KUPASONLINE.COM —Most of us are probably familiar with western wedding customs such as bridal showers, bridesmaids and groomsmen. Many bridesmaids in Indonesia are currently adopting these 3 customs on their happy day.
Do you understand, in fact Germany also has marriage customs that are no less special? The illustration is a kind of shoe auction to kidnap the bride and groom. To this day, Germans still carry out the customs left by their ancestors on their wedding day.
Special and meaningful, here are 9 wedding customs in German custom.
1. Scrambled egg offering
The bride and groom will visit their relative’s house to convey the concept of marriage while inviting. It has become customary, the host will present mixed eggs as an offering.
History begins in the past, where the owner of the house did not have time to prepare anything to welcome the sudden arrival of the bride and groom. Thus, scrambled eggs become a simple dish that can be served easily.
2. Polterbend
Polterabend is a tradition that is generally carried out one to three weeks before the wedding ceremony. Family and friends will come to the bride and groom’s house with various porcelain items.
Porcelain brought and destroyed. The more shards, the better luck the bride and groom will have. After the event is over, the bride and groom must clean up the porcelain shards. This is a symbol that they can work together to deal with problems that may arise in household life.
Each guest is free to bring porcelain items of any kind. However, they are prohibited from carrying glassware, as it is believed to bring bad luck if you break it.
3. Junggesellenaschied
Junggesellenabschied means bachelorette party which in American culture is usually called bachelorette party. This event involves the bride and groom and their friends who dress up in special costumes that have been agreed upon.
The bride and groom must sell items such as condoms, candy to alcoholic beverages to strangers. The money from the sale will be used with their friends to party at night.
4. Bring salt, bread, and grains
In the old culture, the bride would bring a pinch of salt and bread on her wedding day. Meanwhile, the groom brings grain.
These two things are believed to bring good and luck to their household in the future. Until now, this unique custom can still be found in several areas.
5. Baumstamm sagen
Baumstamm sagen is a tradition of cutting wood that is carried out by the bride and groom shortly after they officially become husband and wife. This tradition is popular in rural areas.
Baumstamm sagen symbolizes the cooperation of the newlyweds to build a harmonious and cooperative household.
6. Schleiertanz
Schleiertanz is the tradition of veil dancing or dancing under the bridal veil. This tradition has a meaning similar to throwing flowers at the bride and groom.
The wedding couple will dance under the veil held by the singles. When the music stops, these singles will rip off the bridal veil, whoever gets the biggest piece is believed to be the next to marry.
7. Shoe auction
The bride buys a pair of shoes using her own money. The shoes will be auctioned on the wedding day. Guests will put money in shoes.
The groom then makes a final offer and returns the shoes to his wife. This tradition is starting to be abandoned because the bride and groom don’t want to charge the guests to spend more money.
8. Brautentführung
Weddings in Germany are synonymous with fun games, one of which is Brautentführung. Brautentführung means kidnapping the bride. The kidnapping was carried out by the groom’s friends who took the bride to a bar.
The groom is challenged to find his wife. After his wife was found, he had to pay the kidnappers’ drink bill as ransom.
9. Prank after the wedding party
The fun and annoyance of friends doesn’t end after the party is over. The newlywed couple will still be harassed with various pranks.
One of the most common is to place alarm clocks with different settings all over the side of the bed. Or, it could also fill the entire bridal chamber with balloons.
What do you think of the nine unique wedding traditions in German culture? Because of its uniqueness, there’s nothing wrong with adopting some of these traditions for your wedding day.(*)
