7 Weird Wedding Traditions Around The World That Leave You Speechless

Can you imagine getting married to a tree?

A wedding is a ceremony in which two individuals are united in marriage. Customs and wedding traditions vary vastly between cultures, regions, ethnicities, and religions.

The majority of weddings ceremonies involve marriage vows, good gestures and symbolic gifts like rings, flowers etc.

Some are sweet, like in Sweden, guests kiss the bride or groom every time the spouse leaves the room, and some are somewhat baffling.

For instance in Congo, the couple is not allowed to smile at their wedding, and the list goes on and on — but one thing is sure, love is that one simple thing that binds all these customs and traditions.

The people follow their traditions at their wedding so that they may find eternal joy with their soul mates.

So even if a South Korean groom has to tolerate the whipping of his feet by family and friends or a Hindu bride must marry a tree first, if the happy ever after is the outcome, then it is but a small price to pay for the couple.

Chinese, Month Long Cry

Tears of joy are natural to us human beings, but tears of joy are taken to a whole another level by the people of Tujia in China.

The crying begins one month in advance. The bride is the one who starts the outcry in the family every day for at least an hour.

Ten days into the crying, the mother joins the party, and ten days later, the grandma and others join in. By the end of the month, every female in the family is crying along the bride’s side.

It is believed by the people of Tujia that this tradition of crying is an expression of joy. Women tend to cry in and weep in different tones and indulge themselves in reminiscence of a song.

Armenian Bread Balancing

Almost all cultures and religions have a concept of an evil spirit in it. When we talk about Armenia, the people believe that they can ward off evil spirits by balancing lavash flatbread on their shoulders.

Newly married couples in Armenia follow this tradition of balancing the flatbread on their shoulders.

According to the custom, when the team enters their wedding reception or particularly upon entering the groom’s house, the couple breaks a plate for good luck.

They are given lavish bread and honey by the groom’s mother, the couple. The bread is placed on their shoulders, and they eat spoonfuls of honey to get rid of any evil and symbolize happiness and prosperity.

No Smiling For Couples In Congo

While for most of us, getting married fills us up with anticipation and excitement, the joy is often shown by the smiley faces of the couple, but not in Congo.

Congolese people tend to have this tradition where the couple is not allowed to smile on their wedding day no matter what.

People have their way of thinking, and the belief is if the couple is smiling and enjoying their wedding, it means that they are not serious about their marriage.

Use Of Bow And Arrow By The Couple In China

We all have seen that picture where an arrow pierces through the heart — some people take it as its literal meaning.

In the Gansu province of China, it is a custom for the groom to shoot at least three arrows unto his bride. And yes, I know what you are thinking, but the arrows don’t have an arrowhead mounted on them.

It is purely symbolic hope that clarifies that thought. Coming back to the point, the shot arrows are collected by the groom and broken during the ceremony.

The people of Gansu province believe this symbolic act goes a long way and ensures that Love will last forever.

Getting Married To A Tree In India

India is a country known for its multicultural societies and rich history, but there is something else that also stands out: its weddings.

Most of India’s population consists of Hindus, and a wedding in Hinduism is given the most importance. Hence, it is considered the core of the society. But there are some things that you might find a bit outrageous — like a girl being married a tree.

Hindus believe that you are cursed if a woman is born during the astrological period when Mars and Saturn are both in the seventh house. If this woman gets married, she should prepare herself for early widowhood.

Luckily, one can take some steps to avoid this tragedy, like getting married to a tree first, then cutting the tree down to get rid of the evil that resides.

Crowned Brides Of Norway

Norway, a place is known as the land of the midnight sun. The Norwegians have a fascinating wedding tradition in which the bride wears an ornamented gold and silver crown with small charms drooping all around it.

The Norwegians believe the tinkling sound that the moving bride produces deflects evil and results in a happily married life.

Getting Married Is Next To Impossible in Fiji

Men trying to get married in Fiji face a daunting task before being anywhere close to being married.

In Fiji, men must present a whale’s tooth before their future father-in-law gets married to his daughter. Fiji believes that this action proves that the asking man is brave enough to marry one’s daughter.

Final words

Marriage is viewed as a permanent bond in all societies. A marriage represents commitment, which involves person to person and family to family commitments.

An irrevocable bond in some societies, and the stability provided by a lifelong promise of living together, make marriage the foundation most suited to bringing up and socializing the coming generations.