The tendency of human beings to form partnerships and establish family units is typical of the whole mankind. It is important to note that in establishing these marriage partnerships, some form of ritual is carried out (Hutchinson). Moreover, there are both remarkable similarities and differences of thought, ideas, and symbolism across cultures in these rites (Monger). America is a diverse country and its marriage traditions have been influenced by different cultures. This paper compares and contrasts marriage customs in America and other countries.
Though, its marriage traditions are very flexible, there are some common traditions that Americans usually maintain during carrying out their marriage ceremonies. This paper will examine three most common aspects of marriage traditions in America and compare and contrast them to the marriage traditions of other countries. The first part of the paper examines the similarities and differences in the color of the wedding dress. The next part of the paper examines the traditional rituals that prepare the bride and groom to the wedding. The final part of the paper will compare and contrast some wedding rituals and ceremonies that were caused by wedding superstitions.
The wedding dress is one of the traditions that varies from country to country (Powell). Brides in countries around the world have married in wedding dresses of various colors and each color has its own meaning (“American Wedding Traditions and Customs”). Some have universal meaning-purple and gold for royalty, white for purity and innocence and black for death and sorrow. American bride traditionally wears a white wedding dress (“American Wedding Traditions and Customs”). Moreover, white wedding dress is commonly accepted tradition in Europe. In Japan, the bride also is dressed in white- she wears a white kimono for her wedding (Powell).
Nevertheless, there are some countries, where white color of the dress is not traditional (Hutchinson). In contrast American weddings, Asian weddings usually have red as a dominant color in the clothing worn by the bride. Color red is a symbol of a good fortune according to Indian and Chinese customs. Chinese bride is usually dressed in a red dress, which is associated good luck. In India, brides wear the traditional red or pink saris. It is interesting to point out that although many Chinese brides choose wearing a white wedding gown during weddings, it was not always like this in the past. White was once associated with death and was viewed as a color for grieving in historical sense, because white color was predominantly used in funerals and in mourning (Monger).
The ceremonies before the marriage take place also differ from culture to culture (Hutchinson). It is important to note that in America, these traditions include wedding showers, bachelor or bachelorette parties or similar celebrations which prepare a bride-to-be and a future bridegroom for the wedding and are also held to celebrate the “last day of freedom” (“American Wedding Traditions and Customs”). Bachelor and bachelorette parties are derived from a formal dinner and are traditionally held in the evening, HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelorette_party" \l "cite_note-1922_Post-2" …