Junior Rasmussen
Czech wedding traditions are a rich tapestry of rituals, games, and delicious food. From the grandeur of castles and chateaus to the intimacy of small towns, the Czech Republic offers a unique blend of old-world charm and modern elegance for wedding celebrations. While some traditions may seem outdated, many are still incorporated into modern ceremonies, creating a fun and meaningful experience for the couple and their guests. One such tradition is the May Pole, a symbol of spring and love, which plays a significant role in welcoming the spring season and setting the tone for upcoming nuptials.
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What You'll Learn
Czech wedding venues
The Czech Republic is a popular destination for weddings, with its beautiful castles, historic chateaus, and romantic scenery. The country offers a unique setting for weddings, with its rolling hills, cosy small towns, and well-groomed embankments.
There are many wedding venues to choose from in the Czech Republic, including the famous castles that the country is known for. Some of the most popular castle venues include the medieval Karlstein Castle and the majestic Zbiroh Castle. These venues offer a range of options for ceremonies and receptions, such as "open-air" settings in gardens or lawns, as well as grand halls and chapels.
For those seeking a more intimate setting, there are also venues in nature, such as farms or other similar places. These venues offer good privacy and a more rustic feel. However, it is important to note that some of these venues may cater only to local weddings and may not be equipped for international guests.
Prague, the capital city, is a popular choice for destination weddings, with its elegant palaces and chateaux. Chateau St. Havel, located in Prague, is known for its high-quality service and elegant style. The city also offers a range of hotel and villa options for weddings, with varying levels of luxury and service.
Outside of Prague, Chateau Mcely is a highly regarded destination wedding venue, known for its charm, romance, and excellent organisation. This chateau, located in the countryside south of Prague, is a stand-out option for couples seeking a beautiful and luxurious wedding experience.
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Czech wedding traditions
Before the wedding, the couple's family and friends might plant a tree and decorate it with painted eggshells. This ritual is meant to bring luck to the couple and symbolise longevity, health, and vibrancy for their marriage. It is also said to bring luck to the bride when she bears children. Another pre-wedding tradition is the throwing of coins, grains, and sometimes figs at the couple's house, as an offering to the house gods for protection.
On the wedding day, the bride traditionally wears a green wreath, which symbolises her virginity. At some point during the day, a group of married women will replace this with a cap worn by married women, while singing and holding candles. The groom will have to pay a ransom to his friends to 'buy' his bride, and he may also have to complete some funny tasks. This is sometimes called 'pulling', where the groom's friends stretch a rope, hang items on it, and block the couple's path.
Czech wedding receptions are often held outdoors, and guests are treated to traditional Czech cuisine, including dishes like sirloin steak, broths, dumplings, and Czech desserts, along with Czech beer and wine. The first dance is traditionally a waltz, with the guests forming a circle around the newlyweds. Wedding games are also played, such as the Wedding Quiz, where the couple sits back-to-back and answer questions by holding up each other's shoes.
At the wedding feast, the bride and groom symbolise their unity by eating from the same spoon with their hands bound together. At the end of the feast, bridesmaids present guests with sprigs of rosemary to symbolise fidelity.
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Czech wedding food
Czech wedding receptions are known for their abundance of food. The newlyweds traditionally eat from the same bowl of soup, using the same spoon, to symbolise their unity and their ability to share and trust each other. This is followed by a three-course menu, which often includes traditional Czech dishes such as sirloin steak, broths, and dumplings. Czech weddings also usually feature an evening buffet with grilled food or a piglet, and beef goulash served at midnight.
Czech wedding cookies, which are small and tasty, are offered to guests before the ceremony and throughout the day. They are also given as favours in gift boxes for guests to take home.
Czech weddings also traditionally feature an abundance of alcohol. Guests are welcomed with a spirit called Slivovitz and Czech beer, and wine from local vineyards is served throughout the meal.
Czech wedding cakes are usually small and filled with curd cheese and poppy seeds.
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Czech wedding games
Kidnapping the Bride
The bride is "kidnapped" by the groom's friends, usually to a nearby pub. The groom must then search for her and "buy her back" by paying the expenses of his friends. This game is a fun tradition symbolizing the groom's role in protecting his bride.
Wedding Quiz (Shoe Lifting)
The newlyweds sit back-to-back and hold their own shoe in one hand and their partner's shoe in the other. They are then asked questions, and they answer by holding up the shoe of their choice. For example, they might be asked who cooks better or who is the bigger romantic.
Dance with the Bride
Gentlemen can pay a small fee for the privilege of dancing with the bride for a short time. This game is a fun way to raise money for the newlyweds.
Wedding Raffle
Guests buy raffle tickets, contributing financially to the newlyweds while also having the chance to win prizes.
In addition to these traditional games, Czech weddings also offer other entertainment options, such as a photobooth, a "Gentlemen's Bar," and various activities like boat trips, fire shows, and historic tram tours.
While games and activities are an essential part of a Czech wedding, it's also crucial to have a well-organized schedule to ensure guests don't get bored and to provide excellent food, drinks, and service.
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Czech wedding dances
Czech wedding traditions include various games and dances for guests to enjoy and get to know each other. The first dance at a Czech wedding is reserved for the newlyweds, with wedding guests forming a circle around them. Traditionally, the first dance was a waltz, but this has been replaced by other songs in recent times. Following the first dance, the groom dances with the mother of the bride, and the bride with the groom's father, before both dance with their own parents.
Another Czech wedding dance is the Kolibka, which involves the chief bridesmaid holding a plate as though it were a baby. There is also a circle dance, where the bride dances with her eyes closed while single women attempt to steal a part of her veil. Men form a protective circle around the bride, trying to prevent the theft of the veil. When a woman successfully breaks through the circle and takes the veil, it symbolises the bride's loss of innocence as she enters married life.
The kidnapping of the bride is another wedding tradition. The bride is taken by the groom's friends to a local pub, where she waits for the groom to follow clues and find her. The groom must then pay a ransom, often in the form of a round of drinks, to get her back. This tradition symbolises the bride's separation from her parents and the beginning of her new life with her husband.
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Frequently asked questions
The May Pole, or Máje in Czech, is a tall, straight pole made from a conifer tree, or less commonly, a birch tree. The bark is peeled off and all the branches are cut, except for the very top. A green wreath is hung just below the top and the top and the wreath are decorated with ribbons.
The May Pole is traditionally lifted on the 30th of April (the day of the Burning of Witches) or on the 1st of May (the day of love). It is sometimes lifted later, just before the Hody festival.
The May Pole is a symbol of spring and love.
