In the UK, we expect the same thing when we turn up to a wedding: the lofty heights of the church steeple, a beautiful bride decked in white lace, and tear-jerking vows followed by a night of drinks and non-stop partying. But this isn’t the case everywhere.
Across the world, there are many different wedding traditions that you may have never come across. To share these global declarations of love, we’ve created a guide where we’ll explore how different cultures and countries celebrate tying the knot. There isn’t just one way to celebrate a marriage, and with this guide we aim to enlighten you with some wonderful traditions from around the world, even using some insights from our amazing team of creators!
And if you do have a wedding coming up, whether it’s in the UK or abroad, why not celebrate the newlyweds with a loving wedding card? Each of our cards is crafted by our brilliant team of independent artists. Every one is printed on premium paper with vegan ink, so you’ll never have to worry about quality! Take a look at some examples below:
If you have been asked by the bride or groom to deliver a speech and those nervous jitters have kicked in, don’t fret! We have a great guide on how to write a wedding speech that’s full of useful tips and tricks so, when it’s time for you to stand up and face that sea of eyes and smiles, you’ll be fully prepared. We also have a guide on wedding etiquette for guests so you know exactly how to behave when the big day arrives.
Top 10 wedding traditions from around the world
Prepare to be amazed! We have detailed below our top 10 wedding traditions from around the world and what they symbolise to the happy couple and their family. Since the ceremony of a wedding goes back thousands of years, it’s no surprise some unusual and hilarious wedding traditions still exist to this day.
Interested in different traditions and how they change around the globe? Then make sure to take a look at Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world as well!
1. Stealing the groom’s shoes
One of our wonderful creators Sukhi Writes Stuff told us about a cheeky tradition where the bride’s female relatives and friends hide the groom’s shoes before the wedding ceremony begins!
This happens in traditional Hindu weddings, usually in India, and is called “Joota Chupai” in Hindi which translates to “shoe hiding” or “shoe theft”. Pretty aptly named if you ask us.
This tradition originated in South Asia and begins by the married couple removing their shoes before stepping into the mandap: the decorative altar with a canopy that is traditionally used in Hindu weddings. As the ceremony begins, the relatives of the bride will gingerly make their way towards the shoes and nab them. The shoes are then hidden away, sometimes behind a lock and key, and the groom must pay a ransom after the ceremony to get them back. It’s certainly a fun way to keep the groom on his toes!
2. Shaving the groom
If you’re getting married in Greece, you better hope your best man and groomsman have steady hands, as it will be up to them to shave you before the ceremony.
This is a symbol of brotherhood and friendship and is the official transition to married life. Remember, it must be done with a classic straight razor and often involves close friends hanging out and celebrating in the room as it happens. As the years have gone by, some people adapt this tradition, as grooms with full beards may just go through the motions of the shave without actually losing any hair.
This charming Greek tradition can be brought into your own wedding if you want. All you need is a close friend, a razor, and some time to honour friendship and the amazing adventure ahead.
3. A blackening
This Scottish tradition may sound a bit wild, but it has been passed down through generations and is meant to make future challenges in married life seem like a cakewalk by comparison.
A blackening involves the poor bride being covered in foul substances such as rotten eggs, spoiled curry, smelly sauces, feathers, and more. Sometimes the bride is allowed to sit in a bathtub, but in other scenarios she is paraded through the streets as her family bang pots and whistle behind her. This may sound chaotic, but if you have a solid group of girlfriends around you, it could actually turn into a ridiculous and hilarious day. (Just make sure you have a sound pair of goggles and keep your mouth closed if you’re thinking of trying this one out.)
4. Sugar coated almonds
This charming tradition was mentioned by our lovely creator Lotta Designs. But what culture uses this tradition, and why?
There are actually a few different traditions that incorporate sugared almonds in their wedding ceremonies. One of the main ones is Italy, where the almonds are handed out to guests tied with a matching ribbon. Sugared almonds are used as it combines the bittersweet taste of an almond (which signifies life’s tumultuous qualities), and then the sugar coating highlights the wish that married life will be sweet.
They also use them in Greece, as in Greek tradition it is thought that if an unmarried woman places sugar coated almonds under her pillow when she sleeps, she will happily dream about her future husband.
If you are interested in other cute and unusual traditions, make sure to check out our guide on Mother’s Day traditions from around the world.
5. No smiling please
A traditional marriage custom in the Democratic Republic of Congo forbids the bride and groom from smiling during their entire wedding reception. This may sound bleak, but it’s more of a symbol rather than to enhance an unhappy mood.
You see, in Congo they believe that if the bride and groom smile throughout the day, then it means they do not take their union seriously and that they don’t understand the weight of the commitment they are making. In this context, smiling could be seen as a lack of maturity, and a solemn expression reflects their public display of responsibility and respect for the sanctity of marriage. This counts even for pictures! At least you won’t be hearing, “Say cheese” all day.
6. The crying ritual
This wedding tradition is practised by the Tujia, Yi, and Zhuang people of China, and involves the bride crying intermittently for around a week before the big day. Emotions reach a peak on the night before the ceremony and continue until the bride enters her new home.
The tradition is believed to have stemmed from when a Zhao princess was married off to the King of Yan and her mother cried out in sorrow and expressed concerns for her daughter’s distant marriage.
It may sound like all doom and gloom (I mean, crying for basically an entire week can’t be easy), but there are elements of it that symbolise gratitude and moving forward with life. For example, there is a mother and daughter cry where the mother will offer comfort and blessings as the daughter responds tearfully, and the bride will also cry with her female companions. If the bride didn’t cry at her wedding, she could be seen as ungrateful and reprimanded by her mother – nobody needs that!
7. Carving a Lovespoon
The art of Lovespoon crafting is one of the oldest romantic traditions in Wales, and was brought to our attention by our lovely creator TheGirlNextDraw. She told us that it is tradition for the groom to carve a Lovespoon for the bride, showing his feelings while expressing how much he can contribute to the marriage.
Making a Lovespoon is more than just woodworking, it takes patience and care, and a dedication to centuries of tradition. How romantic!
8. Beating the groom’s feet
In certain parts of South Korea, grooms must undergo a playful yet slightly painful tradition named Falaka. This involves laying the groom down on a table a day before the wedding, tying his feet tightly with cloth or rope, and then his friends take turns beating his soles with wooden sticks, rods, or even fish tails.
The ritual is said to be a test of a successful and long-lasting marriage. If the groom can laugh while enduring the pain, it is believed the marriage will be prosperous. Oil massages are then given to reduce the pain.
This ritual has lost popularity in most urban areas, but is still regarded as a very important part of marriage in rural villages. So, next time you get down on one knee, feel lucky you won’t have your legs bound and your feet whacked with sticks and fish parts.
9. Porcelain smashing
Polterabend is one of Germany’s most exciting and symbolic wedding traditions and can become quite messy if you’re not careful.
The ritual is carried out the night before the civil ceremony, and is usually open to friends, neighbours, coworkers, and extended family. The guests will bring old porcelain (never glass) and smash it in front of the couple. This creates a raucous and joyful mess that the bride and groom must clean up together. This signifies their first joint challenge as a married pair.
This messy tradition is believed to have pre-Christian roots, tied to beliefs that evil spirits can be driven away through noise. If that’s the case, we’re sure the sound of all that porcelain smashing will have the bad spirits running for the hills!
10. Bathing in flower water
One of the most beautiful wedding traditions from around the world in our list is Siraman: a common Javanese wedding custom of ritual bathing.
“Siraman” comes from the Javanese word siram, which loosely translates to “bathing” or “to cleanse”. This ritual takes place a day or two before the wedding and involves the bride and groom dressing in ceremonial clothing and being bathed in specially prepared water by their parents and other elders.
Traditionally, the water would come from several sacred sources, but modern families tend to use the water from a chosen spring or well. The water is then prepared with a special blend of flowers and coloured powders and is meant to cleanse the couple’s minds and spirits for the spiritual bond of marriage.
We hope our list has opened your eyes to the different wedding traditions out there. Some you may want to incorporate into your own weddings (some not), and then you’ll be able to create a uniquely beautiful wedding that takes ideas from across the world.
And don’t forget to pick up one of our wedding cards and spread that love around. We’re sure you’ll find one that makes the bride and groom’s heart sing! You can also find some more wedding day inspiration on the thortful blog.
If you’re a bride and have a loved one getting married around a similar time, make sure to check out our wedding tips from one bride to another!
