Spring Break
Weddings celebrated worldwide
Bijah Gibson
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: News
Weddings have been an integral part of many cultures since the beginning of recorded history.
Every culture, ranging from the most primitive to the most advanced and historically rich, has some form of wedding ceremony for uniting two people in marriage.
In Morocco, wedding celebrations can last anywhere from four days to an entire week. Prior to her wedding, a Moroccan bride-to-be will soak herself in a bath of milk as a means of purification.
Following the bath, henna tattoos known as Baberiska will be painted on the bride. As is the case in many weddings, the bride will wear an elaborate dress, jewelry and veil. Once the ceremony is complete, the new bride will walk around her new home three times before entering.
Across the Atlantic Ocean in Venezuela, one will find a very different wedding that places much emphasis on traditions bringing good luck to the newlyweds.
Prior to a Venezuelan wedding, the groom-to-be will ask the father of the bride for permission to marry. Once permission is granted, a civil ceremony will take place, followed by a second, religious ceremony two weeks later.
At the ceremony, family members and often times the bride and groom exchange thirteen gold coins, called arras, to symbolize prosperity and good fortune. Rather than leaving their reception with fanfare, the couple will sneak away. This is also thought to bring them good luck.
In Scotland, the wedding celebration shows many similarities to weddings in the United States. Many traditions invoked in Scottish matrimonial ceremonies date back to the 1200's A.D. Nowadays, the bride's mother will host a "show of presents" one week in advance of the wedding. This is very similar to the bridal shower hosted for many brides in the United States.
The groom's friends will also host a party for him, known as a stag party. At the stag party, the groom and his friends will get very drunk and the groom's friends will often leave him naked and tied up outside his home.
Every culture, ranging from the most primitive to the most advanced and historically rich, has some form of wedding ceremony for uniting two people in marriage.
In Morocco, wedding celebrations can last anywhere from four days to an entire week. Prior to her wedding, a Moroccan bride-to-be will soak herself in a bath of milk as a means of purification.
Following the bath, henna tattoos known as Baberiska will be painted on the bride. As is the case in many weddings, the bride will wear an elaborate dress, jewelry and veil. Once the ceremony is complete, the new bride will walk around her new home three times before entering.
Across the Atlantic Ocean in Venezuela, one will find a very different wedding that places much emphasis on traditions bringing good luck to the newlyweds.
Prior to a Venezuelan wedding, the groom-to-be will ask the father of the bride for permission to marry. Once permission is granted, a civil ceremony will take place, followed by a second, religious ceremony two weeks later.
At the ceremony, family members and often times the bride and groom exchange thirteen gold coins, called arras, to symbolize prosperity and good fortune. Rather than leaving their reception with fanfare, the couple will sneak away. This is also thought to bring them good luck.
In Scotland, the wedding celebration shows many similarities to weddings in the United States. Many traditions invoked in Scottish matrimonial ceremonies date back to the 1200's A.D. Nowadays, the bride's mother will host a "show of presents" one week in advance of the wedding. This is very similar to the bridal shower hosted for many brides in the United States.
The groom's friends will also host a party for him, known as a stag party. At the stag party, the groom and his friends will get very drunk and the groom's friends will often leave him naked and tied up outside his home.
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