Wedding ceremonies and traditions in

Poland

The Wedding A wedding (or "wesele“ in

Polish) is one of the most important days in a person's life.

Each couple wishes that their marriage is the most beautiful day in their life.

Thanks to a lot of preparations, with the active participation of the two families and of friends, it becomes unforgettable. It remains to wish that every following day of the happy couple be also beautiful.

The role of catholic church in Polish weddings

Сatholic churches announce the upcoming weddings three times a few weeks in advance. In each church, there is a list of upcoming weddings posted by the entrance.

The role of catholic church in Polish weddings

Roman Catholic Church allows church ceremony wedding of a Catholic and a non-Catholic (even a non-believer) in a church. The only condition is that his children will be brought up Catholic.

Most preferable terms of weddings in Poland

Most Polish weddings take place on Saturdays and continue through Sundays.

There are no weddings during the 40-day Lent before Easter and during the Advent before Christmas.

There are very few weddings in May as well. This is mostly due to superstition, as many people believe that persons who marry in May are not going to be happy and won’t live together long.

Special features of the Polish wedding

In some regions, especially in the countryside, the custom was to invite family, friends, and neighbors in person, so the future groom and bride would devote a lot of time to visiting people before the wedding day.

During the religious ceremony, the traditional in the Western movies kiss basically does not exist.

Depending on the families' budget and local traditions, the richly decorated parade to church can be quite a view especially if it involves regional costumes and horses adorned with white flowers.

Special features of the Polish wedding

Some quests - usually these who came only for wedding ceremony give only flowers. Flowers in Poland are very popular and given on many occasions but Poles are very sensitive on which flowers are used on what occasions.

In Poland it is very unusual to have maids of honor (druzki) and groomsman during a wedding ceremony.

Special features of the Polish wedding

After accepting the wedding somebody usually throws small coins to a young couple (usually on their heads). Then, the money needs to be picked up, mainly by guests.

Passing "gates" for the couple. To pass such gates, in most cases barricades on the road by objects or people, the newlyweds have to give out some food and vodka. The wedding is traditionally welcome by the entrance with bread and salt.

Special features of the Polish wedding

The bride and groom are greeted by their parents with bread, salt and a glass of wine.

Guests, who arrive from distant places, are usually welcome to stay at the newlyweds' parents or other family members' houses. Suggesting a stay at a hotel would be considered impolite.

Polish wedding traditions

“Re-braiding of the bride's hair". The night before the wedding, the bride's mother and other married female relative, would take her braid and re-plait it into two braids to symbolize that it's no longer just herself.

"Oczepiny” or "unveiling” takes place during the reception: Guests link arms and form a circle around the bride, and her mother takes the bride's veil off (symbolizing her coming into womanhood).

Polish wedding traditions

There are a few traditional toasts, one of which is the "sto lat" toast, wishing the bride and groom a hundred years of life and happiness.

The "na zdrowie" toast wishes the couple good health. A bride that drinks her wine and doesn't spill a drop is said to be blessed with luck

The bride bouquet is often made with red and white flowers, to embrace the national colors of Poland

Polish weddings are known for an unbelievable abundance of all kinds of foods and alcohol. In the past decades, Polish weddings were basically two-day feasts with dancing and games. In recent years, most people scale their budgeting and time, so the weddings start to resemble wedding receptions in the West with a nice dinner and a short duration.

In the modern day open-minded Polish younger generations and celebrities copy the western examples.

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