Norwegian Weddings

Norwegian couples usually get married in both civil and religious ceremony. An engagement period can last for years. An engagement ring is worn on the left hand. After a wedding ceremony the ring is worn on the right hand. The wedding ring in Norway is usually a simple golden one.

The local wedding procession is traditionally lead by two people playing violins. The bride and groom walk right behind them. She wears a white wedding dress. In some communities the bride also wears a crown. The groom is usually dressed in a black suit. The groom can be dressed in a traditional Norwegian clothes known as "bunad".

The procession also includes the parents of both bride and groom, bridesmaids, a person carrying wedding rings, flower girls and other people invited to the wedding. The most popular melody played for the occasion is "Come to the Wedding".

People traditionally throw some rye and barley grains at the newlyweds. That is not all. The bride tries to catch them. The more grains she catches the brighter future she and her husband are going to have.

The same as everywhere a wedding reception is a joyous event with lot of food, laughter, speeches and dancing. The whole event is managed by the toastmaster. The first of many speeches at the wedding reception is by the bride's father.

Beer is traditionally drank at the Norwegian weddings. Various fish and lamb dishes are prepared. It is interesting to mention that some of the cakes are made by the couple's families and friends. The most famous cakes are kransekake and bløtkake. Kransekake ("tower cake") is a special cake made of cake rings placed upon each other. Bløtkake (something like "soft cake") is a cream cake prepared with some fruit.

Long time ago the newlyweds in Norway ate with special wooden spoons connected with a wooden chain. These spoons were made out of one piece of wood.

At the end of the wedding reception the bride gives so called "bride's cheese" to every guest. The "bride's cheese" is actually a piece of cheese soaked in honey. This cheese is then covered with some nuts.

It is a tradition that the groom gives his bride a piece of jewellery on the first morning after the wedding. This is known as a "morgengave" ("morning gift").

The newlyweds often plant one fir tree on each side of the main door of their home. These trees are believed to be symbols of the couple's wish to get children.

References

Norwegian Wedding Traditions

http://www.ingebretsens.com/culture/weddings/norw-wed-tradition

Celebrating with Norwegian Bl?tkake

http://www.outside-oslo.com/2013/06/14/celebrating-with-norwegian-blotkake/

Kransekake

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kransekake

Norwegian Wedding Traditions

http://www.worldweddingtraditions.net/norwegian-wedding-traditions/

Wedding traditions in Norway

http://www.norwegiandating.net/wedding-traditions-in-norway/

What are traditional or modern Norwegian wedding practices?

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101215042516AAJH8OV

Norwegian Wedding Traditions

http://www.best-country.com/europe/norway/wedding

How do Norwegians tie the knot?

http://blogs.transparent.com/norwegian/how-do-norwegians-tie-the-knot/

Lovespoon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovespoon

Image(s)

Kransekake (photo by Jermy Noble, flickr)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/uberculture/1789529899/

Norwegian Wedding Spoons (photo by Vladimir Alexiev, Wikimedia
Commons)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wedding_Spoons.jpg