Bride: A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.

Ambrose Bierce

From different countries to different cultures, the wedding rituals vary. But still, a certain amount of similarity remains in every marriage ritual such as an exchange of marriage vows by the couple, presentation of a ring or flowers, and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure. In many cultures, preparing for the wedding involves things like booking the wedding venue, wedding dress and inviting the guests.

Check out these 10 love and marriage customs from around the globe that go beyond the white dress and veil.

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Preparations for the wedding of Tujia people in China is done 30 days before by crying. First, the bride spends an hour in a day crying, 10 days later she is joined by her mother, and 10 days after that, by her grandmother. It continues until all females of the family are involved. Surprisingly, this is not an act of sadness, but to express their happiness and joy.

2 – The Kissing Tradition – Sweden

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In this unique Swedish tradition, during the wedding, it is a ritual for the groom to disappear in between and during that time all the male guests can kiss the bride, then same happens with the groom and female guests as well, when the bride disappears.

3 – Spitting on the Bride – Massai Nation, Kenya

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One of the most bizarre wedding rituals is probably one practiced by the Massai nation of Kenya where the bride’s head is shaved and lamb fat and oil are applied. In this tradition, the father of the bride spits on her head and breast, which is thought to bring good luck and fortune.

4 – Kumbh Vivah Ritual For Manglik Dosh – India

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This famous Indian ritual is performed when the men and women in a couple have ‘Manglik Dosh’. A wedding is performed between the Manglik person and either a statue of Lord Vishnu or a Peepal tree or banana tree. In some of the places in India, Kumbh Vivah also means the wedding of a female with a pitcher of water. Indian astrologers believe that Manglik Dosh can create tensions and problems to the non-manglik partner in marriage, which is why, a whole wedding is done with rituals and if the wedding is done with a mud pot, it is drowned in water, and if it is with a tree, it is cut post wedding.

5 –Beating the Groom’s Feet – South Korea

A fun and cruel tradition practiced by the people of South Korea, is to beat the groom’s feet with a stick or dried yellow corvina, a fish. They believe that it strengthens the man before his first wedding night.

6 – Carrying the Bride Across the Threshold – Medieval Europe

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This ritual began in the medieval Europe, with a belief that a bride is extra vulnerable to evil spirits through the soles of her feet so, the groom carried the bride into their new home, to avoid bringing in any evil spirits.

7 – Exorcise Ghosts by Marrying Animals – India

People in some parts of India believe that girls who are born with a baby tooth, who are very ugly or have some facial dissimulation are possessed by ghosts. To ward off the evil spirits, she is married to a dog or a goat. After which, she can marry any guy.

8 – The Ritual of Blackening the Bride – Scotland

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It is essentially a fun ritual where the friends of the bride cover her from head to toe with all kinds of crap such as spoiled milk, tar and feathers. Apparently, the ritual of covering brides and grooms in treacle, soot and flour used to be carried out to ward off evil spirits.

9 – Kyz ala kachuu – The Practice of Kidnapping Brides

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The meaning of ‘Kyz ala kachuu’ is to take the bride and run away. This ‘Bride Kidnapping’ ritual is practiced across the world like in Romani culture and Kyrgyzstan, where the groom carries the bride he wishes to marry and is followed by friends and relatives. The bride is apparently kept in a room until the man’s female relatives convince her to put on the scarf of a married woman as a sign of acceptance.

10 – Guests Pay to Dance with the Bride – Poland

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Various cultures across the world follows the ‘Money Dance’ ritual, which originated in Poland during 1990s. In this ritual, the male guests pay to dance briefly with the bride, and sometimes female guests pay to dance with the groom as well. The bride dances with her father and while a relative holds out an apron, in which, guests who place money, win the opportunity to dance with the bride.