Wedding Traditions | A Special Events and Lifestyle Marketing Boutique

Despite being illegal since 1961, the tradition of paying dowry’s, both financial and material, to the groom’s family is still alive in well in the country of India.

It may sound romantic to some, after all, dowries were once meant to assist the new husband in making sure that his wife is taken care of. But in 2010, India’s National Crime Records Bureau cited an alarming 8,391 dowry-related deaths. It seems the tradition has turned ugly and husbands are now demanding dowries well after the ceremony is over. When families don’t comply, brides may end up tortured or even worse, murdered.

Thankfully, a new online game called Angry Brides hopes to shed light on the problem of dowries and inform the world of the increasing number of crimes against women living in India. It’s a play on the popular game Angry Birds and in order to play the user (Bride) has to strike the dodging grooms. Each groom (there are 3 – an engineer, doctor, and pilot) starts of at a dowry value of 1.5 million rupees (~30,000 USD). Each hit decreases the total cost of the groom’s dowry and credits money back to her Anti-Dowry fund.

The game is available as a free Facebook application and can be downloaded at app.facebook.com/angrybrides.

Photo credits: facebook.com/angrybrides

It’s interesting to note that many of our current wedding traditions are the result of ancient folklore – oftentimes, drummed up to ward off evil spirits that were thought to plague couples on their wedding day. And believe it or not, superstition exists around just about every detail of your wedding day. So, in honor of Friday the 13th, the unluckiest day of the year, I thought I’d share 13 ancient wedding superstitions you may not be too familiar with.

A final look in the mirror right before the bride leaves her home for the ceremony will bring good luck. However, if she looks in a mirror once again before the ceremony, her luck will go bad.
Wedding cake is considered good luck and all wedding guests should eat some to ensure their own personal good luck — an unmarried male guest who keeps a piece of wedding cake under his pillow as he sleeps will increase his chances of finding a mate and an unmarried bridesmaid who does the same will dream of her future husband.
The first member of the newlywed couple to purchase a new item following the wedding will dominate the relationship.
On the wedding day, a bride should exit her house from the front door and step out right foot first. She should also enter her home by the main door and must never trip or fall or, you guessed it, she’ll have bad luck.
Marrying when the hands on the clock are on their way down is bad luck. It`s considered far better to marry between the half hour and the hour, when the hands are moving back up, otherwise, your marriage will always be going downhill.
To see a Monk or nun on your wedding day is considered bad luck, as they represent barreness and a life dependent on charity.
The bride is said to be doomed to a life of heartbreak and tragedy if she wears her complete wedding outfit before the big day.
Dropping the ring during the ceremony is an evil omen and whoever dropped the ring would die first.
Sapphire or aquamarine in a wedding ring means marital happiness and is said to ensure a long, happy marriage.
If you can persuade a cat to eat out of your left shoe one week before the wedding good luck will bless your married life.
It is unlucky for the bride or groom to wear their rings before the wedding ceremony and once the wedding ring has been placed on the finger, it is considered bad luck to remove it. If the ring accidentally comes off, your spouse must replace it on your finger.
Wedding flowers to avoid are peonies, as they symbolize shame.
It’s considered good luck for the bride to cry on her wedding day, as this symbolizes that she has shed all her tears and will not have any to shed during her marriage.