name one interesting wedding tradition in your country

Singapore
August 8, 2007 1:38am CST
in singapore, we have as many traditions as there are cultures and more. i'll start the ball rolling with one chinese tradition. the groom has to 'pick the bride' from her home early in the morning. and he has to do a series of 'trials' before the bridesmaids (or 'sisters') of the bride will let him into the house, and finally let him meet her. a few strange 'hurdles' the man has to go through include: a) eating sour, bitter, sweet, spicy foods to represent all the seasons of life he has to experience with her in the marriage b) physical exertions (like push-ups or star jumps or squats) to prove his worth c) give a huge red packet with enough money to 'bribe' the sisters into letting him in. How about you? Which do you know of?
4 responses
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
8 Aug 07
Filipinos still adhere to numerous widely-held folk beliefs. Some of these customs and traditions are still being practised. Brides shouldn't try on her wedding dress before the wedding day or the wedding will not push through. Knives and other sharp and pointed objects are said to be a bad choice for wedding gifts for this will lead to a broken marriage. Giving arinola (chamberpot) as wedding gift is believed to bring good luck to newlyweds. Altar-bound couples are accident-prone and therefore must avoid long drives or traveling before their wedding day for safety. The groom who sits ahead of his bride during the wedding ceremony will be a henpecked husband. If it rains during the wedding, it means prosperity and happiness for the newlyweds. A flame extinguished on one of the wedding candles means the one on which side has the unlit candle, will die ahead of the other. Throwing rice confetti at the newlyweds will bring them prosperity all their life. The groom must arrive before the bride at the church to avoid bad luck. It is considered bad luck for two siblings to marry on the same year. Breaking something during the reception brings good luck to the newlyweds. The bride should step on the groom's foot while walking towards the altar if she wants him to agree to her every whim. A bride who wears pearls on her wedding will be an unhappy wife experiencing many heartaches and tears. An unmarried woman who follows the footsteps (literally) of the newlyweds will marry soon. Dropping the wedding ring, the veil or the arras during the ceremony spells unhappiness for the couple. In early Filipino custom, the groom-to-be threw his spear at the front steps of his intended's home, a sign that she has been spoken for. These days, a ring suffices as the symbol of engagement. Source: http://www.ultraphotovideo.com/Traditions.htm
• Singapore
8 Aug 07
wow if the bride doesn't try the wedding dress before the wedding how does she know if it fits well?
• Philippines
8 Aug 07
well, for most of the brides-to-be and believers of this belief won't really dare to fit the dress because of the bad luck. they just get a measuring tape to measure their waistlines and compare that to the measurement of the dress itself. but for others, specially 'modern' brides and who do not believe in this tradition, they just don't care wearing the wedding dress before their nuptials.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Aug 07
that's interesting. in singapore, the wedding gown is of such crucial importance that there are at least 3-4 fittings, and the bride makes sure it fits her perfectly. :)
9 Aug 07
In the UK it is bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day before they get to church. The groom will stay with the best man or his family the night before and the bride will stay with her girlfriends or family and the first time they meet that day will be at the alter. Also, it is tradition for the bride to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Not sure where this comes from?? I must admit your tradition sounds like alot of fun for the bride more than the groom!!
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Aug 07
yup, it's definitely more fun for the bride to see him tortured! I've heard of some who had to sacrifice leg hair, i.e. use waxing strips as part of the torture! OUCH. thanks for sharing yours!
@aj2006 (1534)
• Philippines
9 Aug 07
I think the most pupolar one in my country is the dance of the bride and groom and the guest will pin some bills on the married couple...it's a way of helping the couple financially to start their married life abundantly... :0)
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Aug 07
what a great tradition. :)
@rinkub (231)
• India
9 Aug 07
Well, I'm from India. There are many different regions in the country and each region has different wedding customs. I'm from Bengal. Even amongst us Bengalis, there are two different ways of getting married. I belong to East Bengal which is now known as Bangladesh. There's this tradition of putting red vermillon powder in the bride's hair parting by the groom. Unless that is done you are not really married. So in our tradition, the bride and the groom have to go around a pyre seven times after which the father of the bride hands over his daughter to the groom. Then amongst other things the groom fills the bride's parting. We do it the day following the wedding after the bride and the groom have spent a night at the bride's house. That evening the bride proceeds to her new marital home where she and her new husband are not allowed to spend the night with each other and are kept in separate rooms! There is also a custom wherein the bride covers her face with betel leaves, sits on a stool which is then carried by the male members in her family around the groom. Then the bride and groom are allowed to see each other under a cloth which is held by young giggling cousins and siblings. In the old days the bride and groom never met before marriage so in essence this was the first time they really saw each other! Oh...there are so many more customs, I can go on.....
1 person likes this
• Singapore
10 Aug 07
thanks for sharing - that's really cool. especially the sleeping in separate rooms part! a friend of mine got married in bengal, but she didn't really understand the customs. she jokes with us that she had an arranged marriage - her parents arranged the entire ceremony and she and the bloke just turned up. of course, she actually knew her boyfriend for many years before he proposed and they got married. :)