Quick Answer
What are bruidssuikers?
Bruidssuikers ("bride's sugars") are sugar-coated almonds handed out to guests at a Dutch wedding, usually presented in small tulle bags, dishes, or bonbonnieres. They belong to the same wider European sugared-almond wedding-favor tradition found under different names elsewhere, but bruidssuikers is the specific Dutch term and presentation style.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What are bruidssuikers?
Also called: bruidssuiker, sugared almonds, wedding sugar almonds.
Walk past the favor table at a Dutch wedding and there is a decent chance you will find little net bags of bruidssuikers — hard sugar-coated almonds, usually pastel-colored, sitting at each place setting or in a bowl by the door. The custom leans on the same old symbolism found across much of Europe: the almond's bitterness balanced by its sugar shell stands in for marriage itself, sweet and difficult together.
How they are given
Bruidssuikers are typically packaged in small odd numbers — five is the most commonly cited count, each almond said to stand for a wish: health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and a long life together — wrapped in tulle netting tied with ribbon, or set out in a dish on the guest tables. Some Dutch couples instead present them in a single decorative bowl passed around or placed centrally, rather than as individual take-home favors.
- •Common colors are white or pastel pink/blue; the choice is largely aesthetic rather than symbolic.
- •They are usually a small, low-cost favor — more a nod to tradition than a centerpiece of the reception.
Planning notes
- •Order bruidssuikers from a Dutch banketbakker (confectioner) or specialty favor supplier — quality and almond size vary noticeably between suppliers.
- •Decide early whether they are a per-guest take-home favor or a shared table dish, since the quantity and packaging differ.
- •If any guests have nut allergies, flag it — bruidssuikers are almond-based and not a substitute-friendly favor without advance notice to guests.
Keep favor counts matched to your final guest list
Ordering bruidssuikers or any per-guest favor is easiest once RSVPs are locked — Weddingkart keeps a live guest count so you order the right quantity, not a guess.
See guest management →Frequently Asked Questions
Are bruidssuikers unique to Dutch weddings?
The underlying custom of sugared almonds as a wedding favor is shared across several European traditions under different names. Bruidssuikers is the specific Dutch term and the presentation style — small tulle bags or a table dish — commonly seen at Dutch weddings.
How many bruidssuikers are traditionally given?
Odd numbers are traditional, with five being the most commonly cited count, each one said to represent a wish for the couple — health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity.
Do bruidssuikers have to be almonds?
Traditionally yes — the sugar-coated almond is the defining element. Couples wanting an allergy-friendly alternative typically choose a different favor entirely rather than calling a substitute "bruidssuikers," since the almond is what the tradition refers to.
Related
By Mayank JaiswalLast updated