The most beautiful wedding customs at a glance

Wedding customs are among the details that make a wedding unforgettable and continue to enchant today with their meaning and stories. In addition to the classics, we would also like to introduce you to some forgotten, foreign and newly interpreted wedding customs and explain what is behind them.

1. Toss the bridal bouquet – who is the lucky one?

One of the most famous wedding customs is certainly the bridal bouquet. Whoever catches the bridal bouquet may soon be standing in front of the altar themselves. But did you know that there are two ways to throw the bridal bouquet? In the classic, the bride turns her back to a group of unmarried wedding guests and blindly tosses the bridal bouquet into the crowd. In the second version, the guests form a circle. In the middle is the blindfolded bride who is turned several times to lose her orientation. Then music starts and the guests slowly walk in a circle around the bride. When the music stops, everyone stops. The bride walks straight towards the wedding guest opposite and hands over the bridal bouquet.

(Re)discover old wedding customs

2. The legend of the bridal cup

The bridal or wedding cup is one of the lesser known wedding customs today, but there is a romantic legend behind it. A duke’s daughter and a young goldsmith fall in love, but the duke is opposed to the marriage and throws the goldsmith in jail. Since his daughter is constantly whining and pleading, he agrees to the marriage if the goldsmith completes a task. He is to make a cup that the couple can drink from at the same time. Of course, the Duke believes that this task is unsolvable. But the goldsmith finally presents the “bridal cup” from which both lovers can drink at the same time and finally celebrate their wedding. The secret behind the construction: Movable connecting pieces hold a large and small cup together, which can be tilted independently of each other. With a little practice, the bride and groom can drink from it at the same time. Even today, the wedding cup stands for happiness and harmony between the spouses and is a wonderful wedding gift.

3. Bridesmaids to protect the bride

The bridesmaids have a long tradition of protecting and accompanying the bride. As early as the Middle Ages, the bride was given a few girls who wore similar dresses and were supposed to confuse evil spirits and distract them from the bride. Even if superstitions about ghosts and demons have largely disappeared, the wedding custom of bridesmaids is experiencing a revival. Good friends or relatives still play an important role as bridesmaids today, because they often take on tasks to relieve the wedding couple. For example, they help with the wedding preparations, look after the guests and make sure that the bride feels comfortable. The pretty dresses have also stayed with the tradition. Bridesmaids usually wear the same or similar outfits and thus stand out.

4. The Hen Party – Shards bring luck

Unlike the bachelorette party , the bridal couple celebrates the upcoming wedding together with friends and family at the bachelorette party. True to the old saying “shards bring luck”, crockery and other ceramics are loudly thrown to the floor on a bachelorette party. The loud banging and crashing is supposed to protect the bride and groom from evil spirits, but above all it is great fun – at least for the guests, because the bride and groom have to sweep up the pile of broken pieces together according to an old custom, thereby showing solidarity.
By the way: You can read about how to prepare a bachelor party and everything that goes with it in our article “Tips for the bachelor party” .

Wedding customs from around the world

5. Wedding almonds as a gift

Wedding almonds are a custom that dates back to the time of Louis XIV. At the court of the Sun King, sweets were given away in valuable boxes on special occasions. Since the poor could not afford such luxuries, they developed their own version and gave away sugared almonds wrapped in simple cloth. In France or Greece, five sweet almonds are still a popular gift at celebrations and stand for five good wishes – luck, health, prosperity, fertility and a long life. Wedding almonds are also great as table decorations and provided with name cards, they guide the guests to the right place. You can find more decoration ideas for the big day in our article “Tips and ideas for wedding decoration”,other little attentions, however, in our article “12 individual wedding favors”.

6. Something old, something new…

The wedding custom from Great Britain is now also very popular in Germany. On her wedding day, the bride wears something old, like grandma’s jewelry, which symbolizes the past. Something new, like her wedding dress, represents the future together with the spouse. Something borrowed, for example a girlfriend’s lipstick, stands for friendship and is said to bring luck in marriage. And something blue, like a blue garter, stands for the loyalty that will bind the married couple in the future.

Wedding customs reinterpreted

7. Flower children and soap bubbles

The flower children are a beautiful wedding custom in which the little wedding guests play an important role. Flower children walk a few steps in front of the bride and groom and sprinkle the path with fresh or artificial flower petals. Like the rice thrown at some weddings, the flowers represent fertility. In the meantime, the petals are not welcome at many registry offices and churches. No wonder, because the happy wedding party often forgets to clean up after themselves. So if you are planning something similar for a wedding, you should definitely ask beforehand whether such wedding customs are allowed. A modern version that looks pretty and will also delight the little ones: let the “flower children” blow soap bubbles that accompany the newlyweds on their way.

8. The first rehearsal for the newlyweds

“Sawing a tree trunk” is one of the wedding customs that is particularly enjoyed by cheeky friends of the bridal couple. In front of the registry office or the church, the path is blocked by a narrow tree trunk. Bride and groom have to saw the way together and thus pass the first hurdle as a newlywed couple. A nice alternative that is easy on the nerves and on the wedding dress is a heart painted on fabric, which the bride and groom cut out with nail scissors. You can get more ideas for designing the wedding celebration in our article “8 wedding games that put you in a good mood” .

In addition to our eight favorites, there are many other beautiful wedding customs that can inspire you when planning your wedding. You can read more information, tips and ideas for planning your wedding in our Wedding special .