by Elizabeth Etzel

Created on: February 08, 2010

There are many foreign traditions that couples may want to incorporate into their wedding ceremony or reception either because they want to be creative and different or because either the bride or groom may be foreign and therefore integrating these traditions are a unique and creative way to make for the most memorable wedding ever.

Take for instance the Eastern-European country of Bulgaria which has several fun and interesting wedding traditions and since my husband is Bulgarian, we decided to incorporate several Bulgarian traditions into our wedding.  

My favorite tradition is called the “Exchanging of Crowns.” This tradition is done during the ceremony probably right after you exchange your vowels. The bride and groom should select (prior to the wedding obviously) two crowns that are of good quality and that fit their heads as perfect as possible. (In Bulgaria the minister provides the crowns for the bride and groom but these are generic crowns that the church keeps and they are re-used for every wedding.)

The minister then introduces the tradition by saying:

“Please God, Unite these children, (bride and groom) so that they are one flesh, now and forever and for eternity.”

The Minister then picks up the grooms crown and walks over to him. He then taps his head with the crown and then taps the brides head with the crown and while making the sign of the cross, he says:

“We are here to marry God's son (groom) to God's daughter (bride) in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit.”

The minister then places the crown onto the grooms head. He then picks up the brides crown and walks over to her. He taps the brides head with the crown and then taps the grooms head with the crown and makes the sign of the cross in the middle with the crown, while saying:

“We are here to marry God's daughter (bride) to God's son (groom) in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit,” he again makes the symbol of the cross with the crown while saying that.

He then places the crown back onto the brides head and then he takes both crowns off their heads and switches them back and forth in the air three times and then places them back onto the bride and grooms heads. The organist can by playing music at this time and the Minister can then say a prayer if the bride and groom desire.

The Minister will then lift up grooms crown from his head and say:

“Obey and follow God's will and be one with God. Celebrate your wife and be with her and follow her now and forever.”

He will them lift up brides crown from her head and say:

“Obey and follow God's will and be one with God. Celebrate your husband and be with him and follow him now and forever.”

(You can insert The Lord's Prayer here.)

The Minister will then take the grooms crown from his head and place back on table and then take the brides crown from her head and place back on the table.

“Now you are united once and for all and forever. Let all the negativity be gone from your lives and be one with God and each other. Let peace be to all and bow your heads forever to the lord. Let your love be forever.”

Of course, you can modify this any way that you like. This example was taken directly from a Bulgarian wedding and translated to be as exact as possible.

The “Exchanging of Crowns” is beautiful and memorable and you can be sure that not only you and your spouse but everyone else will remember this fantastic wedding tradition forever!

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