A Comparative Report on German and Iraqi Wedding Cultures and Rituals

This report offers a comparative analysis of German and Iraqi wedding cultures, exploring the distinct rituals, traditions, and societal influences that shape these ceremonies. It begins with a descriptive overview of German weddings, highlighting unique practices like pre-wedding celebrations, breaking porcelain, and specific activities with symbolic meanings. The report then contrasts German and Iraqi wedding customs, focusing on differences in timing, parental involvement, and specific rituals. It delves into the author's personal observations, noting surprising aspects of German weddings, such as the lack of parental involvement in partner selection and the adventurous rituals. The report also examines the underlying reasons for these cultural differences, attributing them to variations in religion, historical context, and geographical location. Finally, it highlights aspects of Iraqi weddings that might appear different to a German observer, such as the extended duration of celebrations and the significance of parental involvement. The report concludes with a bibliography of cited sources.

Running head: CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
Table of Contents
Description.................................................................................................................................2
Comparison................................................................................................................................2
Considerations............................................................................................................................2
What surprised me about German weddings?........................................................................2
Why are there differences?.....................................................................................................3
Aspects that a German would find different in Iraqi wedding:..............................................3

2CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
Description
German weddings are full of unique practices and ritual that makes them different
from other cultures such as Iraqi weddings. Their wedding celebrations start one night before.
They do rituals like breaking porcelain and making noise during the celebration. Other unique
activities include sawing a piece of wood, spreading rice and cutting the cake all bearing a
uniquely significant meaning in the wedding ceremony.
Comparison
There are many differences between German and Iraqi wedding culture. One
difference is German weddings begins before the actual wedding whereas the Iraqi wedding
ceremonies start on the wedding day but last for three days. One more difference is German
parents do not get involved in finding the partner for their children unlike parents in Iraq.
In addition, the Iraqis do not practice some rituals that are common in German
weddings. They involve newlyweds in unique rituals, sawing a piece of wood, which reflects
an adventurous start of their first night as married couple, other activities includes kidnapping
the bride and spreading rice. One commonality is that both brides wear white dress
traditionally.
Considerations
What surprised me about German weddings?
The rituals practiced at German weddings surprised me. I was surprised that the
parents are not involved in seeking approval of the bride and groom as opposed to the Iraqi
weddings. Moreover, the wedding night involves a series of adventurous rituals, which can be
unwelcoming for the newlyweds as it involves kidnapping the bride on the wedding day and
spreading rice over the couple.

3CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
Why are there differences?
The differences between the German wedding and the Iraqi wedding exist because of
the difference in religion, wedding history and location. The majority Muslim community
influences the Iraqi culture whereas the Germans are mainly a Christian community.
Aspects that a German would find different in Iraqi wedding:
The unique rituals of Iraqi wedding, the rituals start on the day of the wedding and
continues until four to seven days from the actual wedding date. It was surprising to know
that Iraqi parents assumes it important to be involved in finding the right match for their
children.

4CONTRASTING CULTURE OF GERMAN AND IRAQI WEDDING
Bibliography:
Al-Zubaidi, N.A.G., 2017. Wedding Invitation Genre: Communicating Sociocultural
Identities of Iraqi Society. Lublin Studies in Modern Languages and Literature, 41(1).
Kaplan, D., 2015. Rituals of Marriage and Communal Prestige: The Breileft in Medieval and
Early Modern Germany. Jewish history, 29(3-4), pp.273-300.