Ancient Courtship/Marriage Rituals
1. Women from Amazonian tribes (Chorowti) expressed their love by spitting in their partners’ faces either as a sexual overture or as a greeting.
2. This practice may explain the tradition of June weddings, when in ancient Britain, women married in their finest dresses, but the groom wed "skyclad" in the nude.
3. A marriage was not official in ancient Rome until an animal was sacrificed, usually a pig. The entrials were then examined for signs of a bad omen.
4. Males were not allowed at the wedding ceremonies of the Mysorian Lambadis in southern India, except for the Brahman priest. The groom was even excluded.
5. Women of Ancient Persia who died as virgins were married before they were buried, and the spouse of the deceased received a fee.
6. A Teutonic woman in central Europe prided herself on standing by her man, even on the battlefield. She proved that she was worthy of marriage by killing one of her beloved’s enemies.
7. Peasants in north Wales once had to jump over a broom before taking their vows. The marriage was off if either the bride or the groom failed to clear the cleaning appliance.
8. It was the belief of the Greeks and Romans that a vein ran from the fourth finger straight to the heart, and many believe that's how the custom of wedding rings developed. But, although they valued precious metals and gems, the Romans' wedding rings were made of iron, probably due to its durability. In parts of ancient Greece, a man could divorce, but he could not remarry to a woman younger than his ex-wife.
9. In many ancient cultures, men raided other villages looking for their wives, when there was a scarcity of nubile women. Some cultural historians believe the wedding ring was symbolic of the shackles worn by these POW brides.
10. To encourage marriage in Colonial times, Connecticut levied a special tax on bachelors of 20 shillings a week.
11. Polynesians sometimes held sacrificial weddings. Matchmakers chose a young man and woman to marry. Immediately after the couple exchanged vows, villagers pulled out the legs from the nuptial canopy, killing the newlyweds in an avalanche of rocks and wooden debris.
12. In ancient Persia, couples back then declared their intentions by publicly drinking each other's blood. The betrothed couple would slit their arms in dramatic fashion as villagers gathered around to celebrate.
13. The Masai tribe of East Africa required grooms to wear their wives' clothing for one month after the marriage, to give him insight into her life. (gives new meaning to cross-dressing)
14. Nigerian Ibos of West Africa showed off their wealth by having the bride spend most of her engagement in a fattening house. If she wasn't plump enough, the groom could reject her.
Source: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=News&id=172312
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Trust in God: She will provide." -- Emmeline Pankhurst
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