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Scandinavian wedding traditions explained: Swedish coins in the bride's shoes, the Norwegian kransekake, Danish kissing games and cake, and how to use them today.
Scandinavian wedding traditions are mostly playful reception customs rather than ceremony rites. In Sweden, a bride may carry coins in her shoes from her parents for prosperity. In Norway and Denmark, the kransekake, a tower of almond rings, is the classic celebration cake, and the rings stuck to the top one are said to predict the couple's children. Danish receptions add kissing games and, in some circles, cutting the groom's socks. Customs vary by region and family, and many couples pick only a few.
Scandinavian wedding traditions by country: Sweden, Coins in the shoes, The bride carries a coin from each parent in her shoes; Sweden, Kissing when a partner leaves, Guests kiss the one left at the table; Norway, Kransekake, A tower of almond rings; the couple lift the top; Denmark, Kransekage and overflødighedshorn, Almond ring cake, sometimes in a horn-of-plenty shape; Denmark, Kissing games, Guests bang cutlery or stamp to make the couple kiss; Denmark, Cutting the groom's socks, Friends lift the groom and snip his socks.
A widely described Swedish custom is for the bride to wear a silver coin from her father in her left shoe and a gold coin from her mother in her right, so she will never go without. Some families do it with a single coin; others skip it entirely. It's a private moment while getting ready rather than part of the ceremony, which makes it easy to include even at a non-Swedish wedding.
The kransekake ("wreath cake") is a tower of concentric almond rings stacked into a steep cone, often 18 or more layers, held together with white icing. In Norway it's served at weddings, christenings, Christmas and Constitution Day on 17 May. At weddings, the couple lift the top ring, and the number of rings that stick to it is said to foretell how many children they'll have.
Denmark shares the almond ring cake, called kransekage. At weddings and christenings Danes also make an overflødighedshorn ("horn of plenty"), the same almond cake shaped like a cornucopia and filled with chocolates and small sweets, sometimes with a bottle of wine or akvavit in the middle.
Walking in together. In Sweden especially, many couples walk down the aisle together rather than the bride being given away. If you're rethinking who walks you in, see who walks you down the aisle. Long dinners with speeches. Scandinavian receptions often revolve around a seated dinner with toasts between courses, sometimes led by a toastmaster. Build extra time into the schedule; the wedding reception order of events guide helps. Midsummer and summer weddings. Long light evenings make summer a popular season across the region.
Pick the traditions that mean something to your families and explain them in a short note on your wedding website or in the programme, especially games like the Danish chair kiss that surprise guests. With long dinners and many speeches, a thoughtful seating plan matters more than usual. Forever Farrah can keep your guest list, RSVPs, meal choices and seating chart in one place. For more, see how weddings differ across Europe and wedding traditions for luck and prosperity.
The custom is a wish for prosperity: coins from each parent, traditionally silver from the father and gold from the mother, so the bride will never go without.
A Norwegian and Danish cake made from stacked almond rings, often 18 or more, served at weddings and celebrations. At weddings, the couple lift the top ring, and the rings that stick to it are said to predict how many children they'll have.
It's a reception game: when guests bang cutlery on their plates, the couple stand on their chairs and kiss. Stamping feet means a kiss under the table.
Some do, but in Sweden in particular many couples walk in together, and couples across the region choose what suits them.
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