Bride dance:Around midnight the tradition is that bride dances with the guests for a few minutes and for the dance she receives money. In the old days this was one way to collect money for the young couple besides the presents, today the couple might say - that instead of presents they prefer to collect money for their honeymoon - or any other purpose - especially if they had lived together - and they have all what they need around the household so they prefer money as a present.

One of the dedicated invites - a guy takes a big bowl, a wooden spoon and shouts: The bride is for sale! He gives the bowl to somebody, shows the money to all other guests and drops is into the bowl. After the first dance all other guests one after the other dance a few minutes with bride (for traditional Hungarian music) - but before doing so they drop the money into the bowl - discreetly. When the groom thinks - the bride danced enough - takes the bowl with the money from the guy who had it, runs to the bride, steals her from the person who is dancing with her and they run out of the room... however they will come back... later

The bride kidnapping: is an old Hungarian tradition. In the past it was taken very seriously. The groom had to watch out to ensure that the kidnapping doesn't happen during the ceremony; otherwise it was understood that the groom doesn't deserve the bride. Today it is just for fun... The kidnapper(s) - after successful kidnapping take(s) the bride out for a while with him (them) for example to a nearby cafè or a bar. During this period the groom has to watch out for the bouquet and keep it with him at all times - at least if he could not prevent that the bride was kidnapped, he must save the bouquet.

He has to look for the bride and the kidnapper(s) and find them with his fellow-men. If he looses the bouquet too in the process - he has to pay for all expenses of the kidnapping - i.e. pay the bill in the bar on top of what he has do in order to "buy out" the bride. The "buy out" will be some "performance" defined by the kidnapper(s)...

Stealing the shoes of the bride: If a guest is successful in stealing one or both shoes of the bride - typically when the bride is seated at the table - from under the table, they are sold. The price to get back the shoes is often that the groom has to drink champagne from the shoe of the bride.

Red Dress: After midnight (or after the bride dance), the tradition is that the bride takes off her white dress and changes into a red dress, symbolizing her new life as a married woman. In the old days when she changed to the red dress, she had to put on an apron and took a wooden spoon... Today, only the red dress remains - luckily...

Breaking a plate by throwing it to the floor: in some regions, the number of pieces showed how many children the couple will have, or it is believed that all the small pieces will simply bring luck to the couple.

Throwing small change to the floor for the couple to sweep it together: in the old days when the party finished and the couple was going home, guests were throwing small change on the floor which the bride had to sweep together - before they could leave. The person who was holding the shovel often put the shovel upside down so that the bride could start from the beginning. Collecting the money - after all this effort symbolized that the couple will get rich, but it also meant that the bride is also hard working...

Internationally known traditions on Hungarian Weddings

Bride accessories: Originated from England. On the day of the wedding the bride has to wear something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue to be fortunate in life.

Throwing petals: symbolizes fertility. On the way to the altar petals are thrown give blessing for lot of children and to smoothen the bumps of the married life.

Throwing rice: is originated from Asia, and also symbolizes fertility like petals.

The bride throws her bouquet: at the end of the ceremony with her back to the girls who are not married yet. The girl, who picks it up, will be the one to marry next.

Throwing the suspender of the bride: symbolizes the next marriage, contrary to the above, here the guys are racing for it and it is the groom who throws it with his back to his friends.

When the groom takes the bride over the doorstep: it symbolizes that only one person stepped into their home. Of course it also shows how strong the guy is...

Salt and bread: when the bride and the groom gets home after the party, there has to be salt and bread there symbolizing that the couple will never be hungry in their life.