French Tradition

The traditional bridal trousseau, or hope chest, originated in France and came from the French word trousse, meaning bundle.

The popularity of a bride wearing a white wedding gown on her day of matrimony, began in France several hundred years ago. The custom of having fragrant flowers as decorations and bridal bouquets has also been popular for centuries. Each flower represents a special and unique meaning to the bride and groom, and especially fragrant flowers helped freshen things up a bit, before deodorant and perfumes were invented. Wedding bells in France were usually heard in spring and summer when it was warm enough for everyone to bathe!

Still practiced in small villages today, is a traditional French custom, for the groom to call on his future bride at her home on the morning of their wedding day. As he escorts her to the wedding chappel, the town's children stretch white ribbons across the road, which the bride cuts. The groom usually walks his mother down the aisle just prior to the main wedding procession.

As the newlywed couple departs from the wedding site, laurel leaves are scattered in their path for them to walk over.

A wedding toast is made to the newlyweds sometime during the traditional French wedding reception. Following this toast, they drink, as husband and wife, from a specially engraved, double handled goblet, usually a precious family heirloom passed down from generation to generation.

After the wedding reception, and even later into the couple's wedding night, friends of the newlyweds might show up outside their window banging pots and pans, singing boisterous tunes. The groom is expected to invite them in for drinks and snacks.

Swedish Tradition

In Sweden, the parent's of the bride- to- be practice an old traditional wedding custom. Before their daughter leaves for the church to be married, her mother gives her a gold coin to go in her right shoe, and her father hands her a silver coin to be placed in her left shoe. This way they know she will never go without.

After a Swedish couple exchange their marriage vows on their wedding day, the new bride will wear three bands on her wedding finger. One is an engagement ring, another is her wedding ring and the third is a ring for motherhood.

Cuban Tradition

Cuban wedding receptions are famous for their festivities. There is almost always lively music and dancing at a Cuban marriage celebration. Wedding guests partake in the traditional money dance, where each man who dances with the new bride must pin money to her dress, to help the newlyweds with their honeymoon expenses.

Along with receiving wedding presents, it is customary for the Cuban bride and groom to give each guest a favor, to remind them of this joyous occasion.

Icelandic Tradition

Wedding receptions in Iceland feature wedding cake called kransakaka.

This lovely cake is made by creating 'wedding rings' of almond pastry of various sizes which are then 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 center.

source: World Wedding Traditions