Attending a Polish wedding on my own (I'm English)

Hi,

Im just looking for some opinions this. Im going to Poland(from uk) to attend a Polish wedding in September. For months ive been looking forward to it bit now its causing me some worry.

Basically I will be the only English person there and the only people I will know at the wedding is the two getting married! Im starting to worry about small things like will i fit in? where do I sit in the church, at the reception?

Part of me says go and if things arent working out or if i feel left out I should just head back to the hotel. But then im not going all the way to poland to sit in a hotel room.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

ask the couple to provide you with the company of some people who speak English and will be willing to entertain you a little while you are at the wedding.

Have you spoken to them about your concerns?

Don't worry - you'll be overwhelmed with the hospitality and I'm sure people will go out of their way to make you feel part of everything. Why don't you tell the bride and groom you're a bit worried and ask them to introduce you to everyone? Polish weddings aren't as stiff as British ones and after a few vodkas you will feel right at home.

Don't worry: Say to the bride & groom: 'Jesteś obydwaj kretyni!'...then, when addressing the rest of the wedding party say: 'Ten Polski społeczeństwo jesteście pewien wiązka od pijany świnie.'...I tell you, the people will love you!...Make sure you have a smile on your face.

Someone should say that at your own wedding, especially the first bit "Jesteś kretynem". How funny would that be?

Listen, I was joking!...This guy is scared to go to a Polish wedding?...what does he think will happen: that they will boil him like a kielbasa or something?...People are people everywhere, so you go, be cordial, and have a good time!...Anyway, it is the spice of life to meet and socialize with new people...except, maybe, if they are serial-killers, heroin addicts or sexual perverts.

well, I gather he doesn't speak Polish, so he is right to feel a little out of place.

Vodka helps though a big time :). Learn a couple of basic phrases and don;t listen to Joepilsudski LOL

If you are going to a country wedding: church bit same as UK. Dinner soon turns into party. You will be seated next to a single girl who will keep looking at you. You will soon become the centre of attention with all the middle aged ladies and you will be offered Wodka very early on. Even if you say no - you will get some. They are relentless. You will drink the Wodka because the men will call you a pu*sy if you don't. Wodka has a delayed reaction. You will drink and think ,"this is nothing!". Later it will suddenly kick in - the wedding will spill out into the garden/street - you will find yourself singing your heart out with the rest (even though you don'y know the words) - you will find yourself dancing with some strange crazy woman - and the rest will be history - for you to remember for the rest of your life. Do NOT plan anything for the next day - because you are still a guest at the wedding (Day 2) Do not plan anything on the third day - because you will be very ill.

If you go to a city wedding (same as above) but there will be no garden.

lol....very true
;)

Don't worry, it's going to be fun. Just be assertive, or people will get you drunk to make fun of you.

One tip: don't dress all black. My friend once went to a wedding dressed black. Now, the couple is in conflict and they blame her - they say she brought bad luck into their marriage with those black clothes (lol)

i wouldn't say that... most of the people get drunk on weddings and in his situation i think Polish would like to be friendly and make him feel comfortable....and what will help better then wódka...? :D

don't worry WSbull, you will have so much fun you go back for more ... :) enjoy...

polishgirltx,
Wouldn't it be funny to take some innocent, defensless foreigner, get him drunk and have a laugh?
It happened once to my friend on a train. Some people coming back from Częstochowa (a pilgrimage?) forced vodka to him and when I met him at the railway station, he could hardly walk. So, why can't they do it during a wedding?

you'll have a great time.

dont worry bout the language gap.

its a well know fact that most people can speak english after a few wodkas

POLISH WEDDING VODKA (twice normal strength)
BRIDESMAIDS (gaggin' for it!)

and you'll be a novelty. The stranger in the room.

Man! You lucky bastard!

If I were you I would tell your friend about your concerns - ask them how many young people will be there. generally young ones speak english - better or worse.

Good idea would be to go there few days before the wedding - to get used a bit to the situation (but you should consider hotel or something - your friends won't have time to take care about you ;) )

please remember that you won't be the only one who feels awkward because of not knowing the language - most wedding guests dont speak english so they are gonna feel a bit awkward too. sooner you break the ice the better. ;)

generally after few vodkas you will talk with most people using strange mixture of polish, english, russian and german + spanish ;) have fun!

It's scientific fact!
96.3% of bridesmaids have unprotected sex with complete strangers on the night of being at the wedding.

ArcticPaul:

yep, it's true. I can confirm that ;)

Thanks for the advice and positive replies. I raised some of my concerns with my friend and was kind of told dont worry. I havent fully decided to go or not as i was told that the vast majority are bringing partners. Theres no point fooling myself and pretending that it wont be difficult and akward over there

Youre talking yourself out of a great experience

But it sounds like thats what you want to do

oh come on, consider that event as holidays - just go, visit some nice places, meet some interesting people ;)

I attended a Polish wedding at the weekend, my Girlfriends brother. So I wasn't on my own but obviously the language barrier is a little difficult to get used to when you're left alone for a little bit. But as others have said, after a few Wodkas, the other guests will start to be a little less shy with their English and will start trying it out on you.

At the wedding I went to, the grooms family sat on the left, the brides on the right. If you have been to a wedding in the UK before, you will know pretty much what is going on. However before the church, everyone goes to the brides house where the family are given bottles of Wodka to "release" the bride, all good fun.

Buy some flowers to give to the bride after the ceremony, as the tradition is for the male guests to do so.

There was no seating plan at the wedding I went to, just lots of long tables with food and bottles of soft drink to wash down the alcohol.

Prepare to eat a lot, drink a lot, dance a lot and have fun!

then eat some more, drink some more and eat again..

Well I've never been to a Polish wedding so you're welcome to take me...

I was staying at a manor house that was hosting a wesele. It looked pretty much like a United States wedding reception. There was even a seating chart. However, what was different was that it went on until 4 AM in the morning. When I was out and about at 7:30 AM or so, there were two young couple very much still under the weather of the vodka. I think you will be very comfortable. It sounds more like you are uncertain about being alone, than uncertain about being in a different country. Life doesn't always have to come in pairs. have fun!

well, it wouldn't be funny to me... i've found myself in situations when i was all alone in a big country and a big city... i didn't know anybody and everybody in the us was very nice and friendly to me... so i know how hard it is and really not nice to be treaten that way... i wouldn't do anything like you suggest to anybody...