Top 6 Tips To Survive A Polish Wedding

Polish weddings are legendary and unforgettable. As a visitor to Poland if you receive an invite to a wedding, do not turn it down! Get ready for a huge occasion, a massive party and a memorable experience. But also remember – you are the guest so respect your hosts and be eager to enjoy one of the best events of your life. A little bit of research and knowledge in advance is important. Be well prepared, respect and understand the culture and be sure to adhere to these tips to survive a Polish wedding.

Learn some Polish

Your hosts will be doing speeches and announcements in Polish, writing will also be in Polish. Therefore it is highly recommended you brush up on your Polish, itself a beautiful language. Not only will this impress your hosts and everyone at the wedding, but you will also feel good about yourself, you will be able to strike up new conversation and also understand the speeches and what others are saying. If you cannot find time to get to one of the best language schools in Poland, then get to know these basics:

Dziękuję – Thank you
Poproszę – Please
Na zdrowie – To your health! / Cheers!
Gratuluję – Congratulations
Mam na imie… – My name is…

Eat as much as you can!

All Polish weddings are feasts. You will not run out of food here. When given food, take it and eat it. Eat as much as you can. Pack your stomach with great food. This will give you so much energy for the rest of the party and furthermore it will help prepare your stomach to ensure that when drinking the expected copious amounts of vodka, then your body can handle it.

Learn how to really drink vodka

Polish people know how to drink vodka. They are experts in the field and they will be drinking a lot of vodka over the course of the wedding party. They expect you to do the same, so you need to be ready to handle it and learn how to drink it. Definite “no-no’s” are to drink it with a mixer or to sup it slowly. What you should do is always drink it with your Polish friends in one shot. After which, you then either take a bite to eat to cushion the blow, or sip some juice or soft drink. This is the way to do it and if you stick to that, you will know how to really drink vodka with the Polish. You should also have lined your stomach with plenty of food beforehand.

Dance with as many people as you can

The Polish love to dance at weddings and the dancing will last a long time. From the first dance of the evening until after the band and DJ have gone home, there will be dancing. Learn some moves, strut your stuff and move from person to person. It’s a wedding – Polish people will dance with everyone.

Be aware of the “after-party”!

Polish weddings are not a simple one-day affair. The couple don’t just go to church, then have a party and then it’s over. In fact some Polish weddings have been known to last for four days. The first day is normally the official church service and then the huge banquet and party. The next day usually starts around lunchtime with a decent lunch or barbecue, before a second night of partying in slightly less formal clothing.

Get a decent sleep the night before

This point comes last on the list because realistically you don’t want the Polish to know your secret. But an early night before the wedding day will help you out and mean you have enough stamina to last both wedding and after-party. Get to bed, don’t drink alcohol or eat too heavy that night and wake up with a shower, fresh and ready for the big Polish wedding adventure!

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