"Spitting On The Bride" and 9 other bizarre wedding rituals

Love may be universal, but the ways people celebrate it couldn’t be more different. Some couples toast with champagne and dance under candlelight, while others begin their journey with leftovers, arrows, or even a month's worth of tears. Across the globe—from Chinese villages to remote Pacific islands—wedding rituals range from deeply symbolic to downright strange. Here are some of the wildest wedding traditions from around the world.

Imagine a wedding tradition where joy is measured not by laughter but by tears. In certain regions of China, brides from the Tujia ethnic group begin crying a full month before their big day. For one hour each evening, the bride weeps to express happiness and gratitude. Ten days in, her mother joins her, and by the final week, her grandmother, sisters, aunts, and cousins take part as well. The sound is said to resemble a "symphony of tears," as locals call it. It may seem dramatic to outsiders, but for the Tujia, this ritual is believed to wash away misfortune and welcome joy into the marriage, turning tears into a celebration of family and future.

In some parts of Africa, weddings are not always centered on laughter and dancing. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, certain traditional ceremonies are described as austere and solemn. The bride and groom are expected to remain serious from start to finish, not even a hint of a smile allowed. The reasoning is that marriage is a sacred commitment, too important for outward giggles or casual grins. To an outsider, the sight might look less like a celebration of love and more like the world’s most intense staring contest; for locals, it’s a symbol of respect, devotion, and gravity.

Scotland’s version of pre-wedding "fun" isn’t for the faint of heart. Here, the couple’s closest friends gather before the ceremony to stage the blackening, a messy and mischievous ritual meant to test the pair’s endurance. The bride and groom are chased, caught, and covered in a vile mix of sticky leftovers, spoiled milk, fish guts, flour, and rotten eggs. Once properly coated, they’re paraded through town for everyone to admire. It’s smelly, chaotic, and a little cruel, but there’s meaning behind the madness: if two people can handle such public embarrassment together, they can probably handle anything marriage throws their way.

Would you let your new spouse kiss every guest on your wedding day? No, it’s not the plot of some surreal romantic comedy. As it happens, in Sweden it’s a lighthearted wedding tradition! Whenever the bride or groom leaves the room, the guests line up to give a kiss to the one who stays behind. It may sound a little too wild to some, but in Sweden it’s generally seen as a playful and harmless way to celebrate the newlyweds.

In the remote Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, love takes a surprisingly literal form. At the end of the ceremony, family members may lie down on the ground to form what is sometimes described as a "human carpet." The newlyweds then walk across their relatives’ backs on their way out, a gesture meant to honor the family’s blessing and symbolize unity between both sides. It works as a reminder that marriage rests, quite literally, on the support of loved ones. The only caution? It’s best if the bride leaves the high heels aside for this one.

France, known for elegant cuisine and candlelit dinners, once had a wedding custom that was far less glamorous. After the celebration ended, family and friends would gather the leftovers and serve them to the newlyweds in a toilet bowl or chamber pot. The concoction, commonly referred to as la soupe, was meant to "restore the couple’s strength" after their long day. In later versions of the tradition, guests substituted the original mixture with chocolate or champagne to make it more "festive." While it sounds more like a prank than a tradition, it symbolized good fortune and fertility. Thankfully, modern French couples now prefer to recover their energy with a croissant and café au lait instead of… whatever that was.

In Maasai culture in Kenya and northern Tanzania, blessings sometimes take an unexpected yet heartfelt form. Instead of a long speech or formal ceremony, a father offers his daughter good fortune with a simple gesture: he spits lightly on her head and chest before she leaves to begin her married life. It may sound disgusting, but among the Maasai, it’s a deeply respectful gesture. In a region where water is scarce and every drop is precious, even a small amount of saliva carries powerful symbolism. It represents life, protection, and the hope that the union will be strong and prosperous.

In South Korea, a groom’s path to the altar sometimes comes with one final challenge. Before the ceremony, his friends tie his ankles together, lift his feet, and playfully strike the soles with sticks or dried fish while firing off trivia questions. The custom, commonly known as bal dalli gi (literally "beating the feet"), is less about pain and more about proving the groom’s resilience and quick wit under pressure. The blows are meant to sting just enough to keep him alert, while the laughter from the crowd keeps the mood light. It’s a comical mix of endurance test and friendship ritual.

Among the Yugur (also known as the Yughur) people of northwestern China, love traditionally begins with a symbolic act of archery. In this centuries-old ritual, the groom takes a bow and fires three arrows directly at his bride. Don’t worry, the arrows are deliberately blunted or have their tips removed to ensure safety. Once the arrows have struck her dress, he retrieves them and breaks them in half, symbolizing that their bond can never be broken. All in all, the gesture represents both trust and eternal devotion, showing that true love doesn’t always come in diamond form.

On the misty island of Borneo, love begins with an endurance test worthy of a reality show. According to widely circulated accounts, among the Tidong people, newlyweds spend their honeymoon locked in a small room for three full days and nights—not even bathroom breaks allowed! Family members monitor the couple to ensure the rules are observed. The couple is given just enough food and water to get by, but the challenge is mostly symbolic: a test of patience, trust, and teamwork. If they can face three days in close quarters without escaping (or arguing), legend says their marriage will be long and unbreakable. It’s not exactly a tropical getaway, but it might just be the ultimate test of compatibility!

PASS THE FISH SAUCE

Go Beyond Mayonnaise, Ketchup & Mustard: 10 Condiments To Spice It Up!

Image: JACQUELINE BRANDWAYN

Sure, there is nothing wrong with good old mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. But those classic flavors would be even more appreciated if given a rest for a while. And, in the meantime, here are ten condiments from all over the world that have been waiting on the benches for their day on the spotlight on your diner table. Did you ever hear about oyster sauce? Or lingonberry jam? Take a quick look and see if any of these flavor enhancers tempt you!

Image: Davide Cantelli

Let us start this list with a sauce that is served throughout the Balkan nations as a relish or a side dish. The so-called "Serbian Salsa", ajvar is a condiment made principally from sweet bell peppers and eggplants.

The relish became a popular side dish throughout Yugoslavia after World War II and is made of roasted peppers. Ajvar can be consumed as a bread spread or as a side dish. Ajvar has a few variations. One variation contains tomato and eggplant, and another green bell peppers and oregano.

Image: Viviana Rishe

Hoisin sauce gives a tangy glaze to any dish. Essentially a Chinese barbecue sauce, this condiment lies at the intersection of brown sauce and hot sauce. Peking ducks are almost always dressed with hoisin sauce.

This is a thick, fragrant sauce commonly used as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as a dipping sauce. It is dark-colored, sweet, and salty. Although regional variants exist, hoisin sauce usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic.

Image: Nick Karvounis

A Korean sauce, gochujang is a savory and spicy hot pepper paste that gives many dishes from its country of origin their unique taste. It is made from chili, fermented soybeans, sticky rice, and salt, it’s mostly combined with other condiments when used.

Traditionally, it would be naturally fermented over years in ceramic vessels on an elevated stone platform in the backyard but these days it is prepared in a more industrial environment.

Image: Caroline Attwood

As the name implies, fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish. Its pungent smell may come as a shock to the first-time user but it is a flavor one gets used to. It helps enhance the taste of the ingredients it touches.

It is mixed with sugar, chili, lime juice, and garlic, and due to its ability to add a savory umami flavor to dishes, it has been embraced globally by chefs and home cooks. It can be used as a seasoning during or after cooking and as a base in dipping sauces.

Image: NordWood Themes

A familiar name to many, chutney is made of fruit or vegetable marinated in vinegar, spices, and sugar, chutneys can be sweet, savory, or spicy. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt, or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion, or mint dipping sauce.

Vinegar was added to the recipe for English-style chutney that traditionally aims to give a long shelf life so that autumn fruit can be preserved for use throughout the year or to be sold as a commercial product. In Western cuisine, chutney is often eaten with hard cheese or with cold meats.

Image: Ashim D’Silva

Miso is a byproduct of soy sauce, but it has a life of its own. Apart from being used to make soup, the paste can be served directly as a topping on rice.

High in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals, it is used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables, fish, or meats. Different varieties of miso have been described as salty, sweet, earthy, fruity, and savory.

Image: Kiyoshi

Another familiar name on the list, aioli begins with a ground garlic paste before whipping in egg yolk, olive oil, and mustard. The emulsion is sometimes seasoned with lemon juice, saffron, or chili. It is a perfect dip for seafood, veggie crisps, or french fries.

The names mean "garlic and oil" in Catalan and Provençal. It is found in the cuisines of the Mediterranean coasts of Spain and France.Some versions of the sauce are closer to a garlic mayonnaise, incorporating egg yolks and lemon juice, whereas other versions lack egg yolk and contain more garlic.

Image: Tyson

Perhaps it is more than "just" a condiment, as it also has steamed, fried sausage, usually pork, typically cut into bite-sized chunks. But in this case, we are highlighting the curry ketchup that goes with it.

Currywurst sauce is based on spiced ketchup or tomato paste topped with curry powder, or a ready-made ketchup seasoned with curry and other spices. The dish is often served with french fries.

Image: Raphael Nogueira

As exotic as the name sounds, it is not a rare condiment. Oyster sauce is a viscous dark brown condiment thickened with corn starch, made from oyster extracts, sugar, salt, and water.

Oyster sauce is saltier and is used more often in everyday cooking than hoisin sauce. It’s as suitable for marinating a steak at home as it is for dressing boiled choi sum.

Image: Fábio Alves

Lingonberries grow on a short evergreen shrub in the Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Eurasia to North America. And, in Sweden, these little berries are used to make delicious jam that is used as a condiment for meat courses, such as meatballs, beef stew, or fried herring.

Traditional dishes such as potato pancakes, spinach pancakes, and black pudding are commonly combined with lingonberries. The jam can also be paired with oatmeal porridge, mashed potatoes, and some desserts.