The most popular wedding traditions in the world are bachelor parties and the bride tossing her bouquet which ends up in the hands of the one who’ll get married soon after her.
But if you are frequently traveling the world, you’ll get to learn about or even experience a wide variety of wedding traditions, sometimes even within the same country. And just like any other cultural aspect, some wedding traditions can be extremely weird or even shocking.
Here are 10 of the most bizarre wedding traditions from around the world that you may want to experience (or not!) Check them out through the next pages. The last one is really harsh on the married couple.
Log cutting, Germany
In Germany, an ancient tradition dictates that the couple must cut together through a log using a big saw with two handles.
It is believed that, through this act, the newly married couple will improve their ability to work as a team and overcome the inevitable problems that will occur during their marriage. Actually, the log represents the couple’s very first obstacle!
Two kids, Sudan
When a couple wants to get married in the Sudanese Nuer tribe, the groom must pay an expected number of cattle herds (normally, forty). But that’s not all, the wedding won’t be completed unless the wife has given birth to two kids at least.
If the third child is born, the marriage will be officially tied. However, if they only had one kid, the husband is allowed to ask for a divorce. And in case the husband dies, his brother should marry the widow.
Breaking a bell, Guatemala
Wedding ceremonies in Guatemala are followed by a gathering at the husband’s place. The husband’s mother breaks a white bell to greet the couple and welcome them home. The white ringer is filled with grains, rice, and flour. These are intended to bring fortunes and blessings to the newly married couple.
Ransoming the bride, Romania
Romanian brides are dragged away on a mock abduction game by friends or family members who hold her hostage in a fancy spot or tourist attraction. This game takes place before the wedding ceremony.
The “kidnappers” call the groom (the rescuer) to negotiate the details of the payoff. In most cases, the groom pays with bottles of whiskey, real money, or a romantic declaration.
Breaking of the glass, Jewish tradition
At the end of a wedding ceremony, Jewish couples are expected to step on a glass that’s carefully stored inside a small bag to break it into pieces. This Jewish wedding tradition represents the commitment to always stand by each other even in the worst times as well as it shows the inevitable joy and sorrow in every marriage.
Once the ceremony ends and all the rituals are completed, some married couples choose to collect the cloth with the broken pieces of glass and keep it as a souvenir.
Crying, China
In the Chinese Tujia ethnic group, brides must cry for an entire hour every day for a month before the wedding. Plus, they’re also expected to cry at the ceremony. What’s even more bizarre to tourists and foreigners is that once the bride completes ten days of crying, her mother joins in, and then her grandmother joins both of them after another ten days.
As the month of crying comes to an end, all the women and girls in the family join the crying. This act demonstrates how happy and joyful the bride and female family members are. It may sound like a song to some people since the women weep in various voice tones.
Henna, India
In the night before the wedding ceremony, a colorful celebration called Mehendi is held by the women on the bride’s side of the family. In this event, the bride and other female family members get their hands and feet beautifully tattooed with henna.
The designs “tattooed” on their skin indicate happiness, beauty, and spiritual awakening. Not only in India, but this tradition is also widely practiced in many Asian and Mediterranean countries.
Bread and salt, Russia
At a Russian wedding celebration, the parents greet the newly married couple by offering them bread with salt. This tradition represents hospitality. The bride and groom take a piece of bread, put some salt on it, and feed one another.
It is said that the one who could take the larger piece of bread is going to the head of their future love nest. Finally, all guests are given a piece of the wedding bread (karavai). This is very similar to the popular wedding cake tradition.
Bridal doll, Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, the wedding custom dictates that a bridal doll must be sitting at the main table. The doll is dressed the same way as the bride and is covered with charms which later passed out to the guests. The wedding guests are expected to put money onto the doll in exchange for charms.
Bathroom ban, Indonesia
The Tidong tribe on the island of Borneo is still practicing an ancient tradition that forbids the bride and groom from going to the toilet for a complete three days and three nights after the wedding ceremony.
For this reason, the married couple is only given little food and water during the celebration. It is believed that this act will make their marriage long-lasting, happy, and fertile. Any couple who rebels on following the custom will suffer from bad luck.