|
Africa and Assorted Areas:
Africa: Belly-dancing, sword brandishing, jumping over
broom sticks. The broom stick tradition occurs with drums beating in the
background, and the couple jumps over a broomstick to symbolize the jump or
transition into married life, with the broomstick symbolizing the home.
Sometimes the couple is tied together (tying the knot) at the wrists to
symbolize their union. Wine may be poured onto the ground as an
offering to the gods.
In South Africa, the groom carries a torch from his
fireplace to the brides, and lights a fire there.
Throughout Africa, brides and grooms often have their
hair braded. In the more traditional ceremonies, the hair is covered with a
clay mixture of ochre (any of various earths
containing silica and alumina and ferric oxide; used as a pigment)
and animal fat.
American Indian: The bride's dress colors represent
the four corners of the earth. North is black, South is Blue, Yellow
is West and White is East. The Indian Groom and Bride share a cup of
mush made from white and yellow corn, symbolizing the union of the sexes,
kind of like Yin and Yang coming together.
Cuban: Famous for their festivities, and filled with
music and dancing, each man that dances with the bride must put money in her
dress. In turn, the bride gives a wedding favor to each wedding guest. Gifts
are displayed on a table in the reception area.
Asian:
Looking for a classy but affordable
wedding favor?
Chinese Writing
on Wedding Favor Chopsticks
China - Sisters, mothers, aunts and grandmothers often
bestow purses filled with gold on new brides in their family. The color
red is very popular in Chinese weddings, and the bride often wears a red
wedding dress unlike the European white wedding dress. Gifts and other
wedding paraphernalia are often colored red as well.
Fiji: A young man traditionally presents the father of
the bride with a wale's tooth as a gift: showing his status and financial
stature. Before the wedding, the groom hosts a huge wedding feast for the
bride's family, and a day before the wedding the bride gets a tattoo. The
Kava plant is used to make an alcoholic drink enjoyed at the wedding party.
Philippines: The groom's family pays for the wedding
costs, while the bride's family gives a big cash gift to the new couple.
During the ceremony, the bride's wedding veil is attached to the groom's
clothing, symbolizing unity. Then the bride and groom each light a candle,
and together light a 3rd unity wedding candle. Lastly, they are
bound together by a white wedding cord.
India: Many elaborate rituals which stretch over the
course of days. Flower petals are sprinkled over the newlyweds to ward off
evil. Evil spirits are also discouraged by the circling of the couple's
heads with a coconut.
Japan: The new couple must drink sake 9 times. After
the 1st drink they are considered to be married. The bride must
change outfits many times during the ceremony. Guests give money to the
couple, from 200: several thousand dollars, depending on the closeness of
the relationship. Here the bride traditionally wears white. The bride
changes outfits several times during the wedding, starting with a
traditional; kimono, and sometimes ending with western attire.
Korea: The bride may wear red and yellow chogori
during the wedding ceremony. Men wear the traditional hanbok. Traditionally
southern men are considered the most handsome, and northern women the most
attractive mates. Matchmakers are used in many Korean weddings, even in
modern times. In Korea, ducks symbolize a happy marriage (perhaps because of
their notable fidelity) and cranes represent a long life.
Malaysia: The bride's wedding gifts of origami wrapped
money and food arrives via a procession of children. Each guest may receive
an elaborately decorated hard boiled egg, which is representative of
fertility.
Europe:
Belgium: An embroidered handkerchief with the bride's
name is taken into the wedding, then placed on display in the home,
repeating with the rest of the bride's sisters (using the same
handkerchief).
Czechoslovakia - Instead of rice, the reception line
tosses peas at the new couple as they depart the church.
Denmark - The traditional Danish wedding cake is the
cornucopia cake (cornucopia is a horn-shaped container, often shown
spilling over with fruits, used in harvest celebrations and to symbolize
abundance and harvest). The cake is round and tall, and filled with good
things including almonds. Everyone at the wedding must eat a piece that the
couple cuts, to avoid bad luck. Also the couple may dress in clothes of the
opposite sex to throw of evil spirits.
England - The bride should never be seen by the groom
in the wedding dress prior to the wedding. This has spilled over into
American wedding lore culture as well. Spiders found in a wedding dress are
thought to bring good luck….Love spoons are often given to symbolize the
giver's feelings. The term "honeymoon" originated in Briton from the
drinking of honey-sweetened mead for a month after the wedding. The
luckiest time to marry is between fall and Christmas, when food is abundant.
But other days weigh in to the English wedding luck formula as well:
Many English wedding traditions such as the bride
wearing white to symbolize purity, the groom carrying the bride over the
threshold, and the cutting of the wedding cake have been carried over into
the U.S. wedding culture.
French: Drink from the 2 handed silver cup of
marriage, use silk covered canopy to protect from evil. The cup is passed
down from one generation to another. Instead of a wedding cake, the French
eat "crisp in the mouth" caramel cream puffs.
German: The tradition of exchanging gold wedding bands
worn on the left had started here. A train of cars, often adorned with
flowers arrives at the German wedding, where the tradition dance is a
waltz. In some places, the bride is kidnapped by her friends and the groom
must find her. The tradition of throwing rice (representing children) may
have started here.
Greek: At a Greek wedding, the koumbaros is the best
man, and often the groom's Godfather. He crowns the couple during the
ceremony with a crown made of flowers and silver and white paper,
symbolizing unity. These crowns are worn or attached during the ceremony.
Holland: The couple sits beneath and evergreen canopy,
and is greeted by the guests as they come to offer their congratulations and
wishes of happiness. There are two famous foods at Dutch weddings:
sweetmeats called bridal sugar, and a spice wine called bride's tears. The
newlyweds often plant lilies of the valley plants in their home, which
portend happiness and whose blooms allow the couple to renew their
commitment each season.
Italian: For good luck, the bride's veil is torn, and
the groom may carry a metal item (iron) for good luck. Italian weddings
often feature an elaborate multi course wedding meal.
Irish: New Years day is the lucky day for Irish to
wed. Also used are horseshoes, lace from the wedding gown used for the
baby's bonnet, and special "claddagh" rings, all used for good luck. The
fruitcake is the wedding cake of choice in Irish weddings. It is steeped
with an alcoholic beverage. A lucky horseshoe is presented to the couple
for luck.
Norway: The Norwegian wedding cake is called
Brudlaupskling and is made of bread and date, covered in cream, cheeses and
sweet syrup. Norwegians also plant fir trees outside the house near the door
to hasten the arrival of a child.
Polish: Involves many special foods: Macaroons.
Pierogi, beet soup. A bride may have money pinned to her in exchange for a
dance. The polish toast "Sto Lat" is a wish for 100 years of good health.
The mother of the bride may place the wedding veil on the bride before the
ceremony, symbolizing her last task for the girl before she becomes a
married woman.
Russia: In Russian weddings, the bride and groom must
give a gift to each of the wedding guests. There are also no best man,
bridesmaids, or flower girls. Russian wedding last for two days. The bride
and groom arrive in separate cars and are kept separated until the ceremony.
Usually an official reads the vows, the couple exchanges rings and are
married. The long absence of the Church during communist rule served to
change the wedding tradition in Russia. After the wedding, the couple often
makes a tour of local famous sites. Then they return for the wedding party,
which is the main event. One tradition in Russian marriage feats is that
champagne glasses are thrown on the floor after a toast and drinking. If the
glasses break it is considered to bring good fortune. Because of the fall of
communism in Russia, church weddings are on the rebound. After fasting,
Church weddings are usually held in the morning hours.
Scotland: In some respects Scottish weddings are
similar to American weddings. Traditionally however, on the night before the
wedding, traditionally the bride and groom are (separately) covered in soot,
grease and ashes. The bride may be paraded though the streets with cans and
pot banging, to raise money for the wedding. A double level brandy fruitcake
is baked when the couple is engaged. The 1st level is eaten
during the wedding celebration, and the 2nd level is kept until
the 1st child is borne, presumably preserved in brandy… Scottish
brides wear a white satin or lace wedding dress. Grooms wear Highland
dress (a kilt and tweed jacket). After the wedding ceremony, the page gives
the bride a lucky horse shoe as she leaves the Church.
Spain: As with the Philippines, 13 coins are presented
to the bride by the groom as a token of his support for her. (Not too
surprising, considering the History of the two countries). The bride may
carry the coins during the wedding, or they may be help by one of the
bridesmaids. The Spanish bride often favors orange flowers which represent
happiness and a full life. She may also wear a black silk wedding dress, as
opposed to the white wedding dress in other cultures. The traditional dance
at Spanish weddings is the Sequidillas manchegas, where each guest who
dances with the bride gives her a gift.
Switzerland: Young girls sell colored handkerchiefs to
raise money for the newlyweds. The bride wears a crown that symbolizes her
virginity. After the wedding the crown is burned, and if it is consumed by
the flames quickly it is thought to bring good luck. The tradition of
planting a pine tree is also present in Swiss weddings, and represents the
fertility of the couple.
Bermuda - Locals in Bermuda often have a little
sapling tree on top of their wedding cake. After the cake is eaten, the
sapling is planted and the newlywed's new home, where it grows and matured
along with the couple's marriage.
Latino: Very focused on religion; blessings involving
the rosary. Honeymoon money is raised with a "dollar dance." The future
husband gives the bride "arras" which is a gift of 13 gold coins.
Mexican - Here again we see the Spanish tradition of
the groom giving the bride 13 gold coins. During the wedding, the patrons
(or Godparents) of the couple may give the couple a rosary and Bible. The
couple is joined by a white cord that symbolizes their union. Instead of
rice, red beads are often thrown at the couple as they leave the Church. The
familiar Pinata, filled with toys and candy is present at the wedding
reception, and the couples 1st dance is started by the guests
surrounding them forming the shape of a heart.
|
