Wedding Traditions & Extra-Ordinary Memories

Why do many of us choose to stick to tradition in the digital age? 

Well, there’s more than one reason. 

For one, it’s a way to preserve time-honoured cultural norms. Sometimes the couple may come from similar backgrounds, and sometimes they may be completely different. So, traditions are a way to pay homage to their respective cultures. 

Second, it’s a chance to show how some important parts of married life are represented through symbolic means. Like, the wedding ring. You might have heard about how the ring stands for eternity– a circle has no beginning or end.

And did you know that rings weren’t always made of silver or gold? In ancient Rome, women showed commitment to a man by wearing papyrus rings on their wrists and ankles. Eventually, iron took the place of papyrus. But they didn’t upgrade to gold until the end of the second century of the Common Era.

“Traditional ceremonies give you a chance to celebrate something meaningful with your partner while surrounded by your loved ones.”

So, whether you and your partner come from the same culture or not, celebrating wedding traditions gives you the perfect opportunity to do something special and create lasting memories that mark the start of your new life together.

And while some traditions may not be followed anymore, they still often hold a cultural significance.

From sawing a log to hiding shoes…

Wedding traditions across the globe are as varied as the ways you can say “I do”!

In Greece, for example, as a sign of trust, the best man shaves the groom on the morning of the wedding. Then, his close friends step in to help him get dressed. 

The bride writes the names of all the single women on the bottom of her shoes. According to tradition, the names that get worn off by the end of the reception will get married soon.

You’ve also probably heard about the “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Blue” tradition. It’s said to come from an old English rhyme. 

Brides wear something old to represent the past, something new that stands for the future, something borrowed to symbolise the happiness she feels from being with her husband and something blue to fend off evil spirits.

And while it’s often expected to shed a few tears at your wedding, in China, they take it one step further.

In some parts of China, brides are required to practise crying beforehand. This ritual is known as ‘Zuo Tang.’ It’s practised in the West Sichuan province and dates back to an era when the mother of a Zhao princess broke down into tears at her wedding. 

Tujia brides are expected to cry for one hour each day for the whole month leading up to the ceremony. Ten days into the ritual, the bride’s mother joins her, and ten days after that, her grandmother joins too. 

But crying doesn’t always steal the show. Weddings are a happy affair, and the people who are about to get married can often hardly contain their excitement! 

While you might be eager to flash your brightest smile for the wedding photographer, couples from Congo do things a little differently. The pair aren’t allowed to smile throughout the entire wedding day. If they do happen to crack a smile, it can be taken to mean that they’re not serious about marriage!

Some wedding traditions also involve a test of your physical strength. In Germany, for example, newlyweds sometimes follow a tradition called Baumstamm Sägen, where they have to saw a log into two pieces. And since the couple has to tackle this obstacle together, it symbolises the united strength that will help them overcome challenges in their marriage.

Now, how would you feel if you saw someone spitting on the bride on her wedding day? 

Shocked? Well, it can be a sign of good faith, actually, at least if you’re in Kenya. It’s common for the father of the bride to spit on his daughter’s head and breasts before the ceremony. For the Maasai people in Kenya, spitting on someone is a show of respect. 

And imagine if your shoes were stolen during the wedding ceremony! 

In India, many Hindu grooms are prepared for their shoes to be stolen during the ceremony. This tradition is called ‘Joota Chupaai’. The groom takes off his shoes before he sits down for one of the wedding rituals. That’s when the bridesmaids and cousins sneak in, steal his shoes, and then hide them. The poor groom has to bribe them with cash if he wants to get his shoes back!

This is just a glimpse into a handful of wedding traditions around the world…there are so many more! So, now you know why we do what we do at weddings… After all, weddings aren’t just a celebration of love. They’re also a celebration of personal history and family heritage!