Best Wedding Gifts Across the World
What’s on your wedding gift list?
With wedding season in full swing, we take a look at the traditions behind wedding gifts across the world.
The tradition of giving a married couple a gift comes from the time when most couples lived separately before getting married. Friends and family would buy gifts to help set the couple up in their new home together.
UK
Traditional gifts included items of homeware and kitchenware to help furnish the couple’s new home. Although most couples have these items when they get married, it’s still nice to add some keepsake pieces to your gift list.
China
The tradition in China is to give the bride and groom money in a ‘Red Envelope’. Red is a symbol of energy, happiness and good luck and wrapping the wedding couple’s gift in red is believed to bless them with happiness and luck.
Holland
Often one of the best ‘gifts’ you get from your wedding are the memories and keepsakes. At Dutch weddings guests are given paper leaves and ribbon. Throughout the reception, they are welcomed to write a message to the bride and groom and hang them on the ‘Wish Tree’.
Germany
Possibly the most unusual tradition. As part of the wedding celebrations in Germany it is a custom for the bride to be kidnapped. The groom then has to search the local pubs, inviting all those he finds along with him. Once he finds her, his bride is his gift, along with the (usually) very large bar bill from everyone who has followed him in the search.
Norway
It’s traditional for a groom to give his new bride a Solje Crown Brooch on the morning after their wedding. The thinking behind the tradition is that the Brooch should be worth enough money so that the bride could sell it and have money to look after herself should anything happen to the groom. How romantic!
Fiji
In Fiji it’s a long-practiced tradition for the groom to give the bride’s family gifts when asking for her hand in marriage. Traditionally a polished sperm whale tooth will be given, the ‘tabua’. Tabua are traditionally gifted at important events in Fijian culture.
Greece
The tradition of money pinning is still carried out at many Greek weddings. As part of the reception, guests take turns to pin notes on to the bride and groom.
If you’re planning your wedding make sure that your gifts, traditional or modern, will be covered with your home insurance following your wedding. With Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance we give you a 10% increase on your contents insured amount for 4 weeks before and after the wedding.
You should also remember to specify any new items that are worth £1500 or more and make sure that you have any expensive items covered on your personal possessions if you’re taking them away on honeymoon.