By Kenia Cris
Cover image by Christian Facchini
Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
Says the popular rhyme that has been in use since Victorian times and is believe to bring good luck to brides on the wedding day.
Magnitogorsk, Russia – Roman Makhmutov
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, to happen on April 29, puts the dream of fairy tale unions again into women’s minds and the royal family back in the sight of media. The first man to bring royal marriage into public focus was Henry VIII, who was King of England from 1509 to 1547. Besides his six marriages, Henry VIII is also known for his role in the separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church.
Davao City, Philippines – James Bautista
At Henry VIII’s time, people married for political reasons, to seal alliances, to gain wealth, land and status, and to forge bonds between families. Marrying for love was purely deviant and foolish.
Minnesota, USA – Sarah Peterson
A preconcontract would be written in form, or consist of a verbal promise to marry made before witnesses. Once it had been made, only sexual intercourse was necessary to transform it into marriage, and taking vows in church was not a necessity, except in the case of a noble union. A dowry was always the chief issue in any contract. It could consist of lands, money, jewelry, plate, even household goods, and a girl’s chances of marriage depended more upon her father’s financial and social status than upon her face and form.
Värmdö, Sweden – Anna Lindqvist
Today, wedding traditions and customs vary greatly depending on country, religion and culture. It was Queen Victoria who popularized the white dress, a must in the western world, in 1840. In Japan, purple is the color of love and brides may choose to wear an elaborately-embroidered silk kimono covered in purple iris-flowers. The traditional wedding gown in China is bright red traditionally adorned with elaborate golden phoenixes, chrysanthemums and peonies, symbols of wealth and good fortune.
Tuscan wedding – Francesca Palazzi
Arranged marriages are largely practiced in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia to some extent. They are a successful tradition in many cultures which is constantly misunderstood by western societies.
Singapore – Kang Jing Quan
In Sudan a man must pay his wife’s family in sheep or cattle for the loss of their daughter’s labor in support of the family. A wife may cost a man as many as 30 to 40 head of cattle.
Coorg, India – Iffat Afsana
In Somalia a man is allowed to have as many as four wives if he can support them all.
Karachi, Pakistan – FurSid
In Africa, many cultures have a special totem that is designed to remind a couple that cultural and tribal differences must be allowed for in order to make a marriage succeed. Divorce is rare in African marriages. Problems in a marriage are often discussed with both families and solutions found.
Ganzekraal, South Africa – Alex de Kock
In the United states, otherwise, commonness of divorce has taken the wedding industry attention to the next level with ‘divorce parties’ growing in popularity.
England – Alex Mason
Same-sex marriage is now legal in Canada, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and South Africa. Civil Unions are performed in other 20 countries.
Iowa, USA – Dawn Frary
How old is love?
