Champagne with the stolen bride...

image by LaraJade via that unreliable girl

Might be time to tell you some customs about my home country: Germany. This is about breaking dishes, kidnapping and drinking champagne. That's how we roll ; ) A few days before the wedding, friends and relatives bring old porcelain and kitchenware to throw onto the ground in front of the bride and groom. This is supposed to grant them a happy, lucky life; that's why this evening event is called POLTERABEND--the evening with lots of broken porcelain. It's good luck for guests to bring old dishes to break. The newlyweds then sweep up the broken pieces together, symbolizing that nothing will ever be broken in their house again. The Polterabend often develops into an informal and casual party. It is customary for the 'best man' to steal the bride from the reception and take her to a local pub, where they drink champagne until the groom finds them. Then the groom has to pay for all that they drank. Later, friends of the couple block all the reception site exits with ribbons and garlands. When the couple is ready to leave for their honeymoon, the groom must pay a toll to exit, usually the promise of another party!

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