collected by 'gatekeepers' from the guests was handed over to the bride as her dowry (being an orphan usually implied poverty). The married couple is welcomed at the reception place by the parents with bread and salt; the bread symbolizes prosperity and the salt stands for the hardship of life. This way, the parents wish that the young couple never goes hungry and learns how to deal with everyday hardships together. During the reception, the newlyweds also break two drinking glasses by either stepping on them or throwing them over the shoulder for good fortune. The wedding party lasts (and the bride and groom remain) until the last guest leaves, usually until morning. In Poland, movements like Human Liberties Crusade or Wedding of the Weddings promote non-alcoholic wedding celebrations. Romanian customs In Romanian tradition, the wedding is composed of three steps: The formal/legal wedding, the Church wedding and the banquet. Lăutari are Romanian musicians performing traditional songs. The music of the lăutari establishes the structure of the elaborate Romanian weddings. The lăutari also function as guides through the wedding rituals and moderate any conflicts that may arise during what can be a long, alcohol-fueled party. Over a period of nearly 48 hours, this can be very physically strenuous. Following custom almost certainly dating back at least to the Middle Ages, most lăutari spend the fees from these wedding ceremonies on extended banquets for their friends and families over the days immediately following the wedding. The wedding begins at the Town hall where the couple literally gets married in the presence of their closest friends and relatives. After that, they go to the bride's house where the Lăutari come and sing themed songs like "Ia-ți mireasă ziua bună" (Bride's farewell) while the bride, the groom and the couple's parents take part in a symbolic preparation for the wedding (the best man and the best maid put a flower on their chests, arrange the groom's tie and shaves him and put the bride's veil, all in front of a big mirror decorated with pieces of veil and white flowers, mirror that separates the bride from the groom). They then go to the church where the religious ceremony is performed. Afterwards they go to a restaurant where the banquet begins. The newlyweds meet the guests at the entrance and they serve a glass of champagne while the Lautari sing a song. After all