Wedding traditions with breaking glass and plates
Breaking glass or crockery at a wedding is a custom with many meanings.
Breaking glass or crockery at a wedding is a custom with many meanings. It can recall a loss, scare off evil, bring luck or make a loud noise to mark a moment. It appears in Jewish, Greek, German and Balkan weddings.
The Jewish glass
At the end of a Jewish ceremony the glass is stamped on and the guests shout mazel tov. Explanations include remembering the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, reminding the couple of the fragility of life, and a wish for the marriage to last as long as the glass cannot be repaired. In some communities both partners break a glass, and some couples use a light bulb or keep the pieces in a mezuzah or a frame.
Plates and porcelain
In Greek weddings and celebrations plates are sometimes smashed, though many restaurants now use plaster plates or flowers. In Germany the Polterabend is a party the night before where friends smash porcelain, and the couple sweep up the pieces. In Armenia the bride may break a plate on the roof, and in Russia, glasses are thrown after a toast, to bring luck.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Breaking glass and plates (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇪🇬 Egypt and 4 moreWaist beads
Strands of glass or seed worn around the hips to mark womanhood and track body changes in West and North Africa.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇪 Georgia and 1 moreTamadaთამადა
The toastmaster who leads the Georgian supra and sets the rhythm of a wedding feast.Feast custom · The wedding feast
🇮🇱 IsraelSeudat nissuinSeudat nissuin (סעודת נישואין)
The Jewish wedding meal blessed with wine and bread, followed by seven days of celebration.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 3 moreJewish wedding
The ceremony and laws that bind a couple in Jewish marriage, from the canopy to the glass.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
🇷🇺 RussiaRussian wedding traditionsРусская свадьба
A multi-day celebration blending Orthodox crowning, ransom games, and lively toasting in Russia.Rite · Engagement and betrothal
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Russian wedding traditions: GeorgeLouis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Waist beads: Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Tamada: Niko Pirosmani, Public domain, source
- Jewish wedding: Jozef Israëls, Public domain, source