Strange & Bizarre UK Wedding Traditions
Wedding Traditions You’ve Probably Never Heard Of (Like Burying a Sausage for Good Weather!)
Weddings in the UK are full of beautiful traditions—something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue—but dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover a wonderfully weird world of customs that range from quirky to downright bizarre. From sausages in the soil to chimney sweeps at ceremonies, here are some of the most unusual British wedding traditions and their curious origins.
🥩 Burying a Sausage for Good Weather
Let’s start with perhaps the most eyebrow-raising of all: burying a sausage the night before your wedding.
Yes, it’s a real thing. Couples (or more often, desperate bridal parties clutching at straws—and sausages) have been known to bury a sausage in the garden the night before the big day in hopes of ensuring clear skies. Most commonly a Cumberland sausage, the superstition is thought to have originated in rural England, where farmers and communities would associate weather with harvest rituals—and meat, as a symbol of prosperity and abundance.
Over time, this quirky custom has sizzled its way into modern wedding lore—especially for outdoor ceremonies, where sunshine is more precious than the wedding cake. And now? It’s sweeping the UK like wildfire on a dry July morning. Social media is flooded with brides-to-be burying bangers with serious intent, trowel in one hand and weather app in the other. TikToks, Instagram reels, even sausage-burying tutorials—this meaty ritual has gone viral.
There’s no scientific proof it works, of course, but couples swear by it. And frankly, if you’re already juggling florists, DJs, last-minute RSVPs and a weather forecast that changes every ten minutes, what’s one more buried banger in the name of love?
🧹 Hug a Chimney Sweep for Luck
In parts of England, it’s considered lucky for the bride to be kissed or touched by a chimney sweep on her wedding day. This odd tradition dates back to King George II, who was reportedly saved from a runaway horse by a chimney sweep. As a reward, he declared all chimney sweeps to be lucky—especially at weddings.
These days, some couples even hire a costumed sweep to show up at the ceremony to bring good fortune. It’s strange, yes—but it certainly makes for a memorable photo op!
🍰 Sleeping with Wedding Cake Under Your Pillow
An old tradition from Yorkshire and other parts of Northern England involved unmarried women placing a piece of wedding cake under their pillow. Legend has it they’d dream of their future husband that night. The cake had to be wrapped and placed just so—preferably without any icing—to avoid a sticky situation.
This curious custom echoes older divination rituals, where food or tokens were used to invite prophetic dreams. It also explains why some brides give out slices of cake in little boxes—to help single friends in their search for “the one.”
🪞 Breaking a Plate in Wales
In Welsh pre-wedding tradition, particularly among the families of the bride, it was common to break a plate at the bridal shower or engagement party. Why? To symbolise the end of the bride’s single life and the beginning of something new. Everyone present was meant to pick up a piece to keep, acting as a charm for future good fortune.
Some believe this custom stems from ancient Celtic rites, where broken pottery was used to ward off evil spirits. Others see it as a literal breaking with the past.
🧀 The Cheese Wedding Ceremony (Yes, Really)
In Cheshire, there’s a lesser-known tradition of having a ceremonial cheese at a wedding. A large wheel of cheese would be rolled across the floor and then cut by the couple together—symbolising teamwork and shared responsibility. It might sound odd, but cheese has long symbolised wealth, fertility and hospitality in agricultural communities.
Some modern couples are reviving the idea with elaborate “cheese wedding cakes” (tiers of artisan cheese wheels), replacing traditional sponge altogether.
👞 Stealing the Groom’s Shoes (Scottish Highlands)
In parts of the Scottish Highlands, there’s an old (and slightly mischievous) custom where guests try to steal the groom’s shoes during the reception. If successful, the shoes are ransomed back to the groom in exchange for drinks or a funny performance. This cheeky act is meant to test the groom’s generosity and humour.
Some folklorists trace the roots back to pagan rituals, where stealing personal items was believed to transfer luck—or curse—depending on intent.
Blackening the Bride and Groom– Scotland
Blackening the Bride and Groom– ScotlandArguably one of the messiest and most chaotic wedding customs around, Blackening is still practiced in parts of rural Scotland. A few days before the wedding, friends and family ambush the bride (or both partners), covering them in treacle, soot, feathers, flour, and other gunk, then parade them around the village in a wheelbarrow or truck.
Why? It’s meant to ward off evil spirits, symbolise overcoming adversity, and make sure that if the couple can handle this humiliation, they can handle anything marriage throws at them.
Final Thoughts
While not all of these traditions are still widely practiced today, they add colour and character to British wedding culture. Some are rooted in folklore, others in symbolism, and some—like the sausage burial—might just be the result of a rainy summer and a hopeful heart.
Whether you choose to adopt any of these or just enjoy the stories behind them, one thing’s certain: British weddings know how to keep it weird—and wonderful.
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