On the wedding eve, an old Czech tradition involves the bridesmaids gathering to make the bride's wreath by binding rosemary twigs together, although they can be made by the mother or grandmother as well. Today, wreaths of baby's breath and tiny roses are seen on the bride as well as her bridesmaids, a variation of the rosemary wreath. Czech couples sometimes receive their wedding gifts the day after the wedding, when the bride goes to her new home for the first time. The groomsmen place a dish on the table, give speeches and ask guests to give according to their means. After making a contribution, each guest downs a mug of beer, drinking to the newlyweds' happiness. At Czech weddings, wedding guests often throw peas, rather than rice, at the departing wedded couple.
Many Danish weddings are Protestant, since that is the state religion. An engagement ring often does not accompany the initial proposal, rather, the bride and groom purchase rings together and wear them until the wedding, when they may be replaced by new wedding bands. Couples generally erect a gate of honor, crafted from branches or garlandsm, in front of the bride's parents' home (or, in recent years, in front of the couple's home or the reception site). The traditional wedding cake, a cornucopia or kransekage cake, is now often replaced by a westernized tiered cake or no cake at all. The wedding couple frequently dances a wedding waltz, encircled by their guests. Later, friends of the bride may tear up her veil, keeping a piece for good luck.
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