Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-31
Marriage in Sweden and NORWAY.

How dull and colorless appear the
weddings in fashionable life, even
those of Bradley beside the
gay picturesqueness of many peas
ants! The Swede and Norwegian
marriages are real festivals, where
usually several couples marry at the
same time, a practice approved by the
people on the score OF economy. and
by the clergy because it minimizes
the drinking that always follows a
marriage. The minds of both bride
and groom are fully made up; they
have often been engaged for years.
and unfortunately sometimes ought to
! have been married before. In these
cases the bride may not wear 'the
virgin CROWN but instead, the white
linen wimple of married women. and
above it the triangular hood of the I'M
married woman. This coveted crown
is high and of metal or tinsel overlaid
with jewel or crystals, and it's pres
ence is proclamation of it's wearer's
probity. 1t is often of great value,
and is always the property of the
church, from which it is hired for
something like S. for the occasion.
Besides the crown, the bride wears a
dress of bombazine, with short sleeves
| and lace mittens, aprons trimmed
| with ribbons, necklaces and chains of
silver; sometimes the chains are of
silver dollars; the brides dowry.
The bridemaids are dressed in green.
and their hair is made into two heavy
bralds, which hang down their backs.
i tied with gay ribbons AS for the
| bridegroom, he wears a cooked hat,
| trimmed with ribbons, new trousers,
and new, tight jacket, very short
From the shirt front dangle a number
OF silver filigree balls On his right
arm a fine, white handkerchief is
carefully tied, and he ties a silver
mark in his garter for luck just be-
| fore he sets out to meet his bride.
On the occasion of wedding the vari-
Gus professions form into one large
one, and set out for church. preceded
by band of fiddlers, who play live
| ly tune: next walks the clergyman in
his gown; then the married men and
the bridegrooms; the bridemen, who
wear buckskin breeches, white stock
ings and short Jackets; then the
bridesmaids, and last of all the brides.
The f1ddlers continue - play until the
| brides ana grooms kneel in the chan
eel, and as soon as the service is over
strike up again, gayer than ever, and
all go to the new home to dance. and
the bridegroom takes his leave of the
iNI
one and then another until he has
danced with them all: then they lift
him high in air and run and jump
with him over chairs and tables. and
finally out of the door, followed by all
the married men in the room, and
married men and bachelors fight to
keep the bridegroom, the married men
always winning him at the end. Then
the bridegroom remains among the
married men, while the bride pro
ceeds to dance off her crown" The
bridemaids blindfold her, and form a
circle around her. and dance faster
and faster. while the bride lifts the
crown and tries to put it on the head
of one Of the girls, and the one whom
she finally crowns steps into the ring
while all sing ''She will be married
next This game goes on until
every girl has been crowned Then
the bride steps on chair, and he1
brldemaids lift chair and bride on
high. and she drinks a toast to them
wishing them and every unmarried
woman speedy wedding Then fol
lows drinking and iollity the night
through. Who can think of this pic
turesnue and Quaint merry-makine
and contrast it with the laces and
diamonds, decorated church. hi, I'd
singers. floral displays and formal
feasts. without giving preference to
the Norwegian festivities?