….not to mention delicious food, live music, dancing and fine Polish vodka drinking!

On July 24, 2010 I’ve attended my cousin’s Lukasz (Luke) and his beautiful bride Anna wedding in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia region of Poland and wanted to share the whole experience with you. Mostly through pictures, because as they say: ” A picture is worth a thousand words”. It was a lovely wedding and reception! If you ever visit Poland and someone invites you to join them at a traditional Polish wedding don’t hesitate to accept. You’ll have a great time guaranteed, as weddings in Poland last from one to three days, get to try excellent cuisine, drink the best of Polish vodkas, sing and dance with fun loving and hospitable crowd. 

Marriage is an important rite of passage in all cultures around the world and is celebrated in unique ways in Poland depending on which region you visit.  For example, every year in June, in Wegrow, in the Mazovia region of Poland, a festival is held celebrating marriage traditions. The Festival of Wedding Rituals is a fabulous event with contests for best regional wedding ceremony, foods and music.  If you enjoy weddings, you will for sure enjoy this festival!

Priest greets and blesses couple before the Roman Catholic wedding ceremony.

Over 200 people attended Anna’s and Lukasz wedding. Four generations of family members and friends of the bride, groom and their parents.  On Saturday, in the early afternoon groom’s parents and grandparents traveled to the bride’s family home for a special blessing before the church ceremony.  At 4 pm the wedding ceremony started and lasted about an hour.  During a traditional Catholic Mass the couple exchanged vows and everyone enjoyed soloist singing “Ave Maria”.

Anna & Lukasz at the altar during the wedding ceremony.

Olivia - one of the beautiful flower girls.

Here Come the Newlyweds! - greeting guests and accepting gifts on church doorsteps.

The parents welcome newlyweds with bread and salt in front of the reception hall.

Traditional wedding bread.

Ania & Lukasz in the reception hall. The sign above them states: " God Bless the Newlyweds"

The reception was a culinary heaven! The variety and quality of food was amazing. It was simply impossible for one person to try everything. The tables were “bending” from all the foods and drink. We all started our culinary adventure with the main course which included traditional clear broth soup with noodles – “rosol” then potatoes, Silesian dumplings, eight kinds of hot meats to choose from and various vegetable salads.  Everything was so delicious!

"Rosol" - chicken broth with noodles. A must dish at Polish weddings.

Various potatoes and Silesian dumplings for main course.

Various meats for main course.

Various vegetable salads for main course.

More salads for main course - "buraczki" - beet root salad.

After eating main course, Ania & Lukasz did their first dance with wedding guests surrounding them.

Wedding Vodka card encouraged all friends to drink up for the health of the newlyweds and have a great time!

Various wedding desserts.

Various cold hor'dourves.

Various home-made cold meats.

More of home-made cold meats.

Pig roast and sausage.

"Bigos" - Hunter's Stew.

Besides all the wonderful cuisine and drink, wedding guests joined together in dancing and singing.  Each table received a booklet with traditional wedding songs.

Wedding song-book for guests.

Groom's grandfather (in middle) and other family.

Wedding guests/family.

Wedding guests/family.

Wedding guests/family singing and having fun with mother of the groom (in pink dress).

Wedding cake.

Anna & Lukasz sharing their wedding cake.

Ania & Lukasz getting ready for unvailing - "odczepiny".

Transfer of the vail.

On Sunday many guests gathered for a follow-up party called - ”poprawiny”.  It was a great party again, with wonderful music, food and lots of dancing and outside grilling.  Some out-of-town guests stayed until Monday to visit and party with the newlyweds and their parents. 

The table is set at the follow-up party - "poprawiny".

Home-made cold meats platter at the follow-up party.

Fish & seafood platter.

A beautiful vegetable salad.

Deviled eggs platter.

Home-made pate platter.

Home-made ham and pickled vegetables platter.

"Salceson" - a type of head cheese, smalec - "lard with onions" and pickled vegetables.

Veal stuffed with spinach.

Grilling and beer drinking outside.

...and some more outside grilling.

Anna & Lukasz

CONGRATULATIONS

TO

ANNA & LUKASZ

July 24, 2010

ON THEIR MARRIAGE!!!

May your life be filled with happines and joy forever!

(and BIG THANKS for your hospitality!)

Highlander selling oscypki cheese at summer festival.

If you’re heading to Krakow, Warsaw or Wroclaw, Poland this summer and fall, plan to attend culinary, cultural and harvest festivals in those three cities and surrounding areas. You’ll taste great regional cuisine and get to sing and dance with the locals. What a treat!

JUNE – AUGUST 2010

KRAKOW

Oscypek and All Cheeses Festival- A celebration of all cheeses  - 7 & 8 August 2010 in Zakopane, Lesser Poland region

Pierogi Festival- Polish stuffed dumplings festival – 13, 14, 15 August 2010 – location: Maly Rynek square in Krakow, Lesser Poland region

XLIV Sabalowe Bajania- Annual festival of the local folklore -11 – 15 August 2010 in Bukowina Tatrzanska, Lesser Poland region

The International Highland Folk Festival- Highlanders from all over the world descend on Zakopane – 22 – 29 August, 2010 – Zakopane, Lesser Poland region

Fair of Folk Art – Buy and learn how to make handicrafts, folk bands performances – 22 – 29 August, 2010 – Main Square, Krakow in Lesser Poland region

Malopolska Taste Festival– Grand Finale – 27 & 29 August 2010 – location: Plac Wolnica, Kazimierz district, Krakow in Lesser Poland region

WARSAW

XIV Biesiada Weselna – Celebrating Polish Wedding Traditions  – 25 – 26 June, 2010, Wegrow, Mazovia region

VI International Folk Festival “Warsfolk” – Folk ensambles from all over the world perform in Warsaw - 19 – 22, August, 2010, Warsaw, Poland

XXXIII Kurpie Bee-Keepers Festival – Honey, regional food and bread festival  - 29 August, 2010 – Myszyniec, Mazovia region

 WROCLAW

Ceramics Festival in Boleslawiec- Boleslawiec Polish pottery festival – 20 – 22 August 2010 – Boleslawiec, Lower Silesia region

VIII Lower Silesia Soup Festival – 22 August 2010 – Jedlina Zdroj, Lower Silesia region

XIV International Bread Fair- Polish Baker of the Year competition and more – 27 -29 August, 2010 – Jawor, Lower Silesia region

Flour Fest – Breads and sweets on display – 29 August 2010 – Botanical Garden in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia region

Polish-Czech Harvest Festival- 29 August 2010 – Lawica village, Klodzko Commune in Lower Silesia region

Harvest Festival in Klodzko, Lower Silesia region of Poland.

 SEPTEMBER 2010

KRAKOW

Krakow Honey Harvest – XVII Bee-keepers Festival– 3 – 5 September 2010 – Plac Wolnica, Kazimierz district, Krakow in Lesser Poland region

X Bean Day Celebration- 11 & 12 September, 2010 – Zakliczyn, Lesser Poland region

WARSAW

Mazovian Bread Festival – Annual best Mazovian breads and harvest festival  - 19 September, 2010 – in Wegrow, Mazovia region

IV Ecology Fair in Ostroleka – 26 September, 2010 - Ostroleka, Mazovia region

WROCLAW

Jelenia Gora Fair– 4 & 5 September, 2010 – Jelenia Gora, Lower Silesia region

X International Bee-Keepers Fair– 4 & 5 September, 2010 – Jelenia Gora, Lower Silesia region

Potato Day Celebration- 18 September, 2010 – Pstrazna, Lower Silesia region

Wine Day Celebration in the Treasure City- 11 & 12 September, 2010 – Sroda Slaska, Lower Silesia region

2009 Christmas Tree on Wroclaw Market Square - Lower Silesia region of Poland.

 Or, as we say it in Polish: Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku! 

With Wigilia only a few days away, many Polish housewives and chefs already started their preparations for this important traditional dinner for their family and friends.  Especially baking is started days earlier to leave time for cooking of sometimes up to twelve, mostly vegetarian dishes for traditional Wigilia dinner.  Many families, especially in the countryside, bake their own breads and poppy seed roll is a must dessert during Wigilia and for the rest of Christmas holiday.  Other common Wigilia dishes include: red beet borscht, pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, fried fish – often carp, mashed potatoes topped with mushroom sauce, stuffed cabbage rolls with buckwheat groats and mushrooms and many cold side dishes such as pickled herring in wine or sour cream, cwikla- shredded beets mixed with horseradish and red cabbage salad.  

Celebrating Christmas the Polish Way is very special so, if you ever find yourself in Poland during Christmas make sure you’re invited to someones home to best experience this tradition-steeped time from  both the cultural and culinary standpoint.  

Once again, Wesolych Swiat i Smacznego!

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Regional dishes on display at Highlander's Fare Contest

If you’re heading to Krakow and Wroclaw, Poland this August and September, plan to attend culinary, cultural and harvest festivals in those two cities as well as surrounding areas. You’ll taste great regional food and get to sing and dance with the locals. What a treat!

AUGUST 2009

KRAKOW

Oscypek and All Cheeses Festival - A celebration of all cheeses festival -  8 & 9 August 2009 in Zakopane,  Lesser Poland region

Pierogi Festival - Polish stuffed dumplings festival – 14, 15, 16 August 2009 – location: Maly Rynek square in Krakow, Lesser Poland region

XLIII Sabalowe Bajania - Annual festival of the local folklore -12 – 16 August 2009 in Bukowina Tatrzanska, Lesser Poland region

The International Highland Folk Festival - Highlanders from all over the world descend on Zakopane - 21 – 28 August, 2009 – Zakopane, Lesser Poland region

Fair of Folk Art – Buy and learn how to make handicrafts, folk bands performances – 21 – 30 August, 2009 – Main Square, Krakow in Lesser Poland region

Decorative wreaths on display at a Lower Silesia harvest festival

SEPTEMBER 2009