Weirdly True! 9 Indian Wedding Superstitions That May Seem Bizarre And Yet Remain Practical

India is one of the most religious and traditionally rich countries in the whole world. There are lots of celebrations and events for which beliefs, as well as superstitions, play a major role, and weddings are no exception. These wedding superstitions are said to greatly influence your marriage for good as well as for bad. And it's not just in India, you will find that every part of the world has its own set of wedding superstitions.

Some of them seem to be practical and others are...well you decide for yourself. Some of them also seem surprisingly familiar. Read on to know these Indian wedding superstitions which invariably come up during wedding day rituals and get to understand the traditions while maintaining a firm grip on reality.

1. Designing a Gown

This supposedly sound advice is mostly for the bride. If you are thinking about designing your own bridal gown, think again. It is believed that this will bring misfortune to your marriage. It may not make much sense, but it’s an Indian wedding superstition (hell even an international superstition) that many believe.

This clause, however, has a catch. At least you won’t have to stress yourself about what design to make for your gown. All you have to is go bridal shopping instead to trying to figure out the designs that work for you the most. Just focus on preparing yourself mentally and emotionally.

2. Rain on the Wedding Day

Most couples would want to have the best weather condition during their wedding day but for Indian couples, you might want to go for a rainy day. Rain during the wedding day is said to be a blessing of wealth and fertility. Don't, however, get stressed about matching your wedding date with this Indian wedding superstition.

While you hope for it, make sure that all of your wedding decor is designed to save you from the rains. You can even prefer an indoor venue if the weather predictions of the season show rains or if you do go for a monsoon wedding.

3. Looking Out for Signs

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One of the common set of Indian wedding superstitions is that it is a good omen for your wedding to see a rainbow, a black cat, or a chimney sweep. On the other hand, avoid seeing a pig, a lizard or an open grave because this is bad luck.

We couldn't find the logic behind this one but then again, that's how superstitions work. In different parts of our country, you will find different interpretations for seeing each of these omens.

4. Don’t Spill the Milk

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Keep a close check at your milk cauldrons. It is believed to be a bad omen if boiling milk spills anytime before, during or after the wedding. Practically, it isn’t good to just let milk spill irrespective of any upcoming wedding event or not! Weddings seem surprisingly bizarre when it comes to such Indian wedding superstitions. 

5. The Shower of Rice

If the rain was not enough, here is another practice that thought to bring fertility and wealth for the bride and the Indian groom, showering them with rice.

This Indian wedding superstition is also practised by several other cultures across Asia. Since rice is an abundant grain in these countries, it has come to signify as an answer to hunger and the capacity to support a larger family.

6. Not lighting candles

It is believed that the sputtering of candles is a sign of an evil spirit so no candles should be lit on the wedding day.

The only explanation we can think this Indian wedding superstition has is that in old times if the candles fell, chances of any mishap occurring were more since the wedding was usually decorated with different fabrics.

7. The full moon omen

A full moon right before the wedding is believed to be the harbinger of good luck and wishes. We are stumped at this number amid Indian wedding superstitions, couldn't find a logical explanation to it. This is a good one though so you can let it go at that.

8. Bring in the prosperity

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In contrast to leaving a little prosperity and luck for your parental home, the bride's entry to her new home is also marked with a bounty of rice and a curious set of Indian wedding superstitions. The bride, considered an embodiment of the goddess, is expected to bring in the bounty by spilling a vessel or Kalash of rice inwards before she steps into the household.

This tradition is precise indeed. She does the task by upturning the vessel with her right foot (not left) and then walk through a plate of Vermillion before placing her impressions (in foot and handprints) in the new home.

9. Hide the beauty

Nearly all Indian wedding traditions follow a safety period right before the nuptials when the bride and groom are kept hidden away from prying eyes and Buri Nazar, before their wedding day. While such Indian wedding superstitions are fortified with sensible beliefs to keep the two from (real or imagined) harm's way.

There are still several wedding superstitions in Indian weddings but the above mentioned are some of the most common. Following these practices don’t necessarily have a good or bad effect on your wedding. Nowadays, these practices have become some sort of added fun to make the event more interesting as well as a respect for tradition. 

Do tell us in the comments below which ones you encountered at your wedding or were asked by the elders to follow and share your experiences with other soon-to-be brides.