Weddings around the world

Lucky charms

The four tokens of luck that many brides carry on their wedding day — something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue — have their origin in an Old English rhyme. A fifth item that didn’t make it into the mainstream was also included in the original poem: “a sixpence in your shoe.”

everything red

A tribute to the cult of the sun, traditional Chinese weddings are filled with red. Accessories, clothing and flowers all feature a bright crimson hue to symbolize happiness, prosperity, success and luck.

spLendid queen

A typical Moroccan wedding puts the bride in the spotlight. After undergoing countless beauty rituals, including henna, the queen of the evening makes her grand entrance atop a magnificent litter (a seat carried by people).

symboLic sweets

At a traditional Italian wedding, the newlyweds give each of their guests five white candies. These customary sweets represent fertility, health, longevity, happiness and prosperity.

connected crowns

In traditional Greek Orthodox weddings, the bride and groom wear crowns joined by a ribbon during the ceremony to symbolize their union.

stoLen bride

A bride getting kidnapped at her wedding may sound like a nightmare, but it’s actually part of a fun Romanian tradition. During dinner, a group of friends of the newlyweds steals the bride. Then, the groom must find where she’s held captive. If he doesn’t find her by midnight, he’ll need to pay a ransom (usually a bottle of vodka or two).

hoLey sock

During Danish weddings, guests make a hole in the groom’s right sock. Why? According to tradition, no other woman would want to be with someone so shabbily dressed, leaving the new husband no other choice but to remain faithful to his new bride.

herbaL bath

Before their union is made official, Indian couples take an herbal bath, their wrists joined by a sash. This soothing ritual is said to bring longevity and fertility to the future newlyweds.

broken dishes

Before a German wedding, guests break dishes and try to make as much noise as they can while doing so. Said to chase away evil spirits, this good-luck ritual is called Polterabend. Once it’s over, the future newlyweds must learn to overcome difficulties together by picking up the pieces.

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