Traditions&Superstitions

A number of intriguing wedding day rituals are often incorporated into ceremonies and celebrations in order to bless a new marriage with good luck.

Around the world, different cultures have an array of wonderful wedding day traditions that brides and grooms can incorporate into the celebrations to bring them luck for their future marriage.

Whether you like the ida of the traditional milk bath taken by brides in Morocco of would prefer to follow Swedish brides who carry pennies in their shoes, one of the best things about a destination wedding is that you can incorporate any tradition you like.

Designing your own personal wedding day ritual is a fun and inspiring way to make the most of a very special day. Below are some unique traditions for around the globe.

Thai the Knot

One of the best things about getting married abroad is that you can always incorporate new traditions from the country you choose as the venue. For many couples marrying in Thailand, this means a traditional Buddhist ceremony, which includes many elements that are said to bring the couple good luck. During the main ceremony, for example, guests may be asked to pour water from an elaborate ceremonial conch onto the “wai-ing” hands of the bride and groom. Another tradition is to tie a white string (or sai sin) around the wrists of the bride and groom to bring them luck – it is best for the couple to leave their string bracelets on for three days.

Body Art

In the Middle East, many brides paint henna patterns on their hands and feet for their wedding day to protect them from the evil eye. This is also a tradition practiced by many brides in India, where the darker the ink, the more luck the bride will have for the rest of her marriage. If you were planning on a barefoot beach wedding to avoid the risk of your high heels sinking into the sand, intricate henna designs may be the ideal choice to jazz up your ensemble with something a little bit special on your big day.

Let there be Light

In China, many wedding day traditions focus on light and sound. According to tradition, lighting firecrackers after the wedding ceremony will chase away evil spirits. Many couples getting married in Thailand also choose to incorporate another beautiful Chinese tradition – the releasing of lanterns – into their celebration. Lanterns are particularly beautiful for those hosting a at a beach or hillside villa as guests can enjoy the marvellous spectacle of releasing their lanterns and watch them drift away over the ocean.

Bespoke Bouquets

In the UK, it is traditional for the bride to carry a ribboned horse shoe to the wedding ceremony. The ribbon, which is usually blue, is often incorporated into the bride’s bouquet, either as a charm or brooch element. The ‘something blue’ in the ensemble is meant to symbolise purity, love and fidelity. If, like many British brides, you want to adhere to the old rhyme, ‘Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue’, it is also common to introduce some kind of family heirloom into your ensemble – jewellery worn by your mother or grandmother on her own wedding day is often a popular choice.

Banish Evil Spirits

Many of the more quirky wedding day traditions couples infuse into their wedding day celebrations are based around the desire to ward off evil spirits. Indeed, the veil was first fashioned as a means for brides to disguise themselves against jealous evil spirits that might try sabotage the marriage. In Denmark, brides and grooms are even known to cross-dress to confuse those pesky spirits. The tradition for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold also originated as a way to protect her from the dark spirits lurking at the entrance to the house.

 

"The Signature Weddings is a bespoke destination weddings service offering a wide range of options to couples. However, some of the products and services mentioned in the blog articles on this page may not be available as part of the Signature Weddings' service."