Wedding Customs around the World

　　Wedding traditions and customs vary from one country to another, but each one is special and celebrates the marriage bond of the newly weds.

　　China

　　Exchanging Handkerchiefs and Wishing Each Other Good Luck

　　In China, every new couple needs to go to a park to have a video made before the evening party starts. If a new couple meets in a park, the bride and bridegroom should exchange a new handkerchief and wish each other good luck. It has to be red and have a picture of mandarin ducks. Because ducks always stay together, it means they will stay together. We have this custom so they share happiness and congratulate each other. Traditionally, the more happiness you share, the more good luck you get. So, don't forget to prepare these handkerchiefs by hand when you are going to get married.

　　One of the Interesting Things in a Chinese Wedding Ceremony

　　In traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, a couple always has jokes played on them by their friends or guests. For example, during the ceremony an apple is hung with a thread before the couple. Then people who attend their wedding ask the bride and groom to bite the apple at the same time in order to show they love each other. However, at the moment their lips touch it, one of their friends suddenly pulls it away and the couple's lips meet and they have a big kiss instead of biting the apple before them. Interestingly, this action or behavior always causes a loud laugh.

　　Eastern Europe

　　Asking the Girl's Father for Permission

　　In my country, the engagement is an event previous to the wedding. One month before the wedding, the groom asks the girl's father for permission to take the girl out of her family house. He goes to her house early in the morning with a band, if he can afford the expense. All the neighbors come to see the new bride and to tell her something nice.

Japan