I’ve been to a number of weddings now as a wedding photographer and I’ve seen quite a few different wedding traditions and one I quite like is the bread and salt wedding tradition. If you consider the fact that marriage is the supreme bond of love and affection, and wedding is the ceremony of this holy union. Weddings give you an ultimate chance to proclaim your love to the entire world, perhaps most importantly, to the people that matter to you.
From the day you first met, shared your first kiss or proposed may forever be imprinted in your mind, not a single memory will come close to your wedding day. It is a day to enjoy endless luxury, happiness, enthusiasm, good food, champagne, and never-ending opulence, just to celebrate the one you love.
The epitome of any wedding day is of course the declaration of wedding vows. A proclamation that declares unflattering commitment, admiration, promises, and legally claims one another. This day is truly the day of days for all love birds, and for this reason, should be made meaningful and personal, and people like to do this by incorporating traditional wedding customs such as the bread and salt wedding traditon.
The Bread and Salt Wedding Tradition
The bread and salt wedding tradition is an European tradition usually accredited to Poland, but many countries in Europe follow something similar from Russia through to the UK. It’s basically a welcome greeting ceremony in several Slavic and other European cultures and in Middle Eastern cultures. As a welcome ceremony its a nice way to celebrate the coming together of two families and welcome the bride and groom’s guests to the ceremony.
What Is Meant by The Bread and Salt at A Wedding Reception?
For the bread and salt wedding tradition, the bride and groom meet both sets of parents at the wedding reception. The parents will have a loaf of bread, which will be sprinkled with salt and will also have a goblet of wine. The parents say a toast to the couple so that they have good luck during their marriage. It also symbolizes that the parents hope that their children will never go without and that they have an abundance of what they need. In more detail, this is what is meant by the bread, salt, and wine during the wedding reception:
1. The Bread
In the bread and salt wedding tradition, bread is a symbol that is sweet, and it is given by the parents to the bridal couple. They hope that the couple never has to want for much. It is their hope that they never go hungry and always have enough.
2. The Salt
Salt usage during the wedding reception is so that the couple understands that life will not always be easy. This part of the tradition conveys that the parents want their children to know that life will have its difficulties at times, but the two must learn how to deal with and handle their struggles. It will make them grow stronger as a couple when they learn how to get through the harder times together.
3. The Wine
The wine is there to show that the parents hope that the couple never goes thirsty. It also symbolizes the wish for the couple’s life to be filled with joy and happiness for many years to come. The parents want the best for their children in all ways, and they are showing this through this tradition.
Breaking of The Plate and The Glass
This occurs when the bride and groom each take a piece of the bread and sip of the wine and then throw the plate and the glass to the floor so that they are broken. The parents give each of them a kiss, and then the wedding reception carries on. It is to show the beginning of their life as a couple.
The singing of The Song Sta Lot
In order for the bread and salt wedding tradition to be final, the song Sta Lot is played. It means that the wishes for good luck to the couple last for 100 years. This a huge celebration and people really enjoy it as they watch the bride and groom begin their life together with all of their loved ones close at hand. Having all of their closest friends and family there to witness their vows and traditions for their wedding means so much to the couple.
Where Did This Wedding Tradition Originate?
The roots of the wedding tradition are part of Slavic, European, and Middle Eastern cultures. People love to see this tradition at weddings because they referred to it as sweet and they know that the parents of the bride and groom really want their children to be happy. That is why the symbolization of the bread and salt tradition is so important, and it occurs before the rest of the wedding reception begins.
The Type of Bread, Salt, And Wine to Be Used
In the past, it was a loaf of bread. In modern wedding ceremonies, it can just be a couple of pieces of bread, regular salt, and any kind of wine or champagne that is used for their tradition. They are merely symbols of the meanings behind the tradition, so there are no strict rules when it comes to what is used by the couple for the reception.
Making It A Point to Have This Tradition at The Wedding Reception
A wedding symbolizes the union of two souls and often the continuation of tradition. Although in modern times, this tradition may seem a little odd, having the bread and salt wedding tradition in a modern marriage can mark that day with a time to reflect on old ways that were handed down from generation to generation. They will never forget how much it means for their parents to wish them good luck during those moments of sweetness and tenderness at the wedding reception.
This is to many couples the most important moment of the entire wedding experience. Traditions create a bond that is truly unique and beautiful. And many couples cherishing traditions that stem from their cultural roots can put special imporntance on different things. Embracing the tradition of bread and salt in their weddings is one such way to celebrate the delights associated to their cultural heritage.
 