Joining Heritage...

jrkjpf · May 2011

FI is full Irish, I am fully German (I am the only one in my immediate family born in the US)... We are both very strong about our heritage and would like to incorporate both into our wedding.
So far we have the FG's and RB's ringing bells at the end of the ceremony, Irish. And FI will be drinking from "Das Boot"...of course, German. And possibly our entrance to a modern bagpipe number (Korn, Shoots and Ladders).
But i was thinking of possibly having or finding a small group of German dancers, dressed in authentic clothing, dancing to an old world German polka. As a host would you consider something like this? And as a guest, would you be thinking WTF?

Just an idea, and if the budget will allow it.

opalsky007 · May 2011

Yeah, I think that'd be a WTF moment. Fun, but WTF.

sarah0725 · May 2011

Kinda WTF.... but polka isn't that hard. Could you have somebody teach it to your guests instead? In my experience with polka, it involves a lot of skipping.

Beachy730 · May 2011

Ditto Opal. I think you're crossing into overkill territory with the dancers.

DramaGeek · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:4de4d07e-fb70-4a85-a6e4-33a87625273e">Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]FI is full Irish, I am fully German (I am the only one in my immediate family born in the US)... We are both very strong about our heritage and would like to incorporate both into our wedding. So far we have the FG's and RB's ringing bells at the end of the ceremony, Irish. And FI will be drinking from "Das Boot"...of course, German. And possibly our entrance to a modern bagpipe number (Korn, Shoots and Ladders). But i was thinking of possibly having or finding a small group of German dancers, dressed in authentic clothing, dancing to an old world German polka. As a host would you consider something like this? <strong>And as a guest, would you be thinking WTF?</strong> Just an idea, and if the budget will allow it.
Posted by jrkjpf[/QUOTE]

<div>That.</div><div>
</div><div>There are so many other great German traditions, why would you choose something like that?</div><div>
</div><div>Also, you do know that "das Boot" means "the boat," right?</div>

jrkjpf · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:b3e594ab-1de5-458b-9a92-4330c7724a17">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]Kinda WTF.... but polka isn't that hard. Could you have somebody teach it to your guests instead? In my experience with polka, it involves a lot of skipping.
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]
You are correct, a lot of jumping, skipping, hoping around.
A family member suggested this, and I too thought, WTF, but the more i think about it, the more "different" it is and I like different.

jrkjpf · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:2d3181a4-e8d3-492c-a273-9c1d54232e46">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Joining Heritage... : That. There are so many other great German traditions, why would you choose something like that? <span style="font-weight:bold;">Also, you do know that "</span>das<span style="font-weight:bold;"> Boot" means "the boat," right?</span>
Posted by DramaGeek[/QUOTE]
Yes.

DramaGeek · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:9b31afc6-d0dc-4269-99b9-a69433cee70c">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Joining Heritage... : Yes.
Posted by jrkjpf[/QUOTE]<div>
Just making sure. I figured since your family was all born in Germany that you would, but I can't tell you how many people I meet that actually think it means "the boot."</div><div>
</div><div>Sarah's idea of having someone teach polka or lead your guests in a dance is a fun one. Friends of ours had someone teach a square dance and it was a lot of fun to participate in.</div>

jrkjpf · May 2011

I could always have all my guests bring in old plates and smash them :-p

sarah0725 · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:094bd43a-9bad-4e8b-b882-89e7eb7a9c95">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Joining Heritage... : You are correct, a lot of jumping, skipping, hoping around. A family member suggested this, and I too thought, WTF, but the more i think about it, the more "different" it is and I like different.
Posted by jrkjpf[/QUOTE]

I think goofy dance things are always better when you can have people participate in them. And I think pretty much anybody can get into a polka - polka music is fun! And I think there are some Irish bands that play polka, and some crossover between the two music styles, so there's that also.

opalsky007 · May 2011

Just wanted to throw out some other ideas for working your heritage into the day:

-incorporating some German foods: this could be pretty easily done with appetizers so that people get to try a little of a lot of different things before the main course

-having some specialty import beers or German wines (Gewurtztraminer is a favorite of mine)

-having someone read a prayer or reading with translation in German, or singing in German for the ceremony

Or if you're really tied to the polka idea, you and the bridal party could enter to polka music, and if you're brave, do a few dance steps. It's not too hard. Sarah is right, it's a lot of skipping.

sarah0725 · May 2011

Confession: my "polka experience" is that one time I was at this ballroom dance social, and while I know how to do most of the smooth and Latin dances, nobody has ever taught me the polka. But they played a polka at this thing, and this other dude and I felt like dancing, and he didn't know polka either, so we essentially skipped giddily around the room in time with what everybody else was doing.

I'm a big fan of improvised polka.

jrkjpf · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:2bd2ff94-8cce-4b59-bead-24818200b313">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]Just wanted to throw out some other ideas for working your heritage into the day: -incorporating some German foods: this could be pretty easily done with appetizers so that people get to try a little of a lot of different things before the main course -having some specialty import beers or German wines (Gewurtztraminer is a favorite of mine) -having someone read a prayer or reading with translation in German, or singing in German for the ceremony Or if you're really tied to the polka idea, you and the bridal party could enter to polka music, and if you're brave, do a few dance steps. It's not too hard. Sarah is right, it's a lot of skipping.
Posted by opalsky007[/QUOTE]

I like all of these ideas, especially the food and the entrance idea!
We are meeting with the venue chef next week (yes i know its well over a year away, but we are trying to get a feel for the food budget), so I will make sure to mention this. And I like the entrance idea MUCH better than what FI has in mind now. Perhaps he and his groomsmen can enter in an Irish form, and I and my girls in German.

opalsky007 · May 2011

Sarah, I don't have much more experience, but some of my teammates do!

We do a lot of team challenges that sometimes involve non-syllabus dances like Polka and Hustle, so I've seen it competed a few times and had a lesson in it once.

cengle · May 2011

I also agree that having guests involved in the polka-ing would be more fun. One of my friends had square dancing at her reception, and we had a blast.

sarah0725 · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:f8fabe0e-2c79-43d3-8f01-796bcbbdd887">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]Sarah, I don't have much more experience, but some of my teammates do! We do a lot of team challenges that sometimes involve non-syllabus dances like Polka and Hustle, so I've seen it competed a few times and had a lesson in it once.
Posted by opalsky007[/QUOTE]

Hustle is one of my new favorite things. We're doing Fred Astaire right now (I know, way too expensive, but they've brought Charlie along really quickly and we are learning a lot) and hustle is one of our four focus dances. And now I keep adding things with a good hustle beat to our DJ's playlist. :)

DramaGeek · May 2011

OP, are your ceremony and reception venue the same? If not, I love the tradition of giving ribbons to the guests to tie on the antennas (antennae?) of their cars, marking them as part of the wedding. Traditionally the ribbons are white, but you could go with a wedding color instead if you wanted.

opalsky007 · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:078fc614-2a6f-4006-bb05-93bcc450dbff">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Joining Heritage... : Hustle is one of my new favorite things. We're doing Fred Astaire right now (I know, way too expensive, but they've brought Charlie along really quickly and we are learning a lot) and hustle is one of our four focus dances. And now I keep adding things with a good hustle beat to our DJ's playlist. :)
Posted by sarah0725[/QUOTE]

<div>Niiiiice. I've never done hustle but it looks like it's ridiculously fun.</div>

jrkjpf · May 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_joining-heritage?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:763dbcc9-450d-4dd7-9b6a-2260eec354d9Post:eda9f333-099e-4441-96e4-325a5def0166">Re: Joining Heritage...</a>:
[QUOTE]OP, are your ceremony and reception venue the same? If not, I love the tradition of giving ribbons to the guests to tie on the antennas (antennae?) of their cars, marking them as part of the wedding. Traditionally the ribbons are white, but you could go with a wedding color instead if you wanted.
Posted by DramaGeek[/QUOTE]
Yes, they are. I thought about this as well, but we decided to keep everything in one place, easier for us and our guests.

DramaGeek · May 2011

Good call. Ours was all in one place too and we actually had several people thank us for that. Of course, could have been because it was pouring down rain ;-)

jrkjpf · May 2011

Here's another one I forgot about, instead of throwing rice, seed, or confetti. It's a tradition for the bride to carry salt and bread, and the groom is to carry grain. Instead of "carrying" these items. My sister added the salt and grain into small "test tub" like containers, and the guests threw this. Ehh?

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