You may ALL kiss the bride
SWEDE SMOOCHING: There’s no room for jealousy at a wedding in Sweden or a need to worry about breaking the ice with guests you haven’t seen for ages. When the bride leaves the room, all female invitees are allowed to kiss the groom – and vice versa when he pops out to the loo.
KENYA BELIEVE IT: Going beyond a spit and polish of smart dress shoes, in Kenya’s Maasai culture it’s the done thing for a dad to spit on his daughter’s head and chest when she leaves the family home to go off with her new husband. Believed to bring prosperity to the pair the woman also has her head shaved and rubbed with lamb fat and oil.
SLAP ‘N TICKLE: After the ceremony in South Korea it’s the done thing to take part in a ritual called balenbai where the groom’s shoes and socks are taken off by guests, his ankles are tied together and his feet whacked with dried fish and a stick. Said to be a bonding experience, the poor guy also has to endure answering trivia questions and riddles while that’s all going on.
SHOE ME THE WAY TO THE BAR! Indian weddings also like to make taking off the groom’s shoes part of the entertainment with the bride’s sisters and female cousins given the task to steal them while he then has to negotiate a way of getting them back on.
TAKING THE P***: Getting covered in rice, flour and ash and being held in your home for three days is what happens to newlyweds of the Tidong community in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan, on Borneo. They’re not allowed to use the bathroom at all during the time in an attempt to lay the foundations for a strong marriage. STEAL YOUR HEART: Blokes in Roma culture “kidnap” the woman they’re set to marry with help from family and friends. After negotiating with her family the wedding party can begin. WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT: Sawing a log during the wedding breakfast is a German tradition said to teach pairings how to work as a team.
ARROW TO THE HEART:
Chinese grooms are encouraged to shoot three arrows at their bride and then break them in half to symbolise everlasting love.
LOO MUST BE JOKING:
Leftovers from the buffet, booze and crumbs of cake are chucked into a toilet bowl at French weddings and the poor couple are obliged to consume it to build up strength for the wedding night.
SNIP OF FORTUNE:
Spanish grooms have their tie cut with scissors during the reception and guests who grab a piece are said to gain good fortune.