The rite of marriage in Turkey in the world
How the marriage in Turkey is observed ? Have you ever wondered how marriage is celebrated in other parts of the world? Across ages and countries, wedding traditions vary radically. They change the clothes, the colours, the customs or simply the rituals to say “yes/I want it!”
Getting married means joining your loved one forever. This union is the basis of every society, wherever it is.
Marriage in Turkey and in the world
Let’s discover some wedding traditions around the world.
Fabric matters: marriage in Nigeria
Did you know that in Nigeria the choice of the fabric of the clothes is one of the most important moments of marriage? Curious, but true. In addition to the frequent changes of the bride’s outfit, the fabric and the pattern are never left to chance. In Nigeria they represent the ancestors of the family and the tribe to which they belong. The fabric, entirely handmade, called “aso oke”, is made with the symbols of her tribe, him or both.
The spouses thus impose their “aso ebi”, that is the dress code that all guests must respect (colours, symbols …). Without forgetting that Nigerian weddings are real parties of extraordinary dimensions, it is not uncommon to attend weddings with more than 1000 people.
When you get married in Nigeria, you spend without keeping track!
After this African country, we go to Europe to discover the particularities of French marriage …
Honour to the classic: marriage in France
The “française” wedding is usually very classic and particularly romantic. Refreshments always begin with the inevitable entry of the bride and groom into the hall for the first dance.
Some symbols and customs are common to many other European countries, such as the bachelor party, wedding rings or the white dress.
The wedding rings follow the engagement ring and are worn on the left ring finger, not by chance of course, since in ancient times it was thought that in this way, the wedding ring was linked to the so-called “love” vein. The white dress is of course a symbol of purity. The garter, which many brides wear, symbolically represents chastity.
The French wedding always offers the classic wedding procession and the famous and highly anticipated throwing of the bouquet!
The British touch: marriage in England
The English wedding is very similar to the French one, but we notice a truly original peculiarity. In fact, English brides have been known to wear “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue!”, Always wear something old like a family jewel, something new like the dress itself, something borrowed and something blue, which can even be the shoes for modern brides.
Very interesting… but do you know what all these symbols mean?
The old object is used to bless the future baby, the new object to wish a radiant future, the loaned object will bring luck and blue is a good omen for fidelity. In addition to these four symbols, there is a fifth which consists of slipping a 6 pence coin into a shoe … certainly uncomfortable, but it is a great symbol of prosperity!
Now let’s take a considerable leap from England to India …
Profusion of colours: marriage in India
Who among you has ever seen those colourful Bollywood movies where everyone is beautiful, cheerful, colourful and dancing non-stop for hours? Will it really be like this? In part yes, at least for the guests!
Indian marriages are meticulously planned, organized and calculated. The Hindu rite imposes on the spouses various codified rituals already several months before the wedding. Under the strict control of families, young spouses do not have the possibility of organizing themselves according to their tastes or choices. Traditional marriages adhere to strict rules.
For example, women have the ceremony of mehndi (henna in the hands), of the sangeet (singing and dancing at night). Men have instead, among the many rituals, that of the tika (red dot on the forehead to show their commitment). In some areas of India and Bangladesh, there is the gaye holud ritual, that is, “turmeric on the body”, which takes place in the bride’s family. It consists in sprinkling the bride with turmeric powder, a very fragrant spice that, among the many benefits, tends to lighten her skin.
Let’s say that the Indian wedding is a real marathon, which starts many months before the big day!
Eye on coffee: marriage in Turkey
Marriage in Turkey is not the simple union of two people, but the union of two families.
The development of the Turkish wedding is punctuated by some mandatory stages, such as Söz kesme (formalization of the relationship), Nişan (engagement), Kına gecesi (henna night) and Düğün (wedding).
A special place for friends: Brazil
In Brazil it is traditional for brides to write the names of their best friends in the hem of the white dress. What strange idea will you think? This custom actually represents a wish, it is done to wish luck to the bride’s friends, and to ensure that they too, during the year, can find a husband. In addition, the Brazilian bride wears golden shoes, which she will take off and leave on the dance floor so that the guests can put money inside.
Conclusions
This journey through weddings around the world makes us understand how different the customs of the various countries are. Marriage, which consecrates the union of two people, is an important and fundamental event in many societies, and the various traditions that are often handed down from generation to generation are an example of this. What about customs and traditions in Turkey ?
