The Polynesian island Tonga, located deep within the South Pacific sea, is a place with very old customs. The bride and groom wear special costumes made of tapa. Called a ta’ovala, the labor-intensive traditional clothing is lovingly prepared by the family months in advance. A wedding in Tonga can last three days.
One of the most unique customs in Tonga requires that the groom begins the relationship with his bride-to-be as a friendship.
India
India is a vast territory with many styles and traditions, but wedding dresses are often red and marital attire in India is usually made up of three pieces. It is a beautiful ensemble that includes a dupatta, a blouse, and a red and gold lehenga.
The latter is a long, exquisitely decorated flared skirt, and the dupatta is a traditional shawl-like scarf.
Russia
Brides in Russia traditionally wear a red sarafan dress, a Russian style of dress that is similar to a pinafore and blouse ensemble. It wasn’t until the 1960s when Russian brides began moving toward the westernized white gown.
A significant element of Russian bridalwear is the headpiece. The kokoshnik headdress dates back to the 10th century, it is a metal headband beaded with gold thread.
Japan
The most popular Japanese wedding dresses are Shinto style. The bride wears a shiromuku — a white kimono with a trailing kakeshita hem. A silk robe is worn over the kimono. It’s often red, though sometimes it can be orange or gold.
The bride chooses the accent color. She also wears a traditional headpiece. The style has fallen out of favor since the 20th century, replaced with western styles.
Sardinia
Located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy’s island of Sardinia is steeped in old-world traditions, many of which are borrowed from ancient Greece, Rome, Spain, and parts of Africa. Sardinian brides wear beautifully ornate dresses stitched with jewels.
The colors and embroidery designs of her ensemble are unique to each village of Sardinia. She is draped in a distinctively Sardinian long veil and a velvet overcoat.