Do you have a Polish heritage? Take a look at this blog which offers traditions and customs of the Polish heritage! http://ping.fm/Tr0wv

Where In The World?

“Traditional values and personal character are worth noticing in a world of materialism.”-Unknown


This blog is to shed light on your heritage, and for you to uncover some traditions that you may want to include on your wedding day. Enjoy :)



According to Polish tradition, there is an order in which guests will be invited to the wedding. Of course bridesmaids and groomsmen are typically the initial guests invited, then the godparents. The remaining family and friends receive their invitations. In some areas of Poland, it is custom to invite the entire village!



They enjoy many similar customs with other cultures, which can last for up to three days. Beginning the festivities with their bachelor/bachelorette parties, and their engagement ceremony held at one of their parents homes. One that may not be shared with other customs is held the night before the wedding. The bride is with her mother and other female relatives, the mother is redoing the brides customary single braid, to two braids. This is symbolizing the new step the bride to be is taking into marriage.



Now who would have thought the groom would have to buy his bride next?! Apparently so! It's tradition for the groom to come to the brides home and bring alcohol for every member of the house. However on the way to the house, he had to pay off neighbors that had blocked the street with ropes, by giving them bottles of vodka!



Now prior to the church ceremony, a blessing will take place. This at times is noticed as more important then the church ceremony. Everyone gathers at the home of the bride, to witness the blessings and farewells of the bride with her parents, relatives, and friends. Traditionally the mother of the bride gives the blessing with a crucifix, a lit candle, a bowl of holy water, and a sprinkler would be prepared. The bride and groom kneel on cushions in front of the parents and hold hands. The bride and groom are sprinkled with the holy water, make the sign of the cross, and are given the crucifix to kiss. The remaining family members may also provide their blessings at his time.

Since the 1800's the symbol of this next tradition represents the devotion and gratefulness of mother earth, the bread and salt blessing. The bread, salt, and wine is placed on a table in front of the head table, and takes place at the wedding reception. The newlywed couple is presented with bread, which is lightly salted, alongside a glass of wine. “Star opolskim zwy czajem witamy Was chlebem I sola, aby w Waszym domu za wsze goscil dostatek.” This translates to, “According to our Polish tradition, we greet you with bread and salt, so that your home might always enjoy abundance.” This is in hoping their children will never be hungry and short of food. After the couple eats the bread and drinks the wine, they break the plate for good luck!

After the main meal you will find vodka as a primary beverage! Dancing, food, large amounts of juice and vodka will be passed throughout the evening.

The last tradition I will share, is the money dance. Many cultures have their version. In Poland, guests will pin money to the brides dress to buy a dance from her. More commonly, the maid of honor will collect the money in a basket. Once all guests have danced with the bride, the groom will toss his entire wallet into the basket and attempt to break through a circle formed by guests around the bride, trying hard to keep him out.

Until our next traditions and customs blog, we would love for you to share with us your family traditions!


~Danielle

Express Your True Love (and let us help!)http://ping.fm/ls6ly

Express Your Love!

Valentine's Day is here! Some may be feeling cupids arrows already, and some not quite. I hope both will appreciate this holiday. We are reminded to reach out, show appreciation, and love for those we love in our lives; be it your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, family members, or maybe your undying love is still a secret that you want to reveal!

Make Valentines Day 2012 special this year! Be sincere with your love notes to those special people. Of course you can still get the bracelet, ring, or romantic night at a hotel, there's no kidding there! But remember, those moments and items are more meaningful and memorable when accompanied by the words of your undying love. Written or spoken, share it!

This week I have pursued a search to help those who are not good with their words. The following quotes and phrases are not my words, but see if any fulfill your emotions that you have. Think about using some of these words when expressing your true feelings, and please share your thoughts or words of love. Today, sappy is perfectly acceptable :)

•     "Take away love, and our earth is a tomb.” -Robert Browning

•     "Since love grows within you, so beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.” -St. Aurelius Augustine

•     “To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven.” -Karen Sunde

•     “Within you I lose myself. Without you I find myself wanting to become lost again.” -Author Unknown

•     “The course of true love never did run smooth.” -William Shakespeare

•     “Kiss me and you will see stars; love me and I will give them to you.” -Lao-Tzu

•     "Love doesn't make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” -Franklin Jones

•     “To be your friend was all I ever wanted; to be your lover was all I ever dreamed.” -Valerie Lombardo

•     “Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.” -Benjamin Franklin

•     "Love is not to be purchased, and affection has no price.” -St.Jerome

•     “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart.” -Helen Keller

•     "If a hug represented how much I love you, I would hold you in my arms forever.” -Mandy Hampton

•     “You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person who you cannot live without.” -Unknown Author

•     “For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.” -Judy Garland

•     "Where there is love there is life." - Gandhi

•     A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.” ~Mother Teresa

•     "It's a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them.” -Agatha Christie

~Danielle

At a wedding have you been that guest scratching your head and wondering, what in the world is that couple doing?! As 2012 weddings are kicking off save yourself and keep up on cultural customs!
http://ping.fm/f6Iqe

Where In The World?

We're going to head to Germany for this blog! There is a large influence of German heritage that is present here in Wisconsin, so I want to familiarize them with their many native rituals.

The fun begins weeks before the ceremony. In many small towns and villages across Germany a wedding inviter (Hochzeitslader) will visit friends, family, and others’ houses, to personally invite them to the wedding. The couple will make sure to choose someone who has a lot of character; see, he has to wear a top hat, ride a decorated bicycle from house to house, carry a cane with ribbons, and read a traditional poem. This may take many nights; the wedding inviter is often invited into the house and offered food and many drinks!! For people to accept the invitation, they must take a ribbon off the cane he carries, and secure it to his hat!

Following that, the groom/bride goes out with their friends (or all together) to do what's called junggesellenabschied, similar to bachelor/bachelorette party, but there is hazing/pranks done at the grooms expense. (These are not the only pranks that will be played throughout the next few days) Often, the grooms’ men make the groom wear any crazy costume they would like! This tradition also includes walking through town pulling a wagon and selling random items (boiled eggs for a dollar, a shot for a dollar).

A week before the ceremony neighbors will get together and have Kranzbinden. The men collect pine tree branches that will be tied and placed on front door of couples house, and the women will tie roses (made out of paper) and pin them to the branches on the door. That evening is a pre-wedding party for the neighbors. The couple must provide food and drinks for all!

Next, is the breaking of the dishes! Friends, family and acquaintances will smash dishes at the house of the bride and groom to be. Broken to bits and pieces the couple must sweep it up. This is done so that nothing will ever be broken in their house again. "Scherben bringen Glück" broken crockery brings you luck! The more broken pieces the more luck! Guests don't always stop breaking the dishes just because it has all been swept up once, so watch out for more smashing throughout the evening!

As for the wedding ceremony, the couple will wear their gold wedding bands on the right hand once wed. As the couple leaves the ceremony, guests throw rice at the couple and however many pieces of rice stay in the brides hair, is how many children the couple will have. After the ceremony, some newlyweds have discovered their home or hotel room booby-trapped with pranks from friends! (Random alarm clock placed around the room, set at different times/living room furniture from the house placed the on roof)

Once at the reception, it is popular for the best man to kidnap the bride and hide her. It is the grooms responsibility to search the town for her, which she typically happens to be at a pub. Once she is found the groom is responsible for the bill created by his loving bride and best man.

Since 1450 a tradition from Nuremberg has appeared at many receptions. During dinner there is a special cup that the bride and groom must share, and drink from together at the same time. It's tricky, but possible! Here at Details, we have first handedly witnessed the success of this tradition! There was a lot of pressure, as the parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on had success! Love, faithfulness and good luck come to the couple who drinks from the cup successfully.                                                           

While dancing later in the evening there is a veil dance. The bride takes her veil off and a few people will hold it up for her. If anyone wants to dance with the bride/groom, they must put a dollar into the veil. Their dance will continue until the next person places a dollar in the veil.

German ceremonies last well into the night, which I got to experience firsthand! Traditions will differ by regions, as expected in all countries. But, the newlyweds in Germany are definitely put to the test!

~Danielle