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