banging pots and pans

[quietdandelion]

At a traditional French wedding, some of the groom's friends may play jokes on the couple on their wedding night, such as banging pots and pans outside their room to disturb them.

Besides its litteral meaning, is there any connnotation of the underlined phrase? Thanks.

Second, is it a real traditional French wedding? I mean do French still practice this?
Thanks.

 

[mrbilal87]

Hi Dandelion,

I'm pretty sure the underlined phrase has no meaning other than a literal one. However, I'm not sure if this was a typical joke practised in traditional French weddings.

Let's see what others say about that.

Cheers!

 

[clairanne]

Hi

I am sure it means literally " banging pots and pans". I cannot comment on whether this still happens in French villages, but see no reason why it should not do so. I am sure a French native will be able to help you about this.

In England we tie tin cans to the back to the wedding car before the bride and groom drive away and put stones in the hub caps.

Regards.

 

[quietdandelion]

Hi

I am sure it means literally " banging pots and pans". I cannot comment on whether this still happens in French villages, but see no reason why it should not do so. I am sure a French native will be able to help you about this.

In England we tie tin cans to the back to the wedding car before the bride and groom drive away and put stones in the hub caps.

Regards.

Thanks, my friends.

And why do you tie cans to the back of the wedding car and put stones in the hub caps?

 

[clairanne]

hi

We do it to draw attention to the fact that the couple are newly married and just off on their honeymoon. It makes people smile and people wave to them and wish them luck as they pass, which adds to the enjoyment of their special day.

 

[Guillaume37]

Well, this can be seen in so many American movies of the 1930s as well ! As for the banging pots and pans thing, I am French and know quite a lot of French people from various areas, and I am pretty sure that this has gone out of fashion for one century (at least!). One possible equivalent would be "faire le charivari", i.e. making a lot of noise to prevent the married couple from enjoying some... ahem... rest... Another less specific but more idiomatic equivalent would be "faire un boucan de tous les diables" (make a hell of a noise).
Last not least, I do think that there is a sexual innuendo in the very practice of banging pots and pans, because one old and still used French phrasing is passer à la casserole (pointing to a girl being more or less forced to have sex). A "casserole" is a saucepan.

 

[coiffe]

Well, this can be seen in so many American movies of the 1930s as well ! As for the banging pots and pans thing, I am French and know quite a lot of French people from various areas, and I am pretty sure that this has gone out of fashion for one century (at least!). One possible equivalent would be "faire le charivari", i.e. making a lot of noise to prevent the married couple from enjoying some... ahem... rest... Another less specific but more idiomatic equivalent would be "faire un boucan de tous les diables" (make a hell of a noise).
Last not least, I do think that there is a sexual innuendo in the very practice of banging pots and pans, because one old and still used French phrasing is passer à la casserole (pointing to a girl being more or less forced to have sex). A "casserole" is a saucepan.

In English, "banging" of course can mean having sex with, but "banging pots and pans" doesn't connote anything at all.

 

[Guillaume37]

Sorry : I got carried away so I explained that the French custom had sexual connotations. Obviously, banging pots and pans has no covert meaning.

 

[coiffe]

Sorry : I got carried away so I explained that the French custom had sexual connotations. Obviously, banging pots and pans has no covert meaning.

No, you were clear before, Guillaume. My thought was just a marginal add-on ... there are lots of things you could "bang" metaphorically, but not pots and pans!