Finnish Wedding

Engagement rings in Finland are traditionally golden. They are worn by both partners. When getting married only the bride gets a new ring. June, July and August is when weddings are usually held. Saturday is the most popular day for the wedding ("haeaet").

Most Finns are Lutheran Christians. Apart from religious ceremony people in Finland can marry in civil ceremony too. According to some recent surveys this ceremony is more popular. Whatever the ceremony one thing is a must. The couple must get a marriage certificate which is provided by the state.

In the past the bride walked around her neighbourhood holding a pillowcase. People traditionally put presents in the pillowcase. She was accompanied by an old man holding an umbrella. His mission was to protect her.

A bride has her maid of honour or "kaaso" like she is known in Finland. She is usually her best friend.

The couple once used a car with some "decorations" on its exhaust pipe. People usually tied a cord with the bride's old doll, groom shoes and perhaps some empty cans to the pipe. This tradition used to represent the ending of an old life and starting a new one.

Some wedding receptions include a tradition where the bride holds a male kid for few minutes. She does it as there is a belief according to which she will then get many children.

Everyone wants to dance with the bride. In the past guests payed some money to do it. Nowadays each person just wish her all the best.

After hours of dancing everyone joins in the final dance of the evening. It is the waltz. It has a bit unusual procedure. Each woman dances with the bride. At the same time men dance with the groom. After that men dance with the bride etc. The goal is that every person present manages to dance with the bride and groom.

Bride gives her wedding crown to one of single women present at the wedding reception. She is blindfolded. Single women dance around her. The single woman who gets the crown is going to get married next.

Like in some other countries the Finnish bride is often kidnapped by the groom's friends. The Finns call this tradition "morsiamenryoestoe". To get her back the groom has to accomplish some tasks.

What about the wedding cake? Finnish newlyweds often feed each other with the cake. This should show that they will always care for each other.

The bride and groom cut the cake together. In parts of Finland people believe that the person whose hand is placed above the hand of the other partner will be the dominate in their life.

A wedding reception in Finland often includes at least one game. For example, guests can play a quiz about details from the life of bride and groom.

There is a tradition according to which the couple makes a list of present they would like to get. Finns prefer various pans and pots.

References

Finnish Wedding Traditions

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

Finnish wedding customs

http://finlander.genealogia.fi/sfhswiki/index.php/Finnish_wedding_customs

Wedding Traditions

http://www.finlandforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=35909

Finnish Traditions: Weddings

http://finnishtraditions.blogspot.com/2014/06/wedding.html

Finns and their wedding traditions

http://www.lexiophiles.com/english/finns-and-their-wedding-traditions

Finnish weddings

https://lifeinfinland.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/finnish-weddings/

Lynn Sederloef-Airisto, Finland Wedding : Some Fun Facts & a
Call for Change

http://www.lacybox.com/blogs/lacybox-blog/34582405-weddings-in-finland-some-fun-facts-a-call-for-change

Image(s)

Finnish wedding reception (photo by Michael Caroe Andersen,
Flickr)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mogello/6072641643/in/album-72157627375369899/