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Wedding is a special day in the life of two individuals who are ready to embark on a new journey of their life together. Although marriages hold a great significance in every religion, the customs and traditions related to the marriage may differ. Thus, there are many different traditions in different cultures and religions when it comes to a wedding or marriage.
A Christian wedding – The wedding ceremony is held in a church and is a simple and short affair. The best man greets the bride with a bouquet, who is accompanied by the father. She takes small and slow steps to the altar, where the couple exchange their vows and are announced husband and wife by the priest. There are of two witnesses from both the sides when the rings are exchanged.
A Hindu wedding – The marriage practices and traditions of a Hindu wedding are elaborate and can go on for days. There are several social and religious obligations and pre-wedding ceremonies such as Haldi, Sagan, Sangeet, and Sagaai held. Those celebrations are held with great festivity with both sides joining in. An Indian wedding is indeed an extravagant affair. People may take out long or short term loans to take care of the wedding expenses.
A Muslim wedding – Muslim weddings are a grand affair and commonly known as Nikaah. The wedding can take place at the bride or the groom’s place on a convenient day and time. Before the wedding day, sweets and fruits are exchanged between the two families and a Mehndi ceremony is held followed by dance and singing. Important verses from the Quran are read on the day of the wedding, and after a formal consent of the bride and groom, the ritual gets completed.
A Sikh wedding – Sikh weddings are quite similar to Hindu marriages and commonly known as “Anand Karaj.” It is a lavish affair with music, dancing and loads of food. There are certain guidelines for the wedding that is held in the morning in a Gurdwara and according to the Sikh faith.
Some interesting traditions
- There is a fascinating pre-wedding tradition followed in Germany. The bride and groom break just about anything and then clean the whole mess together. The idea is to prepare them symbolically for life’s trials and face them together.
- In France, the groom picks the bride, and they walk to the chapel together. Children and people fill the streets and hold white ribbons and bride, and groom cut the ribbons as they pass through. It is a symbol for overcoming any obstacles together.
- The wedding cake in French weddings is known as croquembouche and is a bit different from the traditional layered wedding cake. It is like a pyramid made of crème filled pastry puffs, and then the whole cake is covered with caramel glaze.
- The bridegroom and bride in Greece are treated like King and Queen on the wedding day. Both wear crowns of gold or orange blossoms that are connected with a ribbon, and it is a symbol of union. The couples exchange rings three times under the guidance of the best man to remind the couple of strengths and weaknesses of each other. Traditional Greek food and music is part of the festivities.
- A Christian wedding tradition demands that the bride and bridegroom light a unity candle together. The ritual symbolizes the unity of the couple and their families that are brought together.
- Another interesting tradition in a Jewish marriage is singing a Ketubah, which is a Jewish marriage contract. The contract is signed just before the wedding ceremony, and it is written in Hebrew or Aramaic. It is a sign of Jewish marriage and is decorated with elaborate artwork.