A Look Into Wedding Customs From Around The World
Some reflection will reveal how significant weddings are. Especially if the wedding happens to be yours, you will never attend anything else as important in your life. The act of procreation, by which our species enjoys continuous existence on the planet, is given spiritual stature by the institution of marriage. It becomes, through weddings, an act of commitment to each other and to your children instead of being just the fulfillment of a basic urge. Through the symbols and rituals associated with marriages, the community’s aspirations for the couple are given a kind of magical expression.
All throughout the world, different nations and cultures signify those aspirations in many different ways.
The Chinese disappearing apple act
A wedding, your wedding, is easily one of the most significant ceremonies that you will ever attend in your life. The act of procreation, something that is basically an animal instinct, is given dignity and institutionalized in keeping with the spiritual nature of human beings. Weddings are important because through this ceremony people are able to express their best hopes for the outcome of the union between bride and groom By using symbols, the blessings of faithfulness, abundance of offspring as well as of material wealth and divine guidance are evoked and made to rain on the wedding couple.
Among the different nations in the globe, many different symbols and rites meant to express those aspirations have been used at weddings..
The disappearing apple act in Chinese weddings
The Chinese have a traditional ritual which is often seen during the wedding reception just before the banquet and merry-making begins. The couple’s best friend dangles an apple between them. The couple, without using their hands, are supposed to grab a bite off it. But just as the they their faces touch the apple, their best friend pulls the string and the apple goes up into the air. The couple, of course, ends up doing a lips-to-lips and everyone cheers happily. That signals the start of the festivities.
Although seen over a million times, the routine never fails to amuse. The humor of that situation has a deeper meaning. Specifically the ritual means to underscore that fact that in the midst of the pursuit for material goods, the couple should always maintain love and unity in their home.
Japan’s strong family ties
In Colombia, after the wedding ring is inserted into the bride’s finger, the couple lights up two candles which are given separately to each of them. With the candles lighted, they approach a third candle and, with their candles, light it up. They snuff out the candles in their hands after that.
The first two candles which are put out may be interpreted to stand for the death of their old personality as they transform themselves by the act of uniting in marriage. The third candle stands for the union of the two. Taken from another aspect, the ritual could also stand for the birth of a new life as a result of their union. The putting out of the two first candles stands for the part of themselves that die in order to procreate.
The fact that the families of the couple also turn to face one another signifies their approval of the union as well as the fact that wedding, to a certain extent, binds both families together.
A peculiarity in some Japanese weddings is the practice of making the wedding couple drink three times from a vessel of rice wine. After doing so, they turn towards each other to say their vows. At the same time, the members of both families also turn around towards the other family.
Doc. No:BC-1122-ULT10-112210