While I was trolling ebay (for trolling ebay 8), I kept coming across these cups shaped like ladies holding buckets over their heads. I was intrigued. I did a little research and learned that they are part of an old German wedding custom. You all know how I love culture, so as much as you might protest, today we will learn something.
The story goes that a long time ago, a goldsmith in the city of Nuremberg wanted to marry a young noble woman. Her father, however, did not like the idea of his daughter marrying a poor artisan. Legend has it that the nobleman would only allow the wedding to take place if the goldsmith succeeded in making a vessel from which two people could drink at the same time, without spilling a drop. The goldsmith succeeded, and the news of the happy ending spread quickly all over Germany, where the Bridal Cup has been in use ever since.
To me it wasn't completely obvious how this worked at first. I was all "huh?" whilst turning my head to one side and squinting trying to figure out how two people could drink from that lady's bucket... (those are 'thinking really hard' ellipses).
I finally figured it out when I learned that the cup held by the woman is on a hinge, and can rotate around so that it looks as if the she's dumping the contents on her head. So then, if you turn the whole vessel upside down, the groom may drinketh from the maiden's skirt (yowsa!) and the bride can drink simultaneously from the maiden's bucket, which tilts so that she doesn't spill. I'll be damned! What fun.
If you'd like to get one of these pretty little ladies for your wedding just do a search for "german wedding cup" on ebay. You'll find several.
That's all for today, class.
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