Latvian Wedding Folklore

Latvian Ladies in their bonnets

A Latvian bride will often leave flowers for Maija, at the church to honour the sacrifice she made for love, before walking down the aisle.

The wedding ring is worn on the right hand.

At a Latvian wedding reception, it is customary for the new bride to be kidnapped by the groomsmen. The groom must pay a ransom, this could be a song, a round of drinks or some money to get her back.


The bride traditionally wears her wedding dress and veil till midnight. However, no one wants to wait till midnight for the veil to be passed on. This is now a part of the micosana. 

Micosana -The bride and groom, after dancing with all the unmarried guests, are made to sit on chairs. The groom will offer the bride a bonnet. The bride is expected to refuse twice, before accepting the bonnet. Her veil is given to a single female, who is expected be the next to get married. The groom is given a hat and a pipe.  These gifts signify the acceptance by the bride and groom of their new responsibilities.