Belgium Wedding Traditions
      An enduring tradition of a Belgium wedding is to carry a specially embroidered handkerchief that has your name embroidered on it. After the wedding, this handkerchief is framed and hung on the wall in a place of honor. When the next female member on your side of the family is to be wed, the handkerchief is removed from its frame, the new bride’s name is embroidered onto it, and it is passed down. Wonder how many names will appear by the time you celebrate your golden anniversary?

 French Wedding Traditions
     Have laurel leaves scattered in the path for the newly married couple to walk over while leaving the chapel. After the toast is made to you and your husband, drink as husband and wife for the first time from a specially engraved, double handled goblet, which can then become a distinctive heirloom passed down from generation to generation. Drinking from the same cup denotes "togetherness".

Spanish Wedding Traditions
     Before exchanging your vows in church, do what they do in Spain. Have your fiancé give you a wedding present of thirteen coins. This gift symbolizes his ability to support and care for you always. Then, carry these coins in a little bag to your wedding ceremony. They can then be blessed by the minister during the ceremony. Afterwards, the coins are kept as part of your family’s heritage to be passed down to your son for his wedding.

Swiss Wedding Traditions
     Wear a traditional crown or wreath as brides do in Switzerland. After the wedding ceremony and exchanging of wedding vows, the wreath is removed and burned. If the crown burns quickly, it is considered lucky.

Czech Republic Wedding Traditions
       Wreaths of baby’s breath and miniature roses can be worn by you and all your attendants for the promise of a festive day.

 

Danish Wedding Traditions
The Danish marzipan ring cake is the customary wedding cake in Denmark. Also called the cornucopia cake, it is made with almonds and marzipan. On the outside, the cake is beautifully decorated with sugar work. On the inside it is filled with fresh fruit, candy and almond cakes. Sounds delicious and it symbolizes a sweet life together.

Finnish Wedding Tradition
     "Dance of the Crowns" is popular in Finland. You are blindfolded and all unmarried ladies will dance around you in a circle. As you remove your head wreath, place it on one and whoever you crown is said to be the next to marry.

German Wedding Traditions
    Prior to the wedding, a booklet is created by the friends and family of the bride and groom based on their engagement. Consisting of articles, clippings and photographs, this brochure is actually sold at the wedding reception to assist with the expenses of the honeymoon. Of course it could be a nice gesture for your guests to have a remembrance similar to this as the wedding favor without charging.

English Wedding Traditions
     This is an interesting one for your attendant’s gift by purchasing a sterling silver charm for each of them. But how it is presented is quite different. A ribbon is tied to each charm, and the baker places them between layers of the wedding cake as it is being assembled. Before the bride and groom share their first slice of cake, the bridesmaids gather around the cake and pull one ribbon each in an event known as the 'ribbon pull', claiming for her a future good promise.

Romanian Wedding Traditions
     Rather than having guests throw rice, make
your get away as in Romania. The guests throw sweets and nuts instead as you make your exit.

Greek Wedding Traditions
     Have best man along with the priest, take charge of the ceremony. He will place gold crowns or wreathes made of orange blossoms on the heads of both you and  your husband to be. These crowns or wreathes are linked by a silk ribbon initiating togetherness and are worn during the remainder of the wedding ceremony

Polish Wedding Traditions
     The sharing of bread, salt and wine is an important feature of weddings in Poland. This is presented by the both set of parents at the reception table. The bread represents the hope that your and your husband will never go hungry. The salt is a reminder that life may be difficult at times, but you will learn to cope. The wine symbolizes the desire you will never go thirsty, and that your lives will be filled with health and happiness.

Irish Wedding Traditions
     Do what the brides of Ireland do and use lavender, an ancient symbol of love, loyalty, devotion and even luck. By mixing in some with your bouquet it will help ensure a happy and long lasting union.

Italian Wedding Traditions
     Before the reception is over, break a glass. The number of pieces of shattered glass symbolize the years you will share together. At some weddings, a pair of white doves is released into the air, symbolizing each of you having love and happiness forever.