The Weirdest Wedding Traditions In The World

Published November 3, 2013
Updated February 12, 2018

The Forbidden Bathroom

Tidong Wedding Tradition

Possibly one of the most bizarre traditions in this list, a custom for tribes of Tidong in Northern Borneo forbids newlyweds from using the bathroom for three days and nights following their wedding ceremony. And yes, that means everything. If the couple engages in, you know, human behavior and uses the toilet or washes, terrible luck will be brought on them and their marriage will be doomed. So strict is the custom that others actually take it in turns to watch over the couple to ensure they are given only the minimal amount of food and drink to survive.

Tidong Wedding Tradition Couples

Source: Flickr

Weirdest Wedding Traditions: Stealing Shoes

Weirdest Wedding Traditions Stealing Shoes

Source: Lynette J

Indian weddings are well-known for their vibrant, colorful nature and this next custom dates back centuries. In some parts of India, the groom must remove his shoes before reaching the altar. Ostensibly focused more on footwear than the marriage, the bride’s family’s objective is to steal the groom’s shoes and hide them in obscure places. On the other side, the groom’s family must protect the shoes and try to stop this from happening. If the bride’s family, normally the bridesmaids, successfully steals the shoes, they can demand a large ransom from the groom for the shoes’ safe return.

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.