If you thought arranged marriages were weird or wearing a chooda for a full year was too much, here are some strange customs from around the globe that define marriage.

1) Smile Please (Not)

In some regions of Congo, it is considered inappropriate for the bride and Groom to smile during the Wedding. If they do as much as chuckle even, they are considered to be frivolous people who don’t take their marriage seriously. So to make their guests believe they are very serious, they have to wear a grave look throughout the ceremony! Wonder how the photos are going to come out like!

Credit: Pinterest
Congo newly weds barely smile during the ceremony

2) Pile on the pounds

If you were a bride from any other part of the world, you would be desperately trying every possible fad, trick, diet and every form of exercise to shed each kilo. But not in Mauritius, where chubby brides are known to be a sign of prosperity! The fatter you look, the wealthier your husband looks for being able to take on the responsibility of such a well-fed wife! Sigh, we wish we were Mauritian brides now!

3) Cleaning up

In Germany, guests are invited to smash porcelain plates on the ground to ward off any evil spirits that may hamper the newly-wed couple’s happiness in anyway. And in return, the couple thanks them by cleaning up all the mess and broken plates – right after the ceremony is over, in their own wedding finery! This custom is said to inculcate in them both, the importance of working together as a team and facing problems.

Credit: Pinterest
German couples clean up after the mess

4) Groom’s Man all the way

Taking the term groomsman very literally, this Greek wedding custom requires the groom’s best man to bring out the barber in him and give his best friend the most important shave of his life! The groomsmen are not just required to help the groom dress up but also shave his beard for him and give him a smooth, chic looking face.

Credit: www.greekweddingguide.com
The groom receives a close shave from his Best Man

5) Sherry on the cake

In some Scandinavian regions, the customary wedding cake is actually made with rings of almond cake place on top of one another to form a tower. And hiding under this tower, in the hollow space of the cakes is a bottle of wine! Now who wouldn’t want that!

Credit: Pinterest
A cake with a bottle wine hidden inside

6) Spit for good luck?

In Kenya, Masai brides are spat on by their fathers immediately after the ceremony is over! This is believed to ward off the evil eye and not jinx the couple’s happiness. The father spits on his daughter when she’s leaving, only to pretend that he’s not happy with the match, thus not jinxing the wedding.

Credits: www.wonderslist.com

7) The 3 day wedding night

Indonesian couples are not allowed to leave their room for three after the wedding and forced to remain under confinement. While food is regularly provided to them, in room, god help them if there isn’t a bathroom inside the room!

8) Big bite boss

In Russia, the couple is served a traditional sweet bread called karavaya which is decorated with rings made from wheat to denote prosperity and faithfulness. Whoever takes the bigger bite of this bread is considered to be the boss of the house!

Credits: www.sugarbeacheventshawaii.com

9) Bride-napped!

In certain parts of Romania, brides are kidnapped smartly by the entire wedding party and the groom is supposed to pay a ransom to get her back. This ransom isn’t necessarily money, but could be bottles of alcohol or even making a fool of himself by dancing or singing to get her back.

Credit: youtube
Bride-napping customs

10) Swedish Kisses

This one’s pretty cute, only if you’re not the possessive type! In Sweden, everytime the bride or the groom, leave each others’ sides, other men and women are free to come plant kisses on their face. If the bride leaves, other girls come kiss the groom and vice versa.

Credits: http://www.wonderslist.com/

MUST READ: 10 Interesting Traditions From Across The Country

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