Marital union is generally viewed as an important milestone to attain in life. Many people still see it as in the logical outcome of a long term relationship. And, while forever isn’t usually in mind in the beginnings of a relationship, as months and years pass, the couple may begin to consider yellow gold wedding rings for him or her.
Grand or not, we all have our own take of what the perfect wedding is life. Oftentimes, the ideals that we have are affected by our culture and tradition. Both of which are dictated by our countries of origin.
Here, we explore how people from different countries around the globe celebrate their weddings.
Scotland
To this day, many Scottish people carry out the tradition of the Blackening. Previously called the Blackening of the Bride, this tradition has evolved to include the groom.
The ceremony happens like this: the happy couple is stripped and bound before they are blackened by friends and family alike with materials such as mud, soot, and treacle. This ceremony is believed to ward bad spirits away from the married couple.
India
In India, there are people born as Mangliks who are believed to be cursed. As such, they are likely to experience Manglik Doshas in their life. These doshas can impact a person’s life and cause them great misfortune.
To combat these doshas, Mangliks who are expecting to marry can undergo Kumbh Vivah. This ceremony closely resembles a real wedding, but the partner in this situation is inanimate. It can be a statue or a pot. After the ceremony, the person will then release the object into the river and watch it drift away.
The pot acts as the first spouse, and all the ill effects of the Manglik Dosha will float away alongside the pot. This leaves the person safe to marry their significant other.
Sweden
Unlike in other parts of the world, Swedish couples walk down the aisle together. The Swedes believe that the act of the father passing his daughter to the groom is of the old world. It carries the notion that the woman is owned by the man, only to be given away to another man in marriage.
Malaysia and Indonesia
In Malaysia and Indonesia, there is a Bathroom Moratorium which dictates that the married couple cannot use the bathroom for three days after their wedding. Consequently, they are implored to take in as little food and drink as possible to make the experience easier.
This is done because the people of Malaysia and Indonesia believe that those who don’t participate in this custom will be met with bad fortune: such as infidelity in marriage or death of children.
Germany
A wedding custom in Germany happens the eve of the wedding celebration. Guests are invited to bring porcelain as they attend a pre-wedding party. This event is named Polterabend. Each item of porcelain is smashed, creating shards that are said to be lucky. Afterwards, the couple is expected to clean up the mess. This instills in them the value of teamwork in marriage.
Our customs and traditions widely vary. While some may seem bizarre to foreign people, they still show the stock we put into marriages as we are willing to go through weird and great lengths to make weddings and succeeding marriages fruitful and fortunate.
