Think Teen 3 unit 6 customs and traditions

Japanese wedding

Contemporary Japanese weddings are celebrated in a great variety of ways. Many contain traditional Japanese and Western elements side by side.

Traditionally, the religious wedding ceremony is held in Shinto style at a shrine. Nowadays, this shrine may be located inside the hotel where the festivities take place. A Shinto priest conducts the ceremony, which is visited by only the close family members of the couple.

In the ceremony, the couple is purified, drinks sake, and the groom reads the words of commitment. At the end of the ceremony, symbolic offerings are given to the kami. The couple is dressed in traditional kimono.

After the ceremony, the couple welcomes all the guests, and the reception party is held. Usually the party is visited by about 20 to 200 guests among whom are relatives, friends, co-workers and bosses of the bride and groom. The party normally starts with the introductions of the bride and groom.

Afterwards, a meal is held and several guests make contributions such as speeches, songs and the like. During the whole celebrations, the groom and especially the bride may change their dresses several times. At the very end of the party, the couple will make a speech to all the guests and thank everybody.

Reception Party

During recent decades, Japanese couples have introduced many Western elements to Japanese weddings. Many brides chose to wear white, Christian style dresses, and some religious ceremonies are even held completely in Christian style at a Christian church even though the couple may not be Christian. The ritual of cake cutting, the exchange of rings and honeymoons are a few other very common adopted elements.

Recently, the number of Japanese couples who hold their wedding ceremony outside of Japan has also increased. One reason for this phenomena is the fact that by marrying abroad, the honeymoon can be combined with the ceremony, and the number of guests and, therefore, the overall costs for the event can be reduced.

 

Bulgarian Wedding - Traditions and Customs
Traditions and customs were main part of Bulgarian life in the past. In nowadays most of the customs are changed or lost. The typical Bulgarian wedding was very interesting and with rich ritualism. Every single part of the organization, every element and action were personification of people believes. Koprivshtitsa was town with strong family strings and patriarchal traditions. They were part of all ceremonies and rituals. In the old Koprivshttiza family the mother was the one who chooses the bride for her son. The girl should be hardworking, good housewife, and wedded mother. When the bride is selected groom’s parents and his friends go to the girl’s home. There they show her parents the reason for their visit using some specific rituals - poking the fire, bringing typical food or drinks, etc. When the two families agree on making the marriage the bride is asked if she accepts this decision. Usually because of the strong patriarchal traditions the girl accepts her parents will. The old Bulgarian wedding lasts 3 - 4 days and every day has its own rituals. In one day the flour for the wedding bread is sift out, the bride girlfriends sing traditional wedding songs and preparing the meals, on the other day the wreaths for the bride are made, the girls hair is ritually combed and plaited by her non-married friends. All traditions are closely connected to girl’s separation from the family and friends. After the marriage she goes to her new family, she’ll start naming her husband’s parents “mother” and “father”, she has to be prepared to take care of a new household. The whole ceremony is reach of symbols – every bouquet and wreath should have red carnation - symbol of manliness and geranium – symbol of health ( the flower name in Bulgarian is “zdravetz” and word health is “zdrave”). The wheat seeds should be thrown over the young couple as a symbol of fecundity. When they go from one place to the other during the wedding days they should not go on the same street because it will cause repetition of the marriage. Men in Koprivshtitsa were mostly traders and were traveling abroad very often. They were out of the village for more than 4-5 months per year. That’s why if the boy’s mother finds a nice girl right for her son she might arrange a marriage without the groom. Usually he is represented by his shirt and trousers. This is small part of all symbols, rituals and believes accompanying traditional Bulgarian wedding. A lot of them are forgotten, some of them are changed to match the modern live. May be because of the interest in the traditions and in long forgotten rituals even more and more young people decide to make their weddings in the spirit of old times. Koprivshtitsa keeps the spirit of the past in its architecture, in its rich and heroic history. This town is a perfect place for touching the traditions by organizing a wedding in a typical Bulgarian style. On the other side this is a great opportunity to make one unique and unforgettable ceremony, different from the standards popular in nowadays.