1. Blackening the Bride: Scotland
To celebrate the happiest day in a woman’s life, friends and relatives
of the bride will show affection by putting every nasty things you can
imagine like curdled milk, dead fish, spoiled food, tar, sauces, mud,
flour, sausages into a bucket and throwing it over her. She is then tied
to a tree and after taken for a night of drinking. The belief is that
if you can handle this you can handle anything, including marriage. In
short blackening the bride is to prepare her for any humiliation or
problems she’ll come across during her marriage.
2. Preplanned Crying: China
For many brides, wedding day preparation can be emotionally draining,
but brides and females of the Tujia people in China take matters to a
whole new level. Starting one whole month in advance the bride starts to
cry for 1 hour every day. Ten days into the ordeal the mom joins the
picture, and then ten days after that, her grandmother. By the end of
the month every female in the family is crying alongside the bride. This
is thought to be an expression of joy as the women cry in different
tones.
3. Marrying a Tree: India
In parts of India women born as Mangliks (an astrological combination
when Mars and Saturn are both under the 7th house), are apparently
"cursed" and thought to be likely to cause their husband an early death.
In order ward of this curse, they must first be married to a tree and
the tree cut down to break the curse. Poor Tree!!!
4. Beating the groom’s feet: Korea
Korean tradition dictates that the groom has his feet beaten with fish
or a cane before his first night as a married man. It can be painful but
it’s over quickly and more fun than cruel. This is supposed to make
sure the groom doesn’t disappoint on his wedding night.
5. Délicieux Toilette La Soupe: France
Here comes the worst wedding tradition ever. After the wedding ceremony
is complete, the bridal party would collect all of the leftovers, bits
of trash, and anything else they deem to be sufficiently gross within a
toilet bowl and then barge into the couple's room. They would not leave
until the couple drank it. This is supposed to give the couple fuel to
have a great night ahead. Today, although soup is substituted with
chocolate, you’re still drinking brown stuff out of a real live toilet
bowl.
6. Kidnapping the Brides: Romani
A very crazy wedding ritual is practiced by Romanian people where a man
abducts the woman he wants to marry or couples run away without the
consent of their parents. The belief is that if you manage to
convincingly or forcefully kidnap a girl and remain her by your side for
at least 2-3 days, she will officially be declared as your wife.
7. Shooting The Bride: China
In China's Yugur culture, grooms shoot their future brides with three
bows and arrows (that don't have arrowheads). Once the deed is done, the
groom will collect the arrows and break them, thus ensuring that they
will love each other forever.
8. Butch brides: China
According to a survey, 75% of men notice women because of their hair.
But if you are born in china then the last time you will see the woman
you love with a full head of hair is before you marry her. In their
culture a married woman is supposed to shave off all but a lock of her
hair as it is considered as sign of beauty and cleanliness.
9. Polterabend- Smashing Dishes: Germany
A ritual called Polterabend is practiced in many parts of Germany.
Hosted by the newlywed, the guests bring the bride and groom new dishes
as gifts and then they smash them. Pots are clashed, cookeries are
broken and even whips are also smashed. Supposedly the cacophonous sound
scares away evil spirits. By breaking the dishes beforehand, the bridal
party is preparing them for the obstacles ahead and simultaneously
wishing them luck.
10. Traditional Shoe thieves: India
In parts of India the groom is required to take off his shoes before
approaching the wedding altar. As soon as he does this mayhem ensues.
This is a sign for battle to begin. Everyone from the groom’s side of
the family is expected to protect the shoe as the bride’s family tries
to steal it. If the bride’s family succeeds in their endeavor, then the
groom ultimately has to pay a ransom to get them back. If you want to
imagine the scene, think of a rugby match with 300 people on each team.
