In German wedding customs, the pre-wedding event where guests smash old crockery for good luck is called Polterabend.
The name combines German words associated with making a loud racket and an evening gathering. Guests traditionally bring porcelain or ceramic dishes and break them outside the couple’s home. The couple then sweeps up the fragments together, symbolizing cooperation in married life.
The custom is distinct from breaking glass during some wedding ceremonies. Polterabend usually takes place before the wedding and emphasizes noisy communal celebration, while the broken glass in other traditions may carry religious or historical symbolism.
Not every German couple observes Polterabend today, and practices vary by region. The event also differs from the bachelor or bachelorette party, known in German-speaking contexts by separate names.