Across the world, there are many cultural customs and traditions that shape the way people get married and prove that there is no standard way to get married. Some are interesting, some are quirky, and some are strange. Here are some weird and wonderful wedding customs you probably didn’t know about.
Kenya:
Maasai culture sees spitting as a sign of good luck and fortune. As a result, fathers traditionally spit on their daughters’ heads and breasts on their wedding day. They also spit on the couple following the wedding.
French Polynesia:
The Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia have a very interesting wedding custom. Following the ceremony, wedding relatives of the bride must lay face down on the ground alongside each other and the wedding couple walks over them.
China:
Chinese weddings are a feat. Traditionally, Chinese grooms have to prove their worth and perform a number of stunts for bridesmaids before he can get to his bride. Called door games, the stunts include singing a sappy song, doing the limbo, getting every answer right and a Q&A on the bride and their relationship. For every answer the groom gets wrong, he has to complete a number of press-ups or sit-ups. Once he has successfully completed his tasks, the groom must present bridesmaids with red envelopes of money.
Niger:
Wedding receptions in Niger have special guests: camels. The camels entertain guests with a dance to a rhythmic drumbeat.
Armenia:
As Armenian couples enter their wedding reception they break a plate. The mother of the groom then traditionally places lavash flatbread on the shoulders of the bride and groom in a symbol of prosperity and abundance. They are tasked with balancing the bread on their shoulders to ward off evil. They are also fed spoonfuls of honey and walnuts in a bid for happiness.
Mongolia:
Mongolian couples have a checklist of activities to complete before they get married. Firstly, just to set a wedding date includes a rather intense activity: they need to slaughter and gut a baby chicken to locate the liver. If the liver is in good condition, they may set a date. If not, they must start all over until they have a good liver.
Before their wedding, the couple must circle their new home thrice for good luck. They then leap over a pile of burning wood to be blessed by the fire god, signalling that their marriage will be as bright as the flames.
Ireland:
Irish folklore makes dancing at a wedding a little bit difficult for brides. According to tradition, brides must dance with one foot on the ground at all time. If not, the bride might be kidnapped by evil fairies.
Cuba:
In Cuba, weddings often feature a money dance designed to help financially set up the couple for their future. Those that would like to dance with the bride must first pay her by pinning money to her dress.
Borneo:
Malaysia and Indonesia’s Tidong people in Borneo observe an interesting tradition following their wedding ceremony where betrothed couples must be locked in their homes together for three days and are not allowed to leave or use the bathroom at all. Couples who do not observe this tradition are said to be cursed with bad luck in their marriage.
South Korea:
Some South Korean grooms must have the soles of their feet beaten by groomsmen or family members. His feet are bound together with rope and then beaten with a stick or, oddly enough, dried fish. While over quickly, the custom is meant to act as a test of the groom’s strength and character.
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