Weddings are joyous occasions worldwide, symbolizing the celebration of love and unity between couples. However, traditions and wedding customs vary significantly from one culture to another. These traditions pass through generations without question. Some are emotional and touching, while others may seem bizarre and make nonsense. Here is a list of unusual wedding traditions around the globe:
- No Smiles- Congo
In Congo, the bride and groom are forbidden to smile or laugh the entire wedding. For them, no smiling indicates respect and shows that they are taking the wedding seriously.
- Crying Ritual – China
In an ethnic group in China, it is believed that the bride expresses her joy by crying every day for a month before the wedding. Gradually, her mother, grandmother, and all other female family members join as the days pass by. They believe this ritual brings blessings and joy to the couple.
- Beating the Groom’s Feet (Falaka) – South Korea
In South Korea, the groom’s strength and endurance are tested by beating his feet after the wedding ceremony is over by his family members with a stick or fish. This tradition is called Falaka. It is considered fun and is performed quickly without causing any harm.
- Spitting on the Bride – Kenya
To the Maasai people in Kenya, the father of the bride spits on her head after the wedding ceremony to bring good luck and blessings to their marriage. For them, this ritual has a deep cultural meaning.
- Blackening the Bride – Scotland
In Scotland, there is a pre-wedding tradition where the bride and groom are taken out in public by their family and friends and doused with a range of filthy substances, like eggs, fish guts, flour, feathers, and dog food. The more disgusting the mix, the better. This messy tradition is believed to symbolize the challenges the couple will face and their ability to overcome them.
- Breaking Dishes – Germany
In Germany, there is a tradition called “Polterabend” or “Polter night”, where friends and family members of the couple gather on the night before the wedding to smash dishes. The bride and groom must clean up together afterward. This symbolizes their ability to overcome the challenges they might face after marriage.
- The Human Carpet- The Marquesas Islands
In the Marquesas Islands, wedding guests lie on the floor face-down, forming a long row at the end of the wedding, then the bride and groom must walk over them as a human carpet before they leave the wedding.
- Banging on Pots and Pans – France
In France, people wish the couple good luck by gathering outside their home on the wedding night to shout and bang on pots and pans, creating noise and discomfort. Not only does the couple have to endure this act, but they must also offer refreshments to the noisy crowd. This tradition is called “Chivaree.”
- Shaving the Groom – Greece
In Greece, the best man expresses his friendship and trust by shaving the groom’s face on the morning of the wedding. This tradition indicates the transition from boyhood to adulthood.
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