Wedding superstitions are fuelled by the belief that to ensure a happy and lasting marriage we must take certain actions before, during or after the wedding. Therefore, in addition to the preparations, there are many details that the bride and groom must take care of in their marriage celebration if they do not want to defy luck. Of course, regardless of the culture or the country and if they are superstitious or not, many grooms will possibly think about it before skipping any of them on their wedding day.
If you read the first part of this article and you are about to get married, here are some other wedding superstitions that many grooms follow to try to be lucky in their marriage from day one and last until death do them part.
In the Czech Republic, the fertility of the couple is blessed in a particular way
To bless and improve the fertility of the couple, one of the wedding superstitions that continue in this country consists of placing a baby in the couple’s bed before they get married. Likewise, once they are married, the bride and groom are bathed in rice, peas or lentils by the guests because it is believed that this will also help promote their fertility.
In Argentina, brides avoid a rainy day
Although most cultures believe that it is good luck, the worst fear of an Argentine bride is a rainy day at her wedding. To drive away the rain, the night before, the brides sleep with scissors under the mattress, draw a cross of salt in the patio of their house, stick knives in the ground and some even choose to bury an egg to protect themselves from the storm clouds.
In Finland, brides light a match
Although newlyweds are very passionate over time, the relationship can lose its spark. But there is a wedding superstition that has become a tradition for Finnish brides and with which it is sought to avoid it. This consists of the bride walking down the aisle with a lit match, as it is believed that by doing this they ensure that the flame of love never goes out between those who are married.
In Egypt, the bride is pinched
Egyptian women have a habit of pinching the bride on the wedding day, as it is believed that this can give her good luck. This is undoubtedly one of the most painful wedding superstitions for brides since the more the bride is pinched, the better luck she will have in her marriage. But everything is to ensure good luck.
In Bermuda, a tree is put on the wedding cake
In this place, it has a peculiar way of ensuring that a newly engaged couple grows old and thrives together. To do this, couples have to crown the bride’s wedding cake with a small cedar tree (although they also usually have a wedding cake for him). Then, according to tradition, the couple will plant the young tree in their home so that it can grow and mature, as well as their love and relationship.
In Greece, the bride and groom give sweet snacks to their guests
The Mediterranean country is home to a sweet wedding superstition. And it is that the happy couple distributes sugared almonds to their guests, as a way to bless their happy marriage with health, wealth, children and a long life together. All this is linked to the symbolism of the almond, since the shape of the egg is a sign of fertility, the hardness represents the resistance of marriage, and the sugar is destined to show the sweetness of married life. This is a way of wishing the newly married couple “happiness, health, wealth, children and a long life”.
Likewise, a celebration called Krevati (in Greek, bed) that takes place in the couple’s new home is organized. Before the wedding day, family and friends throw gifts, money and rice and even put small children in the couple’s future marriage bed to bring fertility and wealth to the marriage.
In Japan, guests must be careful what they say
In a Japanese wedding you have to be very careful with what you say, since a mistake could end up ruining the couple’s marriage. According to one of the wedding superstitions in this country, if any of the attendees pronounce the words “kaeru”, which means to go home, or “modoru”, which means to return, to comment that they are coming back from a wedding, he or she could be casting a curse on the bride, since there is a belief that if these phrases are said, we will cause the bride to leave her husband and return to her parents’ home.
In France, wedding guests prepare an unusual party for the couple.
French newlyweds eliminate bad luck with a superstitious ritual called “La Soupe”, which takes place after the wedding banquet. For this, the guests collect the leftovers of food and drink and put them in a toilet or in a bowl that has been made by hand to look like a “throne”. Then, they do not leave until the couple tries it, as it will not only give them energy for the wedding night, but it is also believed to keep bad luck away from marriage.
In Scotland, the bride and groom take a particular walk through the village.
Before the expected day, the bride and groom are smeared with various smelly foods such as curdled milk, rotten eggs and other sticky foods and even dirt, to then be walked around the town. It is believed this tradition prepares couples for the difficulties of married life since, after overcoming such a humiliating situation, no problem in marriage will be so serious. Furthermore, it is believed that it also helps them ward off evil spirits.
In South Africa, parents share the fire of love with the bride and groom
To celebrate the beginning of a new phase in the lives of their children and to create a loving home for newlyweds in South Africa, the parents of the bride and groom light a fire in the home of the new couple, bringing fire from their own homes. It is believed that by doing so, a new fire will be born and burn, as well as the new life of the couple.
In Russia, the month to get married counts
In Russia there are beliefs related to different times of the year that are or are not favourable to marry. For example, in the West May is considered to be a very popular month to celebrate a marriage, but Russians believe that to have a happy and lasting married life, May should be avoided. In addition, for all the single women present at the ceremony and who want to get married, another of the wedding superstitions says that they must secretly pull the tablecloth towards them during the dinner.
ALFA