In the world of real estate the primary attraction inevitably embarks on location, location, location. In the huge world of global wedding traditions, location is also a very defining wow-factor feature where traditional surprises permeate the norm. From traditional mother-of-the-bride dresses to funky activities, global wedding traditions find a way to celebrate nuptial differences.
A Clean Sweep of Love
Gypsy weddings, African-American weddings and other worldly cultures have been known to begin wedding unions by leaping over a regular household broom. This tradition, entrenched in the days of slavery, continues to be used as a way to express the acceptance of what once was an illegal marriage between enslaved women and men. There is nothing sweeter than a clean house of marriage to begin a new life together.
American Standard
While the bride’s gown is one of the most significantly notable traditions, North American mothers-of-the-bride and groom also play an important role in the marriage planning stages. Out of respect for the newly uniting families, the mother-of-the-groom and mother-of-the-bride are often a focal point for beautiful wedding occasion dresses. This allows mothers to express preferred styles of ethnicity, heritage and styles as an introduction of personal sharing with the newly wedded couple. Thousands of stores throughout the continent pay homage to mother-of-the-bride and mother-of-the-groom apparel for the special tradition it is.
Wedding Apparel Goes Skin Deep
In India, beautiful brides enjoy more than just a gorgeous dress for show. Exquisite arms, hands, legs, palms, wrists and feet decorations also color an Indian bride’s world using beautifully painted designs applied as intricately as the design itself. This painting tradition is called Mehndi. Female friends and family of the bride spend hours preparing incredible hand-painted designs using the plant dye called henna. The procedure is a statement of togetherness for the bride and an invitation of additional fun and celebration within the wedding itself. Afterwards, the wedding day is finalized by the bride and groom placing garlands around each other’s necks as the announcement each has accepted the other as man and wife. Incorporating such artfully visual traditions is a beautiful way to begin a new life.
Chinese brides also incorporate the use of paint on their skin as a primary visual wedding tradition. Painting the bride pure white from head to toe is symbolic of complete maiden purity. Her dress is a pure white kimono. The bride’s head piece is a white hood worn to hide her “horns of jealousy” or the jealous feelings a bride traditionally holds toward her mother-in-law’s hold on her future husband before marriage. Wearing the hood also announces her decision to become a gentle and obedient wife for her husband-to-be.
Experiencing the multitude of international wedding traditions, apparel, menus and eccentricities is as expansive as the world is large. Whether the bride and groom stomp on glass or toss each other in the river as a sign of their undying love for one another wedding traditions have great meaning to be appreciated. Celebrations are just that.
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