Wedding traditions with umbrellas and fans

Umbrellas and fans give shade and dignity. At a wedding they shelter the bride from the sun, from the evil eye and from rain, and they mark a person as being honoured. They are paired with processions and ceremonies from Japan to Nigeria.

Parasols of honour

In Japan a wagasa, a large red paper umbrella, is held over the bride at a shrine wedding. In Korea, parasols and fans screen the bride, and in China a red umbrella protects the bride when she leaves her house and enters the groom's. In Nigeria and Ghana, large umbrellas are used to shade the couple on the dance floor, and in some Yoruba weddings a dance includes the umbrella as a fashion piece.

Fans

In Spain and Latin America a fan is part of a bride's outfit, and in India a ceremonial fan is waved in prayer. In Japan a folding fan is a wedding gift, and in the Philippines the barong may be completed with a hand fan. Umbrellas also have a use to shelter against rain, which in many cultures is a sign of good fortune.