To those on the outside, a German wedding looks quite similar to a “normal” Western “white wedding”. However, the country has several wedding traditions that we bet would surprise you.
From dancing under the bride’s veil and sawing through a log to smashing pottery, the Germans truly make their weddings a day they’ll never forget.
Here are some of the quirky wedding traditions practiced in Germany:
Junggesellenabschied
Similar to a bachelor or bachelorette party, the Junggesellenabschied sees the couple partaking in all sorts of debauchery before the wedding. Often, those soon to be wed are required to sell all sorts of odd (and sometimes suggestive) things to random people on the street. Items they sell often include shots or condoms.
Polterabend
The night before the wedding, couples gather their loved ones for a rehearsal dinner, after which polterabend occurs. The tradition calls on the couple and their loved ones to smash pottery and porcelain items. The more shards of broken items, the more luck for the couple during their married life.
After everything is broken, the couple clean up the mess together. This is symbolic of their ability to work together, through large tasks.
Baumstamm sägen
This custom sees the couple saw a log together. Again showing their ability to work together, and in addition, showing their collective strength, the couple each hold a side of a saw and cut through a log in tandem.
Schleiertanz
Schleiertanz or the veil dance is a sweet tradition where the newlywed couple dances beneath the bride’s veil. After this, women who are in attendance try to rip off pieces of it. The one with the biggest piece is said to be the next one who will get married.
Bride Shoes
One of the traditions quickly fading is the one centering around the bride’s shoes. In the past, the tradition was that a bride would buy her shoes using her own money, and only using one-cent coins. This was said to be symbolic of her ability to be thrifty.
On the day of the wedding, her shoes would go on auction. Guests would put money in the shoes, and the groom puts the last bid in and gives the shoes back to his new wife.
It is said that this tradition stopped as couples do not like putting the financial burden on their guests.
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