Wedding Ceremony Rituals
Meaningful Traditions from Around the World
Your wedding day is a reflection of your love story, and what better way to celebrate that unique journey than by incorporating meaningful wedding ceremony rituals from around the world? These traditions add depth and significance to your wedding ceremony, reminding us that love is a universal language. Join us on a global journey as we explore some of the most touching and symbolic wedding rituals from various cultures.
Bridal Appointment Tips
Timeline: From Yes to getting dressed
Most bridal boutiques won’t have your dress ready to take home with you on the day of your appointment. You are most likely going to get a new dress made to order. This will usually take anything between four and eight months. Also don’t forget you will have at least 2 – 3 fittings before you have your final dress.
If your timeline is shorter than the above mention period, take a deep breathe and DO NOT STRESS. Lots of boutiques will have something on “the rack” that will most likely need a few alternations.
To ease your nerves, ensure that you dress will be in time, phone the boutiques ahead of time to see if your dress will fit in your wedding timeline before you make an appointment.
The Budget
This isn’t set a budget and then blow it. This is really set the budget and stick to it. Wedding dresses vary so drastically in prices you could spend a couple of thousands to a couple of hundred thousands. Be firm!
If you have someone who is buying the dress for you, have this conversation with them beforehand so you both on the same page and of course to avoid disappointment. There is no bigger disappointment than finding your dream dress and then seeing that its out of the budget. It is soul crushing.
Setting the budget means that the sales consultant at the bridal boutiques will only show you those dresses within your budget.
On a PS note about budget, not forget to think about accessories like veils, jewellery, shoes and hair accessories. Be mindful that some alterations could be added. Make sure when you purchase your dress that you are aware of ANY additional cost surprises.
Research: Designers and Bridal Boutiques
My goodness this could be one of those dark rabbit holes. There are thousands of designers and bridal boutiques. Doing some easy research will help narrow down the search for the dream dress.
I would suggest searching on social media, find some photographers pages, look at the dresses, the photographer usually tag all the vendors in their posts.
Most bridal boutiques won’t have all their dresses online but they will stock the designers. Find your preferred designers and then narrow the search to those boutiques.
Create your Mood Board
The best part! Creating your wedding dress mood board! Pinterest is easiest the easies for this, upload all the dresses you are drawn too. As you go along, the more you add the more you will see a pattern emerge of the fabrics and silhouettes that keep recurring.
The Entourage
Just like your wedding guest list, deciding who comes with you during your bridal appointments can really make or break this should be fun and exciting experience.
I can’t stress this enough…..bring people who’s opinions you value the MOST!
The saying too many cooks in the kitchen could not be any truer for choosing your dress. The opinions of too many people could become stressful and confusing!
Think quality over quantity. Two to four people is more than enough.
Avoid fake tans and heavy makeup
It’s only natural that you would want to feel absolutely SMASHING and GLAMOROUS when trying on wedding dresses, please bear in mind that fake tans and heavy makeup could be easily transferred onto the dress. Lets be kind to the dress and the future brides who want to try on the samples.
If you feel better tanned, make sure you tanning day is a few days before your appointment so that it has time to settle. And with the make up, remember, a little goes a long way.
If you know more a less how you would like your hair to be done on the day, try and get your hair to resemble that style. It doesn’t need to be done by a professional but you could for example, if you know your hair is an “undo” throw your hair in ponytail. This with give you a realistic idea of how you will look on your wedding day in that dress. Also you can tick off buying hair accessories too.
Smash a burger before you bridal appointment!
If you anything like me, HANGRY is not a good look on me. Wedding dress shopping can be draining and most likely will be the entire day! And lets face it, there is nothing worse than shopping on an empty stomach!
So make sure you schedule a lovely lunch with your entourage and pack those snacks. You have an epic day to get through!
Lastly, be opened minded.
So you have done all the research, stalked wedding photographers pages, found designers, set your budget and created your mood board. You got this!
But there is that annoying but again, be opened minded! Try something that you might not think you would like. Sometimes, just sometimes you land up with something you didn’t expect. But the only way you will know is if you try.
Your body confidence is going to need a boost during this time, wedding dress shopping could be stressful. So give yourself extra extra love during this time.
14 Wedding Ceremony Rituals
1 – Japanese Folding of 1,000 Origami Cranes (Senbazuru)
2 – Indian Seven Steps (Saptapadi)
3 – Scottish Handfasting
4 – Filipino Candle, Coins, and Veil Ceremony
5 – Greek Crowning Ceremony (Stefana)
6 – Jewish Breaking of the Glass
7 – Moroccan Henna Ceremony
8 – Korean Pyebaek Ceremony
9 – Peruvian Lasso Ceremony (Lazo)
10 – Irish Handfasting
11 – Mexican Lazo and Arras Ceremony
12 – Ethiopian Tasting of Honey Wine
13 – Russian Bread and Salt Ceremony
14 – Italian Tying of the Knot (Toccare il Nodo)
Meaningful Traditions from Around the World
1. Japanese Folding of 1,000 Origami Cranes (Senbazuru)
In Japan, folding 1,000 origami cranes represents hope, healing, and a thousand years of happiness. Couples often undertake this task together before their wedding, symbolizing their commitment to supporting each other through life’s challenges.
2. Indian Seven Steps (Saptapadi)
In a Hindu wedding ceremony, the bride and groom take seven steps together, representing seven vows they make to each other. Each step signifies a promise, from nourishing each other to working together for their family’s welfare.
3. Scottish Handfasting
Scottish couples participate in a handfasting ceremony, where their hands are tied together with a tartan ribbon or cord. This ancient tradition symbolizes their commitment and union, leading to the phrase “tying the knot.”
4. Filipino Candle, Coins, and Veil Ceremony
In Filipino weddings, three important elements are featured. The lighting of a pair of candles symbolizes the couple’s unity. The giving of coins, known as “arras,” represents shared responsibilities, while the veil symbolizes the couple’s journey together as one.
5. Greek Crowning Ceremony (Stefana)
In Greek Orthodox weddings, the couple is crowned with intertwined crowns, known as “stefana.” This gesture represents their role as king and queen of their newly created family and their commitment to each other.
6. Jewish Breaking of the Glass
A Jewish wedding concludes with the groom breaking a glass underfoot. This tradition symbolizes the fragility of human relationships and serves as a reminder of the importance of treating one another with care and kindness.
7. Moroccan Henna Ceremony
Moroccan brides often participate in a henna ceremony before the wedding. Intricate henna designs are applied to the bride’s hands and feet, symbolizing protection, good luck, and fertility.
8. Korean Pyebaek Ceremony
In a traditional Korean wedding, the Pyebaek ceremony takes place after the wedding vows. The couple bows to their parents and offers them chestnuts and jujubes, symbolizing a fruitful life and respect for their elders.
9. Peruvian Lasso Ceremony (Lazo)
In Peruvian weddings, a decorative rope or lasso is draped around the couple’s shoulders in the shape of an infinity symbol. This gesture represents their unity, as well as the everlasting love and commitment they share.
10. Irish Handfasting
Irish couples partake in a handfasting ceremony where their hands are bound together with colored ribbons or cords. The symbolism varies, but it often represents the couple’s willingness to be bound together and their commitment to each other.
11. Mexican Lazo and Arras Ceremony
In Mexican weddings, there’s a tradition known as the Lazo and Arras ceremony. During the Lazo ritual, a large and beautifully decorated rosary or lasso is draped in a figure-eight shape around the shoulders of the bride and groom. This symbolizes their unity, the eternity of their love, and the bond they share as a married couple. In the Arras ceremony, the groom gives the bride thirteen coins (known as arras) to symbolize his commitment to providing for their future together and his trust in her.
12. Ethiopian Tasting of Honey Wine
In Ethiopian weddings, the couple partakes in a symbolic ritual known as the tasting of honey wine. During the ceremony, the couple is given a taste of mead or honey wine, which is believed to bring sweetness to their marriage. They feed each other, and the act symbolizes the sweetness and harmony they wish to experience in their life together.
13. Russian Bread and Salt Ceremony
In Russian weddings, the bride and groom are traditionally greeted by their parents with bread and salt. The bread represents health and prosperity, while the salt symbolizes the preservation of life’s hardships. The couple takes a small bite of bread and a pinch of salt, signifying their willingness to share both the joys and challenges of life together.
14. Italian Tying of the Knot (Toccare il Nodo)
In some Italian weddings, there’s a tradition called “Toccare il Nodo,” which means “tying the knot.” The couple ties a decorative knot with a ribbon or cord during their ceremony, symbolizing their union and the bond that they share. This tradition is often incorporated into outdoor weddings, where a tree or post serves as the anchor for the knot.
These beautiful wedding ceremony rituals from around the world remind us that love transcends borders and cultures. While these traditions have unique origins and meanings, they all share a common thread: the celebration of love, unity, and the promise of a shared future. Incorporating such meaningful customs into your wedding ceremony can infuse your special day with a sense of depth and connection that resonates with your unique love story. So, whether you choose to follow your own cultural traditions or blend elements from around the world, remember that your wedding ceremony is a powerful symbol of your love and commitment.
