Weddings in France are always associated with glamourous shoots by the Seine with a stunning dress, or perhaps a more relaxed Provence wedding surrounded by lavender fields and sunshine.
The French people are full of life and so are their local traditions which they are always proud to show off.
Their wedding traditions are no exceptions with really special and somewhat weird traditions that have been in place since forever.
Le Pot de Chambre
One of the wedding traditions of the French people is the Le Pot de Chambre.
A ‘pot de chambre’ is literally a chamber pot or potty for short where newlyweds are forced to drink from.
The aim of this ritual was meant to provide the newlyweds with energy and strength after the meal, just before the wedding night.
A the end of the meal, the guests gift a brand new chamber pot to the newlyweds.
Just before they go off to bed, the newlyweds will need to eat a dish in the chamber pot, made from the leftovers of the alcohol from the wedding.
This is supposedly meant to give them energy and strength for the night!
Some also say that by drinking the remnants of alcohol it would also symbolise the end of the party and the start of married life!
However, the pot is not simply handed over to the newlyweds for them to take to bed.
That would be far too easy and they might simply pretend to drink it right?
Instead, the witnesses and close friends would normally go searching for the newlyweds, and cause chaos in their bedroom until the whole pot is drunk!
An alternative to the above “recipe” consists of placing bananas in the bottom of the pot, covered with melted chocolate and champagne.
Some will even go as far as placing some bits of toilet paper on top…Just in case, the visual wasn’t enough! But it’s done in good spirits and for a good laugh.
There are also some other lesser-known traditions across the country such as the Brioche Dance.
Around midnight, after the meal, the newlyweds offer a large round brioche to their guests on a platter.
Accompanied by some fast-paced music, the guests then dance around it, as well as going underneath the platter held by the newlyweds, until everyone has been underneath the platter.
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