In Finland, the mother of the bride places a china plate on her head as the bride and groom take to the dance floor at the reception. When the plate falls and breaks, the number of china pieces is believed to be equal to the number of children the couple will have.

The custom of throwing rice at the wedding couple comes from Germany, where tradition says the bride will have as many children as she had grains of rice in her hair.

In many Asian cultures, the bride wears red, not white. In Japan, the bride wears a white kimono for the wedding ceremony, but changes into a red kimono for the wedding reception.

The tradition of the bride wearing “something blue” came from ancient Israel. Many modern Israeli brides wear a blue ribbon on their wedding day to symbolize fidelity.

Spanish brides often wear black silk wedding gowns with a black lace veil.

In France, it is traditional for the couple to stand under a silk canopy during the wedding ceremony. The canopy or “carre” is said to protect the couple from bad luck. The same canopy is later used at the baptism ceremonies for the couple’s children.

Don’t go to a Danish wedding if you are on a diet. Once the bride and groom cut their wedding cake, usually made with almonds and marzipan, all guests MUST eat a piece of the cake to ward off bad fortune.

In many cultures, rain on a wedding day is considered good luck, but in Austria, stormy weather is thought to be a bad omen.

Scottish brides often carry a horseshoe on one arm. The horseshoe is considered good luck.

The tradition of a bride carrying fragrant flowers comes from France, where people believed the fragrance warded off evil spirits.

In Russian Orthodox weddings, the bride and groom race to the special wedding altar rug. Tradition says the first to reach the carpet will be the “head of the household.”

In Estonia, when the bride tosses her bouquet to predict the next bride, the groom’s bachelor friends blindfold him and spin him around. The groom then places his top hat on one of his friends, who is said to be the next to marry.

Wedding showers come from a Dutch tradition that called for the bride’s friends to provide if her father didn’t like the groom and withheld her dowry.

In Poland, the bride’s veil is removed as she enters the wedding reception to symbolize the end of maidenhood and the beginning of her new life as a wife.

Victorian brides always wore gloves as symbols of romance and modesty.

In Argentina, the father of the bride and the mother of the groom escort the couple down the aisle prior to the wedding ceremony. And the escorting parents stand throughout the ceremony.

Traditional Egyptian weddings feature a musical wedding march, known as a Zaffa, complete with music, belly dancers and flaming swords.

In Armenia, the bride and groom enter the reception flanked by the bridesmaids and groomsmen holding their flowers to form an arch.

It is against tradition for Italian brides to wear any gold on their wedding day until her groom places the wedding band on her finger.

In Mexico, the bride and groom are symbolically joined by a white ribbon or rosary, known as a lasso. In many families, the lasso is passed down from generation to generation.