Wedding custom
Wedding customs are traditions that have arisen around the subject of marriage and marriage .
Wedding customs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Wreaths
Wreath binding (custom): It was a certain form of the pre-wedding celebration that only existed in Bremen in connection with a special “festival” and that has largely been forgotten today. This Bremen wedding custom began around the beginning of the 19th century and persisted into the years after the First World War , with wreath- making always being limited to the wealthy bourgeoisie in Bremen and replacing the bachelorette party there . A few days before the wedding, the bride's best friend held a party at her home and invited the bride and her friends as well as the groom and his friends. First the young women came together and tied the bridal wreath, which was immediately placed on the bride, as well as a smaller myrtle wreath . Then the young men joined them and a drawing was drawn as to which of the still unmarried wreath weavers "would marry next". The raffle took place as part of a scenic festival based on a specially written play, the participants were usually costumed. The chosen “Vice Bride” or “Myrtle Bride” was then adorned with the smaller wreath. After dinner there was a dance ball at the end.
There were related customs in other regions in Germany; For example, simpler “wreath-binding” customs are known from southern Thuringia and Lower Bavaria , while in some areas in Lower Saxony a so-called “wreath-binding day” was known between bachelorette parties and wedding days. Mostly that's wreaths still be found today.
Wreaths
In East Friesland, Saterland, Münsterland and parts of the Emsland, it is common for neighbors, and more recently friends and family, to make a wreath made of fir branches a few days before the wedding and to place it over the front door of the house on the eve of the wedding Attach the bride and groom. This is tied by the male neighbors. The female members are tasked with making white and red roses and ribbons out of paper. While the bow is being tied and the roses are being made, the bride and groom are given an empty bottle with a dried pine branch to demand drinks for the bow ties. The bride and groom willingly comply with this request. Attaching the wreath on the eve of the wedding is the job of the male neighbors, then the female neighbors decorate the arch with the bows and roses. However, the traditional division of tasks between men and women has recently become more tolerant. While the bow is being put on, the bride and groom must stay in the house. You will be asked to remove the bow from the house. The evening ends with a cheerful drink from everyone involved.
Burn pants
In Münsterland, the future groom's trousers are burned at a bachelorette party / hen party, as a symbol that the bachelor is no longer wearing his trousers. The trousers are burned in a hole dug by the bachelor, while the companions traditionally drink a pin (2 cl) of grain to water the ritual. The bottle is buried together with the pants and dug up again around a year later with all participants. In order to maintain the happiness of the bride and groom, the bottle of grain must then be drunk empty.
Chaff spreading
Chaff spreading (custom): The friends / relatives - mostly only the younger ones - travel from the home / parents 'address of the bride to the home / parents' address of the man, with a trace being laid that connects these two places. The path leads past (almost) all addresses of the unmarried, former partner (s) of the bride and groom. With the exiles, chaff (straw) is scattered until the person concerned shows himself to be recognizable by handing out beer and sip. The trip usually takes place without the couple, but ends with them. The couple's house and garden are covered with the rest of the straw (if possible), then barbecued, celebrated and drunk or a campfire is lit, depending on the location. This then also happens with the couple, with the couple. The start and destination can be changed so that it results in a nice journey and a nice evening in the countryside, e.g. B. on the parental farm. All that is needed is a tractor, trailer, straw, music, drinks, and friends' knowledge of who the couple was hanging out with. The alumni are of course informed beforehand so that they are also there and since they also have to have drinks available and possibly, depending on the relationship, they are also welcome later.
The custom has come under fire after isolated accidents in which people fell from the trailer while driving or the public roads were heavily soiled.
As the bride and groom's places of residence are often far apart in today's era of great mobility, the custom has only been able to persist where the logistical prerequisites were still to be found, mostly among couples with reference to agricultural businesses.
The “corn line” between two lovers is similar. On the night of May 1, it is drawn with chalk by friends, all the way from their parents 'house to their parents' house (or from their own house); is done primarily with couples who have not yet been publicly considered or have not been considered a couple for very long.
Saws
Sawing (custom): In some regions, after the wedding, a log lying on a sawhorse is sawed up by the bride and groom together. A shot saw is used for this, with which it is important to always pull alternately so that it does not get jammed. This custom stands for the joint, equal work that the bride and groom would like to try in their marriage. It symbolizes the necessary balance of speaking and listening, of being active and letting go and the necessary attention to the respective needs of the partner.
Letsch
In the past, on three consecutive Sundays, the pastor read the three prescribed calls for the marriage announcement in high mass from the pulpit. Following the first call - the Letsch - the friends and acquaintances of the bride and groom came together for a drink in the bride's parents' house. A real Letsch therefore takes place on a Sunday, usually three weeks before the wedding . The drink begins around noon and often lasts until late at night. There is no formal invitation to Letsch - if you want to come, come. Today the Letsch often resembles a hen party that does without the rumble.
Hen party
The hen party is a very old custom that probably dates back to pre-Christian times. By smashing earthenware and porcelain, evil spirits are supposed to be driven away. Under no circumstances should glass be smashed as it is a symbol of bad luck. The broken pieces must be swept up together by the future bride and groom. Traditionally, the hen party takes place the day before the wedding .
Bride kidnapping
Usually it is the good friends who kidnap the bride. The kidnappers move with the bride from pub to pub, with the bride and groom having to foot the bill every time. Today it is usually handled more tolerantly. The kidnappers go to a specific location, e.g. B. a public building, and leave a few clues to make the search easier. The triggering can be linked to a task for the groom, for example an artistic performance, washing up for the next few weeks, or the like.
In Austria and Bavaria today it is customary (preferably at country weddings) to sing Gstanzl before the bride is released .
In Lower Austria it is common to go to the nearest café, pub or something similar - the masklut and the bride - and drink, sing and wait until the groom comes. In most areas, the bride-groom, sometimes the groom or the bride's father (rarely the best man) should foot the bill for the kidnappers.
This custom goes back to the supposed law of the first night in the Middle Ages. According to a myth, in the Middle Ages the clergy and nobility had the right to deflower their female subordinates on their wedding night. At that time, the brides are said to have been picked up (kidnapped) from the weddings by the vassals of the authorities. History sees this law as a literary fiction.
Bridal shoe
It used to be the custom for the bride to pay for her bridal shoes from pennies saved . Today this custom is continued with euro cents. This is to symbolize the frugality of the bride. During the wedding celebration there is the custom of the bridal shoe auction . The bride is "stolen" her shoe. Then the shoe is symbolically auctioned among the wedding guests. The guests put their bids in the bridal shoe. At the end of the day, the groom buys the shoe and the amounts that have been thrown in until then. The money stays with the bride and groom, the groom returns the shoe to his bride.
Bridal bouquet
Traditionally, it is the groom's job to get the bridal bouquet. He then presents this to his bride in front of or in the church. At the end of the celebration there is a custom of throwing a bridal bouquet . All unmarried women gather behind the bride. Catching the bridal bouquet is considered an omen for an imminent wedding in Central Europe and America.
Flower arrangements for weddings have always existed. The bridal bouquet, as it is still used today, appeared for the first time in the Renaissance and served a very practical sense. Due to the neglected personal hygiene that was common at the time and the often excessive use of incense , bad air spread during a wedding in the church. The bridal bouquets of the Renaissance were pure scented bouquets that were supposed to protect the bride from fainting spells during the wedding due to their intense smell .
If the bride is a virgin, the bouquet and wreath are myrtle ; orange blossoms are traditionally used for this at the second wedding.
Motorcade and wedding car or wedding carriage
Often the bride and groom are accompanied by a car parade on their journeys after the wedding. While honking the accompanying cars, which, according to Germany in § 16 of the Highway Code an offense is, or the car in which the couple is seated, tin cans are tied, the rattle loudly while driving, which is also prohibited. In some areas it is also common to stop the motorcade on the way from the wedding to the ceremony and to demand tolls. This duty (called shadow in northern Germany) is usually paid with schnapps or other high-percentage alcoholic beverages that are given to those standing on the way and drink together with the bride and groom before they can continue their journey.
In old Bavaria this is done by the children of the village or the altar boys at the wedding. Every wedding guest gives away some money.
Recently, the custom of using a special car for the bride and groom has spread, such as a sports car, a luxury limousine or a vintage car. Often these floats are specially decorated with flowers or bows.
Couples who want to celebrate a particularly romantic wedding often opt for a church wedding, especially in smaller towns and rural areas, for a ride in a festively decorated wedding carriage . Depending on the season and the weather, an open or closed carriage is chosen. A festively decorated horse-drawn sleigh is sometimes used in snow-sure areas of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg .
rice
Often the bride and groom are pelted with rice while they come out of the church after the wedding ceremony. This represents the desire for a fruitful marriage with many children.
Because of the popular belief that uncooked rice would swell in the stomach of birds which then peck the grains, rice is now often replaced by white birdseed or other grains. However, this idea has already proven to be wrong. In the past, pearl barley , peas, but also nuts and juniper were used. There are numerous allusions to nuts and fertility in folk songs.
For moral reasons and reasons of solidarity with regard to hunger in the world, people sometimes refrain from throwing this food. There are also signs at the entrance of some churches and registry offices.
Some wedding parties therefore decide to give all guests small bubbles of soap when they leave the church . The guests blow soap bubbles while the bride and groom leave the church. In this way, the bride and groom can be welcomed in an environmentally conscious and decorative way. The soap bubbles are seen as a symbol for the dreams and wishes of the bride and groom, which should come true. Sometimes helium-filled balloons (often in the shape of a heart) are raised with the name and address of the bride and groom. Those who find the balloons can then send congratulations to the couple.
Pranks
In some areas it is also customary to play a prank on the bridal couple in their apartment.
- Objects in the apartment are hidden or rearranged. For example cans of food in the bathroom, books from the living room to other rooms.
- Freezing the bedroom key. The "path" from the locked bedroom door to the freezer is assigned tasks that must be solved first.
- Hiding alarm clocks you have brought with you, which are preset to night time.
- Hard boiling eggs in the refrigerator, swapping salt and sugar
- Paper cups filled with water block access to the apartment (stairwell) or rooms (bathroom / bedroom).
- Unscrew all lamps and fuses
- Prepare bedroom z. B. fill with balloons, decorate the bed and the floor with crown caps / bottle lids
- Put an advertisement in the local newspaper that you have to sell something cheap, so that the hungover couple is rang wake up early in the morning by bargain hunters.
Maschkern
This custom is widespread in parts of Austria and Bavaria.
The term "Maschkern" (also maskers or Maschgern) probably comes from masquerade (dressing up).
Young people from the home village or friends from clubs appear in disguise or in masks in front of the wedding party and tell funny stories from the life of the groom or bride. A harlequin acts as the narrator (in Austria: Kasperl). All actions are simulated by the people in masks. An important person is, for example, "The old love", who at the end of the plot tries one last time to advise the person he loves not to marry and to recommend that he rather lead her to the altar. For the small performance, the performers receive a meal from the bride and groom as recognition.
In some parts of Lower Austria in particular, “going to the mask” is understood as the rushing in of the “masklut” (people from clubs, acquaintances, i.e. those with good contacts who have not been invited to the table) when eating at the table. The music then plays three dances, to which the masqueraders invite wedding guests and also the bride and groom to dance, but in which they also take care not to be recognized. Then the bride is “kidnapped” and the masks can be removed. After the bride is kidnapped, the masquerades stay at the wedding.
Wake up
In some areas it is also customary for the groom to be woken up by his siblings, friends, colleagues, club mates, etc. This is usually done with bullets or music. Meanwhile, this is also common with the bride and is no longer separated according to sex. After waking up, the participants are invited to breakfast together. In the Rupertiwinkel and Berchtesgadener Land , the bride and groom are woken up by shooting. The bachelors of the village meet in front of the bride / groom's house and shoot with firecrackers (if available) or with balloons, which are usually filled with a mixture of acetylene and oxygen , and with burning rags attached to a long pole are to be made to explode . Since this type of "shooting" involves considerable dangers, and has also caused serious accidents, the custom is more and more criticized and thus more and more forgotten in many localities. In addition, due to the time (usually between four and five o'clock in the morning) there may be penal consequences for disturbing the neighborhood at night.
Veil dance
In this old Germanic custom, which principally takes place at midnight, the bride's veil is stolen during the dance and torn into many pieces. These are then distributed to the bridesmaids and female wedding guests, who are to benefit from the blessings of the bride and groom.
The veil dance is celebrated in a different way in some areas. The veil is stretched over the bride and groom and the bride and groom dances. If you want to dance with one of the two, you have to throw money into the veil and you can immediately give the dance partner a clap. With this custom, a little money can be collected for the bridal couple.
Child tree
Especially in southern Bavaria it is common to set up a so-called child tree for a wedding. It is a 5 to 10 m long, white-blue painted trunk, on whose "branches" various baby things are hung (rompers, pacifiers, bottles, etc.). As a rule, a stork is mounted at the top of the child's tree. In addition, at the lower end of the tree at eye level there is a plaque with a poem in which the newly wed couple is reminded of their duty to give birth to offspring within a year. Regardless of whether there are any offspring or not, after a year a snack is due, which is not to be organized by the child tree erectors but by the couple.
Wedding tree
In many cities and towns there is the opportunity for bridal couples to plant a tree in a certain area, usually called the wedding forest.
Fetch the cock
The "fetching the rooster" is a widespread wedding custom in the Münsterland / Emsland - the day after the wedding, the wedding guests and the helpers of the wedding meet at the bride's parents to "fetch the rooster". On this day there was originally leftovers from the previous evening to eat. This is now often replaced by soups, food trucks or the like. If guests have managed to steal the bridal broom at the wedding, it can be redeemed on the day of fetching the rooster (the neighbors have to pay for it because they did not take care of the broom properly).
Cut rope
If a marine in uniform marries, the crew of his ship forms a trellis in front of the church or the registry office with specially decorated cutter straps , the "wedding straps ". When crossing the trellis, the bride and groom receive the honorary " Page ". At the end of this trellis, the bride and groom await the commandant and the " wedding party ". This is made of a strong mooring line, knotted with thinner rope and possibly reinforced with wire. While the groom buys the appropriate tools from the crew and cuts the rope, the commandant instructs the bride about the duties of a naval woman over a glass of champagne.
International wedding customs
wedding dress
In Western Christian countries, the white wedding dress has prevailed. The custom began in the renaissance of the nobility, and it did not gain acceptance among the general public until the late 19th and 20th centuries.
wedding cake
Many wedding celebrations include a cake buffet. The center of this cake buffet is the wedding cake, which is often cut together by the wedding couple. When cutting the cake together, the rule of thumb in the marriage is the one who holds his hand over the other's hand at the knife. The opposite interpretation is that whoever holds the knife is 'in charge'.
Bridal veil
The white bridal veil the bride originally stood for their virginity . It used to be the only white part of the bride's wedding wardrobe. So they got married in a rural setting in the Sunday dressing room. Traditionally this was black. Only later did the color of the dress turn white as well. At midnight the bride was not a bride but was now a wife. Therefore the veil was then removed. This custom still exists today. Often there is a veil dance at midnight . The bride dances alone, and all unmarried women try to tear off a piece of the veil. According to custom, whoever has caught the largest piece of the veil should be the next bride.
Something old, something new ...
"Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a lucky six-pence in your shoe." ("Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a lucky penny in the shoe.")
A custom from England has also become a popular tradition in Germany, especially since the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer . According to this, the bride should carry something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue with her to her wedding and integrate it into her clothes.
- Something old represents the bride's previous life before marriage. (Example: an old piece of jewelry) (translated: "Old as the world")
- Something new symbolizes the bride's beginning married life. (Example: the new wedding dress) (translated: "New as the day")
- Something borrowed represents friendship and is said to bring happiness in marriage . The bride borrows something from a happily married friend. (Example: an embroidered handkerchief) (translated: "Borrowed like life")
- Something blue is a sign of loyalty. (Example: the blue garter ) (translated: "Blue like loyalty")
- A lucky penny in a shoe is a sign of wealth.
Most of the time, the part “and a lucky six-pence in your shoe” is omitted because it was no longer used for tradition in every country.
Bread and salt
In many countries, bridal couples are given bread and salt to create a lasting alliance.
Traubibel
In connection with Protestant weddings, a bible was and is gladly given - mostly by close relatives or parents. Especially in the age of historicism in the 19th century, these were particularly elaborately designed Bible editions with ornaments and gilded decorative strips, which were embossed with names and slogans on the book covers and whose bookcut pages had gold or silver cut . Such Bibles contained a pre-printed family chronicle in the appendix, which could be completed and continued with the respective biographical notes of the family of the bride and groom.
Customs before and after the wedding
Before the wedding
Just as the bride and groom prepare the marriage, for example by organizing the common apartment and the wedding ceremony, the wedding traditions begin even before the marriage.
A somewhat macabre “tradition” was the kidnapping of women , the kidnapping of a woman in order to induce her to marry. In Catholic law, called Raptio , such a marriage is not effective. The English word “rape” for rape is derived from this.
The wedding requests are incumbent on the inviting wedding bitters , a speaker who takes on the role of maitre de plaisier for the celebration .
In the past, on three consecutive Sundays, the pastor read the three calls for the preaching of marriage in high mass from the pulpit. On the Lower Rhine the - came after the first call Letsch - the friends and acquaintances of the couple in the home of the bride for a drink together. A real Letsch therefore takes place on a Sunday, usually three weeks before the wedding . The drink begins around noon and often lasts until late at night. There is no formal invitation to Letsch - if you want to come, come. Today the Letsch often resembles a hen party that does without the rumble.
Bachelorette party
A few days before the wedding, the groom and his male friends celebrate an exuberant farewell to bachelorhood, the bachelor party. On the same evening, the bride often goes out with her friends for the “hen party”, a meeting with the other entourage should be avoided. The organization and planning of the so-called “last evening in freedom” is taken over by the Freundeskreis. The bachelor and possibly the bachelorette will be surprised by their friends.
The bachelorette party is a tradition from England ("Stag Night" or " Hen Night ") and was previously held at the groom's father. The men of the two houses to be united then checked very carefully whether the bridegroom was familiar with his marital duties. Speeches were held by the heads of families in the finest festive clothing. The bachelor party as a farewell to the groom's buddies was only recently introduced in Germany. Meanwhile, the amusement areas of the inner cities are populated with groups on weekends, especially on Saturday evenings, who celebrate the bachelorette party and - not only to the delight of those affected - want to include other people as well.
The evening before the wedding
The hen party is a very old custom, especially in German-speaking areas. By smashing earthenware and porcelain, evil spirits are supposed to be driven away. Under no circumstances should glass be smashed as it is a symbol of bad luck. The broken pieces must be swept up together by the future bride and groom.
In some areas the male neighbors put a wreath of fir branches over the house entrance. In return, they are invited to a drink ( wreaths ). In the Rupertiwinkel and in neighboring Salzburg Flachgau the wreath is tied and set up by the girls and single women of the village.
After the wedding
The following customs take place after the wedding ceremony.
Often the bride and groom are pelted with rice while they come out of the church after the wedding ceremony . This represents the desire for a fruitful marriage with many children.
Sometimes you also let helium- filled balloons (usually heart- shaped ) rise, which are marked with the name and address of the bride and groom. The recipients or random finders of the balloons can then send congratulations to the couple.
In some regions a log lying on a sawhorse is sawed together by the bride and groom. Is used for a whipsaw , when it matters, always take turns so they do not jam. This custom stands for the joint, equal work that the bride and groom would like to try in their marriage. It symbolizes the necessary balance of speaking and listening, of being active and “letting be”, and the necessary attention to the respective needs of the partner.
The couple is often from one of the trips from the church to Feierort motorcade accompanied. The accompanying cars honk to attract attention for the bride and groom or tin cans are tied to the car in which the bride and groom is sitting, which rattle loudly while driving.
In some areas (called shadow in northern Germany) it is also common to stop the motorcade on the way from the wedding ceremony to the celebration and to demand tolls. This duty is usually paid with schnapps or other high-proof alcoholic beverages, which are given to those standing along the way and drunk with the bride and groom before they can continue their journey. In old Bavaria this is traditionally done by the children of the village or the altar boys at the wedding. Every wedding guest gives away some money. On this occasion, symbolic work must also be done by the bride and groom in the Osnabrück region. This includes the above-mentioned sawing of wood or the washing and hanging of laundry, especially children's laundry and diapers.
After the official part, depending on the size of the wedding party, there is often a coffee together, which usually begins with the cutting of the wedding cake . It is quite common to invite other guests for coffee than for dinner afterwards. There are special wedding meals regionally . Geheirate is a traditional Saarland dish made from potatoes and lumps of flour, but despite the name it is not a wedding dinner. This is more true of wedding noodles. Usually there is a colorful program in the evening.
In this context, it is particularly common in Austria and Bavaria for young people from their home village or friends from clubs to appear in disguise or in masks in front of the wedding party and tell funny stories from the life of the groom or bride ( Maschkern ). A harlequin acts as the narrator (in Austria: Kasperl). All actions are simulated by the people in masks. An important person is "The old love", who at the end of the plot tries one last time to advise against the marriage and rather to lead her to the altar. For the small performance, the performers receive a meal from the bride and groom as recognition.
The bride kidnapping is a custom that the right of the first night back in the Middle Ages. Usually it is the good friends who kidnap the bride. The kidnappers move with the bride from pub to pub, with the groom or best man of the bride having to foot the bill every time. Today it is usually handled more tolerantly. The kidnappers go to a specific location, e.g. B. a public building and leave a few clues to make the search easier. Triggering can be associated with a task for the groom. For example, an artistic performance, washing up for the next few weeks or something similar. In Austria and Bavaria today (preferably at country weddings) it is customary to sing Gstanzl before the bride is released .
The bride's white bridal veil originally stood for her virginity . It used to be the only white part of the bride's wedding wardrobe. So they got married in a rural setting in the Sunday dressing room. Traditionally this was black. Only later did the color of the dress also turn white and should thus also symbolize innocence. At midnight the bride was not a bride but was now a wife. Therefore the veil was then removed. This custom still exists today. Often there is a veil dance at midnight . The bride dances alone, and all unmarried women try to tear off a piece of the veil. According to custom, whoever has caught the largest piece of the veil should be the next bride.
There is also the custom of throwing a bridal bouquet . During the evening celebration, all unmarried women gather behind the bride. She blindly throws the bridal bouquet into the crowd. Whoever catches the bouquet should become the next bride. In some areas it is also customary to play a prank on the bride and groom in their apartment that they only notice on their wedding night or the next morning.
Involved
The bride
It used to be the custom for the bride to pay for her bridal shoes from pennies saved . Today this custom is continued with euro cents. This is to symbolize the frugality of the bride. During the wedding celebration there is the custom of the bridal shoe auction . The bride is "stolen" her shoe. Then the shoe is symbolically auctioned among the wedding guests. The guests put their bids in the bridal shoe. At the end of the day, the groom buys the shoe and the amounts that have been thrown in until then. The money stays with the bride and groom, the groom returns the shoe to his bride.
A custom from England has also developed into a popular tradition in Germany. According to this, the bride should carry something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue with her to her wedding and integrate it into her clothes.
- something old stands for the previous life of the bride before marriage (example: an old piece of jewelry)
- something new stands as a symbol for the bride's beginning married life (example: the new wedding dress)
- something borrowed stands for friendship and is supposed to bring happiness in the marriage , the bride borrows something from a happily married friend (example: an embroidered handkerchief)
- something blue as a sign of loyalty (example: the blue garter )
- a lucky cent in the shoe as a sign of wealth.
The groom
Traditionally, it is the groom's job to get the bridal bouquet. He then presents this to his bride in front of or in the church. Flower arrangements for weddings have always existed. The bridal bouquet, as it is still used today, appeared for the first time in the Renaissance and served a very practical sense. Due to the neglected personal hygiene that was common at the time and the often excessive use of incense , there was a `` bad atmosphere '' in the church during a wedding. The bridal bouquets of the Renaissance were pure scented bouquets that were supposed to protect the bride from fainting spells during the wedding due to their intense smell.
In the 17th century, the bride was given the bride's book (precious German prayer book ) as a bridal pledge from her fiancé.
Worldwide celebrations
In many cultures, the best man has special functions. For example, he is a marriage coach or defender of honor for the newlyweds. In Scotland he used to be an accomplice in bride robbery as " Best Man " . In Greece he is the godfather of their first child together.
The Shiromuku (白 無垢) is the traditional kimono of marriage in Japan . Nowadays it is very often rented for a few thousand euros or simply bequeathed. In addition, the bride wears a traditional white bonnet complemented with a headdress.
Jewish wedding
The Jewish wedding, chuppah, gets its name from the wedding canopy of the same name (similar to the Christian altar).
The bride and groom (bride = "kala" and groom = "chatan") are led to the chuppah, the wedding canopy. The chuppah means "roof over your head" and means that a house will be founded here. Opened in four directions, the chuppah is meant to remind of the house of the Jewish forefather Abraham, who had a door on each of the four sides of his house to warmly receive his guests.
With his white coat, the groom shows that a new phase of life is beginning for both of them, white as a new leaf. Furthermore, the white color reminds that this day is Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) for both of them. The bridal couple fasts from dawn.
Under the chuppah, the bride circles the groom seven times. This is to remind of the protective role of women, who protect the whole house through love and understanding. The number seven stands for the seven days of creation, with the young couple about to create their own "new world" together. Blessings over wine and praise are spoken under the chuppah. The seven blessings are called the "Sheva Berachot". The bride and groom drink the wine together so that they can share joy and suffering with one another in the future.
At the end, the groom crushes a wine glass as a reminder of grief and destruction, of the suffering Israel suffered in the past. The celebration begins immediately and Masel tov is called out to the bride and groom as a congratulation .
→ See also: Ketubba , the written Jewish marriage contract
Persia
In Persia ( Iran ) the Sofreh Aghd , the traditional wedding blanket , nowadays often white, made of silk and sometimes decorated with lace, is part of the wedding celebration . It is spread out on the floor over a carpet. The wedding couple sits facing east, facing the light. Musically, the ceremony is often accompanied by the well-known wedding song "Bada Bada Mobarak", often with the arrival of the wedding couple. The burning of wild rue ("Esfand") creates a soothing scent. Usually the ceremony is performed in loose groups standing together. Only the newlyweds sit on chairs or a bench on the wedding towel and look in a mirror. The wedding speaker can read poetry, and at a Muslim celebration, an imam or mullah reads religious verses. Both spouses have an older male and a married witness. Usually it is first asked whether someone has objections to the marriage, then the groom first gives his consent. The bride, on the other hand, plays shy and does not give her consent immediately. The guests shout flimsy excuses into the room. She only answers the third time the question is repeated. During the ceremony, a veil is held over the heads of the bride and groom and they are dusted with freshly grated granulated sugar.
After the wedding, the couple are allowed to kiss, exchange rings and feed each other honey from the jar with their fingers.
Poland
In Poland , too , the existence and application of certain wedding customs are heavily dependent on the home region and its urban or rural character, the strength of the bond with the (mostly Catholic) faith and the tendency towards either local tradition or international modernity. In the following, a small selection of Polish wedding customs of different categories and different degrees of dissemination will be presented according to the chronology of a wedding celebration.
A bride and groom may of several pairs of bridesmaids and -führern be accompanied. A couple will be chosen as so-called elders beforehand. It takes on a variety of tasks for the course of the wedding celebration and thus relieves the bridal couple, who can thus devote themselves better to the wedding celebration.
Korona (German: the crown) is the Polish equivalent of wreaths. Traditionally, the making and fitting of the wreath from fir branches is the responsibility of the bridesmaids and bridesmaids. In the meantime, one can also fall back on prefabricated wreaths. It is affixed the day before the wedding (see bachelorette party).
Before moving out to church, the bride and groom can be blessed by parents, godparents and other relatives for their future independent path. The fact that this act is seen as the moment to say goodbye to the children and their frequent accompaniment by a melancholy hymn - played by the band that is present - often lead to tears of emotion among those involved.
On the way to the place of the wedding the bride and groom may encounter road blocks ( zastawa ). Neighbors, colleagues or friends of the bride want to prevent the groom from simply taking the bride to the wedding ceremony. The groom's negotiating skills are now required. The means of payment for the toll are usually bottles of vodka , which is why the groom should bring a sufficient supply in the wedding car. The bridal couple receives congratulations from the pacified "highwaymen", presents if necessary and, of course, they can continue their journey (until the next roadblock).
In addition to throwing rice at the end of the wedding, throwing small coins at it has also become established. The bride and groom have to pick them up, which is particularly difficult for the bride in a voluminous wedding dress. The laboriously collected money symbolizes the basis for the future prosperity of the bride and groom.
During the entire wedding celebration, the bridal couple drinks from glasses that are tied with a ribbon, which symbolizes the fresh connection between the bride and groom. The first pair of glasses - usually champagne glasses from the first toast to the bride and groom - is thrown back over the shoulder by the bride and groom immediately after drinking, so that it breaks. Whose glass is broken first, whose gender will have the first child.
A Polish wedding is almost unthinkable without single or repeated "Gorzko" calls with which the bride and groom are asked to kiss in front of the assembled wedding party. The Polish word “gorzko” [ ˈgɔʃkɔ ] means “bitter” ( adverb ) and is supposed to reflect the - oh so unpleasant - taste of the vodka that the wedding guests have to endure and which the bride and groom should please relieve with the sweetness of their kiss . In addition to the calls, there are also a large number of songs following the kiss that complain about the allegedly inadequate quality of the kiss, which means that it is not possible to drink the vodka again, and demand a repair.
With a specially proclaimed dance, each wedding guest has the chance to dance a short part of the piece with one of the coveted main actors - the bride or groom - for a fee. The bride and groom are exceptionally willing to give up their inseparability, because this way they can collect money for the purchase of a cradle or a pram for the later offspring. Even if the amounts of money used here turn out to be higher than when coins were thrown at after the wedding and the money collected can actually be used for the declared serious purpose, fun is still the main focus.
In Poland, too, the bride loses her veil at midnight ( oczepiny , see veil dance ). At the same time, however, she sits in a narrow, rotating circle formed by the bridesmaids, which serves as protection from the groom's attempts to remove the veil from her head. After the groom has succeeded in snatching the veil, the bride takes it one last time in order to throw it to the assembled bridesmaids with hidden eyes. The one who catches him will be the next bride. Now it is still a matter of finding the next bridegroom. This involves the role reversal: The bride leaders initially form the protective circle before the experiments of the bride, the groom, the plastron remove or tie to or they get thrown by the groom then it. The newly found successor bride and groom put on the captured bride and groom's insignia and dance the next piece alone on the dance floor.
The wedding celebration can be extended to a second day (vlg. "Hahn Holen"), which is already announced with the invitation. This so-called repair party ( poprawiny ) usually represents a complete second celebration with music and dance in the same place, with the same guest list and a duration from the afternoon to sometimes late into the night.
Portugal
The Casamentos de Santo António (Eng .: Weddings to St. Anthony) are a traditional wedding celebration in the Portuguese capital Lisbon.
China
The Chinese wedding is based on the three letters and six customs.
The confirmation letter begins the dance. The groom family sends this message to the bride family with the confirmation of formal wedding intentions. The gift letter accompanies the gifts to the bride family, it is a list of types and quantities of the bride gifts . The wedding letter is presented to the bride family on the wedding day. He confirms that the bride will be accepted into the groom's family.
The six “customs” also include gifts. First, the groom's family has to send a mediator (cf. wedding bitter) to the bride's family who announces the marriage intentions and conducts the first negotiations. Then the “eight letters” (dates of birth of the bride and groom) are exchanged and a fortune teller checks whether the couple matches. If this is successful, the third party will be the first formal bridal gifts through the mediator. Fourth, on a suitable day, the main gifts, consisting of surprises, money, cake, food and offerings for the ancestors, are brought. This is the formal confirmation of the intention to marry. Fifth, the fortune teller will choose a suitable good wedding day. The wedding day is celebrated last.
The bridal couple wears red . The groom's family sends a sedan chair with four porters, accompanied by a procession, to pick up the bride. Back again, the ceremony is held in the presence of relatives and friends. The bride and groom worship heaven and earth and the ancestors of the bridegroom. Tea is served to senior family members. Then they hand over red parcels (“ hóngbāo ” or “lai si”) with money in return and wish good luck. During the subsequent banquet the matchmaker appears as master of ceremonies.
After dinner, the couple goes to the wedding chamber and their "friends" play jokes with you. Then a toast is made and the master of ceremonies offers them sweets and fruits. She wishes you a long life and lots of children (in China usually only one child is allowed per marriage, but no more than two - one-child policy ). Finally, the bride and groom are left there alone and the groom is allowed to remove the red veil from the bride's face.
United States
In the USA it is unusual to “rumble” before the wedding. Instead of a wedding-eve party , there is often a bachelor party , the bachelorette party, at which the friends and relatives who have come to the wedding split up into a female and a male party and celebrate separately. Both the female and the male group often visit a striptease bar; alcohol is often consumed excessively.
For many couples, the evening before the wedding is instead reserved for a rehearsal dinner , which traditionally follows the wedding rehearsal, i.e. the “dress rehearsal” of the wedding ceremony . This dinner is semi-formal and only includes the inner circle of wedding guests.
The bridal shower , in which the bride receives gifts (household items, baby utensils, love toys) from her friends and female relatives, usually takes place 2–6 weeks before the wedding.
See also
literature
- Eugen Fehrle : German wedding customs. Diederichs. Jena 1937.
- Moriz Winternitz : The ancient Indian wedding ritual. With a comparison of the wedding customs of the other Indo-European peoples. Vienna 1892.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Walter Krämer, Götz Trenkler: Lexicon of popular errors , Volume 2. Eichborn Verlag, Frankfurt 1996, p. 161.
- ↑ ratgeber-hochzeitsspiele.de
- ^ Contributions to the history of Bohemia. Section 2, Volume 2: Superstitions and Customs from Bohemia and Moravia. Prag & Leipzig 1864, p. 122 ( online in the Google book search)
- ↑ Oskar von Hovorka, Adolf Kronfeld: Comparative folk medicine: a representation of folk medical customs and usages, views and healing factors, superstition and magic medicine. Volume 2, Strecker & Schröder, 1909, p. 515
- ↑ Wedding customs ( Memento of the original from April 21, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Stefan René Buzanich, Veronika Macek: "A present from my dear mother, given on my wedding day ...". The marriage and confirmation Bibles of the 18th and 19th centuries in the historical library of the Austrian Bible Society and their story (s). In: biblos. Contributions to books, libraries and scriptures. Volume 62, 1 (2013), pp. 70-72, ISSN 0006-2022 .
- ↑ Color of the wedding dress ( Memento of the original from December 5, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ HagalilKidz: hashanah: The circle closes .
- ↑ Detailed description ( Memento of the original from September 18, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. a Persian wedding reception in English.
- ↑ Superstitions and customs on the day before and on the day of the wedding (Polish)
- ↑ a b c d Wedding in tradition ( Memento of the original from March 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Polish)
- ↑ a b Wedding customs and traditions ( Memento of the original from January 10, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Polish)
- ↑ Wedding Games (Polish)
- ^ Chinese Wedding Customs
- ↑ Chinese Wedding Traditions ( Memento of the original from August 27, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Wedding Rehearsal Dinner
- ↑ Bridal Shower: [1] , [2]
