Bridal Sauna

Bride is brought to the sauna before getting married for banishing evil spirits and ghosts of former fiancés. This is done to keep them from harassing the matrimony. Best way to do it is by yelling and making a lot of noise. The friends of the bride who participate in the sauna ritual can also whip her gently with a bundle of birch branches (known as vihta) and while doing so they also wipe out memories of ex-boyfriends from the brides mind. "There goes John and there goes Fred ..."!

The bride is seated in an honorary place in the sauna and bride's friends can ensure their own marital luck by taking a quick seat on the brides place.

Washing has it's own rituals. Friends first wash the bride with salt. Also flour and milk is used. This aims to purify the bride from her sins and make her virtuous and innocent again. A pint of beer is passed along and everybody takes a sip to honour the bride. The participants then cast an ancient spell to ensure a fortunate marriage. During spellcasting the fiancé sits on her throne which is padded with something soft and beautiful and something stinging like nettle or juniper. This will remind her that marriage isn't simply a bed of roses but can also be painful at times.

The bride ends the sauna rituals by tossing the vihta over her shoulder and making a wish. Bridal sauna is available at the Sajaniemi cottage.