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Bermuda: An old custom which is certainly catching on today is that of planting a tree to memorialise the wedding day. Even today, some Islanders top off their wedding cake with a small tree sapling. The tree is planted during the reception which is often held at the home of one of their parents, if not the home they will share together as man wife.
Czechoslovakia: Rosemary wreaths, handmade by the mother or grandmother of the bride is a century old tradition for brides in the countryside. Today wreaths of baby's breath and miniature roses are worn by the bride and her attendants as a variation.
Ethiopian: The biggest change in Ethiopian weddings recently has been that couples have moved to more European styled clothing instead of traditional dress, but the food has remained the same. One have-to-have is doro dabbo or chicken bread. It's a spicy round loaf of wheat bread with pieces of chicken on the bone and whole hard-cooked eggs baked inside.
France: A lovely custom coming to us out of France comes in the form of a two handled cup called the "coup de marriage". The cup was saved to be used from one generation to another. Of course, the custom has long been established of drinking a toast to one another, but the two handled cup adds a special touch to the weddings of today. Until recently, these cups have been very difficult to find. Drinking from the same cup denotes "togetherness".
Indian: An Indian wedding is an elaborate, glittering affair that can last all day and into the night. In southern India a coconut pudding called payasam is often served. Very tasty, it is made with rice cooked in coconut milk with a touch of cardamom or mung beans, yellow split peas and coconut milk. The topping is grated nuts, and is served either chilled or warm. Often accompanying it is barfi--colourful, ground-nut cookies in squares, triangles or balls that can be stacked into a pyramid-shape. Flowers have always played a very important part in the Indian wedding. A lasting tradition passed along from generation to generation is that of the brother of the groom sprinkling flower petals over the heads of the couple following the wedding vows and at the end of the ceremony.
Iranian: A cone-shaped moulded sugar is grated over the heads of the bribe and groom to signify "sweet wishes" for the future. A special bread called sangak , a large, triangular cracker bread decorated with poppy seeds spells out a congratulatory message for the couple. When this country was called Persia, back in the Bible times, the groom would purchase ten yards of sheeting fabric and wrap it around and around his bride. Just think how fun it must have been to unwrap her :). Today, of course, the fashionable Iranian bride wears the traditional wedding gown fashioned in Paris or other European countries.
Korean: Koreans prefer a cake made of ground steamed rice covered with red bean powder to our traditional European cake which they find too sweet. Or, they may order a tiered sponge cake covered with non-dairy whipped cream.
Lebanese: A soft, white, crumbly, closed horseshoe-shaped butter cookie called ghoraibi is often served at Lebanese weddings. The bride and groom serve the cookies themselves to their guests. It's white in colour to symbolise the purity of the bride. The single pistachio on the cookie represents the bride's tiara. Also favourites are phyllo dough and nut pastries known as baklava.
Mexico: The guests at a Mexican wedding have a lovely old custom of forming a circle around the couple in the shape of a heart. The newlyweds will then dance their first dance together within this circle of love. Small cakes are made of ground pecans for each of the guests.
Spain: Long ago, in certain regions of Spain, the bride wore a black silk dress and mantilla. Orange blossoms in her hair was the flower of the day. The groom wore a tucked shirt which had been hand embroidered by the bride.
Switzerland: Following the ceremony, a junior bridesmaid would lead the procession to the reception by passing our coloured handkerchiefs to the guests along the way. Each guest would then in turn give a coin to the bridesmaid for the starting up of the new home.
Vietnamese: On the morning of the wedding the groom takes an even number of round, domed, metal tins to the bride's house. Inside each qua is a selection of teas, cookies and often wine as a gift to the brides family, often chosen especially for each member.
(courtesy of and adapted from articles in the Washington Post & www.OurMarriage.com)
Photos are added courtesy of Topics Online Magazine, topics-mag.com
Czechoslovakia: Rosemary wreaths, handmade by the mother or grandmother of the bride is a century old tradition for brides in the countryside. Today wreaths of baby's breath and miniature roses are worn by the bride and her attendants as a variation.
Ethiopian: The biggest change in Ethiopian weddings recently has been that couples have moved to more European styled clothing instead of traditional dress, but the food has remained the same. One have-to-have is doro dabbo or chicken bread. It's a spicy round loaf of wheat bread with pieces of chicken on the bone and whole hard-cooked eggs baked inside.
France: A lovely custom coming to us out of France comes in the form of a two handled cup called the "coup de marriage". The cup was saved to be used from one generation to another. Of course, the custom has long been established of drinking a toast to one another, but the two handled cup adds a special touch to the weddings of today. Until recently, these cups have been very difficult to find. Drinking from the same cup denotes "togetherness".
Indian: An Indian wedding is an elaborate, glittering affair that can last all day and into the night. In southern India a coconut pudding called payasam is often served. Very tasty, it is made with rice cooked in coconut milk with a touch of cardamom or mung beans, yellow split peas and coconut milk. The topping is grated nuts, and is served either chilled or warm. Often accompanying it is barfi--colourful, ground-nut cookies in squares, triangles or balls that can be stacked into a pyramid-shape. Flowers have always played a very important part in the Indian wedding. A lasting tradition passed along from generation to generation is that of the brother of the groom sprinkling flower petals over the heads of the couple following the wedding vows and at the end of the ceremony.
Iranian: A cone-shaped moulded sugar is grated over the heads of the bribe and groom to signify "sweet wishes" for the future. A special bread called sangak , a large, triangular cracker bread decorated with poppy seeds spells out a congratulatory message for the couple. When this country was called Persia, back in the Bible times, the groom would purchase ten yards of sheeting fabric and wrap it around and around his bride. Just think how fun it must have been to unwrap her :). Today, of course, the fashionable Iranian bride wears the traditional wedding gown fashioned in Paris or other European countries.
Korean: Koreans prefer a cake made of ground steamed rice covered with red bean powder to our traditional European cake which they find too sweet. Or, they may order a tiered sponge cake covered with non-dairy whipped cream.
Lebanese: A soft, white, crumbly, closed horseshoe-shaped butter cookie called ghoraibi is often served at Lebanese weddings. The bride and groom serve the cookies themselves to their guests. It's white in colour to symbolise the purity of the bride. The single pistachio on the cookie represents the bride's tiara. Also favourites are phyllo dough and nut pastries known as baklava.
Mexico: The guests at a Mexican wedding have a lovely old custom of forming a circle around the couple in the shape of a heart. The newlyweds will then dance their first dance together within this circle of love. Small cakes are made of ground pecans for each of the guests.
Spain: Long ago, in certain regions of Spain, the bride wore a black silk dress and mantilla. Orange blossoms in her hair was the flower of the day. The groom wore a tucked shirt which had been hand embroidered by the bride.
Switzerland: Following the ceremony, a junior bridesmaid would lead the procession to the reception by passing our coloured handkerchiefs to the guests along the way. Each guest would then in turn give a coin to the bridesmaid for the starting up of the new home.
Vietnamese: On the morning of the wedding the groom takes an even number of round, domed, metal tins to the bride's house. Inside each qua is a selection of teas, cookies and often wine as a gift to the brides family, often chosen especially for each member.
(courtesy of and adapted from articles in the Washington Post & www.OurMarriage.com)
Photos are added courtesy of Topics Online Magazine, topics-mag.com
Weddings Around the World
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Throwing bird seed or rice at the bride and groom is not a universal custom. The same is true of serving guests a tiered cake dripping with sugar "roses" and topped with a plastic couple. Wedding customs and traditional wedding foods are different the world over. Here's a sampling of international wedding foods and customs through the world.
Armenian: At many Armenian weddings the bride and groom are crowned king and queen of their household. Then the couple's hands are tied together with a gold cord to signify unity. At the reception Armenian Wedding Pilaf is often served. Pilafs can be made with a variety of different flavours, one favourite being with caramelised dates, dried apricots and slivered almonds. The pilaf is served with marinated lamb kababs.
Belgium: A lovely tradition long practised in Belgium is to make and embroider a handkerchief for the bride to carry during her wedding. The brides name would also be embroidered on it. Following the wedding she would them frame the handkerchief and hang it on the wall until the next wedding in the family, at which time it was to be taken down and the new bride's name embroidered on it as well. This was handed down from generation to generation.
Armenian: At many Armenian weddings the bride and groom are crowned king and queen of their household. Then the couple's hands are tied together with a gold cord to signify unity. At the reception Armenian Wedding Pilaf is often served. Pilafs can be made with a variety of different flavours, one favourite being with caramelised dates, dried apricots and slivered almonds. The pilaf is served with marinated lamb kababs.
Belgium: A lovely tradition long practised in Belgium is to make and embroider a handkerchief for the bride to carry during her wedding. The brides name would also be embroidered on it. Following the wedding she would them frame the handkerchief and hang it on the wall until the next wedding in the family, at which time it was to be taken down and the new bride's name embroidered on it as well. This was handed down from generation to generation.