The Indian culture in itself is a varied one. Here we have many religions which have their own traditions for different festivals and weddings too.
To remind you all with the Indian wedding tradition, we believe in stealing the groom's shoes and hiding them until he pays a lump sum amount to get them back.
This might seem very normal to us, but might be as alien to the foreign countries as their rituals are for us.
Let's acknowledge ourselves with a few of them.
Banging of pots and pans in France.
Family members and friends in France believe in banging utensils on the newly-weds' first night. This ritual is called Charivari, where they make as much noise as possible.
And to make them stop, the newly married couple has to serve them snacks and drinks. This is an age-old French ritual which is still followed.
Chickening out in China.
For the couple, killing a baby chick together and inspecting its liver is considered to be a Mongolian ritual.
If the chick has a good liver, the couple can set a wedding date. And if not, they have to continue killing more chicks till they can find a suitable liver.
Blackening of the bride in Scotland.
In this ritual, the family and friends of the couple-to-be shower them with all disgusting things possible. Anything that involves food trash, old fish, rotten eggs, etc. is pelted on the groom and the bride.
It is believed that if the couple can handle this ritual, it says that they can handle any situation whatsoever comes their way in their married life.
Practising crying in China.
It is believed that if the couple can handle this ritual, it says that they can handle any situation whatsoever comes their way in their married life.
Practising crying in China.
The Fijian culture says that the groom's parents are supposed to gift a polished sperm whale tooth to the bride-to-be's father. This is done instead of asking for the daughter's hand for marriage. This is considered to be the highest prized gift for the people of Fiji.
The kissing party in Sweden.
This is a really fun ritual that the people of Sweden follow. The kissing fest is when the attendees of the wedding are allowed to kiss the groom or the bride.
This is a really fun ritual that the people of Sweden follow. The kissing fest is when the attendees of the wedding are allowed to kiss the groom or the bride.
In Wales, the groom has to gift his bride pretty carved 'Lovespoons' which signifies that he will never leave her starving.
Breaking dishes in Germany.
It is usually a common practice to gift the newly married couple with new dishes and utensils.
But in Germany, the family and friends of the bride and groom specially buy porcelain dishes to break them on the floor. This ritual is followed because the Germans believe that the sound of the smashing dishes keep the evil spirits away.
Groomsman as barber in Greece.
The people of Greece believe that the groomsman needs to be the groom's barber. He has to make sure that the groom looks sharp on his wedding. In return, he is fed with honey and almonds by the mother-in-law.
Money dance in Greece.
This Greek wedding ritual says that the newly weds have to dance while the guests at the wedding pin money to the coupe.
Bundle of joy in Czechoslovakia
Before the wedding takes place, the bride and groom have to carry a baby. This ritual says that this belief is to bring fertility in their future. Once the couple gets married, they are showered with peas, rice and lentils for the same.
House arrest in Borneo.
The people of Borneo ask the newlyweds to not leave the house for 3 days and 3 nights. Not just that, they're not allowed to even visit the washroom once in these 3 days.
Minimum two kids in Sudan.
A few tribes in South Sudan believe that a couple's marriage can only prosper if the bride can give birth to two babies. And if she fails at it, the groom is allowed to divorce her.
Forming a human carpet in Marquesas Islands.
Once the wedding finishes, the relatives lie down on the floor like a carpet and the bride and groom are then asked to walk over them.
Mother at the honeymoon in Africa.
cIn a certain African tribe, the mother or an elderly accompanies the married couple in order to educate them on how the night needs to be spent.
Beating the groom in Korea.
Southern Koreans believe that the groom needs to be prepped for his first night. And for the same, his feet needs to be beaten with dead fish or bamboo sticks.
Spitting on the bride in Kenya.
A tribe in Kenya believes that the father of the bride has to spit on her head. According to them, this brings good luck to the couple in their future and is done before she leaves with the groom.
The walk of shame in Jamaica.
In this ritual, the villagers line up to watch the way the bride walks to her wedding. If she fails at it, she is shouted on with negative comments and is sent back home to walk all over again to the wedding venue.
Shooting brides in China.
Before the groom gets married to his bride, he has to shoot her three times with an arrow. The arrow has no sharp tip and after the shooting is done, the groom collects the arrows and breaks them to show eternal love.
Meal in toilet bowl in France.
This is probably the grossest traditions that the French people follow. The leftover food from the reception is put in the toilet bowl replica and the bride and the groom are asked to eat out of it.
Wow, that's a lot to handle.
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