40+ Interesting Wedding Customs From Around The World
Usually, weddings are marvelous celebrations of a union of two people and are treated and organized as the most memorable day for the couple. But, because you’ve come this far, you’re surely well aware that every culture and nation has its unique rituals, traditions, and customs that the wedding party and guests partake in. Many intriguing rituals make the wedding day distinctive for both brides and grooms, ranging from temporary tattoos to practically being crowned at your wedding. Here are 45 customs that you wish you could see firsthand!
Guatemala – Breaking A Bell
When it comes to weddings in Guatemala, the groom’s parents host the reception, and they are allowed the opportunity to celebrate their son’s union with his in-laws in whichever way or form they see fit. Don’t be surprised if shards of porcelain fly across the guests if you ever have the honor of seeing a wedding with Guatemalan traditions. To signal the couple’s arrival, the bride’s mother breaks a white ceramic bell loaded with flour and rice.
Lebanon – Zaffa Celebration
If you’ve ever been to a Lebanese wedding, you’ve probably seen the Zaffa musical procession, which features men playing drums, bagpipes, and a large number of belly dancers swaying to the loud sounds. The celebration is shared by people from both sides of the happily wedded couple.
Lebanon – Zaffa Celebration
The party then goes to the bride’s house, where blessings and appreciation are exchanged for and by the newlywed couple after the pair spends a long time with their loved ones and well-wishers. It sounds like a lot of fun!
Scotland – Parade
Look no farther than this Scottish wedding tradition if you enjoy getting filthy while partying! It is a well-known custom for the bride and groom’s friends to whisk them away immediately before the wedding.
Scotland – Parade
They use anything and everything they can get their hands on to cover the soon-to-be couple: ash, feathers, mud, flour, and even eggs in some cases. Before the ceremony, the couple is paraded through town in an attempt to ward off evil spirits.
Mexico – Lasso
A lasso is frequently used in Mexican weddings during vows and ceremonies as part of an extraordinary ritual. A lasso is a rope made of rosary beads that are often embellished with flowers and other ornaments.
Mexico – Lasso
During the wedding ceremony, the lasso is wrapped around the couple to make the symbol of infinity – which looks like a horizontal eight – surrounding them. The shape represents eternity, and it is thought to strengthen the couple’s love and marriage.
India – Tattoos
Henna, or Mehendi as it is known in India, is a plant-based paste that is applied to the hands, arms, and feet of the bride-to-be and her guests. This paste leaves a brownish semi-permanent tattoo on the hand with hand-drawn designs that may be scraped off.
India – Tattoos
These designs can last anywhere from 5 to 2 weeks on the skin and have a lovely, earthy scent. Brides frequently get the name of their fiancé hidden in their tattoo for a quick name-spotting game, and the art of these designs is usually in touch with Indian custom and history.
China – Good Luck Woman
The bride’s family hires a “good luck” woman, which is customary in Chinese wedding ceremonies. This woman’s job is to accompany the bride and her spouse to their new house and make sure everything runs properly.
China – Good Luck Woman
When this lady is given a car to go in, it is often uniquely adorned and expensive. The ritual is possibly the most well-known in China, and practically everyone who participates looks forward to it.
Russia – Bread Sharing
We were almost surprised to learn that one of the finest wedding ceremony customs can be found in Russia! Only the bride and groom are invited, and the couple must share ‘korovai,’ a special type of bread created for the occasion.
Russia – Bread Sharing
This delectable bread is usually decorated with wheat marks that represent faithfulness, love, and wealth. The couple is intended to approach this as a game, striving to devour the bread without using their hands.
Czech Republic – Babies
The placement of a newborn in the couple’s arms is the most popular wedding ritual in the Czech Republic. This is done before the ceremony to bless them with healthy and fruitful fertility in their marriage.
Czech Republic – Babies
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds are showered with rice, lentils, and peas, which are fertility symbols. In this culture, child-rearing is seen as one of the essential responsibilities of a married pair, and the blessings are gratefully received.
France – Eating from the Toilet
A tradition that appears to be all fun and games until you hear the details. With one of the oddest practices we’ve seen yet, French weddings definitely deserve to be on our list! It appears to be a simple chocolate and champagne eating and drinking ritual, but there’s more to it!
France – Eating From The Toilet
These delicacies — as well as other wedding leftovers – must be consumed from a soiled toilet bowl. Yes, we’ve all done it — we’ve all gagged! The bowl is definitely cleaned before the food is placed in it, but we don’t think you’d engage in this custom unless you’ve witnessed it as a child.
Wales – Bouquet
Though many couples worldwide follow a bridal flower bouquet tradition, the one observed in Wales differs differently. The bouquet is very much shared by all the bridesmaids, making it less competitive and definitely more personal.
Wales – Bouquet
Each bridesmaid receives a clipping of myrtle, a flower that represents love. It is expected that if the bridesmaid roots the cutting and develops the sapling, she will be the next to marry.
Greece – Grooming
Though practically every culture expects the bride and groom to be accompanied by close friends and family during their wedding rites, Greece takes the term “groomsman” to a whole new level.
Greece – Grooming
The best man is effectively made accountable for the groom’s grooming on the day before the wedding. As a symbol of their commitment, he must delicately shave the groom’s face and fill in for the designated barber.
India – Cursed
In Hindu culture, the most prominent religion in India, it is commonly believed that a woman can be cursed if her horoscope and birth time do not match. Many people believe that the marriage will be cursed shortly after the ceremony, leaving the newlywed bride widowed.
India – Cursed
The most common method for removing the curse is for a woman to marry a tree and then cut it down, killing her first husband and preventing the curse from falling on her human husband.
Norway – Crown
Norwegian weddings, like other ceremonies, are beautiful, but they also include several traditional aspects that help make the day more unforgettable. Among these is the bride’s necessity to wear a silver and gold crown during the vows!
Norway – Crown
Small pieces and charms dangle from the crown, swaying with the bride’s every movement. This helps in the creation of a sound that locals believe wards off evil spirits on celebratory occasions.
Russia – Worth
This Russian custom requires the groom to visit his soon-to-be in-residence law’s on the day of the wedding and pay his respects while offering gifts, as part of a tradition in which the groom must prove that he is worthy of marrying the bride.
Russia – Worth
This is sometimes used as an opportunity for the groom to show off his singing and dancing skills until her parents urge him to stop. Grooms eagerly adhere to this more enjoyable – and uncomfortable – tradition.
Turkey – Flag
If you’re a tourist in Turkey and see the national flag flying outside a resident’s home, don’t assume it’s for patriotic reasons. Hanging the Turkish national flag outside a groom’s house is a well-known tradition.
Turkey – Flag
To show that the wedding ceremony and festivities have already begun, some individuals place nuts, veggies, fruits, and mirrors near their flag. This informs the rest of the world that their son, the groom, is “off the market.” We respectfully send our congratulations.
Wales – Lovespoons
While the phrase may paint a picture of cuddling and spoon with a loved one, this intriguing Wales wedding tradition involves actual spoons! The fortunate groom and other men are required to carve spoons from wood. This is a first for us!
Wales – Lovespoons
This may seem tiring and laborious during a celebration, but it shows their affection for their wives and companions and their moms and all the women who have shaped them. The markings on the spoon may indicate the number of children he wants.
Romania – Abducting the Bride
This doesn’t seem very comforting to us, but we’re assuming that if you’ve grown up witnessing this happen, you’re prepared. In Romania, a wedding tradition involves the bride’s guests stealing her away and demanding money or presents from her groom in exchange for her return.
Romania – Abducting The Bride
The guests take their role as kidnappers very seriously and keep the bride at a safe distance. Of course, they transport her to a location that she desires. Everyone will enjoy this tradition! Drinks or dares and challenges for the groom to complete are the most common gifts.
Indonesia – Staying at Home
The guests take their position as kidnappers seriously and keep the bride at a safe distance. Of course, they take her somewhere she wants to go. This is a delightful ritual for the whole family! Drinks or dares and challenges for the groom to complete are common gifts.
Indonesia – Staying At Home
Though being told to stay at home during the Coronavirus outbreaks was upsetting enough, this Indonesian wedding ritual stresses spending time together by requiring the happy couple to spend at least three days locked in a single room.
Japan – White
Although the initial and quite extreme, the reason for this was to restrict the couple from using the restroom, and instead of spending all of their time together, the true purpose of the ritual is to enhance their bond. It’s also thought to produce healthy babies.
Japan – White
She must wear a white veil or hood and be adorned in white cloth with white flowers. Her makeup must be white in color and tone. This is thought to keep jealousy at bay during the wedding.
Armenia – Spirits
While warding off evil spirits is a common theme in wedding traditions worldwide, Armenian weddings may be a step ahead. In Armenia, the couple gets married while flatbread is balanced on their shoulders.
Armenia – Spirits
Aside from the bread balance, the couple must also shatter a large dish for good luck at the groom’s house during their wedding reception. The rest of the ceremony is then spent eating bread with honey.
Venezuela – Sneaking Away
In Venezuela, the bride and groom must devise a plan to sneak out before the ceremonies and party is over as if it were a game. The goal is to sneak out ahead of everyone else while avoiding being captured.
Venezuela – Sneaking Away
This is when things start to get interesting! Of course, the couple’s guests are aware of the tradition, and it becomes a game to catch the couple sneaking away or revealing their plot before the newlyweds can make a break for it!
Peru – Wedding Cake
Guests with a sweet tooth will almost always be served cake at a party. The lovely bridesmaids at Peruvian weddings participate in a fun game! Ribbons are linked to charms on the cake, one of which is a fake wedding ring!
Peru – Wedding Cake
Every bridesmaid selects a ribbon and tugs on it, and the bridesmaid who receives the false wedding ring charm is supposed to be the next to marry. We think it’s a lot sweeter than the flower bouquet tradition.
Cuba – Money Pinning
We’ve all heard or read that Cubans know how to party, and their weddings are no exception! Pinning money to the happy couple’s garments is one of the more expensive-sounding practices in their weddings.
Cuba – Money Pinning
The expectation is that any man who dances with the bride throughout the wedding reception will pin some money to her dress. This is a nice way to help the new couple afford their wedding and honeymoon expenses easily!
Sweden – Kisses
When one half of a partnership is missing, kisses can be exchanged with others, according to a tradition that we think adorable but some may find unpleasant. When the groom’s bride leaves the table or his side, the ladies around him have the right to kiss him.
Sweden – Kisses
This also applies to men, and if the groom leaves his bride’s side, the male guests are allowed to kiss her. The goal is to create boundaries while also having fun so that the couple does not have to deal with envy in the future.
Canada – Sibling Dance
Another simple and lovely tradition seen at Canadian weddings is the bride and groom’s elder siblings dancing while wearing funny socks! While this is a tradition that only pertains to unmarried siblings, it is remembered by all.
Canada – Sibling Dance
The siblings provide everyone with more than just embarrassment. The better and wilder they perform, the more money the wedding party’s guests throw at them! This money is usually gathered and delivered as a gift to the couple.
Germany – Polterabend
A wedding in Germany might be for you if you enjoy breaking plates at weddings as a guest without having to clean up! The newlyweds are expected to pick up mounds of broken and shattered china dishes that were shattered during the wedding.
Germany – Polterabend
The plate breaking is done to ward off evil spirits, and the clean-up is done as a sign of teamwork as the couple begins their marriage. The goal is to teach them that they can work together to solve any challenge.
Scotland – Secret Village
Getting married before becoming 21 years old was made illegal in England centuries ago, yet for some reason, this enraged a lot of people. A special town comes to the rescue as many people try to find loopholes to flee away with their loved ones successfully.
Scotland – Secret Village
Many young individuals eloped and traveled to Gretna Green to get married because there were no age requirements. This community still exists and serves as a sanctuary for eloped couples!
Niger – Camel Dance
We’d never heard of the camel dance before, but it’s part of the wedding customs in the West African country of Niger! This comprises mostly the married couple performing a sort of dance with a camel while in the desert.
Niger – Camel Dance
The performance is enjoyed by all wedding guests and is done with an adult camel to the beat of a drum. The camel is the show’s true star, and the ceremony can only proceed once the camel has finished dancing.
Italy – The Surprise Party
Although it is not a regular practice in Italian weddings, the groom occasionally arranges a surprise party outside her chamber window before the big day. As he serenades his soon-to-be bride, this is a sweet show of love.
Italy – The Surprise Party
Furthermore, following the flawless singing and sweet gestures, the group attends a party with opulent and delectable cuisine, fantastic music, and adored company to celebrate and commemorate the occasion. We think this is a fantastic tradition!
Ireland – Dance
We shouldn’t be shocked that dance is a key element of their wedding ceremony and celebrations because Ireland is famed for its dance culture! But, as is customary, the huge wedding tradition has a twist, and it involves the bride.
Ireland – Dance
The bride must always keep one foot on the dance floor, according to this tradition. This is so that no bad spirits may sweep under her and pull her away if both of her feet are in the air.
Fiji – Whale’s Tooth
The groom must ask his bride’s father for her hand in marriage, as is common in many cultures. In Fiji, however, this is not as simple, and a particular present must be offered for the proposal to be considered.
Fiji – Whale’s Tooth
The groom must present the groom’s father with a real whale’s tooth. We’re curious about where the father-in-law would store the tooth, but that’s only if he accepts the proposal and the wedding is set!
China – Crying
Things can be stressful, as they are with most wedding schedules and planning. It takes a lot of effort to ensure that the bride and groom have the time of their lives on their wedding day. Brides in China, on the other hand, plan and practice for one specific ‘custom.’
China – Crying
A month before the wedding, she practices crying for an hour every day! Her mother and grandmother and relatives and friends attend these rehearsals 10 days before the wedding to ensure that the tears flow freely on the big day!
South Korea – Falaka
This is without a doubt one of the strangest wedding traditions we’ve ever encountered! In South Korea, the groom is typically laid down while his friends and relatives beat his feet in a rite known as the Falaka.
South Korea – Falaka
The beatings are frequently done with sticks or dried fish, making the whole thing a lot stranger than we had anticipated. The tradition includes a lighthearted trivia game to keep the groom focused on the question rather than the beating.
India – Joota Chuppai
Do you enjoy going on treasure hunts? We feel the same way! The Indian bride’s friends and family tradition of stealing and hiding the groom’s and his guests’ shoes. Before returning the shoes, they demand money and presents.
India – Joota Chuppai
Grooms are usually on the lookout for these thieves because of the practice’s popularity, but the girls seldom fail. The tradition gives humor and an opportunity for the groom to show off his generosity while competing for something he owns.
Norway – Cakes
When we think of a wedding cake, we think of a white, multi-tiered, exquisite dessert with flowers. The wedding cakes in Norway, on the other hand, appear to be a lot of fun and are nothing like the vanilla and chocolate cake we’ve seen at most weddings.
Norway – Cakes
Kransekake is a tasty dish that looks like a tall stack of pancakes. It’s comprised of iced almond cake rings and is fashioned like a cone. A bottle of wine should be placed in the center of the cake, according to tradition.
Spain – Ties
You might want to be a groomsman at a wedding in Spain if you work in sales. The groom’s friends and family must cut their ties and sell the scraps to the guests. The purpose of this event is to raise funds for the newlyweds!
Spain – Ties
When the wedding costs are high, the bride’s guests pitch in to help the newlyweds cover the costs. However, it is important to keep in mind that this isn’t only about the money. It’s about how the pair will always be surrounded by sincere friendship.
China – Bow and Arrow
We’ve seen China on this list before, and we’d like to know more! The bow and arrow custom, in which the man aims and launches an arrow at his own beloved bride, appears to be a potentially dangerous tradition.
China – Bow And Arrow
Wait! We almost forgot to add that they’re headless arrows that never hurt anyone! The deed leads to the true tradition for the groom to collect and break the arrows to show their love’s unity and strength.
Congo – No Smiles
Unless we’re shy, most of us smile instinctively when a camera is pointed at us. However, one Congolese wedding ritual goes in a different route. For some couples, weddings are the happiest day of their lives, and this tradition offers a unique twist on that.
Congo – No Smiles
During the whole wedding day, the couple and their guests must not smile. If somebody is smiling, it is assumed that they are not serious about their marriage and that it is a joke to them.
Philippines – Doves
These lovely white birds are often regarded as a worldwide emblem of peace and harmony. Given this, it’s no surprise that they’re also a part of the Philippines’ lovely and loving wedding tradition. This is amazing!
Philippines – Doves
Before the celebration party can begin, the married couple must release a pair of white doves into an open place following their vows and ceremony. One female and one male bird are expected to be released, representing one-half of the new couple.
Germany – Wood
The bride and groom in Germany are supposed to chop a plank of wood together after the ceremony. This duty is not made any easier for the couple. They’re frequently given a thick, huge wood that’s difficult to cut.
Germany – Wood
This practice aims to provide a space for teamwork for the couple right after their wedding and to signal a readiness to tackle and overcome obstacles as a family. This is a fascinating approach to develop teamwork, in our opinion!
China – Games
There are many customs associated with Chinese weddings, but this one is enjoyable! This one has games for people of all ages; however, it is primarily used by couples. These games are basically a series of tests and challenges devised by the bridesmaids to put their friend’s groom to the test.
China – Games
These games are a fun method to see if the husband is deserving of the bride because the types of chores and questions given in front of the entire bridal party normally involve many laughs.
French Polynesia – The Human Carpet
The formation of a human carpet during weddings in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia is a ritual that, to be honest, sounds a little uncomfortable to us, but it has a history. And sure, that is precisely how it looks.
French Polynesia – The Human Carpet
Following the ceremony, the couple’s family and friends lay down on the floor to create a raised carpet on which the couple goes through the hall. This is a symbol of the couple’s relatives and friends always being there for them.
India – Lost Ring
The bride and groom’s engagement rings are dipped into a tub of milk filled with rose petals in an almost flirty ritual in Indian wedding ceremonies. The object of this cute and playful game is to see who can find the ring first.
India – Lost Ring
Whoever wins is teased for being excessively anxious to get on with the wedding because of the haste and urgency they found the ring and is said to be the one in charge of the relationship, the headstrong one.
Russia – Wedding Photos
The final Russian custom on our list is this. It’s based in Moscow, Russia’s metropolitan capital, where couples have a little photo shoot at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on their wedding day as a symbol of respect for the deceased.
Russia – Wedding Photos
The couples also lay flowers at the mausoleum near the Kremlin, and while this isn’t a widely practiced ceremony in Russia, several couples make trip plans to participate. The tomb attracts a large number of Moscow wedding couples.