Planning a wedding is a stressful event whether it be an extravagant or a low-key celebration. The day itself may be a time of anxiety for couples unused to being the centre of attention. Fortunately, most weddings are full of joy and love. Others may not be so full of happiness as they incorporate wedding traditions that may be considered frightening, puzzling or just plain awful. Here are some of the craziest wedding traditions from around the world you may not yet know of:
Germany
Newlyweds in Germany must put their bond to the test by working together to saw a log in half in front of all their guests. The act is intended to confirm the couple’s ability to work together and face the obstacles that may come throughout their marriage.
A ritual called Polterabend is practiced in many parts of Germany. The wedding guests bring the bride and groom new dishes as gifts and then smash them. The sound is said to ward away evil spirits. This craziest of German rituals is said to prepare the newly-weds for the obstacles ahead whilst simultaneously wishing them luck.
Unbelievable, but this is just a short-list of the craziest wedding traditions from around the world.
France
A traditional French wedding cake is a delicious croquembouche, a magnificent tower of profiteroles. However, one of the craziest traditions in France is ‘La Soupe’ where leftovers at the reception are gathered into a toilet bowl from with the bride and groom must eat for good luck.
Indonesia
A Javanese tradition is for the bride to show her love for her husband by washing his feet in front of a crowd of relatives, family and friends. Before the bride begins to wash his feet, the husband must step on an egg.
Scotland
One of the UK’s craziest traditions is known as ‘blackening’. The bride, groom, or both are taken out on the day before their wedding, plied with alcohol, and covered in treacle, ash, feathers, and flour by friends and family. This was once done to avoid evil spirits and bring good luck.
Korea
Korean tradition dictates that friends of the groom, tie a rope around his ankles and hit the soles of his feet with fish or a cane before his first night as a married man.This is supposed to make sure the groom doesn’t disappoint on his wedding night.
Mongolia
To select the wedding date the bride and groom are required to kill a baby chick while holding the knife together. The date is then divined by the good appearance of the chick’s liver. The couple must keep killing chicks until they find a liver that is considered good.
India
In parts of India the groom is required to take off his shoes before approaching the wedding altar. The bride’s sisters and girlfriends steals his shoes once he enters the wedding tent. The groom and his brothers and friends must try to find the shoes. This is a scene of great chaos. If the bride’s family succeeds in hiding the shoes, the groom has to pay a ransom to get them back.
Sweden
In Sweden, whenever either the bride or groom leaves their table to use the bathroom the other gets kissed, a lot.
Kenya
At a Massai wedding, the father of the bride blesses his daughter by spitting on her head and breasts. She then leaves the village with her husband and does not look back for fear of turning into stone.