From Germany and planning a wedding in Oahu? Bring your traditions with you! This wasn’t my first German wedding - I’ve officiated about a dozen German couples in Oahu. But this was my first time witnessing these three captivating German Wedding traditions - and let me tell you with every new item that came out I got more and more excited! These traditions were a fascinating glimpse into German traditions and it was beautiful to witness german culture them on the shores of Oahu.

German Wedding Tradition #1: Okay so there’s a heart drawn on a bedsheet and scissors….
...and it’s called Das Hochzeitsherz Ausschneiden.
What’s involved in this German wedding tradition:
King or Queen bed sheet
Red paint or marker
Two small scissors (smaller the better)
How this German wedding tradition is done:
Traditionally the sheet is held taut by the groomsmen.
The bride and groom start at the bottom of the heart and meet at the top.
Once the heart is cut out the groom carries his new bride through the heart shaped hole.
Meaning Behind the Tradition:
Traditionally this is the first challenge for the newly married German couple. It represents the fun, but also the difficult tasks that they will face as a couple (and let me tell you taking nail scissors to a king sheet doesn’t go as smoothly as you’d think!).
It is a reminder that hard times (and the fun times) are made more fun when doing it together with a common goal.
It’s believed that the first to finish is said to wear the pants in the relationship.
The girls that were present for the ceremony brought out a bedsheet with the bride and groom's names and the date of the ceremony inside the heart - and I thought this was a cute wedding present from the little ones…then the scissors came out.
Drake and I had no clue what was happening… We just took pictures and started cheering them on with the rest of the family! Even though there was a strong language barrier, “competition” is universal. Even though we don’t speak German, this tradition didn’t need a common language. This competition was fun no matter what was being cheered!
German Wedding Tradition #2: So there’s a tiny saw and piece of wood….
…..and it’s called the Baumstamm Sägen
For this German Wedding tradition you will need:
Blunt saw
Something to hold the log
Piece of wood
Directions for this German Wedding Tradition:
Start sawing together!
Meaning Behind the Tradition:
Sawing a piece of wood with a blunt saw symbolizes cooperation in marriage. It is through communication and working together that you will make your marriage a success.
Due to carry on luggage requirements - the trestle was small and the wood tiny. It was so tiny that I thought it was a small cigar…because that makes sense, a cigar with the boys after the ceremony. Then a tiny saw was produced and they got to sawing! Big cheers all around when the twig snapped!
German Wedding Tradition #3: Then they got pieces of paper out… and started singing a song picked by the Bride and Groom
This was the last of the traditions and it was so sweet to watch everyone sing along. Even though there was a language barrier, a wedding transcends this obstacle and we all had a great time!
To all my international couples - please bring your traditions and customs to Oahu. I would love to accommodate and celebrate your traditions! It is truly a passion and a joy for me to witness all the ways people say ‘I do’ around the world.
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