Here Comes the Swine: 8 Wedding Traditions with Pigs

A closer look at the interesting history of pigs at weddings, and 8 wedding customs that include pigs

 

Would it surprise you to learn that pigs have been a part of weddings for thousands of years, appearing both in the wedding ceremony, and on the wedding menu? 

 

It’s true! Pigs have been part of wedding celebrations for nearly 9,000 years, since we started domesticating them, and newlyweds probably feasted on wild boar at wedding parties long before that. 

 

The history of the marriage is filled with pig lore – lucky pigs, pig symbolism, pet pigs, pig feasts, bad-luck pigs, and even pigs as offerings to the gods – from past to present. In fact, pigs are still such a big part of the popular culture of weddings that the Pig at a Wedding RPG – or Role Playing Game – was released in 2020 to wild success. (It looks pretty fun too.)

 

In honor of our porcine pals, here’s a closer look at just a few of the many ways pigs have been part of the marriage celebration over the years.

 

But pig lovers, please be forewarned: Some of the traditions and photos on our list do involve pork on the wedding menu - as food, not pets. We don't wish to offend or upset anyone with these examples.

 

Whether you have a pet pig you want to include in your wedding, want to include a traditional whole roast pig at your wedding reception, or you’re just fascinated by the history of pigs at weddings – we bet there’s something in this list that makes you squeal with delight! 

 

 

Pigs have been a part of wedding traditions for a long time! Wedding pig superstitions, lucky pig charms, pigs as wedding gifts or good luck guests, roasted pig as a wedding gift and dowry, and more! (Photo: Dmytro Duda / iStock)

 

 

Here Comes the Swine: 8 Wedding Traditions That Include Pigs

1. Swiss & German Lucky Piglet Ceremony

 

Pigs symbolize good fortune and prosperity in Swiss and German cultures, and a ‘glücksschwein,’ or ‘good luck pig,’ is often given as a gift in times of celebration – including weddings. Usually a glücksschwein is presented to the newlyweds as a pig-shaped charm or candy, but sometimes the ‘good luck pig’ is an actual live pig! 

 

Here’s an example of a cheerful ‘Lucky Piglet Ceremony’ from Carol Smith, The Somerset Celebrant: Towards the end of the wedding ceremony, two pigs were walked down the aisle on leads and presented to the bride and groom, who had just taken their vows. This fun “piglet presentation” symbolized the couple’s good luck in love and a prosperous life ahead, and was included to honor the bride’s Swiss heritage. 

 

Related: Browse more Unity Ceremony Ideas & Inspiration 

 

 

Dress for the occasion! Add some fun fashion and accessories to your lucky piglet ceremony. (Photo: michelmond / Adobe Stock)

 

2. Walk Down the Aisle with a Pet Pig

 

Couples love to have a family pet walk them down the aisle, and pig lovers are no exception! Having a beloved pet pig walk you down the aisle can be a meaningful and sweet way to start the wedding ceremony. 

 

In one sweet example, a bride named Hannah walked down the aisle with her pet pig Babe, a mini potbelly pig. Babe was rewarded for serving as a piggy ‘bridesmaid’ with lots of attention and a handful of raspberries as a treat! 

 

Related: Can Your Pet Be a Wedding Witness? Not Exactly…

 

 

Pigs in the wedding party! (Photo: Countrypixel / Adobe Stock)

 

3. Pennsylvania Dutch Pig Trough Dance

 

The ‘pig trough dance,’ or ‘hog trough dance,’ is a pig-adjacent wedding custom that comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch. The folklore goes like this: If a younger sibling marries before the older siblings, then the older siblings must dance in a pig trough at the wedding reception to bless the newlyweds with good luck in marriage. 

 

To include this tradition in your own wedding, you’ll need to bring a hog trough to the reception. Your older siblings will literally climb into the trough and dance while lively music plays, your friends and family clap along, and you – the younger sibling who’s now married – can watch with delight. 

 

This country wedding tradition even has a song dedicated to it! "Dancing in the Hog Trough" is a fast-tempo fiddle and finger-picking tune by Lynn Morris off the album 'Mama's Hands'. 

 

Watch wedding guests dance in a hog trough in the video below:

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Troy Miller (@troymillerdj)

 

 

4. Chinese Golden Pig Necklace 

 

It’s considered good luck for Chinese brides to wear a symbolic gold pig necklace on the wedding day. These necklaces include a large gold pig pendant, decorated with smaller, dangling piglet charms. The more piglet charms there are, the more blessings will be bestowed on the bride! 

 

Traditional Chinese wedding jewelry still holds an important place in modern ceremonies, and 24-carat gold pig necklaces might be gifted to a bride by family members as a sign of love and support for the marriage.

 

Related: The Wedding Ring Finger - Which Finger, Which Hand, and Why!

 

 

(Photo: ADDAworkshop / iStock)

 

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Warning to pig lovers: The examples below include pork on the wedding menu - as food, not pets. 

 

 

5. Viking & Norse Pagan Pig Blot for Weddings 

 

Ancient Viking and Norse Pagan wedding traditions sometimes included a ritual called a ‘blot’ or ‘geblōt,’ which involved sacrificing an animal to the gods for their blessing. Wild pigs or boars were often used: the pig would be killed, its blood poured on a religious altar, and then it would be roasted for a feast following the wedding or handfasting ceremony.

 

Related: Viking Weddings: Magic, Swords, Runes, Ritual Sacrifice, and More

 

Most modern Pagans have moved away from traditional blot rituals (blood offerings) for various reasons, and modern blot rituals usually use food or drink as offerings instead (such as bread, fruit, or wine placed on the altar). Pagan wedding feasts might still feature roasted pig or pork on the menu, to honor past traditions and to symbolize good fortune and abundance in marriage.

 

Related: Pagan Weddings: Ideas for Offerings to Gods and Ancestors

 

 

6. Vietnamese Wedding Roasted Pig 

 

As part of a traditional Vietnamese wedding celebration, a small pig is roasted and presented to the bride’s family by the groom during the Đám Hỏi (the Vietnamese engagement ceremony). This roasted pig symbolizes wealth, abundance, and good luck, and is presented along with other small gifts, placed in red tins and envelopes. 

 

In the past, these gifts were part of a bride’s dowry, but in modern variations of the ritual, these gifts are exchanged symbolically by the two families to wish the couple a happy and long-lasting marriage.

 

 

(Photo: paulrichstudio / iStock)

 

 

7. Traditional Macedonian Pig Dance 

 

One traditional Macedonian wedding custom is especially lively and continues to be celebrated today - the Pig Dance! During Macedonian-American variations of this custom, the groom’s best man and groomsmen wheel a large roast pig onto the dance floor during the reception, and step in holding forks, knives, and bottles of wine.

 

The men dance in front of the wedding couple’s godparents and guests, happily demanding ‘payment’ for the feast ahead. This symbolic dance leads to much laughter and merriment! When the groomsmen feel they’ve received enough ‘payment,’ the pig is served for all to enjoy.

 

 

8. Pigs as Bad Luck on the Wedding Day

 

While pigs are generally seen as good luck on the wedding day, and pet pigs are welcome guests, a few cultures consider them bad luck instead!

 

American folklore says that it’s bad luck for a bride or groom to run into a pig on the way to the church to get married – or to see a pig run across the road on the wedding day. And in Hindu wedding traditions and superstitions, pigs are considered inauspicious (or bad luck) on the wedding day – animals to be avoided at all costs!
 

 

See a pig cross the road on your wedding day? Watch out for bad luck! (Photo: M-SUR / iStock)

 

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You might also like: 

 

• 5 Lucky Wedding Traditions from Around the World

 

• 5 Tips for Including Pets in Your Wedding Ceremony
   
• An alligator as a ring bearer?!? Would you perform this wedding?

 

• How to Officiate a Wedding For the First Time

 

 

Learn how to perform a wedding for the first time! Click the article linked above to learn more. 

 

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Ask a Friend to Get Ordained Online to Officiate Your Wedding, with Help From AMM!  

 

Good things happen when friends and relatives help out at the wedding ceremony! Ask a friend or family member to officiate your wedding with free online ordination through American Marriage Ministries (AMM). 

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Why AMM? American Marriage Ministries is an inclusive nondenominational internet church that ordains and trains ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies. We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit church, and help people from all backgrounds and beliefs become ordained ministers for weddings. Our online ordination is free, accessible, and never expires.

 

Officiating weddings is an incredible honor, and a great way to show your love and support for the people getting married. As a wedding officiant, you will help to create memorable ceremonies and memories that last a lifetime.

AMM Ministers can legally officiate weddings in every state* (it's much harder in Virginia, where we're looking into our options). After getting ordained with AMM, you might need to register your ordination with your local county clerk’s office. Click the link above to get started! 

 

 

Become an ordained minister online with American Marriage Ministries and officiate wedding for friends and relatives. (Photo: franckreporter / iStock)

 

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