I'm taking Nora: Brides wear a crown with bracelets at the wedding to ward off evil spirits
Inhabitants of Norway may seem cold, emotionless, and sometimes even rude. Many of you would wonder why Norwegians don't smile on the street and why they seem so closed off. However, their culture consists of respect for other people's privacy as well as their own. They are sincere and respectful, and when they get close to someone, they are generally very tolerant and open. Not everyone is the same, however, and some Norwegians are more open, friendly, and smiling than others. Marriage is not a priority for many Norwegian couples and more and more couples decide to wait longer or not to marry at all. Many prefer education, a career, buying a flat or even having children.
As soon as I decided to go on vacation to Norway, my friend from Norway pointed out a fact to me that is so unusual for me. I don't know whether to believe it or not. Maybe she was just joking. Apparently, Oslo has a fairly high incidence of chlamydia. She advised me to always ask about sexually transmitted diseases before having sex. Perhaps it was just some warning, if I wanted to "kick the bucket on the beach" and find a future husband. But let's take it step by step. I'm quite curious, how many of you would want a Norwegian man as a husband. I would listen. I think I would like life in Norway.
Don't Expect Romance When Flirting
Norway is known for its high gender equality, which also applies to the sphere of flirting. Norwegian men are more likely to treat women as equals and respect their autonomy. Norwegian men typically maintain a respectful distance from the person they are interested in, thereby respecting personal boundaries. They may prefer a slower physical development in relationships. Marriage for young Norwegians typically follows only after they already have children, or not at all. The average age at marriage in Norway is continuously rising, with the groom's age being approximately around 39.6 years and the average age of brides was 36.9 years.
Norwegian men can somehow be charming, but not very romantic. Never expect to receive any flowers and gifts, or for them to sweep you off your feet on a big date. Conventional dates maybe don't happen often; an exciting activity might be more likely than a meal and drinks.
Traditional Norwegian weddings are not too big. The guest list is also fairly short and only includes their closest friends and family members. In general, this means that the wedding hosts grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Children are not often part of the wedding festivities. Some guests who are not directly connected to the bride and groom attend weddings, but only if they are very close to the fiancés.
Proud of their wedding attire
Traditionally, the groom wears a handcrafted woolen suit known as bunad. It is a folk costume dating back to the period of national romanticism in the 19th century when there was high interest in traditional folk costumes. Bunad are very expensive dresses equivalent to gala dresses for women and tuxedos for men. Usually, they are given to girls for their "confirmation" (around the age of 15) and to boys when they grow up. Norwegians are very proud of their Bunad and wear it on many formal/celebratory occasions such as weddings, christenings, funerals, and May 17, which is the Norwegian national/constitution day when they celebrate finally being independent and no longer part of Sweden.
The Bunad has a white silk shirt, short trousers and socks that reach up to the calves, a vest and an outer garment. It has a beautiful colorful execution. Each typical wedding dress is unique in every district of Norway. But above all, the groom in it looks like a real Norwegian prince.
The Norwegian bride wears a white or silver wedding dress, when sticking to tradition - black with red trim and also a crown (brudekrone) - silver with silver bracelets. This is a valuable family heritage. In Norwegian tradition, these wedding crowns were made of silver and are attached to long veils.
This crown is meant to represent the Virgin Mary and the purity of a woman on her wedding day. It is adorned with spoons that make noise as the bride walks. This noise is meant to ward off any evil spirits lurking around, ensuring a happy wedding day.
The bridesmaids also take care of the spirits during the wedding. They dress similarly to the bride. You might ask why? To help protect the bride by driving all the evil spirits away from her, who would want to ruin the wedding.
Wedding Ceremony
The traditional Norwegian wedding takes place either in the church or civilly at the town hall. Both are considered civil marriages, as the church and state are still one in Norway. The local wedding procession is traditionally led by two people playing violins. Right behind them, the bride and groom walk. Their parents, bridesmaids, ring bearer, and flower girls follow them. The guests are the last. The procession is walking, on horseback, on a sleigh, or sometimes by boat! People traditionally throw a bit of rye and barley grains at the newlyweds. The bride then tries to catch as many grains as possible. The more she collects, the brighter future she will have with her new husband.
Like most weddings in the West, Norwegian couples also exchange rings during their wedding. The engagement ring is placed on the left hand of the bride and groom, while the wedding rings are placed on the right hand.
Most of the wedding consists of toasts and speeches
When it comes to Norwegian weddings, a large part of the celebration consists of wedding speeches and toasts. The family and guests of the newlyweds take it as a chance to focus on stories about the new couple. Anyone can deliver a speech, but traditionally speeches are given by the bride's father, the bride, the groom, the maid of honor, the best man and the groom's father. Speeches are spread throughout the evening and not all at once. Sometimes wedding feasts last a long time. In such cases, guests are offered a late-night menu called nattmat, so they do not stay hungry into the late night hours.
Music in general is an important aspect of every Norwegian wedding. "Come to the Wedding" is a song played on the accordion and is used to escort the couple out of the church after the ceremony. Then, at the end of the evening, after speeches and toasts, music and dancing commence.
Kissing Traditions
If the groom stands up during the feast and goes to the bathroom, all men immediately take the chance to kiss the bride. And vice versa...If the bride leaves the room, all women come in turn to kiss the groom instead.
If the wedding guests want the bride and groom to kiss, they can clink a fork or knife against a wine glass. Then the bride and groom stand on chairs and kiss. If the guests stomp their feet, the bride and groom have to kiss under the table.
Wedding Cake
What kind of wedding would it be without a cake? In Norway, there are several traditional Norwegian wedding cakes that you can taste at a wedding. One of them is Bløtkake or soft cake. It's a sponge cake filled with cream and topped with glaze and fruit.
Another popular wedding cake is the Kransekake, otherwise known as tower cakes. It's a circular cake based on almonds, stacked in layers to form a pyramid. It is then held together with icing and can be decorated with fruit or ornaments. In fact, the Kransekake is more of a cookie than a cake.
In addition to these two traditional cakes, you can also find a cheesecake or chocolate cake. It is also common for the betrothed couples to contribute to the cake table, allowing guests to enjoy a variety of cakes.
Norwegian wedding food
The wedding feast is a celebration of food for the guests. Along with the wedding cake, you can enjoy fresh herring, smoked salmon enhanced with dill, red cabbage, potatoes and rye bread. Since the reception can last for hours until the early morning, a late-night snack known as nattmat is offered so guests don't go home hungry. I mentioned it during the speeches. The menu may include soups and sandwiches, sausages, bread, various meat boards and various drinks, including beer and traditional Scandinavian raspberries known as aquavit. Because if there is one Norwegian stereotype that is true, it's that Norwegians love occasional drinking!
Official wedding dance
After the end of the wedding dinner, which can be late into the night, the official wedding dance begins. This Norwegian wedding tradition is similar to many other parts of the world, as the bride and groom take to the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple. After the feast, each guest is sent home with a slice of cheese soaked in honey and in nuts, also known as Bride's Cheese. If the feast lasts too long, serving the bride's cheese is enough to stop the party.
Jewelry, spruce tree, and spoon as symbols of harm
It is a tradition that the groom gives his bride a piece of jewelry first thing in the morning after the wedding. This is known as "morgengave" ("morning gift"). Another custom says that when a couple returns home after the wedding (or moves into their home together if they hadn't previously lived together), each should plant a spruce tree on each side of their front door. This is meant to symbolize the children they plan to have. But regardless of whether they eventually have children or not, I think we can all agree that the image of trees growing in tandem with your relationship is a beautiful one!
And for the third time - wedding spoons. In the old days, on the third day of wedding celebrations, the bride and groom ate together with wooden wedding spoons connected by a chain. Although wedding spoons are a less known and less common tradition, they are still characteristic of Norwegian wedding culture.
Wedding spoons are wooden spoons with decorated carvings connected by a wooden chain. They are often given as a gift and hung over the door frame of the new couple, to signify the union of two people and as a talisman for luck for their future.
Same-sex Marriage
Marriage between two people of the same sex became legal in Norway in 2009. Norway allowed same-sex couples to enter into registered partnerships from 1993 to 2008. Couples who became partners during this period can also officially change their marriage so that they are officially married in the country. In general, same-sex couples enjoy most of the rights and benefits available to opposite-sex couples in the country. This includes the right to marry under their preferred religious body, the right to infertility treatments and the right to adoption. In the country, both single and married same-sex individuals can adopt.
Expensive life
Beautiful nature, cosmopolitan capital Oslo, wild animals that we would not see in our regions, and last but not least, the Northern Lights. All these are among the biggest attractions of Norway. This Scandinavian country has long been ranked among the most expensive countries to live in. Norwegians indeed have high wages, high taxes, and extensive social security. Most Norwegians feel they are getting a fair share of social security, so they don't mind higher taxes.
Norwegians love spending time in nature. They enjoy hiking, skiing or getting a cold shock. The love of nature is taught from an early age. And there is an unusual custom. In Norway and other Nordic countries, there is also a custom to normally let children nap alone outdoors in strollers, even when it is bitterly cold outside. They believe that this strengthens the health and well-being of children.
Norway is one of the happiest countries in the world. Will you be happy too?
Norway has long been ranked among the top ten happiest countries in the world. The main reasons why Norwegians are so happy and content include a sense of belonging and security, a social system that takes care of them in various aspects, spending time in nature, balance between work and private life, income level, quality of healthcare, freedom, and the quality of services provided by public administration bodies.
Even though it is mainly associated with Denmark, Norwegians also follow the concept of hygge (Norwegians call it koselig). It denotes an atmosphere or feeling associated with comfort, cosiness, and a sense of belonging. Nordic countries often consider hygge as their lifestyle.
Norwegians follow the so-called law of Jante. It is a set of rules and social norms in the form of ten commandments, created by the Danish-Norwegian writer Aksel Sandemose. Norwegians do not envy others, do not boast about personal achievements, prefer society over the individual, they are honest, humble, and polite.
And one more interesting thing. You might think it's a country of luxury and opulence. I think so, yes. Even prisoners live in luxury.
Luxury prisons
Norway is also known for having the most beautiful and luxurious prisons in the world. The Norwegian system focuses on rehabilitating prisoners, aiming to make them functional members of society. Norwegian laws prohibit inhumane and degrading behaviour as a form of punishment and do not recognize life imprisonment or the death penalty. The prison system of the country is one of the most effective and humane in the world, contributing significantly to the low recidivism rate. Some prisons in Norway look nicer than dormitories or hostels. Prisoners can have their own bathroom, TV, refrigerator, writing desk, chair and shelves in their cells. They can also wear their own clothes and cook their own meals.
So what do you say? Would you like to have a Norwegian for a husband?
Source: Scandinavianshoppe.com, Weddingmikkelandisabelle.home.blog, Weddingdetails.com, Seekscandinavia.com, Jothishi.com, Weddings.traditionscustoms.com, Wedbuddy.com, original work
