Wedding customs in Hungary

Even though Hungarian couples nowadays organize wedding ceremonies similar to the American ones, some of the old traditions still remain preserved and respected.

In the past, it was the best man who would go from one guest to the other and invite them to the ceremony in person, often in rhyme. Even today, when wedding invitations are often sent online, it is still considered good manners if the bride and the groom invite the guests in person.

Wedding dresses of the brides used to be colorful, with floral pattern and many underskirts, while today most brides choose a white wedding dress. However, many brides have a second dress they change into during the reception, and it is usually embroidered with floral pattern in order to resemble the traditional dress.

Even though it is an old custom, it is not uncommon nowadays that a group of guests “kidnaps” the bride before the ceremony, and the groom needs to do his best to “rescue” her, showing this way that he is worthy of the bride.

When it comes to the wedding ceremony, the wedding is first performed in the Courthouse, where the bride and the groom enter with at least two witnesses, and other guests are often present as well. There are only best man and the maid of honor, and Hungarian couples do not have bridesmaids and ushers. Then the wedding procession usually goes from the Courthouse to the church.

The couples often wear their wedding rings on their left hand during the engagement, and near the end of the church ceremony, they switch the rings onto the right hand to symbolize the official beginning of their life as a married couple. After this, the old custom which is still often respected is that the bride gives 3 or 7 handkerchiefs to the groom, since 3 and 7 are lucky numbers, and the groom is supposed to give the bride a bag of coins in return.

After the church ceremony is finished, the newlyweds and their guests proceed to the wedding reception, where with lots of food, drink, music and dancing they have fun until wee hours.