Looking for some Swedish elements you can add to your wedding? Here is a select few:
- Tradition: Typically the bride wears her mother or grandmother’s veil on for the ceremony. Another tradition is the bride wears a gold crown handed down from her family or church.
- Before the bride walks down the aisle the mother gives her daughter a penny for her to put in her shoe, which is called a sixpence. A pence is supposed to represent fertility and good luck!
- Guest List: Most Swedes have the mentality of all the more the merrier!
- Bridal Parties: Typically there bridal parties are not held in Sweden, but they absolutely still have their bachelor and bachelorette party!
- Ceremony Tradition: During the blessings “rare cloths” are placed over the Bride and Groom to hide them from evil spirits.
- Reception: Swedish weddings used to last for about three days, but in todays world the reception usually lasts only on the day of the wedding. As most weddings in western Europe the bride and groom open up their gifts in front of all of their guests. This is done because the majority of guests want to see the newlywed couples faces when their gift is open.
- Food: A Swedish buffet is called Smorgasbord, which consist of an extensive feast. Two of the most common foods are brundlaupskling (sweet bread) and Kottbullar (Swedish meatballs- Yumm!)
- Toasts: Instead of saying “cheers” to the bride and groom, you can now say “skål!”
- The Wedding Night: The groom must carry his bride over the door step into their new home. By doing this action, he is taking responsibility for bride.
- Post- Wedding: Traditionally the mother of the bride will visit the newlywed couple and offer a nut. The nut used to be referred to as “sweetmeat,” meaning that the bride will be sweet of tongue.
Here’s the delicious link for Swedish Meatballs: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swedish-meatballs-recipe/index.html
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