Five Weird Wedding Customs Around The World

Marriage is universal, but weddings are unique and so are the customs and traditions surrounding it. While a lot of people try as much as possible to make their wedding stand out, there are cultures that hold traditions which they believe will strengthen the union and bond between the couple and even ward off evil.

Here are 5 weird wedding customs that might shock you.

Shooting the bride

In the Yugur culture in China, grooms shoot the bride with a bow and arrow three times although without the arrowheads. Afterwards, he breaks the arrows to guarantee that their love lasts forever.

Blackening of the Bride

In Scotland, before a girl gets married, her friends engage in throwing all kinds of rubbish on her like milk, dead fish, rotten fruits, spoiled food, mud and tar. And then tie her to a tree. They believe that if she endures the treatment, she is capable of handling anything that comes in the marriage.

Be serious

While weddings are filled with excitement and happiness, in Congo, the couple is not allowed to smile or show any form of joy. They must not smile on the wedding day throughout the ceremony. If they do it means they aren’t serious about the marriage.

Spit on the bride

In Masai, Kenya, after the bride is dressed up to the nines in her finery, her father will spit on her. While in some cultures this spells bad and can even be seen as a curse, here the aim is to ensure that they do not jinx the marriage by being too supportive of the new couple.

Dancing

Imagine dancing with your feet firmly planted to the ground. In Ireland, the bride and groom must dance but their feet must not be lifted. According to a folklore, if the bride lifts her legs while dancing, fairies will come and carry her away.