Have been talking to some people about my upcoming wedding when it was told to me that at weddings the swiss play some sort of party games . I was intruiged by the idea, this would never happen in Australia unless, well unless never, we just dont do that sort of thing, but when in rome... does any one have any ideas or suggestions, examples of these games

As I understand it, in cantons such as Argau and Solothurn, there is a tradition that immediately after the church service, every bachelor in the congregation is expected to wrestle with the groom in order that he might prove his suitability as a husband. Large, baggy shorts are provided for this purpose, and most churches have a sandpit in the rear for exactly this purpose.

Should one of the bachelors best the new groom in the wrestling match, then he is invited to spend the first night with the hapless bride, with the groom being forced to spend the night outside the window.

Over recent years, this has become a simple ritual, with the bachelors in the congregation putting no real effort into the fight, for fear of sullying the groom's honour. However, there is no reason why the tradition should not start again at the wedding you're going to.

Unless, of course, the bride has something to say on the subject...

very interesting and i thought those sand pits were for making castles and the like ..bit cold i think for that kind of activity and you wouldnt want sand up your whatsit while you sit down for dinner, might get a rash

Never heard of this custom Dougal's Breakfast.

But some entertainment program is not unheard of. Also, this thread will give you some ideas how a wedding here is like:

http://www.englishforum.ch/family-ma...s-wedding.html

They don't like to talk about it, I suppose.

Like that custom in Appenzell involving goats and buckets of lard.

Some things are best kept local...

There were a few games played at a wedding I attended last year, but they were all played during the reception. I don't know how typical these particular games are to Swiss weddings, but everyone seemed to have a good time. For reference, there were maybe 40 or 50 people at the reception.

The first game involved a gift for the bride and groom. It was wrapped many times, and each layer of wrapping had instructions to give it to another person. Example: the bride received the gift and unwrapped the first layer. On it, there was a note saying something to the effect of, "Ha-ha! This gift is not for you! It's for the tallest person in the room!" She then finds out who is tallest, and they unwrap the next layer, and so on. Categories included the youngest person in the room, the person who can whistle a song to the bride and groom, the oldest person, the baldest person, the person with the highest shoes (which was me), the person with the biggest shoe size, etc. Eventually, it came back to the bride and groom (I'm not sure what the instructions were--maybe "the happiest people in the room" or something).

There was also a musical game, which was invented by Mozart. I found this website about it. On a screen was projected a picture of some famous architecture or something. I think the picture was revealed in pieces and the first person to name the location won the round. That person then got to toss this pair of big fuzzy dice and depending on the numbers that came up, a different set of measures were added to a Minuet. At the end of the game, the bride and groom danced to the music produced by the game.

I forget if there were any other games, but then there were other typical reception things like a dinner and cake. All in all, it was very fun without being obnoxious.

Of course, this is a very specific set of games--the wedding couple was older and the bride is a music teacher. There were quite a few musicians on the guest list as well, some of whom participated in the music. But it was so wonderfully different from every other wedding I've attended. Hope the example helps, though.

Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Hi, Having attended 2 Swiss weddings I can confirm they do play games, there is also a small book you can buy which suggests games to play at weddings actually it was fun.....

small book.. any idea on what it is called, where i could get it cos i really dont fancy wrestling out the back.....

Hiya, will ask some people today and hopefully get the name for you, being an Aussie I understand how playing games at a wedding seems a bit odd, you just go with the flow..

Hey Simon,

If this is going to be your wedding you needn't worry about planning games. From my experience it is the friends and family of the bride and groom that coordinate this. Indeed, I think a large part of the entertainment value comes from the fact that the bride and groom don't know what to expect.

I got married in Canada but my maid of honour was Swiss and she and her family had a few surprises lined up for us. One was a game in which my husband and I had to stand up at the front of the room and were asked questions about our relationship. The catch was that our answers had to be non-verbal, and they had to be given at the same time: all we had were little ping-pong paddle type things that were blue on one side and red on the other, blue signifying groom, red signifying bride. So if the question was "which of you is the better cook" we'd have to make our choice and reveal our answers (i.e. blue or red side of the paddle) at the same time so each other and everyone in the room could see. It was actually quite funny, especially when the questions were about things like "which one of you is messier around the house" or "who is better looking". They also gained access to our hotel room and filled it with decorations, chocolates, flowers and candies. It was a nice surprise at the end of the evening. However, we were told we got off lucky in this sense: often there's a bit of mischief done to the hotel room. They gave an example of someone they knew from Thurgau who discovered on returning to his hotel suite that someone had drained all the water from the toilet bowl and filled it with dirt and planted some flowers in it!

So in conclusion, don't worry much about the games: they tend to be quite safe and fun, and aren't meant to be too embarrassing or stressful. Just keep an eye on the keys to your hotel room.

HM

I am a bit loath to mention Iris Murdoch as it might not be in the spirit of the upcoming nuptials.

dave

Drat I was writing a super long elaborate post about this and hit the wrong button

So here are again a few links to this books:

http://www.weltbild.ch/artikel.php?W...cc3a5670804ac4

http://www.weltbild.ch/artikel.php?W...01083ef6615533

http://www.weltbild.ch/artikel.php?a...e27b3ca941c341


usually its the best man and the chief bridesmaid who will organise the entertainement as in swiss tradition the day ends with a sit down meal in the evening,

fear not the games are not to make fun out of the newlyweds or to embrarrass them the games can range from blindfolding the bride and by letting her touch only the noses of a few select male guest,she has to find the groom to sending the couple for a funny errand.

Another lovely tradtion that has become popular in the last decade, is to create a wedding day newspaper,where in the layout of a real newspaper you can read about the couples childhood and funny anecdotes,and it's dotted with photos of them etc. I think it's a nice souvenir of such an important day.

http://www.online-hochzeitszeitung.de/

http://www.wirwollenheiraten.ch/nuetzlich/zeitung.htm


The prank Heather mentioned is played when they have their stag respective hen night, these are not so wild affairs with weekends away in Amsterdam etc as is common in the UK,but they go out for a good time and when they are out we play pranks on them by altering a few things to their appartment and addoring the car or home etc

I will when i have time try to write a more detailed post about a swiss wedding

On the evening of their wedding my friends returned home after the reception etc to find their friends had literally covered the floor of their flat with glasses of water... to get into the flat they had to start at the door and carefully empty every single glass.....not an easy thing to do after a few celebrationary champagnes I imagine!

I've had loads of fun at Swiss weddings, a lot depends on where the couple originate from. I loved the one when the happily married couple came out of the church and had to saw through a log (Graubünden). What I've always enjoyed is the "Hochziet Zeitung" (wedding newspaper) put together by all the wedding guests.

I've seen and been to weddings where the bride and groom have incorporated each others own culture and must honestly say have also proved the most innovative and captivating parties.

Mine wasn't bad, the reception was in the Statesman's wagon of the Orient Express and the evening do on our terrace. I'd go to that party again!

Our our "Basel Swiss" wedding in May some games were played by us (groom/bride) as part of the reception, but these were fun "games" organized by the friends, to make sure we really knew each other etc - I think as others as mentioned, there are many many variations to what is done at a Swiss wedding.

Pat

I have seldom seen these wedding games in the french speaking part of Switzerland... Seems to be a swiss german ritual...

When i got married i had no idea that they played games, and wow was i impressed it was so funny, and my English family all said it was the best wedding they had ever been to i have it all on film, and love watching it over, and over again. A few years ago i was bridesmade, and my husband bestman at our friends wedding, and it was us who made all the games up, and again brilliant fun. I also decorated there car with window colour love hearts (self made) also with there names, and just married. I also filled the car with freash rose petals, and tied cans to the back bumper, the next day when they went to there car my girlfriend rang me in tears saying "thankyou it is so beautiful" (just a tip for anyone who is going to be involved in a wedding)

OMG - bad memories - quick, block it out.....

Is that you sweetie you never told me you joined

Definitely party games at Swiss weddings! The best-man and bridesmaid arrange.

Usual pattern is church wedding followed by reception (tea-party or "apero") for a larger circle of friends and acquaintances.

Later dinner party for the inner circle of close friends and relatives. Party games are played before dinner and during courses. Charades are an example of party games. After dinner there may be fireworks and dancing.

Pranks include decorating the bridal suite in a bizarre style.