If you are planning your dream day but you want to look at incorporating international wedding traditions from around the world, then you have some to the right place! There are so many different traditions from around the world that you can use for inspiration for your own special day, and because it’s your day, you can choose how much or how little you choose to incorporate. The main thing to remember when you are planning your special day is to do something that you both love and that feels right for the both of you. Don’t feel that you have to go overboard or incorporate too much into your day.
All of the traditions from around the world are done specifically for the purpose of bringing the couple good luck on their special day and for the start of the rest of their lives together. The traditions you choose to incorporate may depend on your own personal backgrounds, or your families backgrounds. We have listed some of our favourite wedding traditions from around the world to help give you some inspiration for your own big day. Some of these you might not want to do, but they might give you some inspiration to perhaps create your own tradition for your special day.
France
Brides and grooms in France traditionally eat chocolate and champagne after the wedding reception which sounds good, until you find out that they have to be consumed from a toilet bowl! This is done to give the couple strength before their wedding night. This probably isn’t a tradition that many people would want to adopt, especially if you have a sensitive stomach!
China
It’s traditional for the bride’s family in China to hire a ‘good luck’ woman who will look after her as she travels from her home to her groom’s home in a decorated chair. People also shield her with parasols and throw grains of rice on her for good luck.
Germany
In Germany, it is traditional for the newly wedded couple to clear up smashed porcelain dishes that their guests have smashed onto the ground to ward off any evil spirits. The idea is that they do this together, and by doing this they can face any challenges they have in life.
Another tradition in Germany is to present the couple with a big log and a saw, with the idea that they need to saw the log in half and by doing this, it represents their ability to work together as a team. I’m not sure this is a good idea if you have an expensive, luxurious dress on though!
Russia
A Russian man traditionally has to visit the bride’s parents house on the morning of the wedding to pay a ‘ransom’ for his lady to show his worth and showering her family with gifts, or instead of giving them gifts, he has to dance and sing for them instead.
Ireland
In Ireland, when the bride and groom are dancing, the bride must keep at least one foot on the floor at all times. Irish folklore says that if she doesn’t do this, evil fairies will come and sweep her away.
Whichever international tradition you choose to take inspiration from, we are sure that there are some ideas that you will both like, and if there aren’t then why not create your own tradition that can be passed on down in your own family.