10 Bizarre Wedding Traditions across the Globe

Applying Mehandi(Henna) and Stealing Groom’s Shoes in INDIA

In the Indian traditional wedding, the bride and groom apply henna on their hands as well as legs. Also there is a ritual when bride’s sisters steal the footwear of the groom on entering the wedding tent and is bribed for getting back the footwear.

The Red Umbrella and Veils in CHINA

In the Chinese traditional wedding the bride is escorted to the ceremony in the bridal sedan. The bride wears a red veil symbolizing boldness, luck and love hiding her face and the relatives holding the umbrella over her head.

Passing the Fire in SOUTH AFRICA

In the traditional South African wedding the parents of the newlyweds carry fire from their place to the couple’s place to ignite the hearth together in their new home.

Collecting Money for Honeymoon in POLAND

The tradition in Poland is to invite the guests at the reception party and buy dance with the bride. And the money collected is used for the couple’s honeymoon.

Father Spitting on the Bride in KENYA

The traditional wedding of Massai people in Kenya features the father of the bride spitting on his daughter’s head and chest so as not to bring bad luck to their good fortune ahead.

Blackening the Bride in SCOTLAND

In the Scottish tradition, both the bride and groom are piled with alcohol, ash, flour, treacle and feathers by taking them out on a day before the marriage to bring good luck and avoid evil spirit.

Kidnapping the Bride in KYZ ALA KACHUU

The ritual known as Bride Kidnapping, i.e. marriage by capture is practiced in cultures like Romani and Kyrgyzstan. The young man takes her to his own family where she is kept in a room until she is convinced to put a scarf as a sign of acceptance.

Beating Groom’s Feet in SOUTH KOREA

The Korean wedding culture features groom’s friends removing his shoes and tying his feet together with a rope. They then start beating the sole of his feet with the stick by lifting his legs off the ground.

Releasing the Doves in PHILIPPINES

At the reception of their traditional wedding, the newlywed couple releases two doves in the air symbolizing long, peaceful and harmonious life together.

Sake Cup Tradition in JAPAN

In the Japanese tradition of San-San-Kudo, the bride and the groom take three sips each from the three flat sake cups which is repeated by their parents too symbolizing that it bonds the family together.

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