The Bartered Bride is the comic misadventure of two mismatched couples.
1859 at a church consecration festival in Bohemia. The matchmaker Kezal wants to match the mayor's daughter Marie to Wenzel, the son of rich Micha. However, Marie falls in love with the post coach Hans and hides with him in the hustle and bustle of the church consecration festival.
Meanwhile, the traveling circus Brummer has arrived, and Wenzel has his eye on the artist Esmeralda, circus director Brummer's foster daughter. Marie and Wenzel's parents are dissatisfied with this development. So, Marie is locked in her room and the mayor does not give the circus permission to perform.
Kezal offers Hans 300 guilders if he gives up Marie, and when he accepts the money, word gets around that he has sold his bride. The humiliated Marie is now ready to marry Wenzel. But Hans only accepted the money because the circus needed it to be able to play. When a circus bear escapes and Hans saves Marie from the bear, everything comes back into order. The parents agree, Wenzel gets Esmeralda, and even Kezal is reimbursed twice for his expenses.
