Korean Grooms

     Wedding traditions, as well as pre-wedding traditions, differ from culture to culture. Every nation has its own set of unique customs, and it's no surprise that some are thought of as considerably more strange than others. Let's take a certain Korean pre-wedding ritual, for example.

     After a Korean couples wedding ceremony, friends of the groom steal his shoes and socks. After tying a rope around his ankles, the groom's friends proceed to beat the soles of his feet with dried yellow corvina, which is a type of fish. This is thought to make the groom stronger in his marriage and family life. Although it may not seem like much to us, it sure means a lot to the men of Korea. In the end, this is all that matters.

By Julia Dankov

Stolen Shoes

     Every culture has its own individual wedding traditions. You can jump the broom or set up a wish tree. Such traditions come off quite sweet and fun. You can also have your shoes stolen and taken for ransom. Such a tradition comes off as quite the opposite. Still, it remains popular among most Indian weddings, and has for quite some time.



     It is customary for the bride and groom to remove their shoes before they go to the alter to get married during their wedding ceremony. Members of the bride's family take this opportunity to try and snag the groom's shoes. Members of the groom's family play the opposing force, for they try and protect the shoes by hiding them. If the bride's family succeeds in stealing the shoes, the groom must then pay a ransom to get them back. This traditional game of sorts gets the wedding guests, as well as the bride and groom, laughing away and having a good time. Although it may seem a bit silly, many Indian couples choose to incorporate it into their wedding celebration for this very reason.

By Julia Dankov