Wedding traditions around the world
Friday, 19th June 2009
The traditions surrounding weddings and marriage vary considerably from country to country. Some traditions are found in many countries, whereas others are unique to one or two. Some have very ancient origins, while others have not been around for so long.
Wedding cakes became a feature of weddings during the 1st century BC in Italy when a cake or bread was broken over the bride’s head to ensure fertility, whereas the tradition of engagement rings dates back to 860 AD. Pope Nicholas I declared that an engagement ring was necessary to sell the agreement to get married, and that the ring should be made of gold, which signified that the groom would be able to financially support his bride.
In Japan, where purple is the colour of love, brides traditionally wear kimonos embroidered with purple irises. In China however, brides are traditionally carried to their weddings in red sedan chairs dressed all in red, with symbols of wealth and good luck such as phoenixes, peonies and chrysanthemums embroidered on their dresses.
The Chinese also like to let off numerous firecrackers at weddings, as well as at other public events, to scare evil spirits away. Guests at Chinese weddings give gifts of money in red envelopes, and the success of the wedding banquet is judged by the number of guests.
In India weddings are very elaborate affairs with large numbers of guests. The bride and groom often arrive on a brightly decorated elephant and sit on thrones during the ceremony. Indian brides wear red and pink saris and all their jewellery, while grooms often wear turbans and are veiled in flowers to protect them from evil spirits. During the ceremony the bride and groom’s feet are washed with milk and water by the bride’s parents, which symbolically purifies them for their new life together.
At Russian wedding receptions glasses are all thrown on the floor after the wedding toast and if they break it’s considered good luck. There’s a similar tradition in Greece where plates are broken on the floor for luck. The Greeks also throw money at the musicians and pin bank notes to the bride’s dress.
In Morocco, as in other Muslim countries, weddings can last for up to a week. Moroccan brides bathe in milk before their weddings and have their feet and hands painted with henna. The hands of guests are also painted with henna. After the couple have made their wedding vows the bride walks round her house three times.
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Tags: english, italian, culture, italy, chinese, japanese, tradition, wedding, marriage
Posted by Simon Ager under Experience Cultures,
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