Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz

“Oczepiny” The unveiling of the bride: The unveiling of the bride is one of the oldest and the most important of Polish wedding customs. This tradition is still the mainstay of many polish brides representing a rite of passage from a young women to married a woman. On command by the Druzba, the band performs a drum roll, and the bride is placed on the dance floor in a chair facing the guests. The bridesmaids, the mother of the bride, godmother, grandmothers, groom’s mother stand at the bride’s side and hold lit candles encircling the bride as the mother of the bride removes the bridle veil from the bride’s head as music is played. Usually, “Serdeczna Matko” Beloved Mother is performed and then a Polish Wedding Oberek. During the music, a czepek or cap/bonnet is placed on the brides head and at this moment, the bride is officially considered a married woman. In addition, the bride is given a broom and an apron to wear for the Dollar Dance to follow this tradition.
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Oczepiny Unveiling Of The Bride – Polish WeddingRead More »

Removing the Garter: The groom removes the garter following the tossing of the bouquet and tosses the garter to all the single men in the crowd.

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The Toss – Polish WeddingRead More »

“Czepek Dance” Dollar Dance: This tradition follows the unveiling ceremony and everyone will get a chance to dance with the bride and groom for a donation. For that donation, you get a jigger of wine, whiskey or candy and a chance to dance with the bride or groom. It is bad luck if you do not dance with the bride or groom at a Polish wedding. It is customary for the groomsmen to encourage all the women and the brides maids to encourage all the men in the crowd to pay for a dance with the bride and groom. They work the hall and engage the guests to take part in this lovely and old tradition. There are other names for this dance such as dollar dance, money dance, brides dance, wine dance and/or the bride and groom dance. In the olden days, the dollar bills were pinned to the brides dress after each person danced with her. Today, a few bills are pinned to her apron to symbolize the jester and the money is put in a bowl and collected at the table. The money collected was passed on to the newlyweds to take on their honeymoon. Again, rarely enough money is collected for a honeymoon, but the symbolism is still relevant. When the dance comes to the end, the groom pulls out his wallet and buys the last dance!
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Czepek Dance – Polish WeddingRead More »

“Let’s Have Fun – Dancing”: Dancing by the bride and groom, the parents of the bride and groom and guests at the reception. Music and singing by Brian Marshall and the Texas Slavic Playboys and Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz on the concertina playing Siwi Kon and other Polish favorites along with some Texas country music. Everybody had a good time.

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Let’s Have Fun At Polski Wesele – Polish WeddingRead More »

“Never Gonna Let You Go – Dancing”: Dancing at the reception as the guests encircle the bride and groom in a double wedding ring.

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Never Gonna Let You Go At Polski Wesele – Polish WeddingRead More »

4 videos of the celebration of the Mazurkiewicz/Wilcox wedding on November 15, 2008 in College Station, Texas. (Videos courtesy of Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz, Videography by Brianna Cammack.

Jimmy Mazurkiewicz, father of the bride, plays the concertina before the wedding at “dom weselny”, the home of the bride.

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Polski Wesele Video – Traditional Polish WeddingRead More »