15 Of The Most Beautiful Brides From Around The World
Weddings are literally the best. Everyone we love gathers together for the sole purpose of celebrating two people who are madly in love. Everyone gets to witness and share in that love for a day, or a few days, or maybe even a week!
Weddings are celebrated in different ways all over the world. In the many Western countries, weddings typically last one day, with a ceremony and then a reception, though some are extending the wedding celebration to two days or an entire weekend. In India, wedding ceremonies typically last at least three days. In some parts of Africa, weddings can last for a week or more!
Each country also has their own unique wedding traditions that have been carried through generations. Some countries follow these traditions to the letter, while others incorporate old traditions in to modern ceremonies. The bride and groom make individual decisions about how they want to honor the traditions passed down by their culture and how to make their ceremony and reception their own. In some cultures, honoring the traditions of their ancestors is important to the prosperity of the marriage.
No matter what traditions are honored and which ones are left behind, everyone knows that the wedding day is all about the beautiful bride. Every culture honors the bride on her wedding day in a different way, but the bride is always the center of attention.
Here's some examples of how cultures all over the world honor their most beautiful brides.
15 These Russian beautiful brides
This picture isn't from just any same sex marriage. This photo is from the first same sex marriage in Russia. Same sex marriage is illegal in Russia, which is famous for being an extremely homophobic country. But the two women in the picture, Irina Shumilova and Alyona Fursova, were able to exploit a loophole in the system to apply for their marriage license and go through with their ceremony. Irina Shumilova is a trans woman who is currently transitioning, but on her passport her gender is still listed as male. This allowed them to apply for their marriage license as a male and a female even though Irina identifies as female.
Russian weddings involve many quirky rituals that make them a fun time. Before the wedding, the groom (or in this case one of the brides) goes to the bride's family's house to pick her up, but she's been hidden by her family! The groom must pay the bride's family a 'ransom', usually in the form of food and drinks, to get the bride back for the wedding.
At the reception, the guests can demand the couple kiss, just like in the West, but the Russian twist is that the couple must kiss as long as possible, while the guests count. In traditional Russian weddings, one of the couple's friends acts as an emcee of the wedding and hosts games during the reception that usually pit the families against each other.
Russian weddings are definitely all fun and games.
14 This colorful Nigerian bride
This bride is Kanuri, the largest ethic group in Northeast Nigerian. Kanuri weddings are elaborate and intricate affairs that last for days. There are many rituals and rites that must be adhered to at a Kanuri wedding. One of the most important traditions honored in Kanuri weddings is the dowry. The groom's family must offer gifts, sometimes money, sometimes not, to the bride's family.
Once the dowry has been accepted by the parents, a rite called the "Kamu" takes place. The bride, who has been hidden by an elaborate veil, is unveiled by the groom's family. Everyone is then anointed with perfume to bless the ceremony.
Then there is a rite called the "wankan amarya." The bride, who is dressed in traditional Kanuri wedding clothes, is carried by the female members of the grooms family to the ceremony site. There is a ritual dance and then the female members of the grooms family wash the bride's hair. The bride then braids her hair, which is the way it is traditionally worn for weddings.
These are just some examples of the elaborate rituals that take place as a part of the wedding ceremony. There are multiple rituals involving songs, dancing, incense, and chanting. A Kunuri wedding often goes on for multiple days. One couple even had a six day long ceremony.
13 This gorgeous Mexican bride
Mexican weddings are very centered on spirituality and family. Most Mexican weddings are held in the Catholic church where a full mass is performed for the couple. During the ceremony, the couple is joined up front by their 'Padrinos.' Padrinos are older family members or close friends of the family who participate in the ceremony to pledge their support to the couple. They have served as mentors to the couple throughout their relationship and promise to support and counsel the couple throughout their marriage.
During the ceremony, the couple is encircled in a 'Lazo,' which is a ring of flowers or a rope like a lasso. This serves as a symbol of them being bound together for their lifetimes. The family, or the Padrinos place the Lazo around the couple. The groom also gives his bride coins, usually 13 gold pieces, to represent his promise to support his bride.
In the Mexican culture, which is very mutli-generational, marriages are undertaken by the whole family, not just the couple, and the wedding tradition reflect this.
12 This bright Indian bride to be
Indian weddings are an event to behold. Like Kanuri weddings, Indian weddings last for days, typically three days. During these three days there are multiple rituals and planned events for the whole family. On the first night there is a private ceremony at the couple's house with the family.
On the second day, all the women and girls will gather together and spend hours applying intricate henna designs to their hands, arms, and feet. The henna tattoos seen on Indian brides and family members are truly an art form. During the evening the sangeet takes places, which is essentially the equivalent of the rehearsal dinner.
The third day the ceremony and reception happens. Indian wedding ceremonies are theatrical, elaborate affairs. The groom often arrives on a white horse, with his wedding party dancing around him while music plays. The ceremony includes several rituals in which the couple and their families participate.
The receptions are full of music and dancing, just like any other! But you'll definitely see some Indian traditional dancing at the reception as well. Pick up the dance steps and join in if you can!
Indian wedding attire and decorations are incredibly colorful. This picture is a great example of the intricate and bold saris that brides often wear for their weddings.
11 This gorgeously elaborate Minangkabau bride and groom
The Minangkabau are one of the native cultures in Indonesia. Traditional Minangkabau weddings are also very theatrical events. There's almost a script to be followed. First, the groom and his family are invited over to the bride's house. The bride's family put on a dinner for the groom's family and they go through a ritual of "challenging" each other, which is an elaborate exchange of words. The Minangkabau have a rich oral tradition, which is evident in their courtship rituals. The groom then stays in the bride's house, with her family. Out of respect for her family, the groom becomes a contributing member of his bride's household.
The wedding ceremony is a theatrical affair as well. Traditional dances are performed by the elders of the community who are experts in the dances. The Minangkabau are followers of Islam, so the ceremony typically includes religious rites as well.
Like Indian weddings, Minangkabau weddings are bright and colorful. The couple dresses in lavish outfits and don beautiful accessories. The couple above is an example of the beautiful wedding attire often found at Minangkabau weddings.
10 This Pakistani bride slaying in her modest wedding dress
In Pakistan many women cover themselves with head scarves, hijabs, or burqas. Contrary to popular belief, this is not some sort of repressive, patriarchal mandate. It's actually a way to honor their culture and religious beliefs. Women believe that it is their religious duty to dress modestly, so they cover themselves according to their culture and religion.
For women who cover, choosing a wedding dress is an adventure because the dress needs to fit their modesty needs. Western wedding dresses, which expose a lot, definitely won't fit the bill. Luckily, there are some amazing modest wedding dresses out there.
Much like Indian weddings, Pakistani weddings are lavish, days long parties. The first day is filled with music and dancing. The female family members play a drum called a Dholki and sing love songs. Then all the guests join in a kind of dance off competition called the mehndi. Then the bride's female family members and friends get together and apply henna for the wedding ceremony.
During the ceremony, Pakistani couples actually sign a marriage contract called a Nikkah-naama. This contract has all the terms of the marriage, which both partners have agreed to ahead of time. This ensures a happy marriage for the couple.
There are many days worth of celebrations in a Pakistani wedding, and these are just some of the interesting and fun rituals that take place.
9 This fiery Irish bride
One of the most recognized Irish wedding traditions is the Claddagh ring. This ring depicts a heart surrounded by hands and topped with a crown. In Irish tradition the ring is passed from mother to daughter and used as a wedding ring. When the couple is engaged, the crown points down the hand. When the couple is married, the woman flips the ring so the crown points out to indicate she is married.
During the ceremony, some Irish couples like to honor the old Celtic tradition of handfasting. In this ritual, the couple holds their hands on top of each other and a beautiful ribbon is tied around their hands. This symbolizes the couple being tied together for life. Interestingly, this is where we got the phrase "tying the knot."
The toasts are one of the highlights of the reception. Guests giving toasts often memorize Irish poems or blessings and offer them as toasts to the couple. Many receptions also include traditional Irish stepdancing.
8 This Italian bride rocking a floral crown
In Italy the day of the wedding is important, as some days are considered back luck for the marriage. Sunday is always the best bet for the couple, but definitely not Friday or Tuesday. The length of the veil is also very important choice. The Italians believe that the length of the veil symbolizes how long the couple has loved each other, so the longer the veil the better.
After the ceremony, the bride and groom break a glass. The superstition is that the number of shards of glass represents the number of years the couple will be married, so the bride and groom do the best they can to absolutely shatter the glass.
Confetti is a big part of Italian weddings too, but not the same way it is in the West. In Italy confetti refers to sugar covered almonds that are given to the guests as favors. The guests used to throw the sugar covered almonds as the couple exited the church, but now they throw rose petals or tissue paper instead and just eat the delicious almonds.
7 This vibrant Chinese bride
China is a very family oriented culture and marriage is seen as a joining of two families, not just a joining of the couple. As such, the family is involved in the whole process from engagement to wedding day. The family chooses a 'Betrothal Day' where the families get together to celebrate the engagement. The groom's family brings gifts for the bride's family. The couple isn't officially engaged until after the 'Betrothal Day.'
During the ceremony, the couple bows to their families and to objects representing their ancestors. There is a tea ceremony where the couple offers tea to the elder family members, in order of their seniority in the family. Lastly, the couple bows to each other, ending the wedding ceremony.
The evening of the wedding, the couple goes to their room and shares a cup of tea together, passing it back and forth taking sips. The next morning, they both rise early to honor their ancestors and thank them for the marriage.
6 Swedish blonde bombshell bride
In Sweden, the hijinks begin before the wedding with a surprise bachelor and bachelorette party. Instead of planning a bachelor or bachelorette party, the friends of the bride and groom will often 'kidnap' them and take them to a surprise party.
At the wedding ceremony, the bride isn't given away by her father or a male family member like in the West. This tradition stems from the daughter being the father's property that he's handing over to another male. The Swedes don't get down with that kind of patriarchy. It's just not in their culture. The bride and groom walk down the aisle side by side and face each other once they reach the altar.
At the reception, it's not uncommon to see lots of kissing, and not just between the bride and groom. It's traditional for everyone to kiss the bride and groom at some point during the reception. It's kind of a running joke. When the groom leave the room all the guys try to sneak a kiss from the bride. When the bride leaves the room, all the women try to do the same.
The reception is almost run like a roast, complete with an emcee. The emcee cooridnates multiple speeches from friends and family members and often screens a video of the couple.
5 This joyous German Bride
In Germany there are actually two wedding ceremonies, if that's what the couple wants. All couples are married in a simple civil ceremony, which just the close family members attend. After the civil ceremony, a religious ceremony is held. In some areas in Germany the couple will walk to the church where the ceremony is being held while carrying fire, which they throw over the threshold before they enter the church.
After the ceremony, there is a log with a handsaw outside the church. The couple saws the log in half together. This symbolizes the couple handling their first difficult task together as husband and wife.
A practical joke often played at German weddings is to make the wedding night as hard as possible for the bride and groom. Friends and families will prank the honeymoon suite by making the bed inaccessible or making it hard for the couple to get in the room.
4 This flawless Korean bride
In Korea, it's tradition for the bride and groom to exchange geese before the wedding. Geese mate for life, so the exchange is a symbol of the couple's intention to be together for the rest of their lives. In the past, this meant literal geese. Today, the couple will often exchange little models of geese to honor this tradition.
The actual ceremony is usually a private event, just for the bride and groom's closest families. Often, the ceremony is held at the bride or groom's house. During this ceremony the parents will often give the couple advice for a prosperous marriage.
After the wedding ceremony there will be a separate reception. The bride may wear a hanbok, a traditional Korean wedding dress consisting of a long sleeved jacket with ribbons and a long skirt. These are often elaborately and intricately decorated. The reception is often a simple celebration with friends and family who were not present at the ceremony.
3 Guatemalan Bride
Before the couple can officially get engaged in Guatemala, the prospective groom must woo his prospective bride's family in a ceremony called the Pedida. The groom's family will often participate as well. An elaborate meal is cooked for the bride's family. The groom then kneels in front of the elder members of the bride's family and listens to their marriage advice.
Guatemala also holds a civil ceremony prior to the religious ceremony. In the religious ceremony the bride and groom enter after children who carry the rings as well as 13 coins, which symbolize the couple's financial well-being. A cord is draped over the shoulders of the bride and groom to symbolize their connection.
When the ceremony is complete, they head to the reception, usually held at the bride's house. Outside the house there is a white, ceramic bell. As the couple enters the house, the mother of the bride breaks the bell, to bring the couple abundance in the future.
2 South African Bride
During a South African wedding ceremony, the couple will give each other rings, like in the West, but they will also have their hands tied together with natural materials, like long grasses.
After the wedding ceremony there is a feast called the Karamu. The eldest male relative will usually give the couple a blessing before the meal begins. The focus of the Karamu is service to others. The bride will feed the groom as a symbol of her intent to take care of him. The family members also ceremonially serve each other bread to represent the fact that their families are merging and are now responsible for each other.
After the feast the money dance happens. The bride and groom dance for as long as they possibly can and the guests throw money at them for the duration of their dance. Sometimes the couple keeps this money as part of their wedding gift, but sometimes the mother of the bride gets the money.
After the ceremony, the parents of the bride go home and light a fire, as do the parents of the groom. Each set of parents lights a stick. They then carry their sticks to the couple's new home and light their first fire, symbolizing the parents helping the couple start their new lives.
1 Jamaican Bride
In Jamaica, weddings are a village wide affair. In some cases, villagers from neighboring villages even show up without an invite. The bride leaves her house and walks through the village to the venue with all her attendants. The villagers gather to critique her appearance. If the bride is not deemed beautiful enough for her wedding, then the villagers may send her back to beautify further. These days, this is more of a teasing ritual than anything else.
At the ceremony, the bride may be walked down the aisle by her father or her father and mother. The receptions at Jamaican weddings are pretty standard. There's tons of food, especially curried goat, toasts and dancing. Wedding gifts are given, and in small villages, this usually includes livestock so the couple can sustain their lives together.
When the reception is over, the couple goes back to their house and the celebration continues for the rest of the week with feasts at their house.