10 Strange Wedding Traditions and Their Origins

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Updated: 4 Jul, 2023

Table of Contents

Shared rituals deepen connection as you create or honor meaningful traditions together, helping you feel seen, supported, and more connected.
Teamwork through milestones turns big moments into intimate conversations, so lean on each other, share your hopes, and watch your bond grow.
Honor your own story by choosing traditions that truly fit you as a couple, and openly discuss boundaries and preferences to create safety and closeness.

All cultures place a pretty high value on weddings. They are the traditional union of two people and can have massive implications in social terms. So it’s hardly surprising that a lot of strange traditions have sprung up around weddings. We’re going to take a look at a few of them, and give you some insight into these bizarre wedding rituals.

1. Freezing the top of the cake

This tradition, like many others, has its roots in pragmatism. The idea of freezing the top of the cake was initially so that there would be some for the eventual christening of a child. That way, you don’t have to spend extra money on another cake for the event.

2. Disturbing the newlyweds

Disturbing the newlyweds This strange tradition has its roots in the medieval era. It focuses on the idea of disrupting the peace of newlyweds on the night of the wedding. It’s a cheeky concept, and one that is sadly rarely practiced these days.

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3. Carrying the bride across the threshold

Carrying the bride across the threshold This tradition has its roots in Western Europe. The idea is that if you carry your bride across the threshold, you will ward away any evil spirits. A nice thought, and it’s no surprise that it’s still practiced today.

4. Destroying the dress

Destroying the dress While it may seem odd to wreck something that you’ve paid a fortune for, it’s fairly common these days for the bride to end up destroying her dress. When done in the right way it can make for some truly fantastic pictures. This is very much a modern tradition, with no particular roots anywhere.

5. Not seeing the bride before the wedding

Not seeing the bride before the wedding This is still a popular superstition today. It’s assumed that this originated in the days of arranged marriages when a groom had no real idea of who he was marrying. If he saw the bride, he could potentially take a dislike to her and call off the wedding.

6. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue The rhyme speaks for itself. It is likely that this rhyme stretches a fair way back in the UK, and is still a popular tradition. Gifts for the married couple are naturally a fairly universal concept across the board.

7. Bridesmaid matching the bride

Bridesmaid matching the bride This tradition actually goes back all the way to Ancient Rome. It was a tradition at that time to have ten guests at the wedding made up to look identical to the couple. That way, it was assumed that any evils spirits would get confused, and not know who to attack.

8. Wearing white

Wearing white This fad was actually started by Queen Victoria. She opted to wear white for her wedding, and the tradition stuck. Ever since it has been a favorite choice for the bride to wear.

9. Wedding season

Wedding season It’s natural that some seasons are more conducive to a happy wedding than others. Across the world, the preferred season varies depending on weather and other responsibilities. However, it is standard for there to be a preference in most places.

10. Diamond rings

Diamond rings These have been the ring of choice for some time, and it’s not surprising. They were the choice for European nobility over a hundred years ago, and they remain a favorite today.

And there you have it. Ten fantastic wedding traditions that are alive and well today. Which ones are you going to follow?

Eva Henderson
I’m Eva Henderson, writer, content coordinator at oddsdigger.com traveler, a young wife, and just a cheerful girl. I adore active rest, especially cycling. Hope you will enjoy my publications! If you want to learn more about me and my hobby feel free to visit my Twitter and Facebook.

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Marriage.com Editorial Team Relationship & Marriage Advice

The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts... Read more to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice. Read less