At the engagement, the couples exchange gold bands, worn on the left hand.
For the couple, a wedding newsletter, Die Hochzeitszeitung is created, that speaks only about the couple, described with pictures and stories. It contains anecdotes, mock interviews and pictures from childhood into teen years, up to the marriage. This is created by friends and family of the groom and the bride. It is then distributed as a wedding souvenir once the ceremony is completed.
On an evening before the wedding, a party is hosted at the house of the bride's parents. No formal invitation is sent to guests, as it is taken for granted that everyone knows about this tradition, and will attend the event if they wish to. The food served here is a home-cooked buffet, to which some guests may contribute. This event is known as Der Polterabend, a kind of a rehearsal dinner, where guests bring statuettes, dishes, crockery, and flowerpots and smash them on the pavement outside the house. The couple is then expected to clear up the mess and discard it together. This is a tradition that is known to bring luck to the couple, and drive away evil spirits.
Another interesting tradition is one where the bride is to buy new shoes for her wedding, and pay for them with coins that she has collected since childhood. This is a symbol of the bride's capacity to be able to control expenses. This tradition is known as the Hochzeitsschuhe.
Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/german-wedding-traditions.html