by Johanna Osborne

Most of us like to believe in something. It makes us feel better, safer and more grounded. Some wedding customs, traditions and beliefs were born many hundreds of years ago as a result of folklore and paganism. Whilst some of them seem a tad silly, others are quite cute and fun. You might not save the world by putting a coin in your shoe but sometimes there’s no harm in being just a little superstitious! Luck has a funny way of gracing those that believe in it. Here’s some of our favourites…

Finnish brides don’t leave a passionate marriage to chance. To make sure their love keeps burning throughout their union, they’ve been known head to the alter carrying an appropriate symbol: A match. Perhaps fireworks or a sparkler could be a good idea too?

In Chinese wedding traditions, timing is everything. In order to ensure they start their marriage off with good fortune, couples consult with a monk, fortune teller, calendar or almanac (and these days, the Internet) to find the luckiest wedding day. The selection has to do with a variety of factors, including the bride’s and groom’s birthdates. And instead of saying their vows at the top of the hour, many Chinese couples start the ceremony at half past the hour, so as to begin their lives together when the clock is on an upswing. Makes good sense to us and sounds wonderfully romantic!

Though they may wear a white gown, many Mexican brides are sure to include some bold color in their wedding attire. By sewing three ribbons to their undergarments-yellow to symbolize the blessing of food, blue to bring good financial luck and red to summon a passionate union–they can ensure a happy marriage. We’ve always liked a bit of colour in a wedding party so this is one idea we love!

Several days before the wedding, many Indian brides have natural and temporary henna dye-tattoos applied to their hands and feet in elaborate patterns. The ceremonious application can take hours and, often the groom’s initials are hidden in the detailing for him to find on their wedding night. If he finds them, the couple will have good luck, and if he can’t he must give his bride a gift. Now that’s a hot and steamy tradition right there!

Traditionally, bells are chimed at Irish weddings to keep evil spirits away and ensure a harmonious family life. Nowadays, Irish brides often carry small bells in their bouquets as a reminder of their sacred wedding vows-bells are also found on tables at the reception and are common gifts to give newlyweds. Bells are lovely and would make a nice little trinket or favour for your guests to take home too!

Italian couples have been known to smash a vase or glass at their wedding. And they put a lot of muscle into it, too-the tradition says that however many pieces the glassware breaks into will symbolize how many years they’ll be happily married. Love this! Only problem – do you need safety glasses?

Also in Italy, guests receive five sugared almonds representing five wishes of health, happiness, wealth, fertility, and longevity. The almonds themselves remind the couple of both the sweet and bitter sides to life. Once again a very cool little gift for guests to enjoy.

An old, adorable Swedish custom is for the bride to carry coins in her shoes. A silver coin from her father is placed in the left shoe, while a gold coin from her mother in the right shoe, ensuring she will never go without. As long as it’s comfortable this is a rather sweet way to keep something precious and personal close to you all day long!

Some Brits like to invite another more unusual guest to their nuptials: A chimney sweep. When a London chimney sweep saved King George II’s life 200 years ago, the King declared that all chimney sweeps bring good fortune and should be treated with respect. It’s now considered good luck to see a chimney sweep on your wedding day, and many hire out their services to come to the ceremony and kiss the bride. Now that would be one very smudgy kiss!

On the day before their weddings, many Czech brides will find a newly planted tree in their yards, decorated with colorful ribbons and painted eggshells. The tradition says that the bride will live as long as the tree. We think this a wonderful tradition and can also be a great present idea for the wedded couple. As long as no one cuts the tree down in the next century or so, that is!

Beliefs and customs get more and more interesting depending on who you talk to and the age of the person telling the tales. From mothers, aunties and grandmothers telling girls to hold their feet up when going over the railroad tracks or they will never get married, to wearing something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue for luck on their wedding day… if it involves positive thoughts and a bit of a laugh, we say why not!