Early African American: Jumping the Broom In the times of slavery in this country, African American couples were not allowed to formally marry and live together. To make a public declaration of their love and commitment, a man and woman jumped over a broom into matrimony, to the beat of drums. (The broom has long held significant meaning for the various Africans, symbolizing, the start of home- making for the newlywed couple. In Southern Africa, the day after the wedding, the bride assisted the other women in the family in sweeping the courtyard, indicating her dutiful willing ness to help her in-laws with housework till the newlyweds could move to their new home.) Some African-American couples today are choosing to include this symbolic rite in their wedding ceremony.

　　Armenia: Two white doves may be released to signify love and happiness. The bride may dress in red silk and may wear cardboard wings with feathers on her head. Small coins may be thrown at her.

　　Belgium: The bride may still embroider her name on her handkerchief, carry it on the wedding day, then frame it and keep it until the next family bride marries.

　　Bermuda: Islanders top their tiered wedding cakes with a tiny sapling. The newlyweds plant the tree at their home, where they can watch it grow, as their marriage grows.

　　Bohemia: The groom gives the bride a rosary, a prayer book, a girdle with three keys (to guard her virtue), a fur cap, and a silver wedding ring. The bride gives the groom a shirt sewn with gold thread blended with colored silks and a wedding ring. Before the ceremony, the groomsman wraps the groom in the bride's cloak to keep evil spirits from creeping in and dividing their two hearts.

　　Caribbean: A rich black cake baked with dried fruits and rum is especially popular on the islands of Barbados, Grenada and St. Lucia. The recipe, handed down from mother to daughter, is embellished by each. It is considered a "pound" cake--with the recipe calling for a pound each of flour, dark brown sugar, butter, glace cherries, raisins, Prunes, currants, Plus a dozen eggs and flavorings. The dried fruits are soaked in rum and kept in a crock anywhere from two weeks to six months.

　　Croatia: Married female relatives remove the bride's veil and replace it with a kerchief and apron, symbols of her new married status. She is then serenaded by all the married women. Following the wedding ceremony, those assembled walk three times around the well (symbolizing the Holy Trinity,) and throw apples into it (symbolizing fertility).

　　The Czech Republic: Friends would sneak into the bride's yard to plant a tree, then deco rate it with ribbons and painted eggshells. Legend said she would live as long as the tree. Brides in the countryside carry on the very old custom of wearing a wreath of rosemary, which symbolizes remembrance. The wreath is woven for each bride on her wedding eve by her friends as a wish for wisdom, love, and loyalty.

　　Egypt: Families, rather than grooms, propose to the bride. In Egypt, many marriages are arranged. The zaffa, or wedding march, is a musical procession of drums, bagpipes, horns, belly dancers, and men carrying flaming swords; it announces that the marriage is about to begin.

　　England: Traditionally, the village bride and her wedding party always walk together to the church. Leading the procession: a small girl strewing, blossoms along the road, so the bride's path through life will always be happy and laden with flowers.

　　早期非洲裔美国人：跳扫帚在美国的黑奴时代，黑人男女是不允许正式结婚生活在一起的。为了向世人宣布他们的爱情和婚约，一对黑人男女和着鼓声的节奏，一起跳过一把扫帚。（扫帚对各种非洲人长期来都具有很重要的意义，因为它意味着新婚夫妇组成家庭的开始。在南部非洲，新娘在婚后的第一天要帮助夫家的其他女性清扫院子，以此表明在住进自己的新家前，她愿意尽职地帮助丈夫的家人承担家务劳动。）直至今日，一些美国黑人还在他们的婚礼上举行这种象征性的仪式。

　　亚美尼亚：人们放飞两只白鸽，以示爱情和幸福。新娘穿着红色丝绸的服装，头戴饰有羽毛的纸翼。人们还可向新娘投掷硬币。

　　比利时：新娘可以将其姓名绣在手帕上，在婚礼举行日随身带上它。婚礼后将手帕装入镜框保存，直到家里的另外一个姑娘结婚。

　　百慕大：百慕大岛民在他们的多层婚礼蛋的顶层插上一株小树苗，新婚夫妇要将这株树苗种在家中，这样他们可以目睹树苗伴随着他们的婚姻一起长大。

　　波黑人：新郎向新娘赠送一串念珠，一本祈祷文，一根上面串着三把钥匙的腰带（用以保护她的贞洁），一顶毛皮帽，一个银的结婚戒指。新娘则向新郎赠送一件用金线和彩色丝绸缝制的衬衣和结婚戒指。婚礼前，伴郎将新郎裹进新娘的斗篷里，以防恶魔侵入，拆散他们相爱的心。

　　加勒比地区：在巴巴多斯，格林纳达和圣卢西亚，用干果和朗姆酒制作的味道浓郁的蛋十分常见。蛋的制作方法，由母亲亲手传给女儿，并且各自对其加以修饰。人们把这种蛋叫作“一磅”蛋，因为制作这种蛋需要面粉、棕糖、黄油、糖霜樱桃、葡萄干、李子、红醋栗各一磅，加上一打鸡蛋和调味品。制作蛋的干果要在朗姆酒中浸泡并在瓦罐中保存两个星期至6个月。

　　克罗地亚：由已婚的女性亲戚摘下新娘的面纱，换上一块头巾和一条围裙，意味着新娘的已婚新身份。然后由所有的已婚妇女为新娘唱小夜曲。婚礼之后，所有来宾围绕着井走三圈（象征着圣三位一体），并向井中扔苹果（象征着生育）。

　　捷克共和国：朋友们溜进新娘的院子去种一棵树，然后再用彩带和彩绘的蛋壳将树加以装饰。传说新娘将与这树活得一样长。乡村的新娘还保留着佩带迷迭香花环的古老习俗，以表怀念之情。花环是在婚礼前夕由新娘的朋友编织而成，它象征着智慧、爱情和忠诚。

　　埃及：在埃及，由新郎的家人，而不是新郎本人，向新娘求婚。许多婚姻还是父母之命，媒妁之言。Zaffa，也就是婚礼，其实是一个充满音乐的列队游行，有鼓、风笛、号角及肚皮舞，男人们手持火红的剑。这个仪式宣告，婚姻即将开始。

　　英格兰：按照传统，乡村的新娘和参加婚礼的人们总是一起步行走向教堂。一个小姑娘走在队列最前面，她一路抛撒鲜花，预示着新娘一生的道路上也将开满鲜花