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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got married at the picturesque St George's Chapel in
Windsor Castle, with their well-wishers in tow. But throwing the bouquet and cutting
the cake is so cliché on the big day! ET Magazine checks some of the crazy
wedding traditions from around the world:
MAY 20-26, 2018

:: Text: Joyshree Baruah | Illustrations: Anirban Bora

SOOT FOR LUCK

Scottish brides-to-be are taken WHY SO SERIOUS!
centrespread

by surprise by their friends

In the Congo, if you want to
ahead of the big day, and pelted
ruin someone’s wedding,
with all sorts of rubbish such as
just hire a comedian. In
curdled milk, dead fish, spoiled
order for the marriage to be
food, tar and feathers. Later, she
taken seriously, the bride
is taken for a night of drinking.
and groom are not allowed
The belief is that if she can
to smile throughout the
withstand this kind of
entire ceremony
treatment, she can handle
anything that comes her way
in her marriage

SHOOT THE BRIDE

In Yugur culture (an ethnic
Chinese minority), the groom
TOOTHY AFFAIR actually shoots his bride with
a bow and arrow three times
In Fiji, men have to find before the wedding. The
an unusual gift before arrows don’t have arrowheads,
asking for the hand of but still, thats like getting shot
their beloved: the with rubber bullets. Once the
groom must present his deed is done, the groom will
father-in-law with a collect the arrows and break
whale's tooth them, thus ensuring that they
will love each other forever

WALK OVER
FISH WHIPPED On the Marquesas Islands
of French Polynesia, after
When a wedding is over in the wedding reception, the
Korea, friends of the groom relatives of the bride lie
remove his socks, tie a rope side-by-side in the dirt,
around his ankles and start face down. The bride and
beating his feet with fish in groom then walk over the
order to prepare him for his human carpet
first night as a married man

GRAVE-SIDE WEDDING
In an average display of CHOP CHOP
somberness and seriousness, In Germany, newlyweds
many Russians choose to be must instantly put their
married at the Tomb of the bond to the test by working
Unknown Soldier — a war together to saw a log in half
memorial, dedicated to the in front of all their guests.
Soviet soldiers killed during The act is intended to
World War II. It is located at the showcase the bride and
Kremlin Wall in the Alexander groom's ability to work
Garden in Moscow together and face the
obstacles that they may
come across

FILTHY ENOUGH! STAY GROUNDED TREE, I DO HURL & FLING

In France, the bride and groom are made
to drink a vile concoction, made from
wedding leftovers, trash and anything
else deemed filthy enough, from a toilet
seat bowl. Although, nowadays,
chocolate and wine are substituted for
trash, it doesn’t make the process
any more palatable
In Ireland, the bride's feet
must stay on the floor at
all times when she and
the groom are dancing.
This is due to the belief
that if they don't, evil
fairies will come and
sweep her away
In parts of India, men and women born as
Mangliks (an astrological combination
when Mars and Saturn are both under the
7th house), are apparently "cursed" and
thought to be likely to cause their spouse
an early death. In order to counter this,
they must first be married to a tree and
the tree cut down to break the curse
In South Africa, hostility is a
good old family tradition.
During the wedding
ceremony, the groom's side
and the bride's side throw
insults back and forth,
getting more hurtful with
each wave
MAY 20-26, 2018

D LUCK CHARMS
GOO ...bec
aus
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e ev
little lu
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ost loving couple can use

In Spain, the groom's In Sweden, it’s traditional for

tie is cut into pieces In Ireland, brides the bride to place a silver coin
given by her father in her left Italian wedding
and auctioned off to his incorporate a small horseshoe
shoe and a gold coin given by traditions include
friends. It brings good into their ensemble for good
her mother in her left shoe, having grooms carry
luck to everyone who luck. It can be pinned to her
symbolising the hope the a piece of iron in
gets a piece. They do wedding dress, or added to her
couple’s marriage their pocket to help
the same with the bouquet. The 'U' shape must
will prosper and be keep away evil
bride's garter always face upwards — that
financially sound spirits
way, she keeps all the luck in
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