Every culture has its very own language of love – a language that expresses itself in symbols, rituals and festive gestures. As wedding planners for intercultural weddings in Berlin, we specialize in supporting couples. They celebrate their love and want to not only preserve their cultural roots, but carry them into the future in style. We know that These rituals are more than tradition – they are bridges between origin and present, between two families and often between two worlds.
International wedding rituals that are easy but impressive to implement
Ukrainian wedding customs
Bread plays a central role in Ukraine. The elaborately decorated wedding bread, the korovai, is a symbol of prosperity and fertility. Every detail, from small birds to filigree leaves, tells of the family’s wishes for the young couple. The cheerful tradition of bride kidnapping is just as deeply rooted: friends of the groom “steal” the bride. The groom then has to win her back with wit, skill or a symbolic ransom. A playful custom that makes it clear how firmly humor and family ties are part of Ukrainian weddings.
Polish wedding rituals
In Poland, too, the celebration begins with bread, salt and often a glass of vodka. The couple’s parents present these gifts at the entrance to the celebration. The ritual is full of symbolism. The bread stands for abundance, the salt for the inevitable trials of life, the vodka for joy and lightness. Whoever catches the glass of vodka jokingly takes on the role of “decision maker” in the marriage. The oczepiny follows at midnight: the bride’s veil is removed and replaced with a hood. It is a moment that marks the transition into married life and arouses emotions in guests and bride and groom alike. A wedding planner can help to seamlessly integrate intercultural wedding details.
The Turkish Henna Night
In Turkey, the transition is celebrated the evening before the wedding: the Kına Gecesi, or henna night. The bride wears a red dress and her hands are painted with elaborate henna patterns. Accompanied by songs and rituals, she symbolically weeps for her parental home. At the same time, joy and hope for the future resonate. On the wedding day itself, the red ribbon plays a central role: it is tied around the bride’s waist by her brother. It symbolizes both purity and the protection of the family. A custom that underlines the importance of family and tradition and can be taken into account when planning intercultural weddings.
This is how they celebrate in Vietnam…
In Vietnam, weddings are festive acts of gratitude and respect. Traditionally, the bride’s family welcomes the groom’s family with beautifully decorated red boxes. These are filled with gifts such as tea, fruit or jewelry. During the tea ceremony that follows, the couple offer their parents tea, bow their heads and thank them for their care and support. An intimate moment that emphasizes the bond between the generations. The bride often wears an Áo dài, the elegant, floor-length silk dress in red or gold, colors that symbolize happiness and wealth.
Italian wedding dance
In Italy, weddings are celebrated with joie de vivre and culinary delights. The tarantella dance gets guests and family moving. Meanwhile, sweet gifts carry symbolic meaning. The famous “confetti” – five sugar-coated almonds – are presented to each guest. They stand for love, health, prosperity, fertility and a long life. In some regions, the veil is also thrown. Sometimes even the groom’s tie is cut up and the pieces are distributed as good luck charms. Everything in Italy is an expression of joy and the desire to share happiness, which an intercultural wedding planner should of course take into account when organizing.
The Persian wedding table
In Iran, the wedding ceremony is characterized by a richly laid table – the Sofreh Aghd. This festively arranged table features a mirror, candles, sugar loaves, honey, spices and almonds. Each element has its own meaning: the light of the candles stands for enlightenment, the mirror for brightness and the honey for a sweet future. During the ceremony, female relatives rub two sugar loaves over the couple. In this way, happiness and sweetness trickle down on them. A ritual full of elegance and sensuality, the splendor of which reaches far beyond the country’s borders. A wedding planner for such intercultural weddings should take this into account.
French wedding cake
And finally, France: here, the wedding is not decorated with a classic cake, but with a croquembouche, an elaborate tower of small cream puffs, caramelized and glittering like a sweet building. The dragées, small almonds in sugar, are also indispensable – five in number, for happiness, health, prosperity, fertility and a long life. They are a sign of gratitude and sharing, just like the festive atmosphere that pervades French weddings. A wedding planner with intercultural experience could provide valuable know-how here.
All these customs are an expression of culture, identity and the desire to shape life together. And they show: Love is universal, but every culture tells its own story of it. As experienced wedding planners in Berlin, we at Reinweiss Hochzeiten understand how valuable these rituals are. We know how sensitively they can be integrated into a modern celebration. We create intercultural weddings that respectfully embrace customs, combining them stylishly with contemporary elements to create a unique narrative for each couple.
If you want a wedding that is not just celebrated, but lived and told – with rituals that honor your heritage while shaping a modern celebration full of elegance – then you are in the best hands with Reinweiss Hochzeiten. Contact us and let us work together to create a celebration of love that tells your story and will be remembered for generations. When it comes to wedding planners for intercultural weddings, we are here for you.
