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From spitting to bridenapping, have a look at some of the most interesting wedding traditions!

Love is universal, marriage is universal, but how we tie the knot varies considerably around the world. An elegant white wedding dress, throwing the bouquet, cutting the marvellous cake, and the starry-eyed first dance are all wedding staples that we in the West have become particularly accustomed to. However, in other cultures and countries, these customs are not so common.

To give you an overview of what goes on in weddings around the world, we've compiled the following short list of some rather unusual marriage traditions and customs, but be warned, they are not as romantic as you might expect them to be. In fact, some of them are just plain odd…

 

1) Blackening of the bride - Scotland

Brides and grooms-to-be on their stag do or hen party can often find themselves in a rather sticky situation, quite literally. Depending on the region, the bride, groom or both are taken by surprise and pelted with a disturbing concoction of treacle, feathers and flour by their friends and family who then humiliate them further by parading them around the streets for all to see.

 

2) Pucker up - Sweden

Image: “Kisses” by Mick C. Flickr - under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

In Sweden, it’s not just the groom that gets to smooch the bride. During the reception, if either the bride or groom leaves the room, the significant other is subjected to a horde of kisses from the guests - probably not the best scenario for those concealing a green-eyed monster underneath…

 

3) You may nowspit at the bride – Kenya

Image: “Maasai at Husein & Amanda's wedding” by Greg Neate. Flickr - under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

What better way to start married life than to be covered in your father’s slobber? Charming, right? Uh, no, not really! After a couple from the Maasai community tie the knot, the father of the bride will usually bless the marriage by spitting on his daughter’s head and chest. The bride must then leave the ceremony without looking back. If she does, she’ll turn to stone – blimey! Well, that’s one way to cement your love for one another…

4) It’s a real sob story - China

A ritual that takes place one month before the wedding sees brides of the Tujia people weep for one hour every day, with the mother, grandmother and the rest of the family joining in on the waterworks after 10 days. But why exactly do they have to cry a river, so to speak? Well, to express their joy, of course!

5) Tree-hugging - India

If Indian women are born during a particular astrological period (Mangal Dosha), they are fundamentally cursed. Any man they initially marry will suffer from an early death and thus, not surprisingly, such women are seen as unfavourable by potential suitors. To break this evil spell, the women must first marry either a banana or peepal tree (or an idol of Vishnu – a Hindu God), after the matrimony, the tree is ceremoniously cut down – dispelling the bad fortune. The widow can then go on to happily marry another human suitor – *touch wood*.

6) There goes the bride – Romania

In Romania, it’s often customary to abduct the bride from her wedding. Her captors – usually the groom’s friends – will then hold her hostage. The groom must come to her rescue and pay ransom to either the captors or spouse by showering them with drinks, money or showing them a declaration of his undying love. Who said romance is dead?