Learn more about Czech Wedding Traditions

Some people don’t think that they need a marriage certificate in the Czech Republic. A wedding is one of the most memorable and important days in our lives. The Czechs have developed many wedding traditions that ensure a happy life with your better half over the centuries.

When you get engaged and you start planning the wedding, there is a belief that it should not take place in May. It is considered an unlucky month for a wedding. This belief comes from the past when marrying in May meant the woman is going to give birth in February, which was the coldest month and people may not have much food. Nowadays May is a month with the fewest weddings.

The bride should have something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue on her wedding day.

Something new represents a new beginning, something old, for example, grandparent’s jewelry, represents sticking to family’s traditions, something borrowed represents following other people’s advice, and something blue represents fidelity. If you do not want the blue thing to show, you can buy a blue garter.

Traditionally nieces or friend’s daughters walk in front of the couple and scatter flower petals for ensuring fertility. After the ceremony, the guests usually throw rice on the new couple. The groom might have a “ball and chain” put to his ankle with a padlock he must pay to have it removed or use a hacksaw to free himself.

Most of the time, after the ceremony, everyone goes into a restaurant or a special hall to eat a lunch or dinner depending on what time the ceremony is held. Before entering the restaurant, a plate is broken in front of the door and the couple cleans it up together. This shows how they will cooperate in the marriage. Their first should be one bowl of soup that the bride and groom feed each other. They can only use one hand and have one large spoon or a spoon with holes. This shows that the couple will have to go through all the problems in their life together.

A bride can take her bouquet and throw it to unmarried women over her left shoulder. Whoever catches it will be the next bride. If you have got the garter, you can throw it to unmarried men, whoever catches it will be the next groom. Or it can be auctioned off.

Czechs are well-known for their sense of humor and became part of the tradition. Sometimes friends carry the bride away, and the groom has to find where the bride is as soon as possible. Then he has to pay his friends and have his bride again to join the wedding party.

When the wedding ends, the couple should spend their night together. Before entering their house or room, the groom should carry his bride over the threshold.

Some of the traditions may seem outdated, but they are symbolic, fun, and they are part of The Czech Heritage