived of attention.
Mexico
Mexicans are descendants of the Mayans and Aztecs, so their wedding traditions and rituals are different from many others. A traditional Mexican wedding ceremony involves sponsors who cover many of the costs. Usually they are parents, godparents, and relatives of the bride and groom. During the wedding ceremony, the priest wraps a symbolic “lasso” made from special rosary around the newlyweds. It is a symbol of the unification of lovers into one whole.
Mexicans also have very long traditions in their arsenal, inherited from the Indians. For example, before an official wedding, the union of two people is celebrated. First, the girl undergoes a ritual of ablution, and then a traditional Indian ritual begins near the oldest tree. It is believed that it notifies the four elements, as well as all ancestors, that the young people want to always be together.
Video: overview of the traditions of the peoples of the world
Every nation has its own wedding traditions. Their goal is to help newlyweds become happy, successful and healthy in their family life. Nowadays, it is difficult to call most wedding traditions, rites and rituals purely Asian, African or Slavic, because they have spread and mixed with each other throughout the globe. For example, representatives of any religion give kalym or bride price, and not a single wedding celebration takes place without the newlyweds dancing.
Our article will be brightly complemented by a video about how wedding ceremonies take place on different continents.
Spanish wedding
In Spain, the bride's outfit must include elements of orange, and the wedding bouquet must contain orange blossoms. Orange-orange is the color of beauty, passion and vitality. The groom, along with the wedding ring, presents the bride with thirteen coins, confirming with this gesture that from now on he will always take care of her.
Italian wedding
They prepare for a wedding in Italy for at least a year. But first there must be an engagement - the moment when a man gives a ring to a girl and meets her parents. A very serious step! All cars in the wedding cortege are decorated with white ribbons. Driving through the streets, they continuously buzz - notifying everyone about the event. After the ceremony, the newlyweds are sprinkled with rice as they leave the church. In the restaurant everyone shouts “Bacio!” (kiss). Usually the newlyweds are allocated a separate table, but they cannot sit at it: they need to pay attention to all their relatives, take pictures with everyone, take part in friends’ jokes, dance, drink wine and... many times “Bacio!” Well, the profession of toastmaster is not in demand in Italy: temperamental Italians do not need verbal entertainment, they themselves will make any flowery speech you want. But singers and musicians are invited, so they can entertain the guests. And, of course, to accompany the newlyweds during their first dance.
As for gifts, Italian newlyweds echo the American and German ones - they leave a “marriage list” in the store and send the store’s business cards to guests along with the invitation. There is another interesting tradition in Italy: friends of the newlyweds trick the newlyweds into luring out the keys to the house in advance and prepare “ambushes”: they sprinkle spices on the marital bed or set alarm clocks at the wrong time and hide them throughout the room, trying to “annoy” the spouses on their wedding night, more precisely, to make the night sleepless and stormy. But more often the company simply knocks on the window in the middle of the night and demands... to feed them. Fortunately, the young wife always has a pan of spaghetti ready for this occasion. It only remains to add that Italians marry late. Early marriage is considered to be between 30 and 35 years of age.
Tribes of Bahutu
On the way to a happy family life, newlyweds should beat each other after the wedding. This continues for 7 days. At the end of which an act of love occurs. It is believed that in this way young people will be able to throw out their negative emotions, after which they will live a long family life.
Interesting! 16 Amazing Facts About Ethiopia
Jewish wedding
At the beginning of the ceremony, the bride's head is covered with a veil. Then she, following the groom, goes under the ritual canopy of the chuppah, where the people closest to them await them. Here, under the chuppah, a new family is born. While the rabbi reads prayers, the bride circles the groom 7 times. God created the Earth in seven days, so the girl builds the walls of her future family. And so the man puts on a gold ring for his beloved. According to tradition, it must be without stones and officially belong to the groom - either purchased by him with his savings or considered a family heirloom. After this, the marriage contract is read out - the ketubah, which spells out the rules that a man must henceforth observe in relation to his wife: provide, protect, take care that her beauty is preserved as long as possible. The amount that will be paid to the woman in the event of a divorce is also stated here. True, this part of the agreement is more a tribute to tradition than a true agreement; the amount indicated is symbolic.
Then the newly-made family has to go through the third wedding ceremony - visiting the privacy room. Previously, upon entering there, the newlyweds found themselves alone for the first time and the man was allowed to touch his wife. Today, when marriages are more often concluded by love than by “arrangement,” this part of the ritual is observed as a sign of respect for tradition. The newlyweds retire for 3-5 minutes and soon join the guests. It's time for a feast. Jewish weddings are usually held on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday. Shabbat Hatan is held on Saturday. Moreover, Ashkenazis hold it on the last Saturday before the wedding. And Sephardim - on the first Saturday after the wedding. On this day, the man goes to the synagogue, where he reads the Torah with special solemnity. With this honorable act, the community (although not only those who pray in this synagogue come to Shabbat Hatan, relatives and friends of the bride and groom’s families from other communities and even from other cities are invited) gives parting words and wishes a happy family life. After morning prayers, the groom treats everyone to desserts and sweets.
Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Antimony tribe still strictly adheres to a harsh wedding custom: long before the wedding, the bride has a pair of lower teeth knocked out, her lip pierced, and a clay plate inserted into the wound. The plates are gradually changed, increasing their size. The larger the plate, the richer the bride’s dowry. In addition, it protects the girl from evil spirits that try to penetrate her through her mouth. The tradition of wearing a plate was also associated with white slave owners. Indeed, it is unlikely that any European would like a “beauty” with a plate in her lip. But there are also concessions - the plate can be temporarily removed in the absence of men and during meals.
Wedding ceremonies and traditions of Denmark
In this Scandinavian country, it is mandatory for the bride and groom to dance their first dance at the wedding, surrounded by invited guests. During the dance, the circle constantly contracts. Finally, all the guests converge so tightly that the bride and groom can no longer move - they can only kiss each other deeply. Immediately the men grab the groom and quickly pull off his shoes, after which they cut off his socks from the heels and toes with scissors. At the same time, the girls are strenuously trying to tear the bride’s veil into ribbons. These ribbons are subsequently tied to car antennas for good luck.
Mauritania
In Western civilization, it is customary for the bride to be as attractive and slender as possible on her wedding day. But this is not the way of thinking among Moorish grooms, who believe that there should be many brides. Here, a girl intending to get married needs to eat more fatty foods and drink up to 10 liters of camel milk daily. In Mauritania, there is even a special service where brides are fattened to the desired condition before the wedding, until they become sufficiently “attractive” and sexy.
15 Russian customs that are absolutely incomprehensible to foreignersDifferent peoples always find strange things in others. There is nothing surprising here, because the culture and history of each nation is different. For example, the Russians...
