German Wedding Planning, Wedding Traditions in Germany, Deutscheland

Home Search Wedding Planning & Honeymoon Vendor Links Discussion Forums Help

If you like this section, Tell your Friends and/or give us your feedback

German Wedding Traditions

German Culture abounds in specific customs and traditions. People from all over the world are interested in this aspect of German traditions. Traditions mean integration. People create their own customs and rituals in their strong drive to build community around themselves, such as celebrating certain occasions, cooking definite dishes for some holidays, wearing certain clothes on different occasions, setting up fan clubs, organizing sports sections, etc.

Germans respect and love their traditions and maintain them through time and distances. Foreigners travel to Germany and marry there, Germans living abroad wish to get married in accordance with their native rituals, so it is high time to get brides and grooms acquainted with what they will have to do on their German-like Hochzeit (wedding).

There are some typical German wedding traditions:

It is a rule to choose a "special" place for the wedding, rather than the general rule in America of always having the wedding at the bride's family church;

Bride should carry salt and bread as an omen for good harvest, and the groom - grain for good luck and wealth!

A wedding in Germany could be a three day celebration!!! On the Thursday, the couple gets together with close family and friends to go to the city center to have a civil ceremony. Afterwards they all go out to dinner. On Friday, the real fun begins as the couple is visited for the Polterabend, or wedding-eve party, by friends and neighbors. The celebration entails the smashing of plates and other breakables as a sign of good luck (may nothing ever be broken in your home again). On Saturday, the newlyweds religious ceremony takes place, followed by the reception of traditional fare. Before the couple can sneak out of the party, friends place garlands of flowers, greenery and ribbons at the exits, the groom must "ransom" the couple out with promises of money or a party.

If you like this section, Tell your Friends and/or give us your feedback