Let's Get Married! Marriage Traditions from around the World

June is truly the heart of the wedding season. In Roman religion, the goddess Juno was responsible for overseeing marriage and childbearing. Even the name for the month derives from the goddess Juno. Summertime is the perfect weather for getting married. The sunshine and warm air help foster the spirit of romance.

This month, take a look at how cultures around the world partake in their wedding ceremonies. We travel from the Western hemisphere to the Eastern hemisphere to see how newlywed couples get married.   

One common tradition in wedding ceremonies is the tossing of the bouquet. In Peru, instead of a bouquet, a Peruvian ‘bouquet’ involves ribbons, a fake wedding ring, and single attendees. The Peruvian Cake Pull takes place during the cake cutting ceremony. The cake has multiple layers and strings of ribbon for decoration. The ribbons are tucked into the cake layers, and tied to one of these ribbons is a fake wedding ring. Whoever manages to pull the ribbon with the ring attached is viewed as the next in line to be married. 

The Wedding Lasso, or Lazo, is a Mexican tradition during the wedding ceremony vows. This tradition originated from the Aztecs back in the 14th or 15th century. An officiator, or godparents of the bride and groom (also referred to as los padrinos de lazo), will place a set of rosary beads around the newlyweds’ shoulders. The rosary beads symbolize unity for the couple’s marriage, “forever bound by the unity of God.” The lasso will stay around the newlyweds’ shoulders until the end of the ceremony, where they can take the lasso home with them as a memento. 

It’s easy to get nervous on your wedding day. You want the ceremony to be perfect. One Chinese wedding tradition takes the edge off of wedding ceremony stress by holding a “scavenger hunt” for the bride. Only the bride is what the groom has to hunt! In this pre-ceremony activity, the groom must succeed in a series of challenges that the bride’s family and friends create. This can include riddles, puzzles, or other questions the groom has to answer before he can pick up his bride. Sometimes, the groom will present the family with hong bao, also known as lucky money. This fun tradition helps get the pre-ceremony jitters out of your system!

Some weddings in Germany hold a log cutting ceremony. In this traditional activity, the bride and groom spend time together sawing a log in half. This task is all about teamwork and problem-solving, showing the bride and groom’s abilities to tackle whatever comes their way. It usually takes place outside due to the woodshavings. From there, the bride and groom move onto the reception, followed by cars honking to chase away evil spirits and wish them luck.  

There are beautiful locations across the globe perfect for holding wedding ceremonies. Interested in a wedding location but worried about how to speak the language? Purchase a Jarvisen Translator today so you can plan, or attend, a wedding in a new country! Save $50 off of your first purchase.