a whale's tooth, which is a symbol of status and wealth.
Finland
Brides wear golden crowns. After the wedding, unmarried women dance in a circle around the blindfolded bride, waiting for her to place her crown on someone's head. It is thought that whoever she crowns will be the next to wed.
The bride and groom have seats of honor at the reception. The bride holds a sieve covered with a silk shawl; when the guests slip money into the sieve, their names and the amounts given are announced to those assembled by a groomsman.
France
During the rein of Louis XVI, the bride gave her bridesmaids her fans, decorated with mythological paintings, as wedding presents.
Many couples drink the reception toast from an engraved two-handled cup (the coupe de mariage) as did newlyweds from days past. This cup will be passed on to future generations.
Germany
To mark their bethrothal, a couple give each other gold bands, worn on their left hands. Throughout their engagement, the couple are referred to as bride and bridegroom.
During the ceremony, when the couple kneel, the groom may kneel on the bride's hem to show that he'll keep her in line. The bride may step on his foot when she rises, to reassert herself.
Greece
The koumbaros, traditionally the groom's godfather, is an honored guest who participates in the wedding ceremony. Today, the koumbaros is very often the best man, who assists in the crowning of the couple (with white or gold crowns, or with crowns made of everlasting flowers such as orange blossoms, or of twigs of love and vine wrapped in silver and gold paper), and in the circling of the altar three times. Other attendants may read Scripture, hold candles, and pack the crowns in a special box after the ceremony.
To be sure of a "sweet life", a Greek bride may carry a lump of sugar in her glove on wedding day.
Holland
Dutch families used to plan a party prior to the wedding. The bride and groom sat on thrones under a canopy of fragrant evergreens. One by one, the guests came up to offer their good wishes.
Dutch weddings traditionally include heavy eating, including a sweetmeat called "bridal sugar" and spiced wine called "bride's tears."
Hungary
The couple exchange bethrothal rings. The groom also gives the bride a bag of coins: the bride gives the groom either three or seven handkerchiefs (believed to be a lucky number).
Guests dance with the bride at the reception, and give her a few coins in exchange for a kiss.
Iceland
The wedding cake indigeous to Iceland is kransakaka. It consists of rings of almond pastry of various sizes piled on top of one another to form a pyramid. Swirls of white icing decorate each ring and fine chocolates or decorative candies fill the hollow center.
India
The groom's brother sprinkles flower petals ( to ward off evil) on the bridal couple at the end of the ceremony.
To banish evil spirits, a coconut may be held over the couple's heads and circled around them three times.
Indonesia
During an engagement period that may last for years, many ceremonies involve gift exchanges that bring the two families together and strengthen their ties.
A Javanese bride is secluded after the marriage blessing and is visited by an angel, which stays with her throughout the six-day ritual that blends Muslim customs with local folklore.
Iran
When this country was called Persia, the groom bought the wedding dress, ten yards of sheeting to wrap around his bride.
Happily married women hold a sheer cloth over the head of the wedding pair during the ceremony. Later, the women scrape crumbs from two beautifully decorated sugar cones, known as kalehghand, over the couple's heads for luck.
Ireland
The traditional wedding cake of the Emerald Isle is a rich fruitcake. In true Irish spirit, the recipe is laced with brandy or bourbon.
A lucky horseshoe is given to the bride and groom to keep in their home.
Italy
Ribbons signify the tying together of two lives. A ribbon is tied across the front of the church door to symbolize the wedding bond.
Wedding guests have for centuries tossed confetti (sugared almonds) at the newlyweds. Sometimes, these decorate each place at reception tables- pretty little porcelain boxes or tulle bags called bomboniere, which are personalized with the couple's names and wedding date.
Jamaica
Slices of dark wedding fruitcake laced with rum are mailed to all friends and relatives unable to attend the reception.
Japan
On her wedding day , the bride and her family visit the groom's house. Traditionally, she wears a triangular band on her head, known as the tsunokakushi, or horn cover, to hide the horns of jealousy, which supposedly all women possess.
Korea
Ducks are included in the wedding procession because ducks mate for life.
The groom once traveled to the bride's house on a white pony, bearing fidelity symbols- a gray goose and gander (fowl that mate for life).
Latin America
Padrinos and madrinos are the wedding sponsors, who promise financial and spiritual aid. There may be several sponsors, a pair for each part of the wedding (e.g. music, food, church).
Malaysia
The groom's gifts to the bride are delivered to her home by costumed children in a noisy procession, carrying lavish trays of food and currency folded into animal or flower shapes.
Each wedding guest is given a beautifully decorated hard-boiled egg, a symbol of fertility.
Mexico
A "lasso," a very large rosary, is wound around the couple's shoulders and hands during the ceremony to show the union and protection of marriage.
Guests at many Mexican weddings gather around the couple in a heart-shaped ring at the reception, perhaps before the first dance.
Morocco
As in other Muslim countries, five days before the wedding, the bride has a ceremonial bath, then is painted with henna swirls on her hands and feet, and adorned with makeup and jewels by other women.
Before becoming guardian of her hearth, the Moroccan bride circles her marriage home three times.
Norway
Two small fir trees are set on either side of the door to the couple's house until they are blessed with a child.
The folk bridal costume is not complete without sterling silver jewelry and a gold and silver crown edged with small silver spoon-shaped bangles, whose tinkling sounds were thought to ward off evil spirits. The bride "dances off" this crown at the wedding feast.
Pakistan
The bride's family strings hundreds of brightly colored lights around the house in anticipation of the wedding.
The bride leaves her family to join her husband's family with the Holy Koran held over her head.
Philippines
A white silk cord is draped around the couple's shoulders to indicate their union.
A bell-shaped cage housing white doves (symbolizing peace) is a favored wedding decoration. At a well-timed moment, the bride and groom pull on ribbon streamers to release the birds,a send-off into their new lives.
Poland
Reception guests customarily buy a dance with the bride by pinning money to her veil or tucking bills into a special bridal purse to build a honeymoon fund.
Luck comes to the bride who drinks a glass of wine at the celebration without spilling a drop.
Puerto Rico
A bridal doll, in a dress that replicates the bridal gown, is placed on the head table at the reception. It might also be placed on the cake table if the wedding cake is decorated with flowers and colors that echo the bride's gown. The doll is used because of little momentos called "capias" that are attached to the doll. During the reception, the bride and groom will walk to each person to thank them for their presence at the nuptuals and for their well wishes. Each person is pinned with a capia.
Romania
Guests toss sweets and nuts at the new couple to wish them prosperity.
Girls begin making things for their trosseau as young as age six. The trosseau is carried by a cart drawn by oxen to the annual "maiden market" on June 29.
Russia
Wedding guests don't only give presents-they get them! The bride gives friends and relatives favors of sweets. They give her money after the wedding.
After the couple are crowned in a Russian Orthodox ceremony, they race to stand on a white rug. It is believed that whoever steps on it first will be the master of the household.
Samoa
The bride wears fresh flowers, a mother-of-pearl crown, and a dress of tapa cloth made from mulberry bark.
Scotland
Friends carry on an old good-natured custom: they wash the feet of both the bride and groom, preparing them to set off on a new path.
The sword dance, similiar to an Irish jig or a Highland fling, is usually performed at a Scottish wedding gathering.
Spain
The groom gives thirteen coins (the giving of monedas or arras) to the bride, symbolizing his ability to support and care for her. During the ceremony, she carries them in a special purse, or a young girl carries them on a pillow or handkerchief.
Wedding guests dance the "sequidillas manchegas" at the reception, during which each guest presents the bride with a gift.
Sweden
The bride may place a silver coin from her father in her left shoe and a gold coin from her mother in her right shoe, so she'll never do without. Her shoes are unfastened- symbolizing easy child-birth in the future.
Swedish wives wear three wedding rings: for betrothal, for marriage, and for motherhood.
Switzerland
A pine tree, which symbolizes luck and fertility, is planted at the couple's new home.
After the vows, the bride's floral wreath, which symbolizes her maidenhood, is removed and set afire by the mistress of ceremonies. It's considered lucky if it burns quickly.
Thailand
On the morning of the wedding, the couple go to feed the monks (who have taken the vow of poverty), in order to obtain a blessing.
An old custom, still practiced in rural areas, is to have an older couple prepare the bridal bed and leave behind lucky talismans- such as bags of rice, sesame seeds, coins and a tomcat - to wish both fertility and happiness.
Ukraine
A mock capture of the bride is carried out at wedding receptions to remind everyone present of the many times their homeland was invaded.
Instead of cake, Ukrainian couples share korovai, a sacred wedding bread decorated with symbolic motifs that represent eternity and the joining together of two families.
Vietnam
The mother of a Vietnamese groom visits the bride's home on the wedding day to deliver betel ( a plant used to pay respect) and pink chalk (the color chosen to wish for a rosy future).
There are two wedding celebrations, one party given by the bride's family and the other by the groom's.
Wales
Here, and throughout the British Isles, the bride gives her attendants cuttings of myrtle (symbolizing love) for her bouquet. According to custom, if the plant roots and blossoms, they will marry soon.
Attendants race home from the ceremony with news of the marriage; first to arrive wins a pint of ale.
West Indies
The traditional rum-flavored wedding cake is covered with a fine white table cloth. Guests pay for a lucky peek.
Guests are served curried goat and white rice.
