5 Strange Wedding Traditions
When getting married in the UK there are a dozen traditions associated with proposal, wedding and the honeymoon period. Something old something new, the groom-to-be proposing on one knee and the throwing of the bouquet are all examples of a traditional British wedding. Other common themes like elegant venues and big marquees filled with hundreds of guests are also prevalent in British weddings. Some traditions, like the tin-cans on the back of the bridal car, may be considered a bit strange, but how strange are they really? Certain parts of the world have a rather odd opinion on what a traditional marriage must contain. Here is a collection of very strange wedding traditions from across the globe.
The ‘Cutting of the Groom’s Tie’.
In some parts of Brazil and Northern Italy, the best man will remove the grooms tie and cut it into tiny pieces. The pieces are then placed on a tray and auctioned off to guests. The groom will go around collecting the money in exchange for pieces of the tie, and at the end the collected money is given to the new couple. The money is given to help the couple start their new life together. Quite an odd souvenir to take from a wedding…
‘Blackening the Bride’
In Scotland, this tradition takes place pre-wedding. Friends and family of the bride-to-be normally pour buckets of foul smelling mixtures over her, anything from bad eggs to fish to flour and feather mixtures. Then they take her through the town or tie her to a tree. More recently the groom has also been subjected to ‘blackening’ and it is thought that this tradition is a way to prepare the couple for any humiliation that may lie ahead in their future.
‘Ghost Wedding’
In China, if the bride-to-be’s fiancé dies before the marriage is complete she may still choose to wed him. During the ceremony, the groom is represented by a white cockerel. This is in keeping with traditions of preserving the family line, and to ensure that no younger brother is married before the elder brother.
‘Kidnapping the Bride’
German weddings see close friends of the couple ‘kidnap’ the bride, by taking her from bar to bar, which the groom then has to follow. He picks up the bill at each bar until he finds and ‘reclaims’ his bride. Zum Wohl!
‘Pillowcases and Parasols’
Our last strange wedding custom comes from Finland, where the bride-to-be travels from door to door with an empty pillowcase. This pillowcase is then gradually filled with wedding gifts. Normally she is accompanied by an older man, who holds a parasol or umbrella over her head as she travels door to door. This is to symbolise protecting the new bride.
So maybe weddings in the UK aren’t so strange after all, be it cutting the cake, dancing the first dance, or crossing the threshold together. You may now kiss the bride!
About the Author
Carly Cartuga is a blogger who writes for a variety of online publications and has contributed this post on behalf of Style Marquee, who can cater for every aspect of your country wedding from venue hire to entertainment and catering!