Fascinating wedding traditions from around the world including Spain | Beautiful marriage rituals

Wedding Traditions are preserved time-honoured cultural norms which prove there are many ways to say “I do.”

The theory goes that if you follow the wedding traditions associated with your culture, you will find eternal joy with your soulmate.

Since the origin of marriage about 23,000 years ago, different cultures have created their own wedding traditions—many of which have stood the test of time and today Sunshine Weddings Spain takes a look at five of these fascinating wedding traditions from around the world including Spain.

In fact the team at Sunshine Weddings Spain are diverse with an array of cultures from around the world, supporting multicultural, multiethnic, cross-faith couples, ensuring that your special day is as traditional or modern as you want it to be.

Flexible with those couples who wish to personalise their own special day and make it uniquely theirs by incorporating traditions from around the world.

So without further ado, let’s check out five beautiful marriage rituals from the four corners of the earth.

1. Henna (India):

Henna symbolises positive spirits and good luck and a traditional Indian Wedding calls for a Mehndi ceremony to be held the night before the wedding as a way of wishing the bride good health and prosperity as she makes her journey on to marriage.

The Mehndi Ceremony is usually organised by the bride’s family and brings together the female members of both families. Centuries ago, henna was used to cool down the skin, mainly spread on the palms of the hands and feet, relieving the bride of any stress before her big day.

Over the years it became decorative as a form of body art, and evolved to the more intricate design seen in modern-day weddings.

2. Choosing the Wedding Date (China)

A Chinese wedding date isn’t chosen by chance, for this most couples will consult with a fortune teller, a Chinese monk, or Feng Shui master to help with selecting the most promising date to bring success to their marriage. Additionally, the couple’s Chinese zodiac sign, and the bride’s birthday details will play an influential part in choosing a date that is the perfect fit.

3. Presenting a Whale’s Tooth (Fiji)

In Fiji, nothing says ‘I Love You’ like a sperm whale tooth. Traditionally, in Fiji, a tabua (sperm whale teeth) were used in negotiations between rival chiefs, gifted as a symbol of respect or used to pay penance for wrongdoings and is considered an important cultural item in Fijian society.

To Fijians, this is a more precious gift than a diamond and is gifted in the first stage of a marriage ritual when requesting the hand of a bride-to-be. A tabua will be presented to the future bride’s father, and if accepted, the couple are betrothed.

4. Philippines: Love birds.

Filipino culture has a dreamy, almost celestial tradition of the bride and groom releasing a pair of doves together on their wedding day. The release of the birds is meant to be a symbol of peace and harmony and a reflection of the life ahead for the new couple.

5. Spain: Cutting the Tie

During some Spanish weddings, the groom’s closest friends will cut his tie into pieces and then auction it off to wedding guests to raise money for the couple.

Designing and delivering bespoke wedding ceremonies are the essence of Sunshine Weddings Spain, as is the understanding that bridal couples seek unique wedding celebrations and many may wish to include their time-honoured cultural rituals to the big day, so don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the team members today and tell us your dream so we can turn it into a reality.