Swedish Wedding Traditions

Every country has its own unique wedding traditions. Sweden is a country that has some very interesting wedding traditions. The Swedish wedding traditions that you will find here were all practiced in the past. As with just about any country, since the Swedish culture has began to change, the wedding traditions that people actually continue to stick to have also changed. While one couple may follow all of these Swedish wedding traditions, others may only follow one.

Swedish Wedding Wealth Blessing

One of the most well known wedding traditions from Sweden takes place before the bride arrives to the church. A silver coin is placed in the left shoe by the bride’s father and a gold coin is placed in the right shoe by the bride’s mother. It is meant as a wealth blessing for the bride and groom’s marriage. This is one Swedish wedding tradition that is commonly practiced among Swedes and other cultures as well.

Determining the Decision Maker of the Family

There is one very common wedding tradition that is practiced in Sweden, though there are several variations of this wedding tradition. In the Swedish culture, the main decision maker of the family is determined during the wedding. The first way that the main decision maker of the family is chosen is by whoever first enters the church. However, since it is common for many couples to choose to have the groom to wait at the altar for the bride, there is another way that the decision maker of the family may be chosen. This is by who says the words, “I do,” in the loudest tone of voice.

Virgin Brides Got to Wear Tiaras

Another Swedish wedding tradition is based on the bridal crown. They used to be made of leaves, flowers or other plants, but now they are what we would refer to as a tiara. In Sweden, only virgin brides were given the opportunity to wear the crown, which was controlled by the church. It was very common for brides to wear tiaras because not wearing one indicated that you were not a virgin. Even if a bride did not favor the appearance of a tiara, she was likely to wear it anyway for this very reason. While many churches in Sweden still have tiaras which are intended for only virgin brides to wear, the tradition of wearing them is becoming less common – mainly due to wedding fashions.

The Typical Swedish Wedding Reception

In Sweden, it was and still is very common for couples to have a buffet-style reception. Some of the main foods that are served at a Swedish wedding reception include herring, cowberry jam, Swedish meatballs, and a hard bread. The traditional Swedish wedding cake was usually a sponge cake with toffee icing. During the wedding reception, guests will typically sing songs. The father of the bride and the father of the groom are both expected to give a speech at the wedding reception, though it is common for any guest to give a speech if they want to.

Swedish Brides Were to Wear Three Wedding Rings

In addition to the engagement ring and the wedding ring, according to Swedish wedding traditions, brides will wear a third wedding ring. This is known as the “motherhood” ring, its meaning quite self-explanatory. Some women chose, or to this day continue to choose, not to wear this wedding ring until they become a mother for the first time. It mainly depends on the woman herself and her family’s beliefs.

If you are interested in a wedding that incorporates the Swedish culture with your own, these are just some of the many Swedish wedding traditions that can help get you started.