Bonjour!
Coming to you all the way from sunny France, sat typing in the beatuiful Château de Grand Lucé, I wanted to share with you a great guest post from the wonderful Elena Tahora, a passionate fashion blogger and an avid traveller, writing all about some of the more unusual wedding traditions from around the world! Also a writer for the excellent American Tungsten have a look at what Elena has to say...
You might know all about wedding traditions like the bride tossing the bouquet, but sometimes we forget that other countries have their own unique traditions too. Even if you’re on the fence about changing things up for your wedding, take a look at 15 fascinating traditions I managed to find. A simple one could be exactly what you’re looking for!
Kransekake in Norway
Credit: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/interesting-wedding-traditions
You don’t necessarily need a traditional wedding cake, so how about a kransekake? This
tower of iced almond cake rings is built over a wine bottle to reveal the wine as guests break
off pieces of this nontraditional cake.
Croquembouche in France
https://sk.pinterest.com/stylemepretty/
For another cake option, try the croquembouche. This is a delicious tower of cream-filled
pastries that can be dipped in sweet sauces. Usually it looks pretty great as a centerpiece
too!
The Black Wedding Cake in Jamaica
It’s very common for Caribbean countries to serve a cake made from dark fruits and rum. It
looks great, tastes great, and can be used later in the year for Christmas too.
The Karavaya in Russia
Share a sweetbread that’s decorated with wheat for prosperity and interlocking rings for
faithfulness. Whatever spouse takes the biggest bite without using their hands is now
considered the head of the family.
Ring of Flowers in Pakistan
Credit: Jeannemarie Photography
This practice is for the groom instead of the bride! The groom wears a ring of flowers around
his neck, and sometimes, the bride can get in on the fun as well.
Bows and Arrows in China
Credit: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/interesting-wedding-traditions
Let your husband-to- be have a little fun like they do in China. Even though the groom shoots
the bride with a bow and arrow several times, she’ll be perfectly safe. Then he just collects
the arrows and breaks them during the ceremony so their love will last forever.
Stealing the Groom’s Shoes: India
Credit: https://sk.pinterest.com/pin/486599934718875074/
Give the bride’s sisters a little more fun in an Indian wedding as they steal the groom’s shoes
once he enters the wedding tent. The groom then has to bribe the sisters to get those shoes
back!
Salty Bread in Armenia
Armenian men and women can have a slice of some high sodium bread, made by a happily
married middle aged woman, to see their future husband or wife. For your single wedding
guests, this is the perfect simple tradition to try.
The Blackening in Scotland
Credit: Lynncam26 (flickr)
This tradition is a little bit out there, but in Scotland, the bride, groom, or both are piled with
alcohol and covered in treacle, ash, feathers, and flour the day before the wedding.
Polterabend in Germany
In Germany, hen parties and stag nights grew out of the Polterabend tradition. Basically,
family and friends smash dishware outside the homes of the bride and groom the night
before the wedding and the bride and groom will have to clean it up together.
Two Bouquets in Mexico
If you’re catholic, you might like this tradition especially. By carrying two bouquets, you can
have one for yourself and one as a tribute to the Virgin Mary.
Some traditions seem a little strange to us while others would be a welcome change to traditional ceremonies. Either way, every one of these ceremonies represents the love newlyweds have for one another, no matter what country they’re from!
Love Elena x
