5 strange marriage customs around the world

When you think about it, many wedding customs can seem unusual compared to regular everyday life. I mean when else do you think about wearing something old, new, borrowed or blue? But as out of the ordinary as customs like that can seem, there are some really strange marriage customs around the world that top that by far. Here are five you won't believe.

5 strange marriage customs from around the world

1. India: Marrying a Tree

Can you imagine a bride marrying a tree before she is allowed to marry her groom? Believe it or not, this is a real custom in India. In some Hindu traditions, a woman whose horoscope shows Mangal Dosha (a Mars affliction that is believed to cause misfortune in marriage) must first symbolically wed a tree, often a banana tree, peepal tree, or even an idol of Lord Vishnu.

 

This ritual, known as Kumbh Vivah, is thought to neutralize the harmful effects of the planetary alignment. By marrying the tree, the “curse” is transferred to it, protecting the future husband from potential misfortune, such as an early death. After the ceremony, the tree is usually cut down or immersed in a river, symbolically ending that union and freeing the Indian bride to marry her human partner.

For those who believe, this practice is a way to ensure harmony, longevity, and eternal joy in the real marriage that follows.

 

Blackening the bride.

2. Scotland: Blackening of the bride (and groom)

If you thought marrying a tree was unusual, wait until you hear about the Scottish wedding tradition known as “Blackening of the Bride.” This messy pre-wedding ritual is all about preparing the couple for the challenges of married life. Traditionally, it involved the bride alone, but nowadays grooms often get “blackened” too.

Here’s how it works: Friends and relatives ambush the couple and cover them in the nastiest concoctions you can imagine—spoiled milk, rotting food, flour, soot, sticky treacle, even dead fish. Imagine cleaning out the worst-smelling science experiments from your refrigerator and dumping them in a bucket, then hurling it over the bride and groom while parading them through town for everyone to see.

And it doesn’t end there. After the slimy spectacle, the bride (and sometimes the groom) is taken out for a night of drinking and then tied to a tree. Why? The tradition symbolizes resilience. If the bride can endure humiliation, discomfort, and chaos, she’ll be ready to weather whatever storms marriage brings.

It’s messy, it’s smelly, and it’s unforgettable—but in Scotland, it’s all in the name of good luck. 

 

3. Germany: Piles of broken porcelain

In Germany, marriage celebrations can get a little… destructive. Before the wedding day, friends and family gather for a ritual called Polterabend—which literally means “noisy evening.” The centerpiece of the event? Guests smash porcelain dishes, cups, and even toilets into a giant pile right in front of the couple’s home. (Glass is avoided, since it’s thought to bring bad luck.)

 

Piles of broken porcelain dishes to clean up.

 

The crashing sound is believed to scare away evil spirits, but there’s another symbolic layer: once the fun is over, the bride and groom must clean up the mess together. The lesson is clear, if they can cooperate to tackle this mountain of broken pottery, they’ll be able to face life’s challenges hand in hand.

It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s surprisingly heartwarming, a reminder that teamwork is at the heart of a successful marriage.

4. France: Chocolate, champagne and the toilet

France may be famous for romance, fine wine, and gourmet food, but one of its wedding traditions is far from elegant. After the reception, when the bride and groom should be celebrating in style, friends surprise them with a strange challenge: eating chocolate and drinking champagne… out of a toilet bowl (or more often these days, a clean chamber pot).

Originally, the concoction wasn’t so sweet. In older versions of the ritual, guests would scrape leftovers (or worse) into the pot, forcing the couple to consume the unappetizing mix. Thankfully, modern versions have evolved into something far more palatable: melted chocolate, bananas, and bubbly champagne.

The idea behind the custom is symbolic. Sharing this unusual “meal” is believed to give the newlyweds strength for their wedding night and beyond. It’s quirky, messy, and a little gross, but for the French, it’s all about starting married life with laughter, resilience, and a story no one will forget.

5. Indonesia: Honeymoon - 3 days housebound with no toilet

If you think newlyweds deserve a relaxing honeymoon, the Tidong people of Borneo, Indonesia, would disagree. Their marriage custom requires the bride and groom to stay inside their home for three full days and nights—and here’s the kicker: they’re not allowed to use the toilet.

During this time, the couple is given only small amounts of food and drink, and relatives keep watch to make sure the rules are followed. The idea may sound extreme (and definitely uncomfortable), but the purpose is deeply symbolic. It’s believed that enduring this shared trial will bless the couple with a happy marriage and healthy children.

What better test of love than surviving three days together under those conditions? If you can make it through that, you can probably make it through anything!

The thing that’s interesting with these strange marriage customs around the world are the superstitions attached to them. But really, the reasons many of our wedding traditions exist are superstitions. After all, wearing a wedding veil originated to hide the bride from evil spirits.

Photo credits: Mind Midst, pxhere.com, pexels.com

History of Marriage Contracts: When Marriage Was a Family Agreement

(Updated June, 2026) 

Stories of star-crossed lovers make wonderful tales, but throughout much of history marriage was not primarily arranged around romance. Instead, marriage often served as a social, economic, and political agreement between families.

According to Stephanie Coontz, author of Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage, marriage was historically “a way of getting in-laws, of making alliances and expanding the family labor force.”

The First Recorded Marriage Contracts

Marriage is one of humanity’s oldest institutions, and the earliest recorded evidence of marriage contracts and ceremonies dates back approximately 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. These early contracts focused on practical matters such as property, inheritance, family obligations, and social status.

In that world, marriage helped preserve family wealth and power. Among royalty and ruling families, marriages were often arranged to create alliances, secure peace agreements, gain territory, and produce legitimate heirs. A marriage could strengthen a kingdom in much the same way treaties and political agreements do today.

For ordinary families, marriage was also a practical decision. Parents looked for partners who brought valuable qualities to the household—such as good health, a strong work ethic, useful skills, and the ability to contribute to family life. Having nearby land or shared interests could be an added benefit.

Marriage Filled the Role of Modern Institutions

For much of history, marriage carried responsibilities that are often handled today by banks, businesses, and legal agreements. Marriage contracts could determine property rights, inheritance, financial obligations, and the transfer of wealth between families.

Arranged marriages were common in many cultures, and in some cases the bride and groom had little or no say in choosing their partner. Among wealthy families, a marriage could be a carefully negotiated agreement between households. While love and affection certainly existed, they were not always considered the foundation of marriage.

The Role of Dowries and Marriage Contracts

Dowries became an important part of many marriage agreements. A dowry was property, money, or goods provided by the bride’s family to help establish the new household. In some societies, dowries represented a significant transfer of wealth and could influence marriage negotiations.

Marriage contracts also sometimes included protections for women. In parts of Europe, the “widow’s third” was a provision that guaranteed a widow a portion of her husband’s estate after his death, helping provide financial security.

 

The Babylonian Bridal Auction

One of the most famous examples from the ancient world comes from Babylon. The Greek historian Herodotus described a Babylonian custom involving a bridal marketplace where women were presented for marriage. However, historians debate the details and accuracy of this account, so it is best understood as a historical description rather than a universal practice.

Love and Marriage Through History

This does not mean love was absent from marriage in ancient or medieval times. Couples certainly formed deep emotional bonds, and affection played a role in many relationships. However, for many centuries marriage was viewed as a partnership that connected families, protected resources, and created social stability.

By the late 18th and 19th centuries, ideas about marriage began to shift. Romantic love increasingly became an important reason for choosing a spouse, helping transform marriage from primarily a family arrangement into the love-based partnership many people recognize today.

Marriage contracts reveal an important part of wedding history: before the white dress, the flowers, and the celebration, marriage was often a carefully crafted agreement that shaped families and societies for generations.

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Image credits: en.wikipedia.org,  worldhistory.org, picryl.com, en.wikipedia.org, commons.wikimedia.org