There is a standard format that is often used during wedding ceremonies, as well as the planning stages leading up to your big day. From flower arrangement to ceremonial protocols to selecting designer wedding dresses in Brisbane and surrounds, there are a set of age-old traditions that have been passed down through generations.
This does not stop couples from creating new traditions that reflect their unique story and inspire new family traditions of their own. So if you are looking to wow your guests and tell your unique love story in your very own way, here is some inspiration from abroad.
Germany
Some German weddings incorporate the Polterabend tradition, where people congregate at the bride’s home on the night before the wedding to break crockery in a gesture that offers the couple good fortune. The couple must then work together to clean up the mess as proof that they can triumph over any obstacle in their married life. Another custom is the Baumstamm sägen, where newlyweds saw a log in two in front of their guests.
The idea behind this practice is that sawing the log in tandem symbolizes the couple’s ability to work together in accomplishing tasks that take collective strength and a lot of endurance, as most marriages often do.
Romania
A woman who disappears before her wedding in Romania is not necessarily having second thoughts. Instead, you will find that it is customary for the bride to be “kidnapped” by her groom’s relatives and close friends before the ceremony. Just as in role-playing games, the groom must “pay the ransom” for the bride in the form of romantic gestures to win her back.
India
During a traditional Hindu wedding, before sitting for the pheras fire ceremony, the groom takes off his shoes. This is when the Joota Chupai happens. As part of this heartwarming tradition, the bride’s attendants and relatives would traditionally take and hide the groom’s shoes in an attempt to play a prank on him. Before the wedding concludes, the groom must pay or gain favour with the bridal party to return his shoes.
Japan
It may not seem too out of the ordinary to have a glass of wine at a wedding, but in Japan, the san-san-kudo traditional practice calls for the family to drink in unison. At the beginning of the reception, the bride and groom each drink three sips of sake from three flat cups, and then the couple’s parents do the same. This often brings much joy and bonding between families.
New Zealand
Pohtu Geyser is a popular venue for Maori couples who want to exchange vows in a traditional ceremony, featuring stunning geothermal hot springs, thermal geysers and bubbling hot mud pools. There is a strong spiritual significance for the Maori people here. During the celebration, the Pohutu Geyser displays its strength and natural beauty by releasing water more than 25 metres into the air.
Australia
Perhaps you have heard of the unity bowl at an Australian wedding. Attendees are given stones to hold throughout the ceremony as a token of appreciation for their attendance. After the ceremony, visitors may set their stones in a colourful bowl that the newlyweds will keep on display as a memento of their guests’ presence.
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