Blessings, luck and omens
Rice and petals, the broom, the horseshoe, the broken glass and other ways of asking for luck.
A wedding is a time when people ask for luck. Rice and petals are thrown, bells rung, a horseshoe hung, a glass broken, a coconut cracked. Many of these customs began as a wish for children, wealth or protection from harm, and they remain because they are fun, meaningful and shared.
Throwing and showering
Rice is thrown at the couple in many parts of the world as a wish for fertility and plenty, and in some places is replaced by petals or birdseed. Italian weddings use confetti sugared almonds, and Moroccan guests shower the couple with dates and milk. Indian brides throw rice behind them as they leave, to give back to the parental home. In Ukraine and Russia guests may throw grain, coins and sweets.
Protection against harm
Many cultures guard against the evil eye or jealous spirits. The Jewish groom breaks a glass, in the Greek wedding the bride may carry a lump of sugar, and in Scotland the blackening of the bride is a boisterous prank. In China firecrackers scare off bad luck, and in Iran a sugar cone is rubbed above the couple's heads. In parts of Africa libations pour water or drink to the ancestors.
Omens and dates
Weather, day and month can also be omens. Rain on the day is lucky in many places, from Hindu communities who see it as a blessing to Western brides who say it is good luck. Dates are chosen by astrologers in India, by the lunar calendar in China, and avoided in Lent, Ramadan or the Omer, when weddings are not held by custom.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Blessings, luck and omens (kind of custom). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇲🇦 MoroccoAhidusⴰⵃⵉⴷⵓⵙ (aḥidous)
A collective Berber dance from Morocco performed in circles or lines to celebrate unity and victory.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇸🇩 SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ
A Sudanese rite where the groom is symbolically crowned as king before the wedding procession.Rite · The weeks before
🇲🇦 Morocco and 1 moreBerberisca dresskeswa-el-kbira (الكسوة الكبيرة)
The gold-embroidered wedding gown of Moroccan Jews, rooted in Spanish royal style.Attire · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 2 moreHenna ceremonyليلة الحناء (Laylat al-Henna)
The pre-wedding gathering where the bride and guests receive intricate henna body art for luck and protection.Adornment · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 1 moreWedding music
The songs and instruments that mark the arrival of the couple and set the mood for the celebration.Performance · The weeks before
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreHenna night
The evening before a wedding when the bride and groom are decorated with henna patterns for luck and joyAdornment · The eve
🇲🇦 Morocco and 5 moreMimounaמימונה (Hebrew), ميمونة (Arabic)
The Maghrebi Jewish feast held the day after Passover to welcome leavened bread and good fortune.Feast custom · After the wedding
🇩🇿 Algeria and 3 moreSebibaسبيبة (Arabic), ⵙⴱⵉⴱⴰ (Tifinagh)
The Tuareg New Year dance and festival held in Djanet to mark the end of a chaotic transition period.Performance · The weeks before
🇲🇷 MauritaniaT'heydinnالتهيدين (al-T'haydīn)
A Mauritanian Moorish epic performance of poetry and music kept by griot families.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Ahidus: Fotograaf / photographer: Drs. F.M. (Frits) Cowan (1931 - 2010), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Henna ceremony: No author provided, CC0, source
- Mimouna: U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Henna night: Izzah Zainab, CC BY 2.0, source
- Sebiba: Abderrahmane boudjenane, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source