Die Liebe ist eine feine Sache.
German Weddings v. Weddings in the U.S.
What IS the difference between German weddings and weddings in the U.S.?
First of all, it depends on who’s getting married, their traditions, and their goals. Whether you want to be authentic, inclusive, outlandish, or individualistic, the way you decide on how you want your wedding to be and feel is a pretty individual thing.
Sure, there are major cultural differences, legal differences, and even differences in all those little pre-wedding rituals that shape our perception of what a wedding is and what it should be.
Polterabend
One of my favorite traditions is the ‘Polterabend’ – a get-together of the bride and groom and their friends. Everyone brings some old and unneeded plates. Then they join together and smash them to smithereens! The gist of it is for the bride and groom to clean it up together and show their ability to get along. The din of breaking the dishes is supposed to get rid of any evil spirits!
Getting married in Germany is a legal affair—the couple can choose to have a ceremony at a church, or another venue as well, but the marriage itself needs to be formally registered by the government to be considered valid.
American weddings, in contrast, take place in just about every conceivable setting. Germans tend to be much more traditional and formal about their weddings.
Traditional v Individual
The majority of German weddings still tend to be traditional. Americans frequently express their individuality and personality through their weddings.
What happens when you mix it up? What happens when a couple has several different nationalities and cultures in their families? We say “Bring it on!” Cultural sensitivity and cultural fluency is something are really important for us. We work hard to find and cultivate those attributes in every individual who works with us. The thing in the world that we do best is to connect people and make them feel welcome. We help couples create a celebration about them, their loved ones, and the way they love and live.
What is YOUR tradition?
Even though more and more brides are opting to wear colorful gowns, the vast majority still wear a white bridal gown while the groom dons a black suit.
Throwing the bouquet is a tradition that is frequently included in German weddings, but so is the tradition of ripping the bride’s veil to shreds!
Multiculturalism continues to blend traditions. On top of that, relentless media exposure plants the seeds of desire to have and do what other people have and are doing. Because of this, we are slowly approaching a certain degree of cultural homogeneity.
Until we get there, though, we are available to help you and your loved ones feel loved, cherished, and welcomed!