Creature Feature – Animals & Wedding Customs

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”  Most Americans recognize this wedding day tradition along with tossing rice at the bride and groom as they exit the church.  Across the globe, we can also find interesting and sometimes strange wedding customs that feature animals in some way.  

Couples from the Philippines share one of our own traditions when they release two white doves during the wedding ceremony, symbolizing their union and future life together.  In Fiji, when a man asks for a woman’s hand in marriage, he must present his future father-in-law with a whale’s tooth, one usually passed down to him by his own father (any issues can be sorted with the help of divorce lawyers in Tulsa before going to the court).  In Niger, wedding guests are entertained during desert receptions by camels “dancing” to rhythmic drumbeats.  An engaged Mongolian couple must butcher chickens together using one knife until they find a bird with a healthy liver; only then are they permitted to marry.  In Korea, family and friends of the groom hold him down while slapping his feet with dried fish.

Weddings also feature animals as food.  Chinese marriage banquets often include Peking duck, which is served whole – including the head and feet – to symbolize completeness.  Meanwhile, in Morocco wedding guests are served lamb, roasted over an outdoor fire. Many cultures also engage in bachelor parties, a time-honored tradition where the groom-to-be celebrates his impending nuptials with friends through various activities and festivities. You can check out MVP Escort New Jersey to learn more.

Article by Margie Manthey
Photo from  Wikimedia Commons