Live Life Team
One of the most charming of Czechoslovakian wedding traditions is the planting of a tree, in the bride’s garden, by her friends who would then decorate it with coloured ribbons, fabrics and dyed eggshells. It was believed that as long as the tree did not die, the bride would live a long and happy life. On the evening before her wedding day, these same friends would give her a wreath of rosemary, which symbolised adoration, devotion and wisdom.
Before taking the wedding vows, an infant is place on the couple’s future bed to bless them and increase the chance of them having children. The future bride is given covered bowls holding wheat and millet mixed with ashes, which she is expected to sieve to show that she has the patience for marriage.
After the wedding, the bride exchanges her veil for a traditional Czech matron’s hat as the guests serenade the pair with a wedding song of congratulations. After this is over, the best man passes the veil and the groom’s shoes around the reception area and the guests put in cash towards the couple’s honeymoon.
Also at the reception, the pair is covered by a huge piece of cloth that represents their unity. They are expected to eat a bowl of soup using one spoon, while they are bound together and must also share a loaf of bread that is divided in half. At the end of the reception party, the groom’s friends hide the bride and the groom is expected to find her. He then has to pay his friends in order to get her back.
