If you ever thought that a wedding is as simple as a bride and groom walking down an aisle, exchanging a few vows before sticking a ring on one another’s fingers, you’ve obviously never been to China for a wedding. And if you thought that using the bathroom anytime after a wedding is perfectly normal, you’ve clearlynever been to Indonesia, where saying “I do” means you can’t urinate for 3 whole days.
Indeed, wedding customs and traditions from around the world range from the bizarre to the downright insane. For anyone who thought that continuing the tradition of slipping a ring on your better halve’s finger is wacky and “out-there” you really need to check out our weird and wonderful list of the 10 different kinds of interesting wedding traditions around the world.
1. Daur Chick Slaughter Custom: Inner Mongolia, China
In your country, you probably select your wedding date according to convenience and the weather. Not in Inner Mongolia. Here, a wedding date is chosen via a very strange and somewhat gruesome method.
The loved-up couple have to take hold of a knife before butchering a young, unfortunate chick. The date for the wedding is decided by the appearance of the chick’s throbbing liver. If the liver doesn’t really give anything away, the love-birds have to keep on slaughtering chicks until they find one that does the job. Interesting.
2. Sweden’s Kissing Custom
Here is another one of interesting wedding traditions around the world: if you get married in Sweden, prepare for a jealous groom. See, in Sweden, if the groom happens to leave the room at any point, the men who are present get the chance to kiss the bride. The bride, despite any reservations she might have, has no choice but to pucker up and reciprocate.
We can only imagine the amount of guys who try to hold their pee in.
3. You Can’t Smile In Congo
Ever seen a photo of a Congolese wedding? Everyone looks fairly miserable, don’t they? You wonder why on earth they even bothered!
The reason for the lack of smiles is nothing to do with the fact that the man and woman are about to give up their freedom, but is because African weddings are thoughtful affairs that should be taken seriously. Indeed, smiling is banned and so is the well-worn phrases, ‘Say cheese!’
Don’t worry, they’re all smiling inside. Maybe.
4. Cut Some Logs In Germany
Sometimes, wedding traditions around the world can seem very bizarre.
In any other part of the world, you show your bond-ship with your spouse by talking things through. In Germany, you show it by sawing a log in half at your wedding. This bizarre, and somewhat exhaustive ritual, is designed to demonstrate the teamwork of a newly wed couple, and it is meant to prepare them for the obstacle they’ll eventually come across.
Though we’re not show how cutting a log in two can prepare you for paying the bills, but hey ho!
5. You Can’t Go To The Bathroom In Indonesia
In the Tidong Community in Indonesia, it is forbidden for the bride and groom to use the bathroom until 3 days have elapsed since their wedding. Even if they are fit to bursting, they are not allowed to go, and they are watched over 24/7 to make sure they play by the rules.
If they can’t take it any longer and head to the bathroom, it is believed they will bring years of bad luck on themselves.
6. The Kidnapped Bride of Romania
Next one of interesting wedding traditions around the world is the kidnapping of the bride in Romania. Romanian wedding traditions would appear to be rather sinister, though we’re assured that kidnapping the bribe is just “jolly good fun.”
The bride is kidnaped by the groom’s friends “for a laugh,” before the groom has to come to her rescue by offering to pay a ransom. This can either be beer, cash or a romantic gesture.
Quite what a group of lads can do with a romantic gesture is anyone’s guess. Just give them beer!
7. Go To Kenya And Spit On The Bride
Ever fancied spitting on a bridge but thought it might seem a tad disrespectful? Well, if you go to Kenya, all your bride-spitting fantasies get to come true. See, the Massai people of Kenya have a tradition whereby the father of the bride spits on the head and breasts of his daughter as part of his blessing.
We’re not sure which part of the face he spits on, but we’re hoping it isn’t the eyes.
The bride then heads off into the night with her husband and doesn’t turn back. If she does, it is expected that she will turn into stone. And who wants to be turned into stone on their wedding day?
8. The Blackening, Scotland
Here is another one of weird wedding traditions around the world: in Scottish custom, bridge and groom are forced to get drunk before they’re covered first with treacle, and then with feathers, ash and flours. Why? Well, apart from making everyone else giggle, the custom apparently brings good luck and wards off evil spirits. We’re promised by Scottish folk that it really does work, though we’re not planning a Scottish wedding just yet.
What happened to plain old kilts and bagpipes?
9. The Stolen Shoes Of India
If you’re a groom and you decide to get married in wedding, you might find that your shoes have gone missing. See, in this part of the world, it is tradition for the bride’s sisters to steal the groom’s shoes. Then, when he enters the wedding tent, he has to “bribe” them to return his pair of sneakers before he leaves.
We’re not sure what the bribe involves, but we’re gonna guess it’s a whole lot of rupees.
10. In China, The Bride Changes Outfits More Times Than Beyonce
Most brides are happy with just one wedding dress; in China, they like to go through three in one day. They start with a qipao, before changing into a ball gown. Then, they finish off with a cocktail dress. It all sounds like fun, but we bet the groom isn’t too happy when he sees how much it all costs!
Do you know other interesting wedding traditions around the world?
Stay happy!
