Love may be the same in any language, but these wedding customs at home and across the globe are refreshingly novel.
No matter where in the world you are from, marriage ceremonies usually consist of a standard set of procedures. There’s a couple deeply in love, an officiant who’s seen his fair share of doe-eyed lovers, a congregation eagerly anticipating the feast to come, and a celebration of some sort. But the similarities often stop there.
Here are four unique traditions from Asia to Europe.
INDIA – Joota Chupai
According to South-Asian custom, the groom is required to remove his shoes, called joota, during the ceremony. The bride’s single female relatives will attempt to steal the groom’s shoes and the groom’s family must then thwart their efforts. If the bride’s relatives are successful, the groom must negotiate payment for his shoes to be returned. The tradition is seen as a means of uniting families in a fun way.
JAPAN – San-san-kudo
In a ritual integral to traditional Japanese weddings, the bride and groom are presented with three stacked cups in which sake, a Japanese rice wine, is poured. Both must drink from each cup three times, hence the ritual’s name, translated into English as ‘three-three-nine-times’. The three sips represent three couples – the bride and groom, the bride’s parents and the groom’s parents – and many believe the ritual strengthens bonds between the two families.
PERU – Cintas de torta
Roughly translated from Spanish as ‘cake ribbons’, cintas de torta is the South American variation on the bouquet-throwing custom. When the cake is made, ribbons are placed beneath it or between its layers with one of them attached to an inexpensive ring. Before the cake is cut by the couple, the single females in attendance gather around and choose a ribbon to pull. The one to pull the ring is next in line to be engaged.
ITALY – Confetti
No coloured paper here. In Italian, the word ‘confetti’ denotes sugar-coated or Jordan almonds, which are given to guests during the reception, often in bags made from tulle. The bags usually contain five almonds as this number is not divisible by two (and marriage is a union between two people). The combination of bitter nut and sugar coating represents the bittersweet nature of marriage and life. This tradition is also kept alive in Greece.
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Looking to have a trendy vibe and capture some beautiful memories at your wedding? Incorporating technology into your wedding is sure to make it a unique experience that you will be able to look back on and cherish forever.
Here are five easy ideas that are worth the extra cost.
1. GO-PRO CAM
Go-Pro cameras are a big trend at the moment and are intended to be used in creative ways. If you want to get some interesting videography or photographs, you can attach a Go-Pro to your flower bouquet to capture some hidden moments, or strap it your dog’s collar and let them wander around to all of your guests. You’ll be able to look back and laugh at some incredible moments you wouldn’t have captured otherwise.
2. SELFIE STATION
Instead of a simple photo booth, set up a selfie stand kitted out with a themed background, selfie sticks, phone chargers and props that your guests can use to take pictures they will cherish. You can also include a personalised hashtag to use in social media posts, making it easier to get all the wonderful photographs together.
3. LIVE STREAMING
If you have guests who are unable to attend the big day, an option is to live stream the event on social media or on a website where your loved ones can watch at home or wherever they are. This way they won’t miss out on any of the incredible moments at your wedding.
4. DRONE FOOTAGE
Drones are able to cover a wide range, which is what makes them so suitable for big events. However, they also work well to add a creative aspect to small spaces. You’ll be able to get up close to your guests and catch them all having a great time on the dancefloor from afar. This works well with a Go-Pro.
5. SATTELITE BAR
Want to impress your guests? Get a portable and automatic cocktail machine to serve a signature cocktail at your wedding. The robotic machine can be programmed to make a specific drink, and then serve it to your guests. This will be in addition to your cash-bar for other drinks.
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Traditional bridal shower games can be quite overdone. We’ve put together our top 4 bridal shower ideas that will be super helpful for the bride-to-be and also something that she can cherish for a lifetime.
1. DATE-NIGHT JAR
Get a friend to hand out a strip of paper to each guest when they arrive. Ask each guest to write about the best date night they’ve ever had, or a date night idea on the paper. Each guest can drop their idea into a large mason jar and the married couple can pick one out whenever they want to plan a special evening.
2. RECIPE BOX
When you’re sending out the bridal shower invites, attach a blank card to it, for guests to write their favourite family recipe. To avoid duplicate recipes, give each guest a category (snacks, appetizers, mains and desserts). Each guest will bring their recipe card to the shower to compile them all in a cute box. Present it to the bride as a gift.
3. ADVICE/FAVOURITE MOMENT BOOK
Moms and grans will really appreciate this one. Get a scrapbook and ask all of the married women in the family to fill one page of the book with their best marriage advice for the bride; their favourite memory with the bride and groom and their wishes for the bridal couple. Don’t forget to reach out to the groom’s family as well!
4. ANNIVERSARY BOX
You’ll need envelopes and blank cards for this one. Number an envelope for each guest attending the shower. Each guest’s number will represent an anniversary. Ask them to write a happy anniversary note on their card for the bride and groom. Pop them all in a box and let the bride know that they can only open each envelope when they reach the anniversary number on the envelopes!
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Power-couple Connie and Shona Ferguson recently celebrated a whopping 19 years of marriage. The actors, who run production company Ferguson Films together, have had a beautiful romance over the nearly two decades of their relationship and are always keen to share it with their fans.
Naturally, the social media-loving couple took to Instagram to express their love for one another on their special day.
“I have no idea what you were saying here, but the fact that 19 years later you still manage to make me laugh is everything I’ve prayed for and more! Happy Anniversary my skeem!????? I love you more each day, and thank God for you!” Connie wrote on Instagram.
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“We are 19. Happy anniversary my love. This life journey is super easy with you by my side. There is nothing we can’t take on together. I love you melaiti,” Shona wrote.
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Shona, real name Aaron, met Connie at her Johannesburg home in 2001. At the time, she was already a household name thanks to her iconic role as Karabo Moroka in Generations. Shona was there to drop off mutual friends meeting Connie’s sister Lorato. As he sipped on a glass of water, Connie came out out of her room to greet him and their love story began.
It was a whirlwind romance for the pair. After only two months of dating, they tied the knot in a traditional wedding. Their white wedding was held soon after and appeared on the December 2001 cover of Drum.
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In 2011, the pair renewed their vows in a lavish ceremony in front of 70 guests at top Johannesburg wedding destination Avianto.
For the big day, Connie wore an ivory sheath gown designed by Biji, who also designed her first wedding dress back in 2001. The gown’s corset-style top featured Swarovski crystals, pearls, silver beads and lace.
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Throughout their marriage, the pair have built an empire that has brought much luxury to their lives. Aside from their production company, Connie also owns a beauty line called Koni Multinational Brands. She is also among the highest-paid actors in the country.
Picture: Instagram / Connie Ferguson