Strange Wedding Traditions From Around The World

“Marriages are like fingerprints; each one is different and each one is beautiful.” –Maggie Reyes

Marriages are really special for everyone. People plan different things, buy new dresses, and prepare for the new phase of their life. Marriages around the world have beautiful and fascinating traditions. Bride throwing bouquet, couple’s first dance, cutting of wedding cake- it all seems normal. But some traditions and customs around the world take weddings to another level. Scroll down and see for yourself the strange marriage customs from around the globe.

1.The Blackening

This nasty pre-wedding tradition is followed in Scotland. According to the tradition, the bride and groom are pelted with food trash, including rotten eggs and fish. It is believed that if a couple can withstand this, then they can handle everything else in life together. It prepares them to face “anything” (well, they really mean it).

2.Shoe thievery

Popular as ‘Joota Chupai’, Shoe thievery is one of the favourite games in a north Indian wedding. As per the tradition, when the groom enters the Mandap (altar), he has to open his shoes. From this point starts the game of shoe stealing. The bride’s sisters steal the shoes and carry them off. The objective of the groom’s side is to try and protect the shoes at all costs. If the bride’s side gets away with the shoes, the groom must pay to ransom them back.

3.Gifting whale’s tooth

This unusual tradition is followed in Fiji. To ask for the hand of his beloved, the groom has to gift a whale’s tooth to the girl’s father.

4.Shooting the Bride

For Yugurs (an ethnic minority in China) people in China, there is a custom of shooting the bride with an arrow. Don’t worry, they do not have arrowheads, and there is no need to take the bride to the hospital. The arrow is blunt and the groom hits the bride three times. Then the groom is required to break the bow and arrow into half. This tradition ensures the everlasting love of the couple and that they will never harm each other. Ouch! Quite a painful tradition!

5.No Bathroom Allowed

Most of the newlywed couples plan something great for their honeymoons. But for the Tidong tribe of Indonesia, going for a honeymoon is quite a fancy and complicated idea. This is so because of an unusual custom they follow according to which the couple is housebound for three days and nights after the wedding. Seems normal, right? The weird part is that the couple is not allowed to use the bathroom to clear bowel or urinate for the time until they are housebound. To accomplish the feat, the couple is watched over and is allowed minimal amounts of food and drink.

6.Smashing Dishes

If you ever get a chance of attending a German wedding, don’t spend much time picking out china patterns. Why? Well, this is because of a common ritual that the Germans follow, known as ‘Polterabend’. The word Polterabend is derived from the verb Polten – to make a lot of noise and Abend – evening. As per this tradition, the guests gather in front of the bride and groom’s home the night before the wedding and smash dishes, pots, and other breakables. They believe it brings luck to the couple.

7.Spitting on the Bride

As weird it may sound, there is this Maasai tradition according to which the father of the bride spits on his daughter. At the wedding ceremony, the bride’s head is shaved and lamb fat and oil are applied to her head. After this, the father blesses the bride by spitting on her. This ensures good luck before she departs with her groom.

8.Spoons of Love

In Wales, there is this beautiful tradition of the groom to give ‘Lovespoon’ to his bride. This signifies that he will never let her go hungry.

So, this was a list of some strange traditions related to weddings. Some of the traditions are simple and sweet and some seem bizarre. But it has to be kept in mind that every place has its own customs and traditions. Every tradition is unique and has its own essence which should be respected and celebrated.