It used to be a widespread German tradition to literally ‘steal’ the bride before the wedding. The groom’s best man was honoured with the task of taking the bride on a pub crawl while leaving hints for the groom to find them.The bride and her “kidnapper” could drink until the groom showed up to ‘free’ his bride by paying for the bill. Nowadays, bride-abduction is more common in villages.

Although Polterabend is a unique and valuable tradition in German weddings, there are some negative impacts to consider. Broken plates and glasses can pollute the environment and cause damage to soil and water. It also can lead to waste of natural resources and energy. Broke porcelain and plates can cause unrest noise that disturbs the tranquillity of the surrounding environment.

After the festivities have ended, the groom traditionally carries the bride across the threshold of their home or hotel suite. A tradition that dates back to superstitious days when people believed there were evil spirits lurking in the door frame.