Getting married can be one of the happiest moments in a person’s life. Throughout the world, weddings are very important events. Let’s look at some interesting wedding customs from different countries.
For African Americans, it is tradition for the married couple to jump over a broom covered with flowers. This represents the beginning of family life. It is interesting to note that African slaves who were brought to the USA started this tradition. African American couples were not allowed to have a legal marriage, so instead they had a ceremony where the bride and groom jumped over a broom “into marriage”.
Making jokes about the bride and groom is a wedding tradition in both France and Germany. In France, this includes making loud noises with pots; in Germany, wedding guests break dishes. Weddings in Germany often last for three days. On Thursday, there is a simple ceremony at a government office noting the official marriage of the couple. Then the couple will have a dinner with family and close friends. On Friday, there is a party. This is when guests break dishes to represent the start of a new life. Then on Sunday, there is a ceremony in a church.
In Greece and Italy, people eat special kinds of sweets at the wedding. Both Greece and Italy also have their own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy.
In Russia, couples tie a doll to their wedding car if they want to have a daughter, or a toy bear if they want to have a son.
In England, it is tradition for the little girls to throw flowers on the ground on the way to the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom walk on these flowers. This represents the hope that the couples will follow the path that leads to a happy life.
Topic
| ·Getting married can be 1. __________ than any other moment in a person’s life.
·Interesting wedding customs differ 2. _________ country to country.
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Countries/ People
| Wedding Customs
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African Americans
| ·Married couple jump over a broom covered with flowers, which 3. _________ the beginning of family life.
·In the past, African American couples were 4. __________ to get married legally.
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France and Germany
| ·Make jokes about the bride and groom.
·In Germany, wedding guests get dishes 5. __________.
·A German wedding often 6. _________ three days.
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The Greek and the 7. __________
| ·Either Greece 8. _________ Italy has its own special wedding dances, which all of the guests enjoy.
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Russia
| ·If couples want to have a daughter, they will have a doll 9. _________ to their wedding car.
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The English
| ·The bride and groom walk on the flowers thrown by little girls. It represents the hope of 10. __________ the path leading to a happy life.
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