Most weddings are full of superstitions that have been turned into tradition; the groom not seeing his bride in her dress until the wedding, tucking a sixpence in the bride’s shoe, etc. However, these certainly aren’t the strangest wedding traditions or facts. Check out these 10 hilarious facts about weddings around the world.
1. Rain, Rain, Go Away! While most American brides dread the thought that it might rain on their wedding days, according to Hindu tradition, rain during the wedding ceremony is good luck. It’s considered a blessing.
2. Itsy Bitsy Spider – What would you do if you found a spider in your wedding dress? Many brides would consider it a bad omen, but the English believe it’s a good sign.
3. I Spy – If you’ve seen beautiful pictures of Middle Eastern brides with henna paintings, you were probably taken away with the majesty of the look. The reason this is done is to protect the bride from the evil eye.
4. Divination – Ancient Romans, like the rest of us, tried hard to determine the best time to get married. Their methods may have been a little different, though. In order to find out the best time for a couple to get married, they studied pig entrails.
5. Golden Ring – Seventeen tons of gold are used in the US each year to make wedding rings.
6. Cranes – Asian brides often wear robes embroidered with cranes. In Asian culture, cranes are known to be great luck anyway, but this tradition is said to ensure fidelity for the length of the marriage.
7. Forget the Dress – Denmark couples often cross-dressed for their wedding ceremonies in an effort to confuse the evil spirits. There went all that time spent picking out the perfect dress!
8. All My Single Ladies – According to legend, if a single woman sleeps with a piece of the groom’s cake under her pillow (use a Ziploc bag!), she will dream of her future husband.
9. Stand By Your Man – Why does the bride traditionally stand to the left of her groom? In ancient days, the man would need his right hand free to fight off other suitors.
10. Colorful – Korean brides wear beautiful shades of red and yellow to celebrate their wedding days.
With some of these funny and strange traditions, wearing a veil or hiding from the groom while in your dress just doesn’t seem that crazy!
