We are very excited to welcome more than 8 nationalities at our wedding. This also means that there are many who aren't familiar with the wedding traditions in both Denmark and Portugal.

To help you prepare we have gathered some of the most important traditions below.

DANISH WEDDING 101

During the dinner

Speeches, games and songs

During dinner, it is tradition in Denmark that some guests do a speech, a song, a quiz or other games about the bride and/or groom. It is voluntary if you want to do something, but usually the close family and friends will perform something. It is however mandatory that the groom makes a speech for his bride (so no excuses Bruno).

The speeches is managed by the toastmaster. If you wish to do something, please contact:

Karen (for Danish) at +45 61 31 55 23

The many, many kisses

At any time during the dinner, the guest can command the bride and groom to kiss. This can happen in two ways:

Stamping on the floor: If the guests start stamping with their feet on the floor the newlyweds needs to kiss under the table.

Banging with the silverware: If the guests starts banging their silverware on the plates the newlyweds have to stand up on their chairs and kiss.

Besides commanding the kissing between the newlyweeds, guest also has the opportunity to give a kiss to the bride and groom. Traditions is, that every time the bride has to go to the toilet all the female guests have to rush and kiss the groom (on the cheek). This is the same when the groom goes to the toilet in which time all the men run to kiss the bride.

After dinner

The "Brudevals"

The couple’s first dance or ‘brudevals’ must take place before midnight. When it’s time, all the guests will stand in a circle around the newlyweds and clap as the couple begin to dance. As the couple dance, the guests make the circle smaller and smaller and eventually the couple kiss (again!).

You can see a brudevals performed by their majesties the king and queen of Denmark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVQarqT61ss

Cutting the socks

Straight after the brudevals the male guests closest to the groom will surround and lift the groom, while taking off his socks! Hereafter they will cut the end of his socks off (see picture below). This tradition is done so the bride can repair the socks to prove that she will be a good wife (although this will not happen according to Camille).

PORTUGUESE WEDDING 101

Nothing out of the usual, but a least the dinner will not be filled with looong (and boring according to Bruno) speeches. Hurra!