Although we like to watch American weddings in movies, it would be a pity if beautiful Polish wedding traditions, of which we still have a lot, are lost in the meantime. A folk wedding allows you to draw on this heritage to varying degrees, even in a completely refreshed edition.

Folk wedding - this name can be misleading. Is it about a party where the hits of Brathanków and Bracia Golców will be played? This is also, but it is not the most important thing in a folk wedding (which, moreover, may avoid such hits, and meanwhile they are played at almost every traditional wedding party anyway).

Such a wedding allows you to draw on Polish traditions and history of the region. Not everyone sees the charm in driving a white Rollse-Royce to a wedding hall that looks like the Kardashian house. Dancing barefoot on the grass and familiar, local food may be more attractive. Let us remember that the most famous Polish weddings often contained elements of idyll and folk. Katarzyna Figura rode a horse-drawn carriage to the wedding in a wooden church in the Chochołowska Valley, and Lara Gessler got married in a grove. The wedding was kept in a rustic atmosphere. Her famous mother described them as "like from Pan Tadeusz" and the media wrote that she looked "like Świtezianka". All this already gives an idea of what a folk wedding can look like. More information below.

Folk wedding - where did this idea come from?

Processions, braids, eating cakes – old Polish wedding it contained many beautiful elements that are now a thing of the past. They are replaced by weddings with great pomp, in the style of Hollywood. Sometimes, however, the photos show that neither the groom nor the guests feel at home in the glamor style.

Especially today, there is moderation in trends, what is local and natural. For many years, newlyweds had to be constrained by convention and numerous requirements, and meanwhile a folk wedding is unpretentious and conducive to free fun. This does not mean that its organization is easier than an ordinary wedding. Simple, as if freshly plucked from the meadow, decorations made of wildflowers, which look so impressive on Instagram, are sometimes the result of the meticulous work of the best florists.

Organization of a folk wedding - what should you remember?

First of all, remember that guests do not have to sit on bales of hay or sleep in huts. Everything can be arranged with taste and all comforts, but with the theme referring to old traditions and symbols. A folk-style wedding is an extremely grateful theme that allows you to buy everything at a low cost and locally: flowers, decorations or small gifts for guests. This helps to create an unpretentious atmosphere where everyone will feel at ease.

Interestingly, often a folk wedding makes a colossal impression on guests from abroad. Bored with clichéd "international" celebrations z parties they leave enchanted by the richness of Polish culture. When one of the spouses is not from Poland, instead of going to the registry office in the city, it is worth persuading him to marry in a forest glade or wedding reception in the Crown of the Karkonosze Manor. A folk wedding can connect generations, because grandpa will be happy when he can play the accordion with his band, and grandma can be moved to tears by referring to the traditions of her youth.

Ideas for decorations for a folk style wedding

A folk wedding gives so many possibilities that it is impossible to list them all here. You can arrange them in the style:

• Zalipia - inspired by a colorful, painted cottage,
• Łowicza - with cutouts,
• highlander,
• Kashubian,
• Slavic,
• ethno – with a band like Kapela Ze Wsi Warszawa or the so-called "dancing on boards"

and many, many more. Where do you get inspiration from? A good wedding planner can help. It is also worth drawing on your own traditions and asking your grandma or parents about the region with which the family is connected. Such a party can also be inspired by the beauty of the local nature, as it happens to couples who come to the Karkonosze Mountains for the first time.

Folk wedding - Bride and Groom's outfit

Equally rich are the possibilities when it comes to the Bride's folk costume. Some go all out and get married in Slavic costumes referring to old patterns. Others are inspired by literature - "Peasants", "Pan Tadeusz" or "Wesele". There are also women who choose a simple dress, but add to it a fragment referring to folk, such as a lace from Koniaków or a highlander's padanica. 

For some, a discreet reference to the folk atmosphere in accessories is enough. First of all, the mood is created by a bouquet of wildflowers and discreet jewelry or a headband. There is nothing more idyllic and girlish than a wreath on the bride's head. This is probably what our grandmothers looked like on their wedding day. As you can see, a folk wedding as a leitmotif is a bottomless mine when it comes to ideas on what it will look like ballroom, bridal outfit or menu.