When it comes to planning an Armenian wedding day, couples need to think about which ones of the numerous ancestral traditions they want to incorporate. Depending on what country your family is from, there are slight differences in the Armenian traditions. What matters is what’s important enough for the couple and their immediate families to determine what and how to incorporate traditions.

One of the traditions still popular with many Armenians is the “Shoe Stealing” at the bride’s house. Shoe stealing happens when the groom arrives, along with his family and friends, to “take” the bride, and after she gets dressed and wants to wear her shoes, she realizes one shoe is missing. Someone from the girl’s side, usually a sister or a female relative or friend close to the bride, will “steal” the shoe to prevent the girl from leaving, prompting the maid of honor to pay her off in exchange for the shoe. Another fun tradition happens when the bride and groom are about to exit her house. Typically, the bride’s brother or a close male figure will stand by the door holding a sword, gun, or something of the like, not allowing the groom to take his bride. At this point, the groom and best man will have to pay off the brother or relative with enough cash so they finally leave to start their happily ever after.

There is also the personal decision of whether the bride and groom want to walk down the aisle together or have the groom wait at the altar with the best man while the bride’s father escorts her. Most brides would rather have their father walk them down the aisle, especially if that’s the first time the groom is seeing her. Other brides would like to walk down the aisle with their husband-to-be, most likely because per another tradition, the bride’s father brings her out from her bedroom at home when the in-laws ask permission from her parents to dress the bride in her wedding dress to start the festivities.

There are many traditions you can incorporate in your wedding day, it just depends on your preference and the significance they hold for you and your fiancé. Always keep in mind, you can always customize the traditions to make them more meaningful for you; after all it is your wedding day.