What are the most surprising wedding traditions practiced around the world?
In some cultures, brides must cry for a month before the wedding, while in others, the groom must prove his worth by wrestling or kidnapping a goose.
The answer
Wedding traditions reveal fascinating cultural values worldwide. In China's Tujia people, brides practice crying rituals for one month before the wedding, with mothers and grandmothers joining in - different songs express gratitude and sorrow. In Scotland, the blackening tradition sees brides and grooms pelted with treacle, soot, flour, and feathers before the wedding. Swedish brides carry thyme and grooms carry rosemary to ward off trolls. In India, the groom arrives on a decorated white horse in the baraat procession. In Congo, the couple must not smile throughout the entire ceremony to demonstrate seriousness. German couples saw through a log together to demonstrate teamwork. South Korean grooms have their feet beaten with fish by groomsmen on the wedding night. Mongolian couples must jointly butcher a chicken to find a healthy liver before proceeding.
Source: National Geographic
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- cultural customs
- world celebrations
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