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In the UK there are many wedding traditions that have been passed on through the generations from bride to bride. We all become familiar with these at a young age and many are still very much apart of the modern wedding.
A classic example is the ‘something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a sixpence in her shoe’ tradition. The tradition is thought to date back to Victorian Britain and each item is believed to bring the bride good luck, something old represents continuity with the brides family and past, something new symbolizes optimism for the future, something borrowed should be from a happily married family member, in the hope that the marital bliss will pass on to the new bride and something blue, the colour represents love, modesty and fidelity. Many brides no longer follow the latter part of the tradition, which was thought to represent financial security for the Newlyweds.
Here at Ideal Bride Magazine you can almost hear the cogs of our brains turning as we begin thinking about different countries and their traditions. Ideal Bride Magazine has explored the world of wedding traditions and have found some truly unique traditions…
THE WORLD OF WEDDING TRADITIONS
IN SWEDEN
It is tradition in Sweden for the mother of the bride to give the bride a gold coin which is placed in her right shoe, the father of the bride then gives her a silver coin which is placed in the left shoe, symbolising financial security.
IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA
The close friends of a Czechoslovakian bride plant a tree in her garden on the eve of her wedding day. They decorate the tree using ribbons and eggshells. It is believed that the bride will live as long as the tree.
IN GERMANY
In the weeks and months prior to the wedding the friends and family of the bride and groom create a wedding newspaper. They fill the newspaper with pictures, stories and anecdotes about the engaged couple. The newspaper is then sold at the wedding reception and helps towards the honeymoon. We may have to adopt this tradition!
IN DENMARK
During the ceremony at a traditional Danish wedding the groom will disappear, at which point the male guests kiss the bride, on the groom’s return it is then the brides turn to disappear and for the female guests to kiss her new husband! Another Danish tradition is for the groom’s socks and tie to be cut with scissors by the wedding guests.
IN GREECE
Pomegranates signify luck and fertility in Greece and for those reasons play a part in the traditional Greek wedding. As well as the throwing of the bouquet, the bride also launches a pomegranate crashing to the ground and releasing it’s lucky seeds.
IN RUSSIA
At the beginning of a wedding reception a member of the family or a close friend, makes a toast to the happy couple. It is then Russian tradition to throw the glass at the floor rather than raising it to the couple. It is considered good luck if the glass breaks.
IN TURKEY
Before the Turkish bride walks down the aisle, all the single female guests write their names on the soles of her shoes. At the end of the night the bride checks the sole of her shoes, the name that has rubbed off the most is the next person to get married.
IN LITHUANIA
The alternative to wedding cake in Lithuania is called Sakotis. Sakotis is baked by painting layers of dough onto a rotating spit in a special open oven or over an open fire. The Sakotis is then decorated with flowers, herbs and sometimes even a light.
