It is widely considered that marriage is a pure challenge for a couple, therefore, in different countries, it is normal to help future honeymooners to prepare for the hardship of a heavenly union. In various cultures, those torments come in diverse shapes and levels of severity.
Img source: manhattanbride.com
7. Scotland
Just imagine this exquisite form of torture: your closest friends literally drag you through the mud on your wedding day! Meaning, they’ll find all kinds of weird stuff to cover you from head to toes with. While in some countries the most entertaining thing at a wedding would be playing family table games, these savages will use every yucky, disgusting liquid or solid substance in their disposal for this marriage initiation. So if you found yourself an orthodox Scottish soulmate, on your wedding day, get ready to resemble a dish which Gordon Ramsey certainly won’t approve of!
The recipe isn’t that difficult though: a couple of rotten eggs and tomatoes, fish sauce, curdle milk, flour and just a bit of mud and dirt for garnishing. The ingredients may be changed according to your own preferences. There’s only one rule: it should stink and be unbearable to look at. Perfection!
Img source: photographick.com
6. India
Eastern cultures are well-known for their mind-blowing traditions which appear out of nowhere, so you probably won’t be surprised about finding out what kind of bonkers stuff happens during their wedding ceremonies. This one is quite unusual and doesn’t directly concern the ceremony itself. In India, it’s believed that people born when Mars is situated in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th or 12th house of a Rashi (Indian astrological sign) are eternally cursed to be unhappy in their marriage. Those people are called Mangaliks. To get rid of the curse one should undergo a certain procedure before the main marriage ceremony with their future partner. This involves a wedding between a Mangalik and a Peepal/banana tree or a statue of Vishnu. Yep, those poor guys have to get married before an actual marriage ceremony to a statue… or a tree. Imagine those conjugal quarrels: “- You cheated on me! – You married a tree! Get over it! Nobody’s perfect”. Famous Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai is said to have been put through this ceremony of marrying a tree before her real wedding.
Img source: kouryfarms.com
5. France
Those French pervs know exactly how to entertain themselves at someone else’s wedding. Traditional ceremonies involve some pretty wacky nonsense. Picture this: as French people consider the marriage to be something one must certainly get prepped for. They decided that the best method of preparation would be making the groom and the bride drink champagne from a chamber pot. It is believed that both newlyweds become stronger and ready for a crazy wedding night! How thoughtful! In earlier days, people would gather all the leftovers from the wedding tables and make both spouses eat it out of a toilet. We’ll leave this one to your imagination.
Img source: pinterest.com4. Germany
You could probably think that the wedding initiation in Germany would involve some sexual perversions. But, it turns out that this one is the most civil out of all traditions cited in this article. Though, it may resemble something savagely chaotic to a person who doesn’t know the implications of German traditions. Imagine witnessing a scene where some weird dudes barge into someone else’s house and start breaking all porcelain objects they can get their hands on. You would probably want to call the police. In any other country that would probably be a right call. But not in Germany. Here it is considered to bring luck. So when your friends come to your house and ruin your grandma’s vintage tea set – all they want is for you to be happy. They deeply care about your well-being.
Img source: globalpressjournal.com
3. Congo
Congolese people are the unhappiest nation marriage-wise, or at least that’s what their ceremonies and wedding photos suggest. It turns out neither a spouses-to-be nor their guests are allowed to smile during the whole ceremony. Looks a bit harsh as a tradition, but in Congo, the marriage is considered to be a serious event, and there should be no teeth exposed in a slight tentative of showing some happiness or another kind of bunk.
Img source: tovelundquist.se
2. Sweden
Those sly bastards know how to make the most of their wedding traditions. This one will probably make you wish you got married in Sweden. The tradition says that every time the groom goes out of a room, every single male guest at the ceremony is allowed to kiss the bride! The same goes vice versa, and girls are allowed to kiss the groom when the bride disappears. What a great occasion for the first quarrel as a married couple! It is believed that in this way the couple gets closer during the ceremony fearing to exit the room and leave their soulmate at the mercy of hungry cousins and distant relatives.
Img source: dhresource.com1. China
Last but not least in this hit-parade is the Chinese ceremony of crying. Believe it or not but in Sichuan Province, a bride has to spend at least one hour a day crying for the whole month before her wedding day! On the 10th day, she is joined by her mother and on the 20th – by her grandmother. This tradition implies that the bride gets ready for an eternity of happiness with her husband-to-be. So she gets rid of all the tears beforehand. Quite a clever move. We bet it looks like a boot camp for future Oscar winners. Imagine crying every day not having a single reason to do so!
