World of Weddings - A
golden coins, filipino wedding tradition, blessed coins
world of weddings a
A is for….
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An integral part of Filipino weddings is the ‘arrhae’ ceremony – where the groom bestows his bride with 13 golden coins (arras) that have been blessed, dated and printed with a personal message.
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Find personalised coins at chocolatetradingco.com and heritagechocolates.com.
World of Weddings - B
bacio, italian wedding traditions, kiss
world of weddings b
B is for…
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At a rowdy Italian wedding reception, it’s tradition for the guests to shout ‘Bacio! Bacio!’ until bride and groom stand up and kiss.
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Photography: Corbin Gurkin
World of Weddings - C
red, roses, chinese wedding tradition, wedding decorations
world of weddings c
C is for…
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Red is traditionally lucky in China and is used heavily in wedding outfits, accessories and decorations.
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Photography: Alastair Burn-Murdoch Photography
World of Weddings - D
danish wedding tradition, glass, knife, kiss
world of weddings d
D is for…
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If guests at a Danish wedding all strike their glasses with a knife at the same time, the bride and groom have to stand on their chairs and kiss. If the guests stamp their feet, the newlyweds have to kiss under the table.
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Photography: Nikole Ramsey
World of Weddings - E
sri lankan wedding tradition, elephant, sri lanka
world of weddings e
E is for…
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A Sri Lankan ceremony is full of traditions – including the happy couple’s jaunt on an elaborately dressed elephant. The animal is thought to bring good fortune and makes for some amazing pics!
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See more of Jenevora and Fergus\' Sri Lankan wedding here. They organised their wedding with the help from wedding abroad experts Tropical Sky.
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World of Weddings - F
french wedding tradition, croquembouche, wedding cake
world of weddings f
F is for…
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The sweet French wedding tradition of croquembouche, meaning ‘crunch in the mouth’ is a dramatic cone of choux pastry buns, tightly bound with spun caramel and embellished with anything from flowers to ribbons.
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Get this gorgeous French inspiration cake from caffeconcerto.co.uk
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World of Weddings - G
greek wedding tradition, dance, money
world of weddings g
G is for…
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A tradition packed Greek wedding always culminates in a money dance – where guests take it in turn to pin notes on the happy couple to symbolize future prosperity.
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Photography by Robert Shack
World of Weddings - H
thailand, thai wedding tradition, hands, flower, chain, conch shell
world of weddings h
H is for…
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In Thailand it’s considered good luck to bind the bride and groom’s hands with a chain of flowers before washing them in water from a conch shell.
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World of Weddings - I
iceland, icelandinc wedding tradition, friday, Frigga, reindeer, snow
world of weddings i
I is for…
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The traditional day for weddings in Iceland is Friday, which in pagan times was considered sacred to Frigga – the goddess of marriage.
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World of Weddings - J
jewish wedding tradition, chuppah, canopy, vows
world of weddings j
J is for…
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During a Jewish wedding, the couple exchange vows under traditional chuppah or canopy, which is thought to represent the home they will build together.
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Photography: Mark Seymour
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See more of this real wedding here.
World of Weddings - K
kenya, kenyan wedding tradition, masai, swahili, kupamba, jumping, competition
world of weddings k
K is for…
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After a Masai wedding in Kenya, the groom participates in a jumping competition to prove his true-warrior strength. And the night after a Swahili wedding, the bride is presented in public in a custom called kupamba – an all-women get-together that shows she’s passed into the married world.
World of Weddings - L
latvian wedding tradition, latvia, bride, dance, father
world of weddings w
L is for…
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In Latvia it’s customary for the bride not just to dance with her groom but also her father.
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World of Weddings - M
hindi wedding tradition, henna, mehendi, hand decoration, indian
world of weddings m
M is for…
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The night before a Hindi wedding the bride’s hands are decorated with henna or mehendi – the artist will hide the groom’s name in amongst a pattern so he has to search for it on the wedding night.
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Photography: Keith Appleby
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Click for more real life weddings.
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World of Weddings - N
new zealand wedding tradition, maori, powhiri, warrior dance
world of weddings n
N is for…
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At a Maori wedding in New Zealand the bride and groom are welcomed with a ceremony known as Powhiri – incorporating music and a traditional warrior dance.
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World of Weddings - O
japanese wedding tradition, kimono, outfit, ceremony
world of weddings o
O is for…
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A Japanese bride has three or four outfit changes during her wedding. She starts in a white kimono, then a Western-style wedding dress before putting on a multi-coloured kimono for the reception, then finally a ball gown.
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World of Weddings - P
persian weddings, world of weddings, weddings abroad
world of weddings persian
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Dance is a big part of Persian weddings – the couple even take part in a knife dance before they cut the cake. At the reception guests eat special jewelled ‘wedding rice’ containing saffron, orange peel and cherries.
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2Exposures and Guy Cragoe of Cragoe and Camera
World of Weddings - Q
portuguese wedding tradition, tea, cake, tea pot, quiet time, champagne
world of weddings q
Q is for
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We like the sound of this one! Following a Portuguese ceremony and a promenade through town, the couple enjoy some quiet time together, where they traditionally drink tea and eat cake.
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Photography: Lily & Frank Photography
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World of Weddings - R
jamaican wedding tradition, jamaica, cake, rum
world of weddings r
R is for…
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The Jamaican take on the wedding cake is a dark fruitcake liberally laced, naturally, with rum.
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Photography: Daniel Speller Photography
World of Weddings - S
swedish wedding tradition, sweden, toast, song, kiss, bride
world of weddings s
S is for…
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In Sweden it’s customary to sing songs as toasts – and for all the male guests to run up and kiss the bride whenever the groom gets up and leaves the table.
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World of Weddings - T
czech wedding tradition, plant, tree, longevity, eggshells
world of weddings t
T is for…
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Friends of the bride at a Czech wedding plant a young tree to represent longevity and decorate it with coloured ribbons and painted eggshells.
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World of Weddings - U
mexican wedding tradition, mexico, lasso, rosary, unity, white ribbon
world of weddings u
U is for…
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During Mexican marriage vows, a white ribbon or rosary, called a ‘lasso’ is wrapped around the shoulders of the bride and groom, to represent unity.
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World of Weddings - V
polish wedding tradition, veil, remove, oczepiny
world of weddings v
V is for…
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The ceremonial removal of the bride’s veil in Polish tradition is known as the ‘oczepiny’ – it takes place at the reception, signifying the end of her maidenhood and her transition to a married woman.
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World of Weddings - W
austrian wedding tradition, waltz, first dance
world of weddings w
W is for…
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In the country where it originated, the waltz is the Austrian newly weds’ first dance of choice.
World of Weddings - X
indonesian wedding tradition, xylophone, rindik, bamboo, welcome
world of weddings x
X is for…
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In Indonesia it’s traditional for a large bamboo xylophone (rindik) to be played to welcome in the wedding guests.
World of Weddings - Y
pakistani wedding tradition, yellow, dress, first day, family
world of weddings y
Y is for…
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On the first day of a four-day Pakistani wedding, the bride and groom\'s families each dress in yellow and celebrate separately.
World of Weddings - Z
egyptian wedding tradition, zaffa, procession, drummers, belly dancers
world of weddings z
Z is for…
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The most memorable part of an Egyptian wedding day is a musical procession called the Zaffa - it varies from region to region but usually includes drummers and belly dancers.
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