Wedding rituals in different cultures, countries, religions and social strata differ significantly. Most wedding ceremonies include the exchange of marriage vows, the presentation of a gift (ring, flowers, etc.), and the formal proclamation of marriage by the bride and groom. Many cultures have adopted the Western tradition of the white wedding (this tradition was introduced by Queen Victoria), in which wedding dress the bride consists of white dress and veils.

Love is universal, but the event of marriage in any culture has its own list of traditions and rituals. In many cultures, wedding preparations include reserving the wedding venue, choosing a wedding dress and inviting guests. However, the following wedding traditions show how varied weddings really can be.

1. RITUAL OF TEARS TUJIANG, CHINA

Tujia brides in China begin preparations 30 days before their wedding in an unusual way- crying. The bride spends an hour a day in sorrowful tears. 10 days later her mother also joins her, and 10 days later her grandmother joins her, and by the end of the month the entire female half of the family is crying for an hour a day. Fortunately, these tears do not mean sadness, but are an expression of joy and love. Since all women cry in a different key, their collective cry almost sounds like a song.

2. KISSING TRADITION, SWEDEN

No, not only between the bride and groom. If you are invited to a celebration, then it is very likely that you will be lucky enough to kiss both the bride and groom. During the wedding ceremony, traditionally the groom disappears somewhere for some reason, and all unmarried young people are allowed to kiss the bride. If the bride leaves the banquet for any reason (to go to the toilet, etc.), then the same opportunity is presented to female half guests, but they are just kissing the groom.

3. SPIT ON THE BRIDE, MASAI TRIBE, KENYA

This is one of the strangest wedding rituals of the Maasai tribe in Kenya. During the wedding ceremony, the Maasai people shave the bride's head and apply butter and mutton fat to it. And the father blesses his daughter by spitting on her head and chest. Spitting is usually a symbol of dishonor, but in the Maasai tribe it is believed to bring good luck and happiness. Then, without turning around, for fear of turning to stone, the bride leaves with her husband.

4. MARRY A TREE, INDIA

In some parts of India, women born as Manglik (an astrological combination with Mars and Saturn under the 7th house) are considered "cursed" and can apparently cause early death husband To protect against this curse, the bride must first marry a tree, which is then cut down to break this curse. What can I say - poor tree!

5. STICK ON THE HEELS, KOREA

According to Korean wedding traditions, at the end of the ceremony, the groom is unzipped, his friends tie his feet, and then begin to beat his heels with a stick or dried yellow Corvinus (this is a fish). It is believed that this will give the groom strength before the first wedding night. Although the ritual may be a little painful, it is mainly performed for the sake of laughter and not for cruelty. Actually it's quite fun tradition, the purpose of which is also to test the strength and knowledge of the groom. During this test, he is asked various tricky questions.

6. BLACKING THE BRIDE, SCOTLAND

To celebrate the most have a good day in life, women, friends and relatives of the bride show their love by covering her with buckets of curdled milk, dead fish, spoiled food, tar, sauces, dirt, flour and even sausages. Not only is she covered and wrapped in the most disgusting products, she is then tied to a tree, exposed to everyone. The Scots believe that if you can cope with this test, then you can cope with any difficulties, including marital difficulties. In short, blackening the bride is to prepare her for all the humiliations and problems he will encounter in marriage.

7. CHICKEN LIVER, INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA

When choosing a wedding date, the bride and groom take the life of a chicken while holding a knife together. Then, if the liver looks good, the young people are allowed to choose a wedding date. If the liver looks bad, then they will have to kill the chickens until they find a liver that looks good.

8. KEEP EVERYTHING TO YOURSELF, INDONESIA

Indonesia is weird wedding customs apply not only to the wedding day. According to local traditions, newlyweds are forbidden to leave the house or use the toilet for three days and nights after the wedding. The couple is watched and given only minimal amount water and food. This Honeymoon, or rather house arrest, as locals believe, contributes to happy marriage and healthy babies.

9. TRADITIONAL SHOE THEFT, INDIA

In some parts of India, the groom must remove his shoes before approaching the altar. As soon as he does this, chaos begins. This marks the beginning of the battle. All guests from the side must protect the shoes, and guests from the bride's side try to steal them. If the bride's family manages to steal the shoes, the groom has to pay a ransom to get them back.

10. TOILET DELICATE, FRANCE

This is probably the worst wedding tradition ever. At the end of the wedding ceremony, guests collect leftover food from festive table and everything found is mixed in a chamber pot, as if making soup. They then burst into the newlyweds' room and refuse to leave until the couple has drunk everything. This should give them strength for their wedding night. Today this soup is replaced with chocolate or champagne, but you still drink it from a real pot.

11. BRIDE KIDNAPPING, ROMANIA

This tradition exists not only in Romania, but also in some countries in Africa and Asia. According to this crazy tradition, if a man, through persuasion or deception, manages to kidnap a girl and keep her in his house for 2-3 days, she is officially declared his wife.

12. BOW AND ARROW, CHINA

Chinese Uyghur culture has a wedding tradition in which the groom must shoot three arrows at his future wife with a bow (don't worry, arrows without tips are used). After this, the groom collects and breaks the arrows, thereby ensuring that they will love each other forever.

13. SAWING LONG, GERMANY

In Germany there is a tradition of testing how well a married couple can work together. To do this, they have to cut the log right in front of the guests. This action shows the ability of the bride and groom to work together and their ability to cope with the difficulties that they will encounter in their married life.

14. DANCE OF MONEY, POLAND

According to Polish tradition, guests of the celebration can invite the bride to dance, but they must pay for it. The money is collected by the bridesmaid and accepted as a donation for the newlyweds' honeymoon.

15. POLTERABEND, GERMANY

The bride and groom are given new plates, who then break them the night before the wedding. It is believed that the sound of broken dishes drives away evil spirits from the new family.

16. VERY SERIOUS CEREMONY, CONGO

In the Congo, they take marriage very seriously - so seriously that the bride and groom are forbidden to smile or laugh throughout the wedding ceremony.

17. FEEDING BEFORE THE WEDDING, MAURITIUS

Usually all brides try to lose weight before the wedding in order to fit into their charming Wedding Dress. Mauritanian girls do the opposite and try to gain as much weight as possible before the wedding. The curvaceous shape of the bride is considered as evidence of the wealth and well-being of her parents.

18. TWO BABIES, SUDAN

In southern Sudan, marriage is considered unofficial until the bride gives birth to two children. If she cannot give birth, the husband can get a divorce no questions asked.

19. FACE IN THE MUD, FRENCH POLYNESIA

The Maruesas Islands of French Polynesia also have a very unusual wedding tradition. After graduation official ceremony, the bride's relatives lie face down in the dirt to create a mat for the newlyweds to walk across.

20. FEAR OF FAIRIES, IRELAND

In Ireland, during the newlyweds' dance, the bride's feet must not leave the ground. According to local beliefs, if she lifts her feet off the floor, evil fairies will carry her away. The logic here is that fairies love everything beautiful, and the bride is always beautiful.

IN different countries All over the world there were and still are their own wedding customs, rites and traditions. We want to introduce you to the most unusual of them.

• On the island of Fiji they believe that the god Nanyanga, who watches over and protects married couples, will not allow a bachelor to enter heaven and will turn it into ashes if he dies before getting married;
• Tribes living on the island of Borneo believe that a woman's soul sleeps until she marries;
• In some cultures White color is considered mourning, so brides get married in dresses of other colors;
• Interestingly, with over 100,000 marriages taking place in Las Vegas each year, Hawaii lags far behind with only 25,000 weddings per year;
• The ancient Egyptians believed that ring finger left hand - perfect place for an engagement ring, since there is a “vein of love” leading directly to the heart;
• In Samoa, the bride's outfit is made from mulberry bark;

photo: Wedding photo in traditional Samoan outfits

• The getting married couple is often showered with something symbolic: in Ancient Rome and in Greece they threw nuts and beans, in Bulgaria - figs, in Sicily - bread crumbs;
• In Nigeria, there is a tradition according to which, before marriage, a girl must acquire curvaceous. If the bride turns out to be too thin, the groom can send her back to parents' house- eat off;
• In ancient times, there was no custom of throwing a bouquet or a garter: guests present at the wedding tore off a piece wedding veil or the bride's tunic, this was considered a good sign;
• In Kenya, to this day there is a custom according to which the first month after wedding celebration the groom’s destiny is to wear a woman’s clothes so that he understands how difficult it is for his wife;

photo: Kenyan wedding traditions - changing clothes

photo: Bride in Kenya

• Some scientists believe that the phrase “honeymoon” originated from the custom of the Teutonic tribes. On the new moon, they made a drink based on honey, which they drank until the moon became full, which is 30 days (a month);
• For a long time In Scotland, it was not customary to get married in a green dress, since this color was considered the color of fairies and vengeful spirits. Eating green vegetables and fruits at a wedding was also considered a bad sign;
• In Namibia, the bride's veil is replaced with a special headdress, which is made from goatskin, rubbed with fat, red ocher and tree resin. It is called "Ecory";

photo: Traditional bride's outfit in Namibia

• There is an unusual tradition in the Surma tribe (Ethiopia). The bride's lower teeth are removed, her lip is pierced, and a clay disk is inserted. It is believed that the diameter of the disc is a symbol of the nobility and wealth of the girl’s family: the larger the disc, the larger the dowry given for the girl;

photo: Apparently rich bride (Ethiopia)

• In Afghanistan, a man who wants to marry a girl must cut off a lock of her hair, remove the veil from her face and proclaim her his bride;
• In Albania there is a tradition according to which a young wife must resist and prevent the execution for 3 days and 3 nights. marital debt. It is believed that with such behavior the bride can confuse and throw off the scent of evil spirits;
• Many brides dream of getting a diamond engagement ring, but not many know that such a ring was first made in India more than 2000 years ago, it symbolized eternal love. The Greeks believed that diamonds were the tears of the gods, and the Romans believed that they were fallen stars;
• On the island of Java, newlyweds pay taxes not with money, but with the tails of rats: the couple must submit 25 tails to the administration;
• Interestingly, on the island of Bali only women are present at the wedding table. Do you think men are prohibited from appearing there? - no, the representatives of the stronger sex are resting, because they were the ones who prepared all the dishes that the beautiful guests eat;
• Bedouin girls begin to sew a wedding dress when they are nine years old, they complete preparations by the age of 14-15;
• In some countries, a yellow wedding dress is considered a sign that the bride intends to deceive her future husband;
• In order for children to be born in a marriage, the Irish took an egg that had just been laid by a chicken and placed it in marital bed;
• In India, men were even allowed to marry “in a tree.” The fact is that in this country there is a law according to which younger brother cannot marry before the eldest. The eldest was “married”, after the wedding the tree could be cut down, supposedly the wife “died”, and the man became a widower;
• In Germany, after the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds are given a log and a saw. They must saw it in half to prove that they know how to divide a farm;

photo: German wedding traditions - sawing a log

• In Greece, the groom must carefully monitor throughout the wedding day so that his chosen one does not step on his foot. If this happens, everyone will consider him henpecked;
• Previously, on the island of Bali, the teeth of the bride and groom were cut off: it was believed that then the newlyweds would not turn to the forces of evil;
• Bedouins cook huge wedding dish: boiled eggs are put into fish, fish - into chicken, chicken - into fried sheep, and sheep - into a camel, such a little chest with a secret. But the residents of the north don’t bother: the Eskimos serve... wedding table dried and raw venison;
• In Ireland, during the bride and groom's dance, the girl's feet must always touch the floor. The Irish believed that then evil spirits would not be able to take possession of the bride;
• In France, relatives and friends of newlyweds gather under their windows and organize a concert with improvised materials - saucepans, spoons, pots. The couple doesn’t need such “romance” at all, so they endure uninvited guests drinks and snacks to calm them down;
• In some tribes in South Sudan, a marriage is considered incomplete unless the woman has given birth to two children: otherwise, the man has every right to demand a divorce;
• Previously, in Sweden, many girls got married after they became pregnant: this gave the groom the opportunity to make sure that his chosen one was not infertile;
• In the Nikabara Islands future spouse becomes a “slave” in the bride’s house for several months so that she can decide whether she should marry him or not;

photo: Indian wedding traditions - patterns on the bride’s hands

photo: Indian wedding

• In India, it is customary to cover the bride's hands and feet with henna patterns; it is believed that this will bring her happiness. There was also a tradition that the groom, before approaching the altar, must take off his shoes, and the witness should closely monitor them. If someone did steal the shoes, they had to pay for it.

Regardless of where in the world the wedding is taking place and what nationality the newlyweds belong to, the wedding will be the most joyful, vibrant and memorable event in their lives. And yet - how many countries and peoples there are, so many wedding customs, traditions and beliefs exist. Almost all of them go back to ancient times and today may seem strange, incomprehensible and not always appropriate, but, nevertheless, all of them have their own hidden, secret meaning Therefore, they are carefully stored and passed on from generation to generation. You will undoubtedly be interested to know about How weddings are celebrated in different parts of our planet, and perhaps you decide to include some funny and unusual tradition in the script own wedding by adding usual ceremony“zest” and making your wedding special and, of course, unforgettable!

IN America and in England every bride makes sure that on her wedding day she wears something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue color(something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue). Besides, in English villages the bride and her guests walk together to the church. The procession is led by a little girl who scatters flowers along the road so that the bride's life will be happy and filled with flowers. For good luck, brides sew some kind of amulet, for example, a small silver horseshoe, to the hem of their dress. In Scotland, the groom, in order to accept the bride into his family, after they have pronounced all the required vows, must throw a tartan scarf with the colors of his clan over her shoulders and pin it with silver pins. And in the English county of Wales, there used to be a very exotic tradition of matchmaking: a young man and a girl were tied with a rope, leaving a knot, and then they went to bed. If the “tied” did not want to get married, then at night they untied the knot, and if the knot remained intact, then from that night they were considered the bride and groom.

Indian tribe Navajo Living in the United States, the traditional wedding dress is painted in four colors, each of which represents a cardinal direction: black is north, blue symbolizes south, orange is west, and white is east. At the ceremony, the couple stands facing east, where the sun rises, which symbolizes the beginning of a new era in the lives of the newlyweds.

On Bermuda The top tier of the wedding cake is decorated with a tiny sapling. After the wedding, the newlyweds plant this tree in front of their house as a sign that their marriage will last as long as this tree grows.

German wedding traditions include the Polterabend ritual. On the evening before the wedding, the bride's friends come to the door of her house and smash dishes and plates on the threshold. The shards are believed to bring good luck to the bride. After this, traditionally the bride treats those who came with a glass of wine or a cup of tea and cake to thank them. The next day, during the ceremony itself, the bride must have bread and salt with her in order to spend her entire life in abundance. The groom brings grain, which means wealth and good luck. Guests cover the path with fresh fir branches for the bride and groom to follow after the ceremony, symbolizing good luck, hope and wealth in the future family life. For this, guests are given handkerchiefs so that they can wrap the food left over from the holiday in them and take it home.

IN Austria newlyweds, when approaching a registry office or church, should make as much noise as possible to scare away evil spirits. So they tie empty cans and other junk to the cars. The bride decorates her veil with myrtle, which is considered the flower of life. When the newlyweds enter the church, children, most often a boy and a girl, carry a basket of flowers behind them, and when they leave after the wedding, they shower these flowers on their path.

On the newlyweds' bed Greece The children must run around first - it is believed that after this the young couple will definitely have healthy and happy offspring. Also in Greece, an eye should be depicted on the clothes of young friends and girlfriends, which will protect the young couple from failure. Godfather the groom is the guest of honor who crowns the couple and leads them around the altar three times. On her wedding day, the bride puts a piece of sugar in her glove so that her and the groom's love always remains sweet.

Seeing the wedding procession in Hungary, all the cars on the street begin to honk, thereby welcoming and congratulating the bride and groom. The traditional gift from the groom to the bride is a bag of coins, and the bride to the groom is three or seven (lucky numbers) handkerchiefs. According to Hungarian custom, the bride will happily dance with each of the guests, but this dance is not free and can cost a pretty penny. There is a similar tradition on the other side of Europe - in Portugal. In the Portuguese "money dance", a guest who wants to dance with the bride puts money in her shoe, which is presented to him.

There is a “dance of money” in Poland– guests attach money to the bride’s dress to buy a dance with her. And in Polish villages, friends and neighbors weave a wreath of rosemary leaves and decorate the bride’s hair with it.

Danes considered the most successful wedding omen get married on Valentine's Day - then the husband and wife will love each other for the rest of their lives. The wedding table must have a Danish marzipan cake, decorated around the edges with candles, fresh fruit and medallions with portraits of the bride and groom.

According to the old times French Traditionally, newlyweds must drink to their happiness from a large bowl with two handles.

Wedding customs are very interesting and romantic. Belgium- there, the groom, planning to propose to the girl, plants a “Maypole” - a birch or Christmas tree - under his beloved’s window. And the girl, as a sign of agreement, arranges an “afternoon snack with sweets and coffee.” On the eve of the wedding, the girl must embroider her name on a handkerchief, which she then takes with her to the wedding ceremony. Then he puts it in a frame and stores it until the next family wedding.

But in Holland festive wedding lunch takes place before the ceremony, and not after it, as in other European countries. The dinner must include sweets called "bride's sugar" and spicy wine called "bride's tears."

IN Bulgaria When the bride and groom leave the holiday, they are showered with figs.

IN Spain The groom gives the bride thirteen coins, thus showing that he can take care of her and support her in family life. The bride keeps these coins with her throughout the wedding ceremony in a special wallet.

In many African countries During slavery, black couples were prohibited from marrying and living together. To express their love for each other, young people in front of everyone jumped over a broom, which was a symbol of the beginning of their “ married life" And today, African newlyweds jump over the broom after the wedding as a sign that Hard times slavery is not forgotten. Before the wedding, the bride also puts on shell beads as a symbol of purity and purity.

IN Nigeria the girl must recover well before the wedding, otherwise she will be returned to her parents.

IN Kenya Before the wedding, girls decorate their hands and nails with ritual patterns in black and red. The drawing holds whole year, symbolizing new status women. Another notable tradition in Kenya requires the husband to wear women's clothing for the first month after the wedding. For what? So that he can feel the full weight of a woman’s share.

According to customs India, the father of the bride greets the groom as the most honored guest and washes his feet. The bride serves the groom a traditional wedding drink from sour milk, honey and butter, which is also treated to the most dear guests. After the ceremony, the groom's brother or another male relative showers the newlyweds with flower petals to drive away evil spirits. For the same purpose, they spin it three times over the heads of the young people. coconuts. Wedding rings Hindus wear it not on the ring finger, but on the thumb.

IN Iran the groom must give the bride an expensive gift to the bride - a house, an apartment, or at least a large sum in gold coins. The bride should also give the groom something expensive - for example, a ring or wedding suit. At the wedding ceremony, women rub crumbs from two sugar loaves over the heads of the newlyweds so that good luck will always accompany them.

During Chinese wedding ceremony, the bride and groom drink wine and honey from goblets tied together with red braid - the color red symbolizes love and joy.

Vietnamese newlyweds attend not one, but two weddings: the first is hosted by the groom's parents, the second by the bride. For a wedding, it is customary to give newlyweds watermelon seeds - a symbol of fertility in Vietnam.

In the country Rising Sun – Japan The bride and groom drink nine sips of sake rice vodka at their wedding. It is believed that after the first sip they officially become husband and wife.

Traditions of bride kidnapping exist or existed in many countries, from Japan and Italy to England and Albania. However, by the middle of the 19th century, almost all over the world these customs had disappeared or were even prohibited by law, although in some places, for example, in Chile, they still persist.

Russian wedding traditions

And what about Russia? Our country is also rich in a wide variety of wedding customs and traditions. You may know about some of them, and some will be a discovery for you.

First of all, Russian custom states that the groom should not see the bride on the eve of the wedding - this is considered bad omen. The wedding morning begins with the bride's ransom. This is an echo ancient custom, when, in order to avoid incest, a wife was taken from another tribe, whose members were often enemies of the groom’s clan, and it was possible to “get” a wife from them only by properly appeasing them. The groom goes to fetch his bride and groom with his “retinue,” that is, his most faithful and closest friends. The bride's relatives and friends create a variety of obstacles on the groom's path, which the future husband must successfully overcome.

The bride and groom must travel to the registry office in different cars. Why? This is an echo old tradition, according to which the groom and his groomsmen arrived at the church before the chosen one and waited for her at the entrance. Immediately after registration, the newlyweds go for a ride on beautiful places cities. And the tradition of “honking” with the whole cortege echoes similar European customs of making noise as loudly as possible in order to drive away evil spirits... When stopping, the young people drink champagne with the guests and break glasses, and then look at the fragments to see who will appear first among the young people: large fragments - to for a boy, small ones for a girl.

also in Lately appeared very beautiful tradition releasing a pair of white doves as a sign of the beginning of a new life for the young.

Upon returning from a walk to the wedding feast, the newlyweds are greeted and showered with small sweets, coins and rice - so that life is sweet, rich and fertile. In addition, according to the old Russian custom, parents greet the newlyweds with bread and salt, bringing them a loaf of bread on an embroidered towel. The bride and groom must bite off a piece of the loaf without touching it with their hands - and the one who bites off the larger piece will be the master of the house.

And then the feast begins, during which the guests, according to a well-known tradition, shout in unison “Bitter!” Surely many are wondering where this comes from - why is it bitter, who is bitter? This tradition is explained as follows: the bride used to go around the guests with a tray on which they put money, took a glass, drank and said: “Bitter!” So the guest confirmed that it was vodka in the glass, and not water, after which he could kiss the bride. Gradually, this custom was replaced by a playful demand for kisses from the newlyweds themselves.

But here are two traditions, borrowed from the West and quite new for our country. The bride must quit bridal bouquet unmarried girlfriends, and the one who catches him, according to the sign, will marry next. Just as the bride throws her bouquet to her unmarried friends, the groom throws the garter taken from the bride’s leg to his single friends - the one who catches it gets married first.

The groom must carry the bride in his arms to the bedroom in order to protect her from damage that evil sorcerers, at the request of envious people, could bring to the threshold of the bedchamber. Before the newlyweds enter the house, an unlocked lock must be placed under the threshold, and as soon as they enter, the lock is locked and thrown away. This is done to ensure that the marriage is long and prosperous.

A wedding is one of the most common rituals all over the world. No wonder that in different parts The world has developed its own, very special and unique, traditions associated with this celebration. After all, everyone wishes the young spouses a happy and prosperous life. And various actions that have been formed over the centuries are called upon to help in this.

This phenomenon did not bypass Russia either. Our country is characterized by such wedding customs as matchmaking, ransoming the bride, releasing doves by the newlyweds, and presenting the bride and groom with a loaf of bread. And if you are single and want to find your other half in order to have a wedding according to all the established traditions, you can contact the marriage agency Heart-Hunter Moscow, which has extensive experience in this field, uses scientific approach and even applies international search in practice. But in different countries of the world there are much more exotic traditions that accompany marriage.

Unusual wedding rituals
So, we present the most original, in our opinion, wedding customs found in different parts of the world.

European traditions
In Finland, when giving gifts to newlyweds, it is customary to name the price of the gift. Therefore, all those invited pay special attention to this moment, so as not to “disgrace themselves” in front of those gathered.

Croatia has a tradition of throwing apples into a well. This is supposed to bring young people financial well-being, since apples are a symbol of wealth.

A French bride traditionally has to pretend that she doesn't want to get married. During the entire period leading up to the marriage, she cries and makes attempts to escape from the wedding. It was believed that behaving In a similar way the girl is virtuous.

Rituals in Asia
A mandatory gift that every guest in Malaysia gives to the bride and groom is a boiled egg. The fact is that in this country the egg symbolizes prosperity and security.

For Bedouins, it is extremely important to set the wedding table as generously as possible. The main custom is to prepare such a dish. Eggs are placed on top of the cooked fish. Then it is folded into a pre-prepared bird, which, in turn, is put into a roasted ram, and that into a already cooked camel. This dish is a must at a Bedouin wedding ceremony.

In Korea the symbol eternal love are geese and ducks. In this regard, they are required to be present at the wedding celebration.

Pakistani girl getting married leaves Father's house, carrying the Koran on his head.

Very unusual for modern world Indian wedding customs. The fact is that in this country a girl is allowed to get married at the age of 16. But a young man can become a groom at the age of five!

One of the most controversial traditions is still preserved on the island of Bali. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom have their teeth filed. Moreover, this is done without any anesthetics. The fact is that on the island there is a belief that newlyweds who have undergone this ritual are not involved in evil spirits.

American customs
African Americans make it a point to have a broom at their wedding. This tradition dates back to slave times. Any marriage ceremonies among slaves were prohibited. Therefore, lovers had to look for all sorts of loopholes. Then a tradition was born, according to which the beginning of married life was considered to be jumping over a broom.

The Mexican bride and groom are tied to each other by the shoulders using a lasso. This is considered a symbol of the strength and indestructibility of their union.

In Bermuda, birthday cakes are attached to real trees, which the newlyweds plant next to their home at the end of the wedding. Such a wedding tree is given great attention, as it is believed that it will bring happiness to the newlyweds. Therefore, it is very important that his eyelid is as long as possible.

Wedding rituals in Africa
Kenya is famous for its unusual attitude towards marriage. There, the wedding takes place only after receiving confirmation of the bride’s pregnancy. And after marriage, the groom begins to wear his wife’s clothes. This happens for at least three months. It is assumed that in this way a man can share the hardships of pregnancy with his wife.

Preparation for marriage in the Sahara begins when a girl turns 12 years old. The task of the relatives of the future bride is to fatten her up as much as possible. After all, the larger a woman is, the more beautiful she is considered. Moreover, the bride’s plumpness symbolizes the respectable position of her parents. Such a bride, of course, will marry most successfully. Those families that do not have sufficient funds to properly fatten a girl usually hand her over to wealthier relatives.

Marriage traditions of Australia and Oceania
On the Fiji Islands, half a whale tooth is considered a mandatory gift that the groom must present to the bride's father. In this way, the young man conveys wishes of wealth and high position to future relatives.

As we see, the peoples of the world are distinguished by their extraordinary imagination, endowing wedding ceremonies the most various meanings, symbolizing all kinds of benefits for the future husband and wife.

The wedding is quite mesmerizing and interesting ritual. They have existed since ancient times different customs and traditions that are associated with a wedding. From the early age all girls dream of being beautiful bride, and boys dream of creating a strong, reliable family, of being a good owner.

In every country there are different traditions and rituals. Sometimes they can be very unusual, strange, interesting and shocking. In all countries of the world, a wedding has the same meaning, but they celebrate it differently. Of course, it is not possible to see all the countries of the world, but at least roughly know about unusual traditions Everyone has fun at a wedding.

Each nation has its own customs and traditions

Samoa

There are quite a few in this country strange custom. If a couple in love is about to get married, then the future spouses should spend a night of love and affection in their parents’ hut. All the relatives of the newlyweds gather in the hut that night, and there is also livestock there. We need to spend this night in complete silence so that none of Olin’s relatives wake up. If the hero-lover nevertheless woke up one of those present, then he has to run away from his relatives, who are very angry.

If they manage to catch up with him, then the future husband has to endure beatings from relatives. The groom lubricates his body before such a night palm oil, it helps to endure beatings much easier.

Sahara

Among the inhabitants of the Sahara, it is believed that a woman’s beauty is indicated by her fullness. How fuller woman- the healthier and more beautiful she is. Therefore, parents begin to fatten girls at the age of twelve. A girl's plumpness guarantees her a successful marriage. If a girl is thin, it means that she does not have a wealthy family, so few people will want to connect their lives with her.

Poor girls are put in special huts where they sit alone and are fed high-calorie foods. They are given fatty couscous, millet balls cooked in butter and milk, and milk.

Mothers usually take care of feeding their daughters. If a mother is unable to feed her daughter on her own due to poverty, then she exchanges daughters with a friend or relative for a while. If the girl resists eating, then the father intervenes in the process.

Macedonia

In this country, equality between wife and husband is encouraged. The newlyweds spend their first wedding night in a rather unusual way - they are locked in a basement covered with pine needles. They give it to young people in advance traditional gifts- boots and a hat. In the basement they compete to see who will get these trophies.

If a wife gets a hat, it means that she will be loved and happy in marriage. If she also gets a shoe, it will mean that her husband will be under her heel for the rest of her life.

Jews

On their wedding day, the newlyweds head to the huppa. They will make this trek passing through the synagogue, while they will be accompanied by their parents. Huppa is a canopy that symbolizes the tent in which newlyweds lived in ancient times. Under the chuppah, the newlyweds take a ritual small sip of wine, after which the rabbi will bless the bride and groom.

After the blessing, the groom presents a ring as a gift to his bride. The ring must be gold, without stones or dyes. How simpler ring, so much the better, because if the ring is too expensive, the guests present may think that the bride chose the groom only because of his wealth. After that official part The wedding ceremony of the Jews ends.

Jews never hold weddings on holy holidays or the Sabbath. Two witnesses must be present at the time of marriage.

Thailand

In this country wedding ceremony begins with the morning chanting of the monks. After this, the bride, groom and their relatives treat the monks. The head monk sprinkles holy water on the newlyweds and all guests present while the other monks continue to chant. After this, everyone goes to the temple. In Thailand there is such interesting tradition- friends of the bride and her relatives on the way home future wife They give gifts to people they meet along the way. This procession is called Khan Mark.

In Thailand it is generally accepted that the most auspicious month for a wedding it is August. Therefore, this month is the most a large number of marriages. It is believed that a couple getting married in August will have a strong, happy and reliable family.

In the villages of Thailand, people generally get married at the age of nineteen to twenty years, and in the cities at the age of twenty-nine to thirty-five.

Greece

In Greece, there is a custom that children must first run around the newlyweds’ bed, where they will spend their wedding night. This is done to ensure that the couple has healthy offspring. Also, at a Greek wedding, an eye should be depicted on the clothes of relatives and friends of the newlyweds. It is believed that such an eye can protect a newly-made family from misfortune and failure.

Kenya

In Kenya, it is customary to paint the bride’s nails and hands with special ritual patterns on her wedding day. In this case, red and black paints are used. This pattern stays on a woman’s body and nails throughout the year; it symbolizes that women now have a new status.

A very interesting tradition in Kenya - the husband must go to women's clothing. It is believed that in this way he will be able to feel at least a little of the hardships that befall a woman.

Korea

In this country, a couple in love who decides to get married turns to a fortuneteller who helps set the wedding date. In ancient times, Korean fortune tellers determined not only the wedding day, but also the most prosperous hour for the wedding. It is customary to invite a large number of people to a Korean wedding.

It is believed that what more people- the happier you will be married couple. After the wedding, the newlyweds present each guest with a glass of wine and bow. Guests, as a sign of respect for the newlyweds, present them with money as a gift. There is also very long tradition- the mother-in-law and father-in-law throw a jujub into the bride’s skirt, which is a symbol of male offspring. Thus, the bride expresses her wish to have healthy sons.