Something old, something new, something borrowed...

A beautiful custom for all those who exchange the engagement ring for the wedding ring after the wedding: The engagement ring is planted with the seed of a yolk flower after the marriage. When the plant then grows, it is supposed to transport the piece of jewelry with its stem upwards: The couple's love is then crowned with a ringed flower.

The bridal shoe is traditionally paid for with saved pennies, now known as cents. The savings symbolize the bride's thriftiness. At the wedding ceremony, there is the custom of auctioning off the bridal shoe: the bride's shoe is taken from her and symbolically auctioned off among the wedding guests, with the money being placed in the shoe. At the end, the groom buys the shoe and the money that remains for the bride and groom.

The rain of rice comes from Asia, where rice is not only the number one food, but also stands for luck and fertility. When the bride and groom leave the building after the ceremony, they are greeted with a shower of rice by a line of guests. As many churches and registry offices no longer allow the throwing of rice, more and more are turning to soap bubbles or flowers. This also creates a beautiful picture and is said to bring good luck.

To prove that they will overcome all hurdles in marriage, the bride and groom must overcome symbolic obstacles together on their wedding day. These can be very different and are prepared by the wedding guests. The bride and groom have to saw through a tree trunk together or cut a heart into a sheet with nail scissors, which the groom then carries his beloved through.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a lucky penny in the shoe are supposed to bring the bride luck - a British custom that has spread to Germany since the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.  Something old represents the bride's previous life before she walks down the aisle-this can be an inherited piece of jewelry, for example. Something new represents the beginning of the bride's married life - the wedding dress is a good choice. Something borrowed stands for friendship and should bring luck to the couple - this can be a lucky charm, a hairpin from a friend. Something blue stands for fidelity in marriage - the blue is usually incorporated into the garter. The lucky penny in the shoe stands for prosperity, which should accompany the marriage.

Another tradition is the bride kidnapping, which takes place at the wedding ceremony itself. The kidnappers are usually good friends who abduct the bride into another room.  Traditionally, the best man or groom picks up the tab, but this is usually handled with tolerance. 

Traditionally, one of the groom's tasks is to get the bride's bouquet. At the wedding reception, the bride then throws the bouquet into the crowd of women with her eyes closed. Whoever catches it will be the next to get married.