Ceremony
29th January 2017
5 Wedding Traditions from Around the World
From towering cakes to customary clothing, every wedding tradition is rooted in a unique culture. Here are 5 wedding traditions from across the continents.
India
Adding to the visual splendour of Indian weddings, a bride’s hands and feet are typically decorated with elaborate designs called mendhi, made from the plant dye henna. The incredibly intricate designs take hours to apply, and also to dry, and last for weeks on the skin. The henna designs typically represent joy, hope and love on the special occasion.
China
Traditionally, Chinese brides wore the qipao, a red silk dress featuring a high neck and a long loose fit, ornate with gold embroidery. This tradition still applies today – red is considered a lucky colour in Chinese culture – but the gown is replaced by a white dress for the reception. It’s not unusual for a bride to change several times throughout the night, showing off her family’s wealth.
Norway
The tiered wedding cake takes on new meaning in Norway, where wedding cakes are generally centrepieces known as Kransekake. This Nordic tradition offers a unique twist on the wedding staple, often in the form of a tower of iced almond cake rings or bread topped with cream and syrup.
France
Another country to buck the usual tiered wedding cake is France, where a croquembouche, consisting of numerous choux pastry puffs filled with cream, takes centre stage. The mouth-watering puffs are arranged into a large, conical tower and doused with sugar and caramel to keep it all together. Tradition dictates that the couple ‘cut’ the top of the tower off with a sword while the bridesmaids hold the edges of the tablecloth to catch all the pieces. More recently, however, the couple breaks off a few choux puffs and feed them to each other while the rest are plated for guests.
Philippines
The releasing of doves has become something of an international attraction, but it is believed to have originated in the Philippines, where traditionally, a male and female dove are released from a basket or a cage by the marrying couple, symbolising harmony and peace.