Czech wedding traditions

Czech wedding traditions

Many Czech wedding traditions have its origins in the early times of Christianity. Frequent rituals were not to only guarantee happiness and many children, but also to protect against illness, hunger, children’s death as well as against quarrels, hate, and most importantly against the bad spirits or ghosts. Other traditions were merely of a symbolic character. They were meant to document important events such as loss of virginity and a beginning of a new period of life. At times, it was a hidden appeal to the newlyweds, to hold together during good and bad times. Let White – Prague Wedding Agency provide you a guide through several of the most intriguing traditions that may appeal to you, for your wedding in Prague & Czech Republic.

Flower Petals Sprinkle

Flower girls, usually nieces of the engaged couple or friends’ daughters traditionally walk in front of the wedding procession leading them to the church to sprinkle flower petals. This is in its origin a pagan tradition. The flowers were to attract a goddess of fertility.

Haul In

Friends of the groom will prop a rope in front of the church after the ceremony. The rope is decorated not only by flowers and ribbons but also with empty bottles. The newlyweds are only allowed to continue in their way, after the groom pays himself out. This way, the groom pays himself out of the sins of his youth.

Flower Bouquet Toss

The bride throws the flower bouquet over her left shoulder once she leaves the church or town hall into a crowd of single women. The lucky lady who catches the bouquet is the next one to get married.

Breaking the Plate

At the beginning of the Czech wedding reception, a plate is broken at the feet of the bride and groom and they must sweep the chips together. This tradition has its roots in two superstitions; that chips bring happiness and the newlyweds show a will to cooperate by jointly sweeping the chips away and their marriage will therefore be harmonious.

Eating the soup jointly

At the wedding reception, the bride and groom are joined by being covered in a large cloth symbolizing unity, and then finish a bowl of soup using one spoon to symbolize cooperation. Another meaning, which may be even more substantial, is the symbol of the joint loaf of bread, from which it’s necessary to take and give by equal part to each other. Because of this concise symbolism, this tradition is still widely popular nowadays.

Kidnapping the Bride

This tradition symbolizes a woman’s separation from her parents and a transition to a new living community. When the reception is almost over, friends of the newlyweds kidnap the bride. If the groom finds her, he is obliged to pay the bill as a certain way of ransom for the bride, he intends to get back.