Most men around the world will shave the morning of their wedding day, but in some cultures it is a ritual and holds special meaning.
If you think of the word “groomsman”, it literally means to groom the man.
In Macedonian, Greek, Romanian and Palestinian weddings, shaving the groom before their wedding is a long held tradition.
For Macedonian weddings the tradition began in the olden times with the belief that if the groom shaves by himself, he might end up cutting himself due to being nervous about the wedding day.
A Greek best man is known as a Koumbaro and he becomes the groom's barber on his wedding day. Before the groom changes into his ceremony attire, his Koumbaro will shave the man of honour’s face. This is a symbol of trust between the two men. Then the groom’s closest friends will help him get dressed and prepare for the wedding.
In Palestinian weddings, it is a tradition for the groom to have a public shave either the night before or on the morning of the wedding. A close friend or a family member will do the shaving, representing the close connection they have with the groom. Once the shaving is complete and the groom is ready, everyone will start to make their way to the bride’s house for the Zaffa.
Traditionally in Romanian weddings, the groom was shaved by his best man and groomsmen at the groom’s godparents, and then afterwards, they would all go to the bride’s family’s house. Today the groom’s shaving is only symbolic, representing the transformation from a young man to a man with responsibilities.
Please see our Royal Selango shaving range. The shaving bowl can be engraved with initials for $10 for that personalised touch.
If there are any other cultures that use a shaving tradition for their wedding, please email us at engraving@acengravingandgifts.com.au so we can add that information to our blog.