Traditional Lucky Wedding Foods Around the World
Every country has its own traditional wedding foods that are believed to bring good luck to the bride and groom on their new life together. Here are some traditional wedding lucky foods found around the globe.
Japan
A traditional wedding food in Japan is kazunoko, herring roe, which symbolizes fertility and prosperity for the newlyweds.
Brazil
Sweet treats called bem casados are a popular lucky wedding food tradition in Brazil. Bem casados translates to “happily married” in Portuguese. The dessert is made with two small sponge cakes joined together with dulce de leche or jam. They are often served as party favors for wedding guests at Brazilian weddings.
China
Peking duck is a beloved traditional wedding food in Chinese weddings. The red color of the duck is symbolizes luck and happiness in Chinese culture.
Britain
At British betrothings, a traditional wedding food is fruitcake. The fruit symbolizes fertility and prosperity for the newly married couple. The tradition of serving fruit cake at English weddings dates back to medieval times, when guests would bring small cakes for the bride and groom to kiss over.
Nigeria
The kola nut is highly regarded for its medicinal benefits in Nigeria, and it is also a traditional wedding food for Igbo marriage ceremonies. The kola nut is meant to symbolize the couple’s ability to heal any problems in their relationship. It is tradition for the bride, groom and their families to share a kola nut during an Igbo wedding ceremony.
Italy and Greece
A traditional lucky wedding food in Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean countries are sometimes referred to as Jordan almonds. Guests are given bags with an odd-number of sugar-coated almonds, to represent the bittersweetness of love and marriage. The odd number symbolizes an indivisible amount. In Greece, the sugar-coated almonds are called koufeta.
India
A traditional wedding food associated with Indian wedding ceremonies is yogurt and honey. The bride’s father makes an offering or madhupak to the groom of yogurt and honey. The honey ensures good luck for a sweet start to the marriage and yogurt symbolizes good health.
Thailand
Foy thong which translates to “golden silk threads” is a traditional wedding food in Thailand. The long threads of this lucky Thai dessert symbolize eternal love between the bride and groom.
Vietnam
A popular wedding food tradition in Vietnam is called Banh Xu Xe. The sticky dessert represents the bond between husband and wife, and the golden tapioca filling symbolizes the “golden heart” that that the bride and groom share in marriage.
Korea
Yak shik is a traditional Korean wedding food. It is made from sticky rice, chestnuts, dates and fruits. Fruit is a common symbol for fertility and childbearing.
Bulgaria
A popular wedding food tradition in Bulgaria is pitka bread. Wedding guests break off pieces of the sweet pitka bread and dip it in honey, symbolizing a sweet start to the marriage.
Wedding food traditions from around the world reflect the beauty of cultural diversity. For more multicultural wedding inspiration, our Cruise Ship Wedding guide shows how ships accommodate traditions from any heritage.
