Austrian Wedding
Austrian weddings are rich in traditions, such as the groom-to-be showing interest through family members and avoiding unlucky omens like monks, while seeking good luck signs like goats. The wedding ceremony typically takes place on a Wednesday, featuring symbolic rituals like the bride and groom cutting out a heart from a blanket and the groom carrying the bride through it. The celebrations include unique customs like double kidnappings by friends, and post-wedding traditions where newlyweds eat bread, drink wine, and the groom throws a glass over the roof for future happiness.
Austrian Wedding
A groom-to-be traditionally shows his interest in a certain woman by sending some of his family members or friends to the woman's home. Some Austrians believe that everything has to pass without seeing a monk, for example. There are also things that bring good luck. Seeing goats is one of them.
In most European countries couples prefer weddings on Saturdays. Austrians think differently. They think that Wednesday is the best day for weddings.
A bride rarely makes her own wedding dress. One reason for it is the fact that it is considered bad luck. There is more. A wedding dress should be finished on the wedding day. A bride wears a veil. Some say it kind of protects her from evil spirits.
A groom is dressed in a suit. The flower pinned to the suit must be the same as the one in a bridal bouquet.
Having a great wedding day is the most important for every couple. If the bride and groom come across a chimney sweep it is believed that he or she will bring them good luck. Some couples even invite a chimney sweep to the wedding.
The weather on the wedding day also has hidden meanings. Bad weather supposedly leads to a bad marriage. Flower decorations make the wedding nicer. Still according to some Austrians one should avoid arrangements made of red and white flowers. They believe that they bring bad luck as they symbolize blood and bandages.
The groom and the best man arrive to the church where they wait for the bride to join them. The wedding procession is usually lead by the Master of Ceremony. Bridesmaids are bride's best friends or her family members. Among other things bridesmaids fight off the evil spirits. Most religious ceremonies in Austria are Roman Catholic ones.
After the wedding ceremony the bride and groom each get scissors. A huge blanket with a heart in the middle is presented in front of them. Each partner has to cut out half of the heart. After everything is done the groom carries the bride through the heart-shaped hole.
A wedding reception in several countries includes bride kidnapping. Austrian wedding reception includes two kidnaps. Both bride and groom are kidnapped by their friends. After few hours they suddenly get back or some bribe is needed.
After the wedding reception the newlyweds go to their new home. Before entering it they traditionally eat bread and drink some wine. A groom then throws the glass over the roof. This should bring the couple happiness in the future.
There is a belief that partners must buy something immediately after the wedding. The partner who buys something first is believed to be the dominant in the relationship.
References
Austrian Wedding Traditions
http://www.worldweddingtraditions.net/austrian-wedding-traditions/
Austrian Weddings
http://7baustria7.weebly.com/austrian-weddings.html
A Bride's Guide to Austrian Weddings - Traditions, Flowers,
Gowns and Bachelorette Parties
http://blog.wedsaway.com/a-brides-guide-to-austrian-weddings-traditions-flowers-gowns-and-bachelorette-parties/
An Austrian Wedding
https://occasioncreationscakes.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/an-austrian-wedding/
Image(s)
Cutting out the heart (photo by Martin Wippel, Flickr)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/martin-julia/3498757732/
Creative Commons - File:Panorama-Vienna-Haas-Haus-Peterkirche.jpg