Quick Answer
What is the Scandinavian wedding kissing tradition?
At Swedish wedding receptions, tradition allows guests to kiss the bride or groom on the cheek if their partner briefly steps away from the table — the men may kiss the bride while the groom is out of the room, and the women may kiss the groom while the bride is out.
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Last updated:
What is the Scandinavian wedding kissing tradition?
Also called: stealing a kiss custom, wedding kissing game.
It is one of the more playful, slightly mischievous customs at a Swedish wedding reception: the moment the bride or groom gets up from the table — even just for the restroom — is treated as a brief window of opportunity by the rest of the guests. It is lighthearted by design, over almost as soon as it starts, and generally well understood by everyone at a traditional Swedish reception.
How it plays out at a reception
- •If the groom leaves the table, the women present may each go and give the bride a quick kiss on the cheek before he returns.
- •If the bride leaves the table, the men present may do the same with the groom.
- •It is understood as a cheerful, cheek-level custom rather than anything more — and it is over the moment the absent partner returns.
Planning notes
- •If the couple would rather skip this custom, it is worth a quiet word to close family or the toastmaster so it is not started as a "surprise."
- •It works naturally at a seated dinner reception; it is less of a fit for a standing cocktail-style event with no fixed seating.
- •Keep it brief and cheek-only when briefing anyone hosting or emceeing — the custom is meant to be playful, not prolonged.
Brief your reception hosts on the run of show
Weddingkart's guest management tools help you keep family and close friends aligned on which traditions are happening and when, without confusing the wider guest list.
See guest management →Frequently Asked Questions
Is the kiss always on the cheek?
Yes — the custom as documented is a quick cheek kiss, understood as a lighthearted gesture rather than anything more formal or romantic.
Can a couple opt out of this tradition?
Yes — since it depends on guests knowing to do it, a couple who would rather skip it can simply ask close family or their toastmaster not to prompt guests, and it typically will not happen on its own.
Is this custom only found in Sweden?
It is most often described as a Swedish tradition, though a similar reception custom is recognized in Denmark and Norway as well.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated