Ecuador wedding avaIn wealthy and powerful countries, a wedding is usually a romantic affair, a spiritual union of two people deeply in love with each other, but for many poorer states, it can be an economic arrangement just as well. Men and women get married to survive and earn a living. Ecuador is one of such countries. Of course, by far not all of the weddings here are arranged without love and affection, but the percentage is rather high. Still, there are many happy couples who have found each other, fallen in love, and created a family because they are content and blissed out together.

Colombian avaSome Colombian wedding traditions are the same as those that typically occur at a Western-style wedding, like the proposal, a bachelor/bachelorette party, not seeing each other before the wedding, etc. But other wedding customs and rituals are unique and truly fun. For example, single male guests hide their shoes under the bride’s gown to find out who’s going to be the next groom. Or wedding guests having la hora loca (crazy hour) on a dance floor. There are also some more curious Colombian wedding traditions below.

Cuban wedding avaCuban weddings are cheerful and populous events. Brides buy fancy wedding gowns, dozens of guests bring costly wedding gifts to help the new family start a life together, wedding receptions are rich and plentiful. Although, as beautiful as a Cuban wedding is, the wedding traditions are very strict. For example, single mothers or divorced people are judged by society. At the same time, family is everything for Cubans, and it is common for extended families to live together in a large household. Let’s dive into the top-5 most typical and curious wedding traditions in Cuba.

Native American costumes ava2The Native American tribes had rather unique wedding traditions and lifestyle, in general. That’s why first European settlers couldn’t understand the Native American culture and people for a long time. They simply had too many differences. For example, the Native American people were matrilineal, so there were no dowry and no father giving away his daughter – women weren’t a possession. Divorce was a normal thing among the Native Americans, initiated by wives – all they had to do was put the husband’s belongings out of their home. These are just a few Native American marriage traditions, there are many more.

Navajo avaIn the wedding tradition of Navajo Native Americans, there were several interesting and very important issues to be followed. Today, most of them are left in the past, so when a modern Native American couple gets married – even if it’s a traditional wedding ceremony – these rules are mostly left out, while the spiritual rituals and traditional activities are still performed. Such things as arranged marriages or marriages at a very young age, etc rarely occur these days. Centuries ago, there was a reason for these wedding traditions, but we can easily go without them now.

Native American2 avaThe Wampanoag people, being Native American, have a lot of nice wedding traditions. All Native Americans are rather spiritual people, their rituals (not only wedding rituals but any other ceremonial activities) are deeply meaningful and symbolic. It’s fun to compare modern Western-style wedding traditions and centuries-old Wampanoag wedding traditions. Sometimes, they’re even the opposite.

Native American avaIndigenous Native American tribes have a very spiritual and rich traditional culture. There is a number of customs and rituals used in various situations. If to talk about the traditional Native American wedding, a few rituals are the most common and favored by the locals. Of course, different tribes that lived in different conditions and on different territories had their own wedding traditions and ceremonies, but these two wedding rituals – the wedding vessel ritual and the wedding blanket ritual – occur in many indigenous Native American communities even today.

Guatemalan wedding avaGuatemalan weddings are a cultural mix of Mayan, Hispanic, and Latino wedding traditions. The local people highly respect the elders in their community and family, they are also very religious, so many wedding rituals, customs, and superstitions were formed under the influence of these factors. A lot of couples still want a traditional wedding ceremony or at least incorporate some of the old traditions. Interestingly, at Guatemalan weddings, both children and elders get probably the most important duties – which ones, read below.

Peruvian wedding avaPeru is one of those countries which culture and beliefs are closest to Mother Earth. The local people highly appreciate nature and their centuries-old traditions. So, the wedding rituals here are charming and only a few foreigners can understand what’s happening on their own. That’s why we decided to explain the main Peruvian wedding traditions and help you fall in love with this unique wedding culture. Weddings in Peru are extremely colorful, look amazing and deeply symbolic.

Latin America avaLatin American countries have a lot of unique traditions, including wedding traditions. People are so very religious here and they prefer a church marriage ceremony. But it doesn’t mean at all that weddings are orthodox and old-fashioned in Latin America. The locals know how to balance modesty and cheerfulness, tradition and romance. The delicate wedding lasso rosaries put around the bride and groom confirm that. Though in recent years, many couples choose a Western-style wedding, there are still newlyweds who go traditional.