A lot of people from across the world come to the UK to start a new life and, eventually, that includes getting wed. Some will meld their own cultures with those of their adopted nation - whether it's the hairstyle and headdress or the words of the ceremony - but most will include some wedding traditions of their own. However, common to the vast majority of weddings are - Wedding dresses, shoes, ring makers, venues, hairdressers, cakes, invitations and photographers.

Because a couple's nationality is not recorded on the marriage certificate it is hard to know how many of the 240,000 weddings each year are immigrants but some London seamstresses told us that the women coming to their shop for fittings were 60% foreign and 40% British

A large proportion of foreign couples will get married at a registry office first - you only need proof of identification and an address - but the bride must understand her vows, so there may need to be an interpretor in attendance. Then this is followed by a traditional wedding for their national culture.

Indian Wedding ceremonies

To keep up the correct Hindu wedding traditions, there can be as many as 13 symbolic steps involved in the greeting of the groom and his family by the bride's family through to the final blessings on the married couple.

Two famous symbolic moments are the wedding knot, where the couple are physically joined together by a piece of cloth attached to their clothing, and the taking of steps around the fire and towards the North - both aimed at faith, financial stability, procreation and the liberation of the soul.

Romanian Wedding Traditions

The Romanian groom comes to get his bride from her house and followers have to make lots of noise on the journey so the bride's family is aware that they are coming. However, they then have to give the bride's family money and he will not be admitted until he has given them something - even if it is only the promise to love their daughter for the rest of his life.

In some parts of Romania it is traditional to kidnap the bride and hold her to ransom during the feast after the wedding. Then, once the ransom has been paid, the guilty party have to consume their prize - invariably copious amounts of alcohol.

Jewish Wedding Traditions

At a Jewish wedding, the bride traditionally walks around the groom three or seven times when she arrives at the Chuppah. This symbolises the 3 virtues of marriage: righteousness, justice and loving kindness or the Biblical interpretation that 7 denotes completeness or perfection.

Depending on local custom, either at the end of the ceremony or after the bride has received the ring, the groom breaks a glass. He crushes it with his right foot after which the guests yell "Mazel tov!" ("Congratulations").

One explanation of this custom is that it is a reminder that despite the joy, Jews still mourn the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

The Wedding Horah is a circular dance with the bride and groom lifted on chairs - often to the tune Nava Nagillah. Many people will remember the scene from The Deer Hunter which shows this.

Turkish and African Marriage Traditions

For both Turkish and African communities, the drum is a central part of the celebrations - accompanied by a flute for the Turks and lots of traditional songs for the Somalis.

Brazilian Wedding Traditions

Rain and the sharing of sweets are both regarded as good fortune at Brazilian weddings and the honeymoon will be funded by guests paying cash to cut small strips off the tie of the bridegroom.

In whatever way they celebrate it, we wish all the bridal couples a prosperous and happy life together.