Wedding Rings

     Wedding rings are a must for most married people, we all know and accept this. They are presented during proposals, exchanged at ceremonies, and worn for several years on end. Not many people question the symbolism and history behind wedding rings though, for they assume that they exist simply to serve as an indication of marriage. This is not the case at all.

     The history of the wedding ring goes back to ancient times, when life was considered generally more difficult and afflicted. Back then, a husband would often practice a superstitious ritual of sorts to ensure that his wife's bright spirit wouldn't leave her too soon. In this ritual, the man would bind his woman's wrists and ankles with ropes of grass as a way to "keep her spirit within her". Through the years, this binding act of sorts has evolved into what we now know as the tradition of the wedding ring, for the meaning is generally the same. In the end, the ideas and symbols of union and love remain the same, whether you are getting bound in ropes of grass or are slipping on a beautiful wedding ring.

By Julia Dankov

Best Man

     You were just asked to be your buddy's best man at his wedding next month. You're probably feeling excited, even quite honored. You realize it's now your duty to arrange a bachelor party, write a best man speech, and maybe even bring the wedding rings to the altar. Although having such responsibilities make you a bit anxious, you know that it definitely beats what you'd have to do as best man several centuries ago; help kidnap your buddy's soon to be wife!

     The history of the best man tradition goes all the way back to the sixteenth century, when it served for a completely different purpose than it does now. Back then, it was customary for a man to marry a woman within his own community. However, if there were not enough women in the community, the men had to look elsewhere. After doing so and finding themselves a suitable wife, they would ask one of their close friends to raid the town and help kidnap the chosen woman if her family objected to the marriage proposal or anything of that sort. This close friend was called the best man! So now think about it, do those minor best man burdens sound as bad anymore?

By Julia Dankov

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