If you want to organize a traditional wedding, prepare yourself for some fun, but also often touching customs. One of them is the old Polish greeting of the bride and groom. Usually, a tray with bread, salt and vodka is held by the mother of the bride or groom. Check out what this beautiful custom should look like!
Greeting the bride and groom with bread and salt: symbolism
Are you wondering what this custom symbolizes? Bread and salt are associated with prosperity, hospitality, prosperity, love, durability in a relationship and abundance in life. This custom comes from the times when the wedding was usually organized in the bride's family home. Bread plays an important role in Christianity, because it symbolizes the body of Christ, therefore, it is food not only for the body, but also for the soul.
wedding customs vary by location. Ritual wedding bread was a living tradition across the country. In Wielkopolska, newlyweds put bread and salt to their hearts for a moment to emphasize the respect they have for them. In turn, in Podhale, these gifts were given to the bride, acting as the guardian of the home hearth. In some corners of Poland, salt was sprinkled on the newlyweds to protect them from charm and evil spells.
You can buy salt in the store or take it from home. It used to be a luxury item, today it can be found in every grocery store. In the past, many poor families were unable to buy even small amounts of salt. If the Bride replied that she was choosing the Groom, and they would earn bread and salt slowly, it meant that she believed in love and the success of marriage.
Welcoming newlyweds
The greeting of the Bride and Groom usually takes place before entering wedding hall or restaurant, although in unfavorable weather you can do it already inside. In order for the newlyweds not to run out of anything in life, they should eat a piece of bread sprinkled with salt, and then wash it down with vodka or water.
Greeting the bride and groom: text
The greeting may take the form of a question. Most often it is asked by the mother or mother-in-law of the bride. It may read as follows: "Bride, what do you choose: bread, salt, or the groom." In turn, the Bride should answer: "I choose the Groom, bread and salt, we will get rich slowly" or "Bread, salt and the Groom to earn money for him". There are quite a few variants of the answer, it largely depends on the region. If you have a rich imagination, you can prepare your own version.
To some people, this question and answer seems a bit out of place. It is worth remembering, however, that in this way we wish the young couple prosperity, prosperity and happiness in marriage.
When welcoming the bride and groom, bread with salt is usually served on an elegant tray, covered with a snow-white napkin or a hand-embroidered tablecloth. Sometimes they are put in a special basket. If you pay attention to detail, make arrangements in advance with your parents or the manager of the establishment, depending on who is acting as the host.
What does the bread to welcome the bride and groom look like?
Most often, the loaf is cut so that the newlyweds can easily take a small piece, dip it in a silver vessel with salt, and then eat it calmly. Many couples kiss the bread beforehand to show respect for hard work. Typically, the loaf has a classic taste and is no different from others.
Its role is reduced to a symbol, and after greeting the bride and groom, it most often ends up on the wedding table. Some bakeries and wedding houses offer special breads with romantic decorations, for example in the shape of a heart, lace or braid. In this case, a second loaf is prepared to be eaten so as not to spoil the effect. These elements will perfectly emphasize the Old Polish origin of this custom.
Sometimes the parents pass the greeting of the bride and groom into the hands of the host or hall owner. He is usually dressed in a festive outfit, although it looks a bit different in different parts of Poland.
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Breaking glasses after greeting the bride and groom
After the greeting, the bride and groom choose a glass of vodka or water, and the bride reaches for it first. Tradition says that whoever drinks vodka will rule in marriage and home, and whoever draws water will submit to him. Sometimes two glasses filled with vodka are served. After drinking them to the bottom, the bride and groom throw them over their right shoulder, and the groom must clean up the broken glass. It is also worth counting how many pieces the glasses broke into, the more the better. If the glass falls but does not break, ask the witness to step on it and break it. However, before you throw your glasses, make sure that no one is standing behind you.
One of the elements that begins the wedding is the one in which the groom carries the bride through the threshold of the wedding hall. The tradition comes from ancient Rome. The groom should be careful not to stumble, as this can bring misfortune. From now on, the newly married spouse becomes a bride.
Cultivating traditions is not in contradiction with new trends. If you want to organize wedding and wedding in glamor style, the perfect background for such a party will be the Court Ballroom. White, wooden vaulting and large, arched windows create a unique atmosphere. The interior is heated or air-conditioned, depending on the needs. It provides excellent air circulation, thanks to which guests can go wild on the dance floor. Ballroom has an internal mezzanine that can easily accommodate 40 people.