How Wedding Traditions Differ Across The World

Have you ever wondered how wedding traditions differ in different countries across the world, including the type of wedding dress that the bride puts on? Modern weddings are a mix of trends as well as traditions and classic elements with modern touches.

Depending on where you are going to get married, there are certain wedding traditions that you will have to follow. Wedding traditions and planning tend to differ depending on where you get married.

The following are some of the unique wedding planning and traditions details from around the world that you can easily incorporate into your wedding.

• Most British brides wear a tiara

When conducting a wedding in Britain, you don’t have to be from a royal family to put on a tiara. Compared to other countries, most brides in Britain put on a tiara.

• In Italy, there are no formal proposals

In most countries, including the USA, formal proposals are a must. But in other parts of the world such as Italy, that part where the mangoes on a bent knee to propose to their partner’s hand in marriage is unheard of. The couples jointly decide that they are going to get married. In Italy, engagement is a less formal event – something that the couple only discusses together instead of one person proposing to the other.

• In North America and most of Europe, weddings happen during the Fall

It ought not to surprise you. The weather is one factor that determines when you’re going to have a wedding. That is the reason why in September and October, most marriages happen in most of North America and Europe. In South American countries, spring is the most popular time to get married.

• Shortest engagements happen in Columbia

While Americans and Europeans take at least a year or even more time in planning for their weddings, in Columbia, couples have the shortest engagements of a maximum of seven months. Countries where couples don’t practice living together before marriage, such as Chile, India, Columbia, and Peru, tend to take the shortest time to plan for their weddings.

• Indian couples don’t serve alcohol during their wedding

In most countries in the world, alcohol-serving is a popular tradition at weddings. Particularly in Spain and the United Kingdom, where alcohol is served in almost all the wedding receptions. In Spain, the couple has an open bar while in the UK, champagne toasts are the norm, with no free-flowing alcohol. Due to religious practices, it is rare to see liquor at Indian weddings.

• In India, February is the most popular month for engagements

Most countries tend to embrace December as the month where they propose to each other. But that doesn’t happen in India. December is a celebratory month for giving out gifts and, thus, the best one for proposing. In India, couples tend to prefer proposing during the Vivah Muhurat, the great luck days in February.

• First dances are common in the USA

The common way to personalize the reception is for the couples to have the first dance. It is a wedding tradition that is common in the USA, with almost all couples going for it.  The dances are also common in Spain, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain. But in Italy, they are rare.

• Colombia is the country that has more religious weddings

Couples from Columbia also sticks to traditional weddings as far as wedding ceremonies are concerned. Most of the couples include religious practices in their wedding ceremony. It is also a common practice in other countries with a high catholic population, such as Brazil, Italy, Portugal, and Mexico. The UK has the least number of religious ceremonies.

• Most USA couples have a wedding hashtag for their big day

Social media and technology are becoming commonplace in wedding planning. Half of the couples in the USA create a hashtag to help in compiling their guest’s posts and photos at the engagement parties and/or weddings. The hashtags for weddings are less prevalent in places such as France and Italy.

• In the USA, couples tend to ask the approval of their parents before proposing, more than in any other country

While you might have the impression that the USA is the most modern country, it tends to still embrace some wedding traditions as compared to other countries. Most of the couples in the USA will ask for the blessings of their family before engagement. It is less common in Europe, especially in Italy.

• In Italy and Spain, the couple’s family cover most of the wedding costs

During the wedding planning, one of the biggest struggles is typically having a budget and finding out who is going to pay for what. In Spain and Italy, there is more financial support from families; parents or other loved ones pay at least two-thirds of the expenses for the wedding. In South American countries like Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Argentina, couples need to contribute more to their wedding costs.

• France is a country that couples hire professional caterers than any other type of vendor

When hiring vendors, French people tend to put more emphasis on a caterer than any other vendor. Most couples around the world tend to prioritize photography. An important tradition in France is the Vin d’honneur. It is a cocktail hour that happens before the reception during which you need to serve a lot of drinks and food. Thus, there is a need for a professional caterer.

• French couples tend to live together before officially getting married

Most couples in France live together before marriage. It is a practice that is commonplace in most parts of Europe. Spanish couples, as well as UK couples, also live together before they host their wedding ceremony. Cohabiting tends to be less common in countries that are more religious such as Brazil and Mexico, where only a small percentage tends to cohabit before marriage.

Where will you be hosting your wedding? Embrace the wedding traditions of the country and let your wedding be above par. For other wedding traditions across the world, check out The Ultimate Bride’s Survival Guide.

 

Header Image Credit: @kelseyburnettphoto