Wedding Traditions from Around the World
While the “design-your-own” wedding is becoming increasingly popular in this day and age, and being married by a celebrant or other official is more widespread, there is still a lot of importance reflected on traditional religious weddings. The following is a small guide to how various traditions unfold around the world...
Christian Weddings:
Christian weddings are to be an expression of faith, love and loyalty to your partner in front of your God. The ceremony itself should wholly represent dignity, respect and commitment to both your partner, your friends and family and to your God. You, as a couple should give each guest at the wedding a clear impression that you are making a solemn, eternal vow to each other to live together in marriage and in faith. As the Bible has no “set” order of service, Christian weddings are customisable to your personal tastes as long as it the important Christian key points are visible. Couples are encouraged to consult with their priest regarding personal touches to their nuptials.
The order of the processional is important within a Christian wedding. It is imperative to honour specific guests:
-Seating
The seating of the Parents and Grandparents brings luck to the couple through previous generations of married couples. The processional music will begin with the seating of the Groom’s Grandmother, the Bride’s Grandmother, the Groom’s Parents and the Bride’s mother.
-Bridal Processional
Music starts, Minister and Groom enter from the right. The groomsmen enter with the Groom if they are not escorting the Bridesmaids down the aisle. Bridesmaids enter through the centre aisle one at a time if not escorted by the Groomsmen. Maid of Honour enters escorted by the Best man down the centre aisle followed by the flower girl(s)/ring bearer or both. Wedding March commences and the Bride’s mother will stand to signal to all guests to do the same. As the Bride and her Father appear at the centre aisle, the Minister will announce “All stand for the Bride”.
-Recessional
After the presentation of the couple, the Bride and Groom exit via the centre aisle. The Bridal parties exit after them in the opposite order of which they entered.
The key points of a traditional Christian wedding are to honour and respect your guests as well as each other. Throughout the wedding you should show faith in your God and to each other. Making an eternal vow to one another and honouring this is imperative. The wedding should be elegant and honourable.
Jewish Weddings:
Within the Jewish law in Australia, having a traditional ceremony in a synagogue is only possible if both partners are of faith. If one half of the couple are not Jewish, a traditional ceremony will not be granted within the walls of a synagogue performed by a Rabbi. A civil ceremony can still take place at another venue by a civil celebrant and can still be a “traditional” Jewish wedding
Traditions/Symbolisms:
-Chuppah
The Chuppah (Pronounced “Hoopa”) is a traditional canopy in which the Bride and Groom stand beneath during the ceremony symbolising them coming together as one under the same “roof”.
-Kippah
The Kippah (also known as Yamaka or “Skull Cap”) are worn by men as a sign of servitude to God. In ancient times, servants were required to cover their heads to symbolise this, while free men were not. Men of Jewish faith still wear the Kippah today to symbolise they are serving God. During a civil ceremony not performed inside a synagogue, men are not required to wear the skull cap, though most do as a sign of respect.
-Veil
The veil is worn to protect the Brides beauty from others other than her husband on her wedding day as it is believed that it should be for him only. It is also so the Groom is reminded of other qualities which attract him to his bride other than just her physical beauty. Before the ceremony begins the Groom will check under the veil and then lower it down for the ceremony to begin. This is done in reference to the Bible (Genesis 29;25) where Jacob works for seven years for permission to marry Rachel and instead was tricked into marrying her sister Leah as Jacob wasn’t able to see the Bride’s face during the ceremony. This tradition is carried on today to avoid any trickery or mishaps and as an expression of faith.
-The Seven Circles
On approaching the Chuppah, the Bride will circle her Groom seven times. There are several explanations for this, but the most wide spread acknowledgement for it is that they represent a seven-fold bond which marriage will establish within the families. This also mirrors the seven times the Tefillin is wrapped around a man’s arm symbolising the seven days in which God created the earth and the seven times the earth spins on its axis. Just as a man binds himself to God seven-fold, so does the bride bond herself to him.
-The Seven Blessings
1. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created everything for his glory.
2. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, the creator of man.
3. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created man in His image, in the pattern of His own likeness, and provided for the perpetuation of his kind. You are blessed, Lord, the creator of man.
4. Let the barren city be jubilantly happy and joyful at her joyous reunion with her children. You are blessed, Lord, who makes Zion rejoice with her children.
5. Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the garden of Eden, so long ago. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride happy.
6. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created joy and celebration, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. May there soon be heard, Lord our God, in the cities of Judea and in the streets of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of celebration, the voice of a bridegroom and the voice of a bride, the happy shouting of bridegrooms from their weddings and of young men from their feasts of song. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride rejoice together.
7. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, creator of the fruit of the vine.
-The Breaking of the Glass
At the end of the wedding ceremony the Groom with stomp on a cloth-covered glass and the guests shout “Mazel Tov!” There are many explanations as to why this is done at a Jewish wedding ceremony. Some of the more popular explanations are:
- Breaking of the Jewish wedding glass is a reminder of the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem.
- A loud noise is thought to drive away evil spirits.
- A breaking of the glass represents symbolically the breaking of the hymen, and the consummation of the marriage.
- The glass symbolises the love and relationship of the couple and is fragile, so it must be cared for and not broken.
-A broken Jewish wedding glass is forever changed, likewise, the couple are forever changed by the marriage and take on a new form.
Hindu Weddings:
Hindu weddings are a bright and fun affair, often lasting four to five days. There are many traditions involved in a traditional wedding ceremony with have evolved over the years.
-Attire Guests are expected to dress appropriately for the nuptials and avoid wearing black. The most common types of attire to wear to a wedding are:
-Male Guests: A lounge suit or traditional dress (no black)
-Female Guests: A suit or traditional Sari (no black)
-Groom: Lounge suit or traditional dress
-Bride: The bride will have two dresses/Sari’s. The first will be a fine white Sari embroidered with red and gold given to her by her uncles. This represents the purity of the bride prior to the wedding. The second dress is given to her by the Groom’s family. This dress is red, symbolising fertility.
-Prior to the Wedding
The bride has a pseudo ‘hen’s night’ the evening before the wedding involving the painting of her hands, palms and feet. This is a night only women attend and includes no alcohol. The bride’s family and friends will also have their hands, palms and feet painted this night to focus on the enormity of the celebration.
During this celebration a large canopy of flowers id put up where the ceremony will take place to ready it for the following day.
The official performing the ceremony will visit the Groom’s house, and then the Bride’s the evening prior to perform the Ghari Puja, a prayer ritual symbolising the couple’s new life together, ridding them of evil and filling them with prosperity for the future.
The Groom is not able to see the bride before the wedding as it is considered terrible bad luck.
-The Wedding Day:
As it is very unlucky for the Groom to see the bride before the wedding, he will arrive in a convoy of cars to the ceremony location. The bride’s mother will greet him with a wreath of flowers and will place a red dot on his forehead symbolising her approval for the nuptials. As a traditional ‘game’ the relatives of the Bride will try to steal the Groom’s shoes and wreath and hold them for ransom. This means no disapproval, rather approval from her family to share this game with him.
The bride’s mother will accompany him to the ceremony with his sisters following close behind warding off evil spirits by shaking copper pots filled with coins and rice and covered in a white cloth. The Bride’s mother will lead him to a small terracotta pot before walking into the ceremony which he is to step on and break, showing his strength. He then waits for his bride to arrive whilst his parents wash his feet. The Bride enters either being carried by, or accompanied by her uncles and is then presented to her Groom.
-Buddhist Weddings:
Buddhist weddings are filled with great spirituality and the belief that the couple are pledging to a greater truth rather than only to one another. Because of this belief there is a lot of freedom in composing a traditional Buddhist wedding ceremony, giving the couple the freedom to decide the issues and loves they wish to use to put their ceremony together.
Buddhists are deeply spiritual people, and therefore believe that more can be heard when not spoken allowed. This belief is carried through into their weddings, where traditionally the vows are said silently.
Example of Traditional Buddhist prayer read silently at the wedding:
“Today we promise to dedicate ourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, we will work to help each other perfectly. The purpose of our relationship will be to attain enlightenment by perfecting our kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings.”
The Buddhist exchange of rings is a symbol of utter togetherness, and unlike many traditional Catholic weddings, they speak the words “We do” or “We will”, rather than “I do”, speaking together as a couple, rather than as individuals pleading for themselves. They are already on a journey together and marry this way also.
Their weddings are about morals and ethics and the higher truth together on a spiritual journey which they have already entered into together. The wedding is not necessarily the symbol of two people beginning their journey together, rather, pledging that they will spend the rest of their journey together as one.
Christian Weddings:
Christian weddings are to be an expression of faith, love and loyalty to your partner in front of your God. The ceremony itself should wholly represent dignity, respect and commitment to both your partner, your friends and family and to your God. You, as a couple should give each guest at the wedding a clear impression that you are making a solemn, eternal vow to each other to live together in marriage and in faith. As the Bible has no “set” order of service, Christian weddings are customisable to your personal tastes as long as it the important Christian key points are visible. Couples are encouraged to consult with their priest regarding personal touches to their nuptials.
The order of the processional is important within a Christian wedding. It is imperative to honour specific guests:
-Seating
The seating of the Parents and Grandparents brings luck to the couple through previous generations of married couples. The processional music will begin with the seating of the Groom’s Grandmother, the Bride’s Grandmother, the Groom’s Parents and the Bride’s mother.
-Bridal Processional
Music starts, Minister and Groom enter from the right. The groomsmen enter with the Groom if they are not escorting the Bridesmaids down the aisle. Bridesmaids enter through the centre aisle one at a time if not escorted by the Groomsmen. Maid of Honour enters escorted by the Best man down the centre aisle followed by the flower girl(s)/ring bearer or both. Wedding March commences and the Bride’s mother will stand to signal to all guests to do the same. As the Bride and her Father appear at the centre aisle, the Minister will announce “All stand for the Bride”.
-Recessional
After the presentation of the couple, the Bride and Groom exit via the centre aisle. The Bridal parties exit after them in the opposite order of which they entered.
The key points of a traditional Christian wedding are to honour and respect your guests as well as each other. Throughout the wedding you should show faith in your God and to each other. Making an eternal vow to one another and honouring this is imperative. The wedding should be elegant and honourable.
Jewish Weddings:
Within the Jewish law in Australia, having a traditional ceremony in a synagogue is only possible if both partners are of faith. If one half of the couple are not Jewish, a traditional ceremony will not be granted within the walls of a synagogue performed by a Rabbi. A civil ceremony can still take place at another venue by a civil celebrant and can still be a “traditional” Jewish wedding
Traditions/Symbolisms:
-Chuppah
The Chuppah (Pronounced “Hoopa”) is a traditional canopy in which the Bride and Groom stand beneath during the ceremony symbolising them coming together as one under the same “roof”.
-Kippah
The Kippah (also known as Yamaka or “Skull Cap”) are worn by men as a sign of servitude to God. In ancient times, servants were required to cover their heads to symbolise this, while free men were not. Men of Jewish faith still wear the Kippah today to symbolise they are serving God. During a civil ceremony not performed inside a synagogue, men are not required to wear the skull cap, though most do as a sign of respect.
-Veil
The veil is worn to protect the Brides beauty from others other than her husband on her wedding day as it is believed that it should be for him only. It is also so the Groom is reminded of other qualities which attract him to his bride other than just her physical beauty. Before the ceremony begins the Groom will check under the veil and then lower it down for the ceremony to begin. This is done in reference to the Bible (Genesis 29;25) where Jacob works for seven years for permission to marry Rachel and instead was tricked into marrying her sister Leah as Jacob wasn’t able to see the Bride’s face during the ceremony. This tradition is carried on today to avoid any trickery or mishaps and as an expression of faith.
-The Seven Circles
On approaching the Chuppah, the Bride will circle her Groom seven times. There are several explanations for this, but the most wide spread acknowledgement for it is that they represent a seven-fold bond which marriage will establish within the families. This also mirrors the seven times the Tefillin is wrapped around a man’s arm symbolising the seven days in which God created the earth and the seven times the earth spins on its axis. Just as a man binds himself to God seven-fold, so does the bride bond herself to him.
-The Seven Blessings
1. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created everything for his glory.
2. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, the creator of man.
3. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created man in His image, in the pattern of His own likeness, and provided for the perpetuation of his kind. You are blessed, Lord, the creator of man.
4. Let the barren city be jubilantly happy and joyful at her joyous reunion with her children. You are blessed, Lord, who makes Zion rejoice with her children.
5. Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the garden of Eden, so long ago. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride happy.
6. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, who created joy and celebration, bridegroom and bride, rejoicing, jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. May there soon be heard, Lord our God, in the cities of Judea and in the streets of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of celebration, the voice of a bridegroom and the voice of a bride, the happy shouting of bridegrooms from their weddings and of young men from their feasts of song. You are blessed, Lord, who makes the bridegroom and the bride rejoice together.
7. You are blessed, Lord our God, the sovereign of the world, creator of the fruit of the vine.
-The Breaking of the Glass
At the end of the wedding ceremony the Groom with stomp on a cloth-covered glass and the guests shout “Mazel Tov!” There are many explanations as to why this is done at a Jewish wedding ceremony. Some of the more popular explanations are:
- Breaking of the Jewish wedding glass is a reminder of the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem.
- A loud noise is thought to drive away evil spirits.
- A breaking of the glass represents symbolically the breaking of the hymen, and the consummation of the marriage.
- The glass symbolises the love and relationship of the couple and is fragile, so it must be cared for and not broken.
-A broken Jewish wedding glass is forever changed, likewise, the couple are forever changed by the marriage and take on a new form.
Hindu Weddings:
Hindu weddings are a bright and fun affair, often lasting four to five days. There are many traditions involved in a traditional wedding ceremony with have evolved over the years.
-Attire Guests are expected to dress appropriately for the nuptials and avoid wearing black. The most common types of attire to wear to a wedding are:
-Male Guests: A lounge suit or traditional dress (no black)
-Female Guests: A suit or traditional Sari (no black)
-Groom: Lounge suit or traditional dress
-Bride: The bride will have two dresses/Sari’s. The first will be a fine white Sari embroidered with red and gold given to her by her uncles. This represents the purity of the bride prior to the wedding. The second dress is given to her by the Groom’s family. This dress is red, symbolising fertility.
-Prior to the Wedding
The bride has a pseudo ‘hen’s night’ the evening before the wedding involving the painting of her hands, palms and feet. This is a night only women attend and includes no alcohol. The bride’s family and friends will also have their hands, palms and feet painted this night to focus on the enormity of the celebration.
During this celebration a large canopy of flowers id put up where the ceremony will take place to ready it for the following day.
The official performing the ceremony will visit the Groom’s house, and then the Bride’s the evening prior to perform the Ghari Puja, a prayer ritual symbolising the couple’s new life together, ridding them of evil and filling them with prosperity for the future.
The Groom is not able to see the bride before the wedding as it is considered terrible bad luck.
-The Wedding Day:
As it is very unlucky for the Groom to see the bride before the wedding, he will arrive in a convoy of cars to the ceremony location. The bride’s mother will greet him with a wreath of flowers and will place a red dot on his forehead symbolising her approval for the nuptials. As a traditional ‘game’ the relatives of the Bride will try to steal the Groom’s shoes and wreath and hold them for ransom. This means no disapproval, rather approval from her family to share this game with him.
The bride’s mother will accompany him to the ceremony with his sisters following close behind warding off evil spirits by shaking copper pots filled with coins and rice and covered in a white cloth. The Bride’s mother will lead him to a small terracotta pot before walking into the ceremony which he is to step on and break, showing his strength. He then waits for his bride to arrive whilst his parents wash his feet. The Bride enters either being carried by, or accompanied by her uncles and is then presented to her Groom.
-Buddhist Weddings:
Buddhist weddings are filled with great spirituality and the belief that the couple are pledging to a greater truth rather than only to one another. Because of this belief there is a lot of freedom in composing a traditional Buddhist wedding ceremony, giving the couple the freedom to decide the issues and loves they wish to use to put their ceremony together.
Buddhists are deeply spiritual people, and therefore believe that more can be heard when not spoken allowed. This belief is carried through into their weddings, where traditionally the vows are said silently.
Example of Traditional Buddhist prayer read silently at the wedding:
“Today we promise to dedicate ourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, we will work to help each other perfectly. The purpose of our relationship will be to attain enlightenment by perfecting our kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings.”
The Buddhist exchange of rings is a symbol of utter togetherness, and unlike many traditional Catholic weddings, they speak the words “We do” or “We will”, rather than “I do”, speaking together as a couple, rather than as individuals pleading for themselves. They are already on a journey together and marry this way also.
Their weddings are about morals and ethics and the higher truth together on a spiritual journey which they have already entered into together. The wedding is not necessarily the symbol of two people beginning their journey together, rather, pledging that they will spend the rest of their journey together as one.