Live Life Team
Croatians have a long and colourful history and some of their wedding traditions are equally colourful and unmistakably unique. While modern weddings commonly mix Western traditions with a sprinkling of the old ways, it is interesting to explore their rich history.
A unique tradition is the Rosemary branch. This aromatic herb, used liberally in lamb and other local dishes is also part of the traditional Croatian wedding ceremony. Guests are given single branches of the fragrant leaves, usually about four to six inches long. The twigs are pinned to the left hand side of the guest’s jacket or dress in much the way as a corsage is attached. As the guests enter the hall where the ceremony is to be held, it is expected that a monetary donation be placed in a basket by the door. This remains a very common custom in Croatia.
The “Dance with the Bride” tradition is also still a common custom and usually starts at midnight. Guests wishing to share a dance with her must empty their pockets of all loose change, which is then placed in a basket held by the bride. The length of the dance granted depends on the amount of money emptied out of her partner’s pockets. The bride may be danced with more than once, as long as there is still a pocket to be emptied. It was considered a great honour to pay large sums of money to be able to enjoy a lengthy dance with her and the favourite tune, in modern times, is “On the Beautiful Blue Danube”.
