Wedding Traditions around the World
November 9th, 2006 Posted in Wedding Planning and IdeasThe world is a small place. Love has no boundaries. Together, these two statements create many international romances. International love can add excitement and diversity to a relationship, but it can also create several problems, especially when it comes to weddings. Many couples find themselves pondering which cultural traditions to incorporate into the ceremony. With numerous wedding traditions throughout the world, ceremonies are more and more multicultural in nature. Even couples from the same country often look to other cultures for unique ceremony ideas. Described below are a few wedding traditions rooted in
Before the ceremony, the bride and groom are blessed by their parents at their homes.
A Christian ceremony ends on a serious note. The bride approaches the statue of Virgin Mary and places her bouquet at its base. The bride thanks the Virgin Mary and asks for her blessing as she enters married life. The bride then returns to the groom for the final step of the ceremony, where the priest gives them his blessings.
Godparents play a very important role for the couple. Not only are they the financial sponsors of the ceremony and reception, but they also act as mentors throughout the couple’s marriage. A common way to honor the godparents is to involve them in the ceremony. They often present the couple with a Bible and rosary.
During the couple’s first dance, the guests join hands and surround the lovebirds in the shape of a heart.
Germany
One of the best man’s roles is to “steal” the bride from the reception. He takes her to a local bar, where they drink as much champagne as they wish. Their luck runs out when the groom finds them. The groom reclaims his bride and takes her away, that is after he pays for all that his bride and best man drank! During the ceremony, the bride and groom hold candles decorated with ribbon and flowers.
Weddings often last for three days. The first day is very intimate, involving only close family and friends. They escort the couple as they partake in a civil ceremony, which is then followed by a dinner. On the second day, a huge party is thrown for the couple by both friends and family. On the third and final day of their wedding, the bride and groom take part in the traditional religious ceremony and reception.
The day before the religious ceremony, a huge party is thrown for the couple. As one of the lucky traditions, all guests get their hands on all glass plates, dishes and any other breakables in sight. They then smash them in celebration. This is done as in hopes that nothing else will ever break in the newlywed’s house.