The marriage ceremony itself is usually accompanied by both a religious and civil company https://www.vice.com/en/article/9kkej5/extremely-beautiful-people-talk-about-what-its-like-to-be-extremely-beautiful, but there are many additional norms that make up polish bridal beliefs. Some are more elaborate than another, but all are meant to display the partners that their family and friends are united in their aid of them and want them a happy life together.
One of the most renowned polish wedding traditions is the Oczepiny (unveiling of the wife). The opening is a major part of the union and it represents her change from individual lady beautiful polish girls to married wife. The bride’s parents, aunts, godmothers and grandmothers all join her on the dance floor in a circle and, at the command of the druzba ( band leader ), they remove the bride’s veil while the guests sing a song called Oj Chmielu Chmielu ( which some claim is the oldest known polish wedding song ).
Another conventional Polish bride tradition is zmowiny – this is where the parents of the wedding and bride meet for the first time. The monsieur d’ or group leader does proclaim the parents, who next come to a modest table with bread and salt. The bread symbolizes the hope that the couple does not experience hunger and the salt reminds them that life will sometimes become tricky and they must learn to cope collectively.
After the display of bread and salt, the couple has their earliest toast- typically this is a shot of vodka passed from person to person. The couple drinks from their glasses and, according to tradition, whoever ends up with the glass of vodka will wear the pants in the relationship!