Interesting Wedding Superstitions Around the World

White dress, beautiful flowers, a nice musical band, meaningful vows and the first kiss; weddings are filled with happiness, laughter and moments that make you go awww!

Did you know how many interesting wedding superstitions are believed by people around the world? In this article we are going to talk about some of these weird and wonderful wedding superstitions, and whether they hold any truth to them.

Interesting Wedding Traditions and Superstitions

There are many bizarre traditions regarding weddings. Some of these interesting wedding beliefs and superstitions are listed below:

    • In the English culture, Wednesday is supposed to be the best day to get married.
    • The reasoning behind the bride being carried by the groom over the threshold is that he would protect her from bad spirits, underneath.
    • Even though Saturday seems to be the most popular day for weddings, the English believe it is the unluckiest day to marry.
    • Some time ago, it was believed that a vein in the fourth finger of the left hand was connected directly to the heart,Hence, people wear their wedding or engagement rings on that finger.
    • The white wedding dress tradition began with Queen Victoria in the 1840s.
    • The Catholics have a tradition of ‘posting banns’ to publish a marriage announcement. So, it started out as a method to find out if the bride and groom could be related.
    • In a Christian wedding ceremony, the bride has to stand next to the groom on the left side, because in the past, the groom would have fought off other men with his right hand.
    • The bridal shower tradition began in Holland, three centuries ago, because if the father of the bride disapproved the groom, and would not give her the dowry, the woman’s friends would present her with gifts, so that she could have a dowry and marry the man she chose!
    • Americans believe that a couple’s last name should not begin with the same letter as it brings bad luck.
    • Catching the bouque which the bride throws over her head means that person is next to be married.

Here is the complete guide avaiable Traditional Wedding Ceremonies According to Different Cultures

Wedding Superstitions Around the World

It is not just Americans or the English that have weird superstitions about getting married. Many cultures around the world have wedding superstitions and folktales connected to their history. They may be cultural or religious but listed below are some of the world’s strangest wedding superstitions:

    • In Greek culture, brides have to put a sugar cube in their glove because the sugar is supposed to sweeten the union.
    • In Hindu traditions, it is believed to be a sign of good luck if it rains on the wedding day.
    • A bride needs to be pinched on her wedding day for good luck, according to Egyptian culture.
    • People throw peas at newlyweds in Czech culture.
    • Middle Eastern or Muslim brides put henna on their hands in order to protect themselves from evil spirits.
    • In Moroccan wedding traditions, the bride bathes in milk before her wedding to cleanse herself and be pure.
    • According to Swedish culture, the bride has to put a gold coin and a silver coin in her shoes, given to her by her parents, to make sure she never gets deprived.
    • In Asian culture, robes that are embroidered with cranes are worn as a sign of faithfulness in marriage.
    • In Irish wedding tradition, they chime bells to ward off bad spirits and make sure the married couple has a pleasant life ahead.
    • Italian weddings include the tradition of ‘the couple’ breaking a glass as the broken pieces will indicate the years they will remain married.

Truths behind Common Wedding Superstitions

Weddings are made fun by these weird and wonderful wedding superstitions and traditions! However, most of the times, we do not even know the reasons behind them.

We do not question as to ‘Why is it important for the groom to not see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony?’, ‘Why do brides have to throw their bouquets at the wedding?’ and many more.

Let us look at some of these common superstitions or traditions and see why they exist in the first place!

Why it is Bad Luck for the Groom to See the Bride in Her Wedding Dress Before the Ceremony Takes Place

In the olden days, marriages were arranged by the families of the bride and groom like business arrangements. Love marriages were not even considered a concept during this time. The father of the bride would wish for his daughter to marry a rich, well-endowed man.

This is why the tradition of not letting the bride and groom see each other before the wedding started. It was thought that if the groom saw the bride and did not think she was attractive, he could break off the betrothal and the bride’s family would have to live in shame, forever.

They made brides wear veils so that the groom would see the bride when they both have been married.

Why Brides Wear ‘Something old, Something new, Something borrowed and Something blue?

This a very famous traditional Victorian verse that is meant to bring good fortune.

The ‘something old’ is meant to represent the couple’s bond with their families in their newlywed life.

‘Something new’ symbolises the couple’s pact in their new life that would bring them happiness and health forever.

‘Something borrowed’ is supposed to depict when a bride’s friend or family member loans her some loving gift for the ceremony. And ‘something blue’ comes from an old Israeli tradition of a bride wearing blue ribbons on her hair to represent her commitment to her husband.

Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold

There are many reasons why this tradition came out!

Medieval Europeans thought that it would be immoral for a bride to show eagerness about losing her virginity, so the groom would carry her to make it seem she was shy about the upcoming wedding night.

However, Western Europeans considered it bad luck for the couple, if a bride tripped over the threshold at her new house. And in ancient cultures, the groom would carry the bride because she was thought to be in danger of being attacked by the evil spirits through her feet.

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