These 20 Wedding Rituals Are So Strange, You’ll Think They’re Made Up
When you think of weddings, you probably picture white dresses, happy tears, and that one uncle doing the worm at the reception. But trust us, around the world, “tying the knot” can get a lot stranger (and a lot more hilarious).
We found a few wedding traditions so delightfully bizarre, you’ll wonder if they were dreamed up after one too many toasts.
No Smiling Allowed – Congo
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Forget the giggles, in Congo, the newlyweds must keep a dead-serious poker face throughout their wedding ceremony. If they crack even a tiny grin, it’s believed to show they aren’t taking marriage seriously enough. Definitely not the easiest thing to pull off when everyone is staring at you!
Feet-Beating Groom – South Korea
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You’d think a groom’s biggest concern would be getting his vows right or not tripping down the aisle. But in South Korea, the real challenge comes after the ceremony, when the groom’s friends tie his ankles together and start whacking the soles of his feet with sticks or dried fish. It’s meant to be hilarious, not painful. Just a way to test his toughness before he starts his married life.
The Crying Bride – China
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Weddings are emotional, but some brides in China take it to Oscar-level drama. In certain regions, it’s a custom for the bride to cry for an hour every single day for a month before the wedding. A few days in, her mother joins her, and then her grandmother too. By the end, it’s basically a family choir of tears.
Plate-Smashing Chaos – Germany
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Weddings can be a mess, but in Germany, it’s literal. Here, guests show up before the wedding day armed with plates, cups, and even toilets, and smash them all to bits right outside the couple’s house. Afterwards, the bride and groom are expected to clean up the mess together.
Marrying a Tree – India
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In parts of India, if a woman is born under a “cursed” astrological sign, she must first marry a tree before marrying a man. After the wedding, the tree is chopped down to break the curse. Talk about weird but oddly poetic.
Bathroom Ban – Borneo
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Newlyweds usually get a bit of alone time after their wedding, but for couples among the Tidong people in Borneo, privacy comes with a bizarre twist. They aren’t allowed to leave their house or use the bathroom for three whole days after the ceremony. Their families carefully monitor them, and only tiny amounts of food and water are given. The goal is to bless the marriage with happiness and fertility.
The Human Carpet – Marquesas Islands
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At weddings in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, family members literally lie face-down on the ground to form a human carpet for the newlyweds to walk over.
Kidnapping the Bride – Romania
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If the bride disappears before the wedding in Romania, don’t panic. She hasn’t run away. Instead, it’s part of a playful ritual where friends and family “kidnap” her and hold her for ransom. The groom must perform silly tasks, make romantic gestures, or even pop open a few bottles of champagne to get her back.
Toilet Bowl Cocktail – France
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Few practices are as stomach-churning as this old French custom. After the reception, friends would collect all the leftover food, cake, and booze, throw it into a toilet bowl (or a toilet-shaped pot), and insist the couple drink from it. Thankfully, today it’s usually just chocolate and a drink— but even then, slurping from a “toilet” might not be how most couples dream of ending their big night!
Joota Chupai – India
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At Indian weddings, the bride’s side pulls a fast one. As soon as the groom removes his shoes at the altar, they scramble to steal and hide them. To get his shoes back, he must pay a “ransom” of cash or gifts.
Dollar Dance – Poland/Greek Weddings
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In Poland and Greece, if you want a spin on the dance floor with the bride, you’ll need to cough up some cash. Guests pin money to her dress or toss bills into a purse mid-dance.
Nuts Over Confetti – Italy
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In Italy, when you hear “confetti” at weddings, it doesn’t mean colorful paper falling from the sky. It means sugared almonds, tossed lovingly (and sometimes aggressively) at the bride and groom. Each almond represents health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity.
The Silent Wedding Night – Venezuela
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While most couples are busy soaking in every congratulatory hug and toast at their reception, newlyweds in Venezuela have a different mission: slip away unnoticed. If they can sneak out without anyone catching them, it’s said to bring extra luck to their marriage.
Holding Stones – Australia
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At some Australian weddings, guests are handed stones to clutch during the ceremony, infusing them with well wishes and good energy. Afterwards, all the stones are placed in a beautiful “unity bowl” that the couple keeps in their home.
Chainsaw Challenge – Germany
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Move over, cake cutting — in Germany, newlyweds grab a giant saw and cut through a thick log together right after saying “I do.” It’s a powerful symbol that marriage isn’t always smooth sailing, but with teamwork (and maybe a little muscle), any obstacle can be overcome. And yes, there’s usually plenty of laughing and cheering while they struggle through it.
Goose Gifts – Korea
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In Korea, the groom gives a wooden goose to his future in-laws. Why? Geese mate for life and represent loyalty. It’s a sweet gesture… and honestly, it’s less pressure than handing over a human-sized dowry or a yacht.
Peruvian Cake Pull – Peru
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Instead of fighting over a tossed bouquet, single ladies in Peru pull ribbons out of the wedding cake. One ribbon has a fake wedding ring tied to it. Whoever pulls it is said to be next to marry.
Bulk-Up Brides – Mauritania
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In Mauritania, women preparing for marriage often enter fattening camps where they’re fed enormous amounts of rich foods to gain weight before their wedding day. A heavier bride is seen as a sign of wealth, prosperity, and good fortune for the future marriage.
Whale Tooth Proposal – Fiji
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In Fiji, popping the question isn’t as simple as getting down on one knee. To show serious intent, grooms offer a whale’s tooth, called a tabua, to the bride’s father.