Unusual wedding traditions of the peoples of the world

Each country has its own specific traditions, including wedding ones. For some, they seem strange, but for someone very interesting. What unusual wedding traditions exist in Asia and Europe? All the most interesting is already waiting for you in our material.

Different peoples of the world have their own wedding traditions. But one thing unites everyone - this is the desire to have fun from the heart, and to do everything possible so that the most important and solemn day in the life of young people will be remembered by them forever. In addition, each tradition and custom has its own special meaning. Thanks to the old rituals, the young generation manages to maintain their national roots, which allows the family to feel even more friendly and united.

Traditionally, young spouses are greeted with bread and salt by relatives. Newlyweds must definitely bite off a large loaf, and whoever has a bigger piece will be the head of the family. Of course, the most striking tradition is the ransom of the bride. As a rule, witnesses are involved in organizing this event. They prepare interesting and funny tasks in advance. If the groom does not cope with the task, then he will have to pay for it. Often other relatives from the groom take part in the ransom.

In Belarus there are not only wedding, but also pre-wedding ceremonies, which they try to observe to this day. For example, you can get married only on Monday, Thursday or Saturday. Matchmakers must be five to six people. The matchmakers are advised to prepare, they should have in their arsenal not only treats, but also jokes.If the matchmakers manage to arrange a wedding, then everyone present gets a bottle of alcohol. As soon as the bottle is empty, grain is poured into it, which symbolizes the well-fed and comfortable life of the young. In addition, there is a sign that states that the bride must buy the dress on Wednesday, and the shoes on Friday.

In Germany there is a very interesting tradition, observing which you can attract happiness and prosperity for the newlyweds. On the eve of the celebration itself, relatives gather at the threshold of the bride and, not sparing, beat a large number of dishes. The more dishes are broken, the more happiness and love will be in a young family. But already in the evening, after the wedding ceremony, the newly-made spouses should cut a log together. If they succeed in doing this quickly and easily, then life together will be happy. Sawing logs is a kind of ritual, which suggests that the couple have already begun to conduct a joint household.

Greece also has many interesting traditions. Of course, most of them are associated with dancing, since the Greeks are very fond of dancing. Especially for a wedding celebration, these people have a special dance - this is a dance of money. The young people dance together in the center of the hall, and each of those present must attach various bills to their outfits. The more notes there are, the better off young people will live. And before the wedding night, according to Greek tradition, children must jump and have fun on the beds of the young.

According to Hungarian traditions, during the wedding, the bride must put her shoes in the center of the hall. Each of the men present who wants to invite the bride to dance should put coins in their shoes. Which of the men puts the most coins will be lucky to be the first to invite the bride to the dance.

In the Netherlands, the bride must order a large number of different sweets before the wedding. As a rule, they are ordered from various and the best confectioners of the city. All sweets should be different in shape and taste. Which of the guests will get two identical candies will soon be very lucky.

Wedding feasts in Italy are always fun and noisy. Before the wedding, every Italian couple always comes to the largest tree in their city. By tradition, the newlyweds must walk around the tree exactly three times. It symbolizes freedom, happiness and love. According to custom, the next of kin and a professional photographer go along with the young to the tree, who manages to capture the most unforgettable moments of this peculiar rite.

In addition, Italians traditionally organize the abduction of the bride. Of course, everything is discussed in advance, and all parties agree. The abduction in the end turns out to be bright, like a staged theatrical show, which the young people remember for life.

There is a very funny tradition in Denmark. Before the celebration, the groom is specially made a hole on one of the socks. They say that this will protect the young spouse from adultery, as young girls will not look at the man in torn socks.

But in France, friends and relatives of the newlyweds gather in a noisy company under the windows of the house or hotel where the couple spend their wedding night and make noise all night. They are pre-stocked with pots, lids, spoons, and other items with which you can make a lot of noise. If the young people want to spend the night alone with each other in silence, then they must prepare drinks and snacks for the guests in advance. Only after a good treat will the guests calm down and stop disturbing.

In Switzerland there is one ancient tradition, which many adhere to in our modern time. According to custom, the bride must be doused with mud.The more dirt there is, the worse its smell will be, the better. The girl needs to be doused literally from head to toe.

For example, they mix ketchup, mayonnaise, raw eggs, sour-milk products and the remnants of already missing food. And the bride is doused with this liquid. After this, the bride in this form, in the company of friends of her fiancé, should walk through public places, streets of the city. This is done for a reason. The fact is that there is a belief according to which a girl who has experienced such public humiliation in a marriage will be much more calm about the various disagreements and pranks of her young spouse.

Asian countries also amaze with the diversity of their wedding traditions. Turkish, Azerbaijani, Ossetian, Kazakh, Buryat and Indian weddings - they all have their own special traditions. Of course, the Muslim wedding of one country, for example, Kazakhstan, is sometimes very similar to the traditions that exist in Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. But still there are customs that are worth telling in more detail.

Chinese traditional wedding should be held in red. That is, the bride’s dress, boxes with gifts, envelopes with money should be red. The more bright colors there will be at the celebration, the better. By tradition, young people drink from glasses that are connected by a single ribbon of red. This symbolizes their mutual feelings and unity of a young family.

In India, a wedding ceremony is a real colorful show. Very often, young people see each other for the first time only at a wedding. By tradition, the celebration should be a huge number of fresh and fragrant flowers. There is a belief that the aromas of earthly flowers are very popular with the gods, and therefore all prayers and wishes uttered on this day will certainly be heard.

In Kazakhstan, the wedding of two young people is a holiday that is widely celebrated, and prepare for it in advance. Kazakh courtship is held according to ancient traditions. Many modern young people honor the characteristics of their ancestors, and adhere to ancient customs to this day. The groom's side always gives the bride's father traditional gifts: a national dressing gown, a horse. Also, the groom's family must pay "kalym". Previously, the bride was not present at the wedding, or rather, did not go out to the guests, and spent all the time in a separate room with women, where she was prepared for the first wedding night.

In Pakistan, there is a custom when, before the celebration, the bride’s hands are decorated with traditional henna designs. Each drawing has its own special meaning.

In some countries of the world, bread and salt must be present at the wedding, somewhere, each of the spouses must hang locks on a tree or bridge, as a sign of fidelity and love. Traditions of different countries may surprise, or may completely shock. Of course, the obligatory traditions and customs that are observed at a wedding in African countries may seem strange to Europeans, to put it mildly.

In Nigeria, the bride must be selected by a professional matchmaker. The matchmaker selects a girl for the groom, taking into account all the requirements of the family. Then the matchmaker must personally check the girl for innocence, and only then we can talk about the wedding. After the celebration itself, relatives from the side of the bride and groom stand in two lines, creating a kind of corridor. The newly-made young spouse must quickly run along this "corridor", and his relatives, meanwhile, will beat him with long sticks. After observing this custom, it is generally accepted that a man is completely ready for an independent married life.

Brides in Ethiopia have long been preparing for the triumph.Even before the wedding ceremony, the girl is removed with two lower teeth, after they pierce her lower lip and insert a traditional disk made of clay. The larger the disk, the greater the bride’s dowry. In addition, there is a belief that this disk will protect the bride from evil spirits, so she can live happily in a marriage.

In Rwanda, there is the Bahutu tribe, which has its own interesting and unusual traditions. For example, the bride immediately after the ceremony of marriage goes to the house of her young husband and arranges a real pogrom there. Moreover, the young spouse must scratch and beat her newly-made spouse. He must do the same. The more hatred they express towards each other this evening, the better. As a rule, a fight and a pogrom last until the morning. At the same time, neither husband nor wife should utter a single word. Sometimes this ritual is delayed for several days. There is a belief that after such a fight, the couple will live their whole lives in peace and harmony.

In Kenya, the young spouse after the wedding must wear a women's outfit for a whole month. This is done in order for the newly made husband to feel what it means to be a woman and a mistress.

Modern weddings in America are very fun. The celebration is not complete without the traditional hen and stag parties. The organization of such events usually falls on the shoulders of witnesses. Any American wedding can be unconventional. There are no restrictions or special traditions. Young people can arrange a celebration in any style.

But there are some traditions that many try to adhere to this day. For example, there is a custom according to which the bride must wear an old blue thing on her wedding day. The thing should be worn, as this symbolizes her family ties with the family. And the blue color is the color of fidelity, which is very necessary in marriage.

In addition, there is an American wedding tradition, which is already followed in many countries of the world. It's about the bride throwing her bouquet at the end of the evening. Which of the unmarried girls will catch this happy bouquet will have a wedding in the near future.

In some states of America there is still a tradition that bears a very interesting name - “rainfall”. It first appeared in the late 1890s. By tradition, all the bridesmaids who will be present at the celebration must pre-prepare many small gifts. All gifts should be packed in small boxes, bright wrappers, and then placed inside a massive umbrella. In the process of celebration, the girlfriends approach the bride, open an umbrella over her, and all the presents "pour" on the happy hero of the occasion. In modern times, many replace a variety of gifts with ordinary sweets.

Another American tradition is associated with a wedding cake. Of course, not a single such celebration can do without a huge and delicious dessert. At the end of the evening, the newlyweds must cut the cake into exactly as many pieces as there are people present at their celebration. Cake, as a rule, is not eaten in the evening, but is carried away with you. If an unmarried girl puts a piece of wedding cake under her pillow, then that night she will definitely dream about her future husband.

For more information about the wedding traditions of the peoples of the world, see the next video.