10 Unique Wedding Traditions around the World

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Wedding is universal but tying the knot is different everywhere around the globe. Sit tight and fasten your seat belt as this list teleports you to different countries to experience how weddings are celebrated. Here are 10 unique wedding traditions around the world.


1) Japan

In Japan, the wedding is officiated with the tradition of san-san-kudo which in other words means three by three exchange. In this meaningful custom, the bride and groom each takes 3 sips of sake from each of 3 cups, after which their parents do the same, bonding the families together.

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2) Poland

One of the Polish traditions, called the Money Dance, invites guests to buy a dance with the bride at the reception. Guests would pin money to the bride’s veil or tucking bills into a special bride purse to buy a dance. The money collected is passed on towards the couple’s honeymoon.

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3) Germany

The Germans believe in putting the newlyweds into instant bonding test by throwing them tasks to work together. One of the acts would be log sawing in front of all their guests. The act is intended to showcase the bride and groom’s ability to work together and face the challenges that may come throughout their marriage.

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4) France

Instead of a wedding cake, you will see a croquembouche at a French wedding. If you wonder what it is, it is a delightful tower of profiteroles drizzled with caramel. The traditional way of cutting a croquembouche is for the bride and groom the cut off the top with a sword while the bridesmaids hold up the corners of the table-cloth to catch the pieces.

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5) Vietnam

The wedding in Vietnam usually consists of several ceremonies including asking permission to receive the bride, the procession to receive the bride, the procession to groom’s house, the paying respect to ancestor ceremony and to finally end the day with the banquet party. And yes, all these ceremonies would typically fall on the same day.

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6) Australia

In an Australian wedding ceremony, guests are given stones and asked to hold them during the ceremony. At the end, guests would place the stones in a decorative bowl called the unity bowl. The couple will keep the unity bowl and display afterwards to remind them of the support and presence of their friends and family.

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7) New Zealand

While most wedding ceremonies in New Zealand are traditional church weddings, couple with Maori heritage might choose to include customary elements into their wedding day. Some of the customs include blessings given in native Maori and Maori-style exchange of rings of bone or greenstone, just to name a few.

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8) Ireland

It is the traditions like bagpipes, kilts, and Claddagh rings that keep Irish eyes smiling during the wedding festivities. In particular, the Claddagh ring is handed down from mother to daughter and is used both as the betrothal and wedding ring. And since lots of Irish families have members who are in pipe bands, it is not unusual to see them piping the couple into the ceremony.

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9) United Kingdom

In the UK, the joyous day usually begins with a ceremony where friends and family witness the bride and groom exchanging their marriage vows and rings. Before that, the groom and his best man will wait inside the church for the arrival of the bride who will walk down the aisle on her father’s arm. A wedding day in the UK typically ends with a wedding reception at night.

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10) South Korea

Today, many South Korean couples will have a more ‘westernized’ ceremony while maintaining some of the traditional customs such as Pyebaek which is a ceremony among family members exclusively. During this ceremony, the groom often gives a piggy back ride to his mother and then his bride, symbolizing his acceptance of his obligations to both his mother and wife.

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