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Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GA Age and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic Design Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad Student Engagement Date: January 1, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house! About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!
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My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!  :  wedding cultural traditions Part2 part2

It’s time for part two! Part two covers… *drum roll please*

Wedding Ceremony Traditions

In Germany, the preferred month for marriage is May.

Whoops. No go on that one.

My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!  :  wedding cultural traditions Saltbre saltbre

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The bride should carry salt and bread as an omen for good harvest, and the groom should carry grain for good luck and wealth.

I’m not sure where I’d hide bread in my wedding dress, but I’ll try. It’s starting to sound like some of these German traditions are trying to turn me into a snack bar for Mr. S. I would have gone with whipped cream, but bread’s good too, I guess.

My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!  :  wedding cultural traditions Kneel kneel

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Have the groom kneel on the bride’s dress during the wedding ceremony to let everyone know that he’s the boss. Of course, the bride usually steps lightly on the groom’s shoe once they stand up to declare that was just wishful thinking on the groom’s part.

I’m not sure if we’re having any kneeling in our wedding ceremony, but if we do, this sounds pretty hilarious. Though, it almost sounds like something we’d do without knowing this. I’d probably get overly excited and stomp on Mr. S’s foot. That’d be bad.

Also, I could see him kneeling on it, me standing, and dress ripping. I’d die. Right there. One partial wedding, one full funeral.

Decorate exit doorways with garlands of flowers, greenery, and ribbons. Block the actual exits with a large ribbon. After the ceremony, the groom must ‘ransom’ the couple out of the facility by promising everyone money or a party.

This is another tradition that unfortunately I don’t think people would get over hurr. Though it would be pretty awesome to go all renegade and break through the ribbon barrier.

I’m not sure if that’s the point though. And besides, they’s getting a party. It’s called “the reception”.

The bride carries lengths of white ribbon with her bouquet, and after the church ceremony is over and the guests are leaving the church, she hands each driver a ribbon that they tie to the radio antenna.

Sounds pretty awesome, but I wonder how in the world I’d be able to hold enough ribbons to hand out to each driver. Or how I’d even make sure to get all drivers. “You there! Stop! I didn’t give you a ribbon! Wait, I can’t chase you down because I’m too weighed down by the 4,000 ribbons I’m carrying!”

OK, maybe that’s a little overly dramatic, but that was what I pictured in my head. Perhaps a way to incorporate this into our wedding would just be to have the ribbons somehow attached to the programs? Or a basket of ribbons? Somehow, we could have ribbons (somewhere) and a sign with directions as to what to do with said ribbons.

Though, do people even have antennas anymore?

My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!  :  wedding cultural traditions Ricewer ricewer

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When the bride and groom leave the church, guests throw rice at them. Tradition states that the couple will have as many children as rice grains stay in the bride’s hair.

Awesome. This would kill birds and my lady-parts all in one swoop. Two birds with one stone, no? I’m pretty sure we’ll have something thrown at us, but it won’t be rice and it won’t signify the number of children that I’ll pop out.

Unless only three things stick to me. That’s my max.

My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!  :  wedding cultural traditions 4253907451 0ab3e89d29

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Another old Bavarian tradition occurs right after the church ceremony. When the couple exits the church, there is a log on a sawhorse and the couple has to cut the log in half. This is to symbolize the first tough tasks of their future they can accomplish together.

I think this one would be totally awesome, but somehow I bet I’ll get vetoed on it. Possible dress ruining and all that jazz. Plus sweating my makeup off. Still, I think this one would be hilarious and pretty amazing. I’m still going to keep this in the realm of possibilities!

As the couple walks to the wedding car, fir boughs are laid along the path to pave their first newlywed steps with fresh greenery to symbolize hope, luck, and fertility.

Aww, this one is sweet. Melikes. Another option for the “Let’s do it!” category.

After the wedding ceremony, a car procession is formed and drives through town honking their horns. Others honk back wishing the couple good luck.

OK, I can dig this. It could go hand-in-hand with the ribbon thing, that is, if people still have antennas. (I’m harping, I know.) Though I think other drivers just might take this as crazy. Is a massive honking fest even legal in the States?

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38 Responses to “My Hunt for German Wedding Traditions, Part 2!”

1 2 

1.
Ms. Library
Member
Ms. Library (message)  1,250 posts, Bumble bee

Hahahaha “This would kill birds and my lady-parts at the same time.” Hysterical! I’ve heard that rice can leave little spots on your skin too if it hits too hard! The horn honking sounds pretty darn cool!

 
2.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Scissors (message)  7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

@Ms. Library: Also yet another reason why rice is a bad idea! :p

 
3.
Mrs. Mouse
Bee
Mrs. Mouse (message)  5,844 posts, Bee Keeper

I love the ribbon idea, though I’m pretty sure cards made after about, oh 2003, don’t have antennas anymore.

 
4.
Miss Pug
Bee
Miss Pug (message)  3,753 posts, Honey bee

we want no killing of ladyparts! i really like the log-cutting, although i can understand the concerns. but look how much fun they’re having! maybe it can be a really skinny log. like a twig.

 
5.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Pencils (message)  1,027 posts, Bumble bee

Can you please cut a log together? please?

 
6.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Scissors (message)  7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

@Miss Pencils: We are, we are! I’m super excited!
@Miss Pug: Yeah, we’re going to do log lite. lol.
@Mrs. Mouse: I know. Maybe pin the ribbons on? (Then it would also be like a marriage equality thing at the same time! Woo!)

 
7.
Goldilocks1107
Member
Goldilocks1107 (message)  2,504 posts, Sugar bee

What’s with the Germans (my peeps!) and their salt? Salt in your shoe, salt carried down the aisle, are they trying to turn you into a human pretzel?!?

So funny!

 
8.
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Bee
Miss Scissors (message)  7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

@Goldilocks1107: I’ll be a snackbar by the end. :)

 
9.
Miss French Fries
Bee
Miss French Fries (message)  2,217 posts, Buzzing bee

The log cutting is pretty rad, I have to admit.

 
10.
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Bee
Miss Spaniel (message)  6,792 posts, Bee Keeper

I have an antenna ;).

 
11.
mander411
Member
mander411 (message)  735 posts, Busy bee

imagine ALL of these in one single wedding??? They are pretty funny. I looked into Russian traditions once (being thats my heritage) and it said something about breaking glasses on the ground and there needs to be massive amounts of alcohol. I would prefer no broken glass around my reception please!

 
12.
littlemissmoo
Member
littlemissmoo (message)  3,006 posts, Sugar bee

I think honking is great! When I went to Munich recently we saw a wedding drive past and everyone was honking their horns. And pretty much everyone on the pavement stopped and had huge smiles on their faces.
Although maybe it’s just more acceptable in Europe - it happens a lot after football games :)

The fir one is cute :)

 
13.
skibobrown
Member
skibobrown (message)  1,902 posts, Buzzing bee

My fiance went to a German wedding (IN Germany no less), and they did the log cutting. Apparently the 90-year-old grandma of the bride got involved in the log cutting too. I really really hope they got some pictures of that!

 
14.
tea
Member
tea (message)  7,263 posts, Bee Keeper

add me as another fan of the ribbon and honking.

 
15.
Guest Icon
Guest
Cheryl

I actually just moved to Germany and witnessed the wedding car procession. The hubs and I thought it was pretty cool. I say do it! :-)

 
16.
Guest Icon
Guest
Jessica

I was born Germany and went back there to work for 5 years and to get back to my roots. I have been and seen a few weddings where these traditions are still followed and I really love the idea of the ribbons and log cutting. Thanks for reminding me of my where I’m from and how to make my wedding day more personal. My Mister loves that I’m “exotic” (his words) because I come from Germany - and he’s Scottish!

 
17.
Member Icon
Member
Curlysue (message)  1,703 posts, Bumble bee

I come from a smaller town (45,000) in Kansas and people do the honking thing all the time. Usually the car is decorated too and people will automatically honk at you! I’m part German and my FI is part Polish so we’ve actually been looking into some traditions too—which some are new to me from your posts :) Thanks for including all of this and I look forward to what you guys include in your own wedding.

 
18.
Bee Icon
Bee
Ms Potato Chips (message)  1,193 posts, Bumble bee

You should definitely stash a loaf of bread in your dress somewhere.

 
19.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Hamster (message)  4,045 posts, Honey bee

Bride as snack bar = awesomeness. I wanna pop some gummibears in my dress before I scamper down the aisle.

 
20.
Guest Icon
Guest
d

Rice killing birds is an urban legend. Birds eat rice wherever it grows.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/birdrice.asp

 
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Mrs. Scissors
Mrs. Scissors

Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GA Age and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic Design Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad Student Engagement Date: January 1, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house! About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!

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