Kevin Jeffers

Religious and Geographical Variations Resulting in Varying Wedding Traditions

Wedding is perhaps the most auspicious and important occasion in the life of a man and woman marking the end of single life and entrance into the domain of a couple life. Wedding traditions vary with religious as well as geographical variations.

Wedding is perhaps the most important occurrence in the life of any person whether man or woman besides a child birth. It augurs the beginning of a new phase in the life and one enters into a joint life leaving behind his or her lonely life. However wedding traditions vary from country to country and from place to place. It is dependent also to a large extent on the culture and traditions in the society concerned.

Different religions have different wedding traditions. Performance of the marriage varies in every religion though one thing is common as every religious clan considers marriage as an auspicious occasion and one in the life occurrence.

• In Christian marriage the tradition is for the bride and grooms to move to the church where the wedding priest goes through the rituals rendering the couple husband and wife in presence of guests, friends, and relatives including the best friend.


• In Muslim marriages, the tradition is something different. There the prospective couple is brought to one place separated by only a screen. The Mullah or the priest asks the prospective bride whether she agrees to the relationship and only if she agrees, the marriage takes place. If the prospective bride fails to agree within three calls, the marriage or “Nikah” as it is called by the Muslim people won’t take place.


• Among the Hindus, the wedding tradition is perhaps the longest and most complex. However, the main part of it is the bride and groom circling burning fire seven times (in some societies it could be only three times) and exchange of garlands. But the tradition is that the preparations and preludes start much prior to actual wedding with “Mangni” and such others that is a decision to have the marriage performed.


• Traditions in other religions are variations of the traditions in main three religions.

Geographical variations also results in multiple variations in the wedding traditions. For instance, the traditions in America are not the same as in Japan and the traditions in Africa are not like Australia. India and China have their respective unique traditions; whereas many other Asian and African countries follow the Muslim traditions. Even within large countries like China, India, United States, and Russia, the traditions relating to wedding varies from place to place.

A number of interesting superstitions form part of the wedding traditions in many countries.

• Greeks believe that having sugar cubes inside the gloves will sweeten the union of the bride and groom;


• English people believes that spiders in wedding dress bring good luck for the couple;


• According to the English tradition; ideal day for marriage is Wednesday;


• Tradition of groom carrying the bride across threshold has emanated from the belief that it will keep away the evil spirits;


• Saturday is considered the worst day for wedding;


• Hindus consider rainfall on the wedding day as the symbol of luck; and


• Likewise henna painting in Middle East, silver coin in Sweden, and peas thrown in Czechoslovakia are the symbols of good luck in wedding.

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