If you have German heritage you might want to include some German traditions into your wedding. This is a meaningful way to honor your culture and family and create special memories as a couple! From the Polterabend to Baumstammsägen, there are a ton of cool elements to choose from.
Let’s dive right in and explore some fun traditions!
1. Polterabend: Smashing Porcelain for Good Luck
If you’re into smashing stuff, this is the tradition for you. On the night before the wedding, it’s customary for German couples to invite their family and friends over to break porcelain cups and dishes. Sometimes people will bring even large porcelain pieces such as bathtubs, sinks, and toilets to smash. This tradition comes from the German expression “Scherben bringen glück” which translates to “shards bring luck,” and is said to bring the couple good luck in their marriage.
If you’re the guest you don’t even have to worry about helping to clean up, because this is the couple’s duty. It’s seen as their first opportunity to work together through difficulties.
2. Junggesellenabschied: Bachelor(ette) Party
A few days before the wedding, Germans put on a unique and fun party for the bride or groom-to-be. Friends of the bride dress up in silly party dresses and walk around town drinking champagne and giving out candy. The point is to be silly, get drunk, have fun, and maybe even raise some money from passersby. The groom’s friends do the same – walk around town drinking beer and daring the groom to do stupid things.
3. Sleeping in Separate Beds Before the Wedding
Although it’s not as common as it used to be, some German couples see it as bad luck to sleep in the same house (or even see each other) on the night before the wedding. This wedding superstition means that some couples will sleep in separate beds or at a friend’s house the night before the wedding.
4. Brautschuhe: Bridal Shoes
Legend has it that if the bride hides a penny in her bridal shoe it will bring her good luck in the future. This tradition, known as Brautschuhe, is still very popular in Germany.
5. Wedding Rings
When German couples are engaged, they will wear their rings on the left hand. During the wedding ceremony, couples will then ceremonially transfer the ring from the left hand to the right.
6. German Wedding Attire
Back in the day, German brides would wear black wedding dresses. These days, however, most brides choose to wear white wedding dresses with long trains. Many brides will also wear a thin white veil.
Grooms typically wear a dark colored dress suit or tuxedo, with a complementary white shirt and tie.
7. Bouquet and White Ribbon
It’s still customary for German brides to hold a bouquet throughout the wedding ceremony. Afterwards, the white ribbon holding the flowers together is cut into pieces and given to the audience to tie to their car antennas.
On the drive from the wedding venue to the after-party location, these white ribbons can be seen fluttering from the line of cars as they happily honk their way down the street.
8. Baumstammsägen: Tree Cutting Ceremony
After the wedding, one of the first celebrations to take place is the couple sawing a log together. As friends and family stand around, the couple use a two-man saw to saw a piece off a large tree stump. Similar to Polterabend, this is a chance for the couple to show how well they can work together.
9. Brautenführung: Kidnapping the Bride
This fun German prank is where the best man ‘kidnaps’ the bride after the wedding ceremony and takes her out drinking around town. Sometimes other friends will join in the ‘kidnapping’ (which is all in good fun), and it’s then the groom’s job to hunt them down. Once he does, he has to pay for everyone’s drinks and maybe even do a silly little song or dance.
10. Hochzeitstanz: Wedding Dance
Similar to many western traditions, the newly married couple will be the first to take the dance floor during the wedding reception. The Viennese Waltz is one of the most popular first dance songs in Germany.
11. Schleiertanz: Veil Dance
The most popular German wedding dance over all, however, is most certainly the Veil Dance or “Schleiertanz.” Here, the guests will hold up a large veil for the couple to dance under. Meanwhile, the single ladies at the party will madly tear the veil into shreds. Similar to the bouquet toss, the one with the largest piece at the end is said to be the next in line to get married.
12. Braut Über die Schwelle Tragen: Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold
When the newlyweds arrive back at home, it is customary for him to carry her over the threshold. This tradition is supposed to keep away evil spirits.
Ask a friend to officiate your wedding!
Maybe you are interested in officiating a German themed wedding, or maybe you have German-American friends that would like you to officiate their wedding. Luckily it’s quite simple these days to get ordained online and become an officially recognized minister.
As long as you are at least eighteen years old, you can get ordained online for free with a number of online organizations by just filling out a simple form that only takes a couple minutes to complete. We highly suggest getting ordained with American Marriage Ministries. Once ordained, you’ll have access to a library of information to help you learn all the aspects of wedding from writing your speech to filling out the marriage license.
Asked to perform a destination wedding in Germany? Although you won’t be legally recognized in Germany with this certification, you can still do what’s called Freie Trauung and hold symbolic commitment ceremonies for friends and families. Just be sure to complete the couple’s marriage paperwork stateside (in the US) before you travel. You will be able to tell your German friends that you are a “Priester” or “Priesterin”!
-Bernard King