Marriage traditions are a fun way to unite the family members and the prospective bride & groom. They serve as a healthy way to build a bond between family members. But there are some marriage traditions which are as funny as they are weird. Let’s have a look at some of the weirdest marriage rituals from around the world
1. Kashi Yatra, India
Kashi Yatra is a tradition practiced in the traditional Iyer weddings in South India. In this, the groom dressed in a traditional “Panchakatcham” veshti and holding an umbrella, a fan, a walking stick, and a towel containing dhal and rice tied to his shoulder sets off on a mock pilgrimage to pursue further religious studies, and renounce worldly pursuits. As he steps out of the wedding hall, the bride’s father intervenes and asks him to return to the married life advocating the superiority of married life to an ascetic life. The groom accepts and returns to the Mandapam to get married.
2. Blackening of Bride, Scottish
In Scotland, there is a particularly nasty pre-wedding tradition that involves the bride and groom being pelted with food trash, including rotten eggs and fish. The Scots believe that if a couple can withstand this, their marriage can withstand anything.
3. Asking for girl’s hand, bring a whale’s tooth- Fiji
In Fiji, it is a tradition that young man is asking girl’s father for her hand. He brings a special present. If possible it is a whale’s tooth. It is a symbol of wealth, status in society.
4. Kissing Tradition, Sweden
Tradition has it that if the groom leaves the room for any reason, then the other men at the wedding are allowed to kiss the bride, and vice versa! A unique Swedish tradition without a doubt.
5. Spitting on the bride, Massai tradition
At a wedding ceremony held by the Massai people, the father of the bride blesses his daughter by spitting on her head and breasts. She then leaves with her husband and does not look back for fear of turning into stone.
6. Breaking porcelain to bring luck, Germany
In this unusual wedding tradition of Germany, the wedding guests break all the porcelain they can lay their hands on. This is supposed to bring good luck to the bride and groom.
7. Drinking from a toilet, France
After the reception, the couple would be sent to their bed while the bridal party cleaned up the mess. This was done by dumping all the leftover food, drink and trash into a chamber pot. They would then barge into the couple’s room with a toilet full of garbage and would not leave until the couple drank it. Today, the soup is more commonly made up of chocolate and champagne, but it’s still served out of a toilet.
8. Shooting the bride with arrows, Yugur culture China
In Yugur culture (an ethnic Chinese minority) the groom actually shoots his bride three times with a bow and arrow before the wedding. Although the arrows don’t actually have arrowheads. But still, that’s one strange tradition I must say. The reason behind this tradition the belief that once the groom shoots the bride with arrows and then breaks the arrows, it will ensure that the bride and groom love and live with each other forever.
9. No Smiling, Congo
Weddings are a serious affair in this part of the world. So serious that the bride and groom are not allowed to smile before, during or after the wedding ceremony. Also, they can’t smile in the wedding photographs. Now that’s pretty serious, eh?
How do you plan to celebrate your wedding then ?