“They have their own wedding, we have our own!” Is a famous phrase from a popular movie. In fact, there are exactly as many features of this solemn ceremony as there are peoples. How do different nations hold this significant event, how do they prepare for it? Italians the day before the wedding brew a huge pot of spaghetti. The Germans on the eve with passion beat the dishes … And these are just some of the wedding rites and traditions that are strictly observed before the wedding in different countries. A short tour of different countries will show us some specific details of the wedding ceremony.

Wedding rites and traditions of China

It would seem that in preparing for the wedding rites, everyone should rejoice, congratulate the bride and groom. But the people living in China prefer to do the opposite. Crying the bride and family begin a month before the wedding. Unusual wedding ritual involves the execution of crying with lamentations daily for half an hour. After 10 days, the mother-in-law picks up the baton, and on the eve of the wedding ceremony, they are supported by friends and other women from the clan. But the ubiquitous red color at a wedding personifies joy, love, and prosperity. He is so much in the wedding theme of China that it’s impossible to think about a sad event. Wedding gifts are wrapped in red fabric or paper, and only the red ribbon is tied to glasses from which newlyweds at a wedding drink.

The bridegroom, with matchmaking, sends a kerchief to his chosen one and patiently, albeit with a sinking heart, awaits her reply, which traditionally consists of home slippers she has tied up; either a bunch of sweet bananas is attached to them, meaning an unconditional “Yes!”, or a bunch of bitter green onions – a symbol of the definitive “No!” In the southwestern part of China, this custom is still preserved.

Wedding rites and traditions of the Philippines

Only a rich enough person can now be the bridegroom in this country. Pre-wedding events and ceremonies require non-stop expenses; you must even pay for the right to visit the bride! Food and drink in the presence of the bride are paid separately, as well as a conversation with her. Most likely, there are strictly worked out tariffs for these pre-wedding “efforts”. It is curious, but what if there are several suitors for the girl’s hand? Parents of the bride can be directly enriched by “charging the due according to tradition”, especially if they have several daughters …

Wedding rites and traditions of Americans

In America, it is considered a good omen if the bridal outfit follows the formula: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Everything is clear here: in the bridal outfit there must necessarily be something that has long been owned by her or her family; something new — never worn; something alien, taken at a time, in order to return; and still need something blue or blue. Mandatory and the main requirement – all this should be on everyone’s mind. Another noteworthy detail: it is the bride’s family that takes care of the wedding expenses. About 80% of the US population belongs to one of the Christian denominations, so, as a rule, everything starts with a beautiful ceremony in the church. Alternatively, you can invite a priest to marry at any other convenient place for the newlyweds: a private house, park, ocean coast. An important detail: one or two weeks before that, lovers are sent to the state marriage registration bureau. Marriage certificate to newlyweds sent by mail.

After the ceremony, the holiday moves to a restaurant (bar, rented a hotel or private house), where dishes are replaced according to the menu, and alcohol flows like water – in this, Americans are little different from us. Walk so walk! Plan an event start at least six months, and more often even a year, immediately after the engagement. The question of wedding gifts in America is usually solved as follows: newlyweds are registered in one of the big stores (Macy’s, Nordstrom, Target), where they make a list of gifts – utensils, decor items, electrical appliances. Everything is affordable, inexpensive. Guests need only realize one of the wishes – for this they don’t even have to go to the store, a gift from the list can be ordered online. In the same way, you can order both festive packaging and gift delivery to the address of the newlyweds.

Wedding rites and traditions of Great Britain

Scots – skilled craftsmen to invent all sorts of omens, and they themselves strictly monitor their observance. Grooms, for example, are obliged to throw on the bride’s shoulders a special, “named”, checkered shawl, a shawl with a cage of its kind – it is considered a sign of the connection; brides should sew some talisman from the back of their wedding dress. A big dish with fresh bread and buns is smashed “for luck” over the head of the bride. The old shoe, which is thrown out of the car of the young couple after the completion of the wedding ceremony, must catch the bridesmaids; the one that catches him will marry next. This symbol of future marriage, perhaps, is not too elegant, but such are the signs and customs of the Scottish Highlanders.

The rite of initiation to the wife involves the bad-mouthing, in the literal sense of the word. The custom says that the stronger the girl is smeared, the less negative there will be during the marriage. The ritual is unusual. All invited guests diligently throw the bride with dirt, smear with soot, pour wedding dressing with sauces. The mixture is sticky and unpleasant. It is such a beauty to go through the streets. In the summer, she is obliged to visit all the pubs on the way. Grooms usually wear a national men’s skirt on the wedding day – a kilt, which, as usual, is worn without underwear.

Wedding rites and traditions of the French

The French – known to the world of romance. And what could be more romantic than unexpectedly releasing during the wedding a large flock of light-winged and beautiful butterflies? Or: at the wedding banquet, the bride and groom are obliged to drink from a special two-handed wedding cup. This cup is a family heirloom, it passes from generation to generation, as a talisman of a successful marriage. Being loud is one of the annoying wedding traditions. It is common in some territories of France and is called Chavari This means that people must have metal accessories that create a lot of noise. Families of the bride and groom gather near the house where the first wedding night is to take place and begin to organize a concert. But instead of singing, young spouses hear screams, and spoons, pots, and pots serve as musical instruments. This is done to kill romance, lure the newlyweds to the street with drinks and snacks. After which they are released, giving privacy.

According to French tradition, the groom and his friends must meet the bride and her family at her home. They take a whole train of cars, often honking and yelling to announce their happiness to the whole world. And passers-by shout good wishes to them. The bride must be in a white dress, which symbolizes her purity and innocence. Dance “sock” is an integral part of any French wedding. Unmarried brothers and sisters of the bride or groom are forced to wear funny socks and dance a merry dance, and the guests throw money on the performers, which the bride and groom will later collect. Some couples include traditional French motifs in the musical background of the celebration, as a way to show respect for their French roots. The French, to avoid unnecessary wedding gifts, do not hesitate, point to the invitation,

Wedding rites and traditions of the Greeks

The traditional Greek wedding is filled with numerous ritual rituals dedicated to the Holy Trinity. In Greece, brides wear yellow or red veils representing fire to ward off evil spirits. Some modern brides still adorn their bouquets with a mixture of herbs and plants that symbolize fertility. The Greeks in the bedroom of the newlyweds go first small children and jump, having fun on their marriage bed. Only after they appear the bride and groom. This procedure is considered a guarantee of healthy offspring and well-being. From the evil eye of the bride and groom protect small eyes, which are attached to their clothes their best friends. Another feature – just before the wedding, the happy bride writes the names of her unmarried bridesmaids on the sole of her shoes. But only those of the girls are destined to marry soon,

Greek weddings are sometimes turned into culinary contests, and guests bring baked goods and sweets to the ceremony to earn praise. The Greeks dance a lot during a wedding celebration. Kalamatiano – energetic circular dance, which is performed at the very beginning even at the reception. Sometimes, the bride and groom perform a “dance of money”, during which guests throw bills at them. At the Greek wedding, it is customary to beat the dishes on the floor, as a sign of happiness. At the end of the ceremony, the groom cuts the ribbon, which binds the newlyweds and the couple “sells” pieces to the guests.

Wedding rites and traditions of India

In a society ruled by caste, believe reincarnation, strong wedding traditions. It practiced a temporary marriage for girls dumb or with a tooth cut. The bridegroom is chosen from our smaller brothers. Hindus believe in the introduction of all evil in girls with ugly appearance. The only way to exorcize an evil spirit from an Indian woman is to marry her to a pet. An Indian wedding is all painted in yellow and red, and it is probably why each celebration of the birth of a new happy family usually takes place next to a large blazing bonfire. The color of the bride’s wedding dress should be bright red, and besides, the bridegroom smears her forehead and parting hair on the bride’s head with red paint – all this as a symbol of the fact that now she is becoming his wife.

Rituals remain unchanged in India for hundreds of years, however, depending on the area, they may have their own characteristics and differences. Following the ancient tradition suggests that on the wedding day neither the bridegroom nor the bride should eat anything until the evening. Only after the fulfillment of the marriage ceremony can they break this miniature post. So, there are as many customs as there are nations on earth. In Russia, for example, it is customary to draw up a wedding celebration with balloons, while in Mexico, freshly picked, still-alive flowers will prefer, they adorn the bride’s hairstyle, hall, tables, and cars.

But one thing remains common and unchanged everywhere – wishes of the newlyweds of happiness and love and long married life. There is a belief: the younger brother should not marry before the older, so as not to bring trouble. If the latter is still single, he chooses his spouse – a tree, thus approving the younger one’s marriage. After the ceremony, the newly married spouse is cut down. An integral part of the Indian pre-rite rite is Mandap Muharat when the bride and groom are coated with turmeric, a yellow powder that makes their skin smooth. In addition, the bridesmaids manually paint the hands and feet of the girl with henna patterns. Red symbolizes luck in Hinduism, which is why brides in India wear traditional red sarees with white and gold details. The most important part of the Hindu wedding rite is Saptapadi or the exchange of oaths. The bride and groom should go through three circles with sacred fire at this time. After the first round (seven steps) they exchanged oaths. After the third, the groom gives the bride a silver ring as a sign of love. The couple also exchanges flower garlands, as an additional symbol of their senses. Guests at Indian weddings are dressed in traditional robes, not in bright colors. Instead of a cake, Indian newlyweds usually feed each other honey and other sweets.

Wedding rites and traditions of Spanish

In Spain, the bridal outfit should include elements of orange color, and the wedding bouquet must contain orange tree flowers. Orange-orange is the color of beauty, passion, and vitality. The groom, together with the wedding ring, presents the bride with thirteen coins, confirming with this gesture that he will now take care of her always.

Wedding rites and traditions of Italian

For the wedding in Italy are preparing at least a year. But before there should be an engagement – the moment when a man gives a ring to a girl and meets her parents. Very serious step! All cars in the wedding procession are decorated with white ribbons. Driving through the streets, they continuously buzz – notify everyone about the event. After the ceremony, the newlyweds leaving the church are sprinkled with rice. In the restaurant, everyone shouts “Bacio!” (Kiss). Usually, the newlyweds are allocated a separate table, but they are not able to sit at it: you need to pay attention to all relatives, take a picture with everyone, participate in friends’ Hochman, spin in the dance, drink wine and … many times “Bacio!”. Something and the toastmaster profession in Italy are not in demand: temperamental Italians do not need verbal entertainment, they themselves want to make an ornate speech. But singers and musicians are invited, where they can entertain guests. And, of course, to accompany young people during the first dance.

As for gifts, the Italian newlyweds echo the American and German – they leave the “marriage list” in the store and send the guests business cards along with the invitation. There is another curious tradition in Italy: friends of the newlyweds lure away the keys to the house in advance and prepare “ambushes”: they sprinkle the spouse’s bed with spices or set alarm clocks on the wrong time and hide them all over the room, trying to “annoy” the spouses on their wedding night, rather, make the night sleepless and stormy. But more often the company just knocks on the window in the middle of the night and demands … to feed them. Fortunately, the young wife always has a spaghetti pan ready for this occasion. It only remains to add that the Italians are getting married late. Early marriage is considered to be 30–35 years old.

Wedding rites and traditions of Jewish

At the beginning of the ceremony, the bride’s head is covered with a veil. Then she, following the bridegroom, goes under the ritual canopy of the hoop, where the closest people await them. Here, under the chuppah, a new family is born. While the rabbi reads prayers, the bride goes around the groom 7 times. God created the earth in seven days, and so the girl builds the walls of her future family. And then the man puts on his beloved gold ring. According to tradition, it should be without stones and officially belong to the bridegroom – to be bought by him for his savings or be considered a family relic. After that, the marriage contract is read out – a tub, where the rules are written that the man must now respect the wife: ensure, protect, take care that her beauty is kept as long as possible. It also spelled out the amount paid to the woman in case of divorce. True,

Then the newly-made family is left to go through the third wedding ceremony – to visit the private room. Earlier, after going there, the newlyweds were for the first time alone and the man was allowed to touch his wife. Today, when marriages are more often out of love than on “collusion”, this part of the ceremony is observed as a sign of respect for traditions. The young ones retire for 3-5 minutes and soon join the guests. It’s time for a feast. Jewish weddings are usually held on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday. Shabbat Khatan is held on Saturday. And Ashkenazi spend it on the last Saturday before the wedding. A Sephardic – on the first Saturday after the wedding. On this day, a man goes to the synagogue, where he reads the Torah with special solemnity. By this honorable act, the community (although not only those who pray in this synagogue come to Shabbat-Khatan, relatives are invited, friends of the families of the bride and groom from other communities and even from other cities) gives parting words and wishes a happy family life. After morning prayers, the groom treats everyone with desserts and sweets.

Wedding rites and traditions of Denmark

In this Scandinavian country, it is obligatory for the bride and groom to dance their first dance at a wedding surrounded by invited guests. During the dance, the circle is constantly shrinking. Finally, all the guests converge so tightly that the bridegroom and the bride can no longer move – they just have to kiss each other tightly. Immediately the men pick up the groom and quickly pull off his shoes, after which they cut his socks from the heels and fingers with scissors. At the same time, the girls are trying hard to break the veil of the bride on the ribbons. These ribbons are subsequently fortunately tied to the antennas of cars.

Wedding rites and traditions of Japanese

In the Land of the Rising Sun, a couple in love exchanges special coins during betrothal, Yuuno, which symbolizes their unlimited trust in each other. At the obligatory wedding rites, the bride and groom should be done no more and no less than nine sips of traditional Japanese sake. Moreover, they are considered husband and wife after the first sip. Recently, weddings are increasingly being held in a new manner. For example, the European custom of producing inflatable balloons in flight is becoming popular.