Wedding in the Russian Federation order and rituals. Wedding customs and traditions of the Russian people

The time has passed when parents decided the fate of young people. Future newlyweds choose their soul mate themselves, and the matchmaking ritual has undergone many changes. In ancient times, the groom's relatives and parents came to the girl's house to negotiate a marriage. It was during matchmaking that future relatives got to know each other and established connections.
Nowadays, the ritual has become much simpler: the groom comes to the bride’s house and asks her parents for her hand in marriage. Some even neglect this ritual and simply inform both parties of their decision.

2. Engagement

This ritual is the official proclamation of lovers by the bride and groom. Nowadays, engagement can be considered the most romantic moment and grooms seem to compete with each other in creativity, staging public shows, etc. As before, the groom presents the bride with a ring, which she will wear until the wedding and then keep as a keepsake. In the old days, a real celebration was held on this occasion; in our time, engagement is also accompanied by a party.

3. Bachelorette or bachelor party

Modern and ancient hen parties are very different. If previously the bride listened to lamentations and instructions, cried for her father’s house, etc., now this happens in an atmosphere of lightness and fun. Bachelor and bachelorette parties in our time are rather the last chance to “have a blast” to the fullest and say goodbye to single life. A club or bar, alcoholic drinks, karaoke, strippers or strippers - all these can be considered attributes of a modern hen or stag party.

4. Bride ransom

The wedding day begins with the bride and bridesmaids dressing up. The groom gathers matchmakers, friends, groomsmen and goes to the house of the bride, who is supposed to be bought from relatives and girlfriends. The groom must go through an “obstacle course,” during which he solves riddles, goes through various competitions, etc. For every unsolved riddle, the groom must pay off with a gift or money.

5. Registration at the registry office

After the ransom, the newlyweds and their relatives go to the registry office in order to officially register their relationship. To the accompaniment of Mendelssohn's march, the newlyweds solemnly enter the hall, exchange rings and seal their union with a kiss. The wedding tradition that came to us from Italy has also taken root at Russian weddings. The newlyweds release white doves into the sky. This symbolizes precisely the girl who breaks free from her parents' home by getting married. After the registry office, the couple, accompanied by parents, relatives and friends, goes for a ride around the beautiful places of the city: monuments, the eternal flame, shopping centers, squares, etc. Many couples now do not register their marriage at the registry office, but use the services of a notary and register their marriage directly at the banquet.

6. Banquet and wedding feast

Well, what Russian wedding takes place without a magnificent banquet and a cheerful feast?! The newlyweds are greeted with a wedding loaf or bread and salt, and the newlyweds take turns biting off the loaf. If you follow the belief, the one who bites off the largest piece will be the master of the house. At the entrance, the newlyweds are showered with confetti (rose petals, rice, coins, etc.).

7. Bitter!

According to one version, our ancestors were very superstitious. They seriously believed in evil spirits, who, in their opinion, loved to plot intrigues among the peacefully merry people.
The evil spirits especially did not like it when people were happy and rejoicing. And so, trying to deceive the evil spirits, at the wedding the people shouted “Bitter!”, thereby showing that they were not so happy. Hearing this, the evil spirit had to believe and go away!
Nowadays, upon hearing the exclamation “Bitter!”, the newlyweds should kiss while standing for as long as possible, and all the guests together begin to count: “One, two, three... five... ten...” - and so on. The longer the young people kiss, the stronger their marriage will be.

8. Stealing a bride at a wedding

Like most rituals, this one also dates back to ancient times and has very interesting roots. With the advent of serfdom, a custom arose in which the serf bride had to spend her first wedding night with the master. The grooms opposed this and then the master sent his slaves and in the midst of the wedding they kidnapped the bride. If the groom was wealthy, then he bought the bride safe and sound. Nowadays, the bride is stolen more for fun and the groom also has to ransom the bride, but by performing various tasks.

9. Stealing the bride's shoe

In the old days, there was a custom during which unmarried girls asked the bride to let her try on her shoes. One of the friends for whom the shoe fit kept it for herself and demanded a ransom from the groom. This ritual was a kind of test of the future groom's worth.

10. Wedding cake

In the old days, it was believed that by breaking bread with a person, you become close to each other. It is believed that the ritual of cutting the cake came from this custom. Modern cakes can easily be considered works of art! The newlyweds cut the first piece of cake together, but with one knife.

11. Removing the veil

This ritual can be considered the most ancient and beautiful. In ancient times, they did not remove the veil from the bride, but a wreath entwined with ribbons and unraveled her braid. Married women could not walk with their heads uncovered and wearing a headscarf was mandatory for them, so after removing the wreath and unraveling the braid, the wife's head was covered with a headscarf. This is how the ritual of removing a new wife’s veil and covering her head with a scarf arose. This ceremony of removing the veil symbolizes the transition from girlhood to family life.

12. Throwing a bouquet

This tradition was adopted from Europeans. The bride throws a bouquet from behind to unmarried girls and the girl who catches it will be the next to get married.

13. First wedding night and honeymoon

After finishing all the ceremonies and saying goodbye to the guests, the newlyweds go home or to a hotel room, where they spend their wedding night, and then go on their honeymoon. Sometimes the celebration lasts two days. On the second day, only family members and close people are invited. The second day is dedicated to congratulating parents. This day is called "to the mother-in-law for pancakes." On this day, the parents of the newlyweds are congratulated on their new titles and given gifts, and for them they shout “Bitter!”

Gradually, the original Russian wedding traditions are returning to the lives of modern people - some strive to be closer to their ancestors, others follow fashion, others are simply interested in the history of their people.

Russian culture is rich in wedding traditions and customs - in ancient times, marriage was a grandiose event that took place according to a predetermined plan, observed by all couples.

Some of these rituals have been forgotten, others have changed, but there are also those that have survived in their original form. Future newlyweds can surprise their guests by incorporating some of these traditions into their own wedding.

The essence of the rituals

Almost every culture in the world has rules regarding marriage. Over the centuries, Russian wedding traditions and customs have been developed, which require future newlyweds to dress and behave correctly during the wedding. At the same time, practically none of the young people even had the thought of contradicting folk wisdom, and all the accepted stages of the wedding were strictly followed by each couple.

Now echoes of such obedience are found only among a few peoples, while most traditions have undergone changes - they have become less rigid and unconditional. The bride and groom are free to independently decide how their wedding will take place, but everyone completely forgot about marriage by order of their parents, like a bad dream.

Russian wedding traditions are observed at weddings for the most part as a tribute to the past. Brides wear a snow-white dress, and grooms are tested by their beloved's bridesmaids, because that's the custom. Of course, there are deviations from these traditions, but you can still often find exactly this alignment of events.

In other cases, customs apply to a wedding if it is organized in a particular style. Couples have begun to take their wedding scenario more seriously, so they often organize a themed celebration. If it is held, for example, in English, French, Mexican, Indian or Italian style, then you can adopt some of the traditions of these peoples to create a bright ambiance.

For the most part, every modern wedding turns out to be woven from the customs of different countries. Some stages of marriage, such as the exchange of wedding rings, have existed since ancient times, while others appeared only a few centuries ago. If earlier a wedding took place in the closed world of a particular people, now the boundaries of the holiday are expanding.

What are the customs?

In Rus', a wedding was celebrated for at least a week, and the entire village took part in preparations for it. Each person knew what role was assigned to him, and the result was coordinated work without hitches and fuss. Nowadays this no longer occurs, since each celebration takes place in its own way, but previously the script was the same for everyone.

The most important wedding ceremony in Russian traditions is matchmaking. The groom, along with his friends and family, came to the bride’s house and asked the girl’s parents for blessings for the wedding. Nobody asked her about her desire to get married - she only had to demonstrate her abilities as a master and accept the will of her mother and father.

Matchmaking

The groom did not come to the matchmaking empty-handed - he brought an engagement ring. It was believed that if the bride accepted him, there would be a wedding, but in fact everything had already been decided in advance by the heads of the families. If the groom came without a ring, this made the girl's family wonder if he could provide for their daughter.

If the marriage was planned with the preliminary agreement of the families, then this was only a symbolic stage of the event. If the girl and the boy themselves made the decision to get married, then they could be denied a blessing. In this case, they had two options - either to obey the will of their parents, or to disobey them, which was usually followed by a complete break in relations with the family.

Bride's outfit

The bride's wedding dress was special. Nowadays it is customary to see the hero of the occasion in a snow-white dress, but this is a European tradition; in Rus' they dressed in red.

Wedding planner

Previously, in Rus', all brides wore a red sundress, which symbolized happiness and fertility. But white color was considered a symbol of mourning and sadness.

Elena Sokolova

Fortune Teller

It was believed that chips, relief and cracks on wedding rings would attract misfortunes and troubles into the family life of the newlyweds.

Tamara Solntseva

Only those girls who were getting married for the first time could wear a veil, since this attribute was considered a symbol of purity. Even earlier, the veil was replaced by an almost opaque shawl. The bride put it on when leaving her parents' house and did not take it off until her marriage, since it was believed that during this period she was left without protection and vulnerable to evil spirits, and under the shawl they would not be able to find her.

Wedding rings

There were also special requirements for wedding rings. They could be from any material, but One thing remained unchanged - the surface should be smooth, without relief, stones, chips or scratches.

During the period from the moment of matchmaking to the wedding, the bride had a lot of worries. First of all, she needed to embroider a towel, which would be used during the blessing, and then remain in the newlyweds’ family, as a talisman against grief and misfortune. The shirt was also embroidered by hand, which the groom then wore to the wedding.

Groom's concerns

The young man also had his own preparations for the wedding, although not so scrupulous - he needed to collect a rich bouquet for his beloved. There were no florist shops before, so plants were obtained from the gardens of relatives and neighbors, and they could not refuse the groom.

He presented it on the wedding day, and then the girl chose the most beautiful bud from there and attached it to her betrothed’s shirt. This is a prototype of a wedding bouquet and boutonniere, but now the bride is unlikely to entrust her lover with the choice of a flower arrangement, since it must be combined with the whole image as a whole.

The groom was traveling behind his future wife on the ceremonial train. There were no railways in the villages; this is simply a symbolic name for the procession, in which, in addition to the young man himself, his brothers, friends and relatives, except his parents, went out. They stayed at home to make final preparations for the celebration.

Along the entire route he was given obstacles, for example, in the form of a cart in the middle of the road. The groom bribed enterprising neighbors with wine, home brew, sweets or coins. In the bride’s house, by the way, they also did not open the gates voluntarily for him, and sometimes they also hid the bride, giving her away only for a significant ransom.

Wedding A wedding in the literal sense of the word was considered a wedding in a church. Now this ritual can be called additional to the official painting, and it can be performed or not performed as desired. Previously, those who did not get married were not officially considered husband and wife, and if a man and woman lived together without this ceremony, then it was considered sinful. They carefully prepared for this sacrament, which was then considered magical.

During the wedding, the newlyweds cemented their decision to start a family in the eyes of God.

When the young people left the church, the guests showered them with grain - oats, barley, millet, etc. Thus, friends and relatives wished the newly-made spouses prosperity and well-being. Nowadays, rice, small coins or rose petals are used instead of grain, but the traditional Russian wedding ceremony has already lost its original meaning.

The favorite part of everyone present at a wedding is the feast. In Rus', it was hosted by the groom's parents, and almost all the women from the village could be involved in preparing the treats. The priority was not only to demonstrate one’s financial well-being, but also to feed all the guests to their fill. Considering that the celebration lasted for several days in a row, the groom's parents had a lot of worries and expenses.

During the feast, many different Russian wedding rituals and customs took place, but we can note one of the most striking - the joint breaking of dishes. The newlyweds and their guests purposefully broke clay pots and jugs.

When we get married, we all want to celebrate this event in a way that will be remembered for a lifetime. Today, interest in traditional wedding rites has increased significantly. On this special day, people try to observe all the wedding traditions that are passed down from generation to generation.

The ancient name of a wedding “sviyatba” means binding (sviyatba). Sviyats (matchmakers) performed a bonding ceremony, after which it was possible for a woman and a man from different clans to live together. Later, the binding ceremony began to be accompanied by various wedding ceremonies. The Russian wedding ceremony appeared in the 18-19th century; it is one of the most important family rituals, consisting of a huge number of elements. Among them one can note ritual songs, laments, obligatory ritual actions of the bride, groomsmen and other participants.

Wedding ceremonies were a symbol of the transition of a girl from her father's clan to her husband's clan, under the protection of the spirits of the male clan. This transition was regarded as a death in one’s family and the birth of a husband in one’s family. For example, one of the wedding rituals, vytiye (ritual lament), is compared to lamentations for the deceased. At a bachelorette party, going to the bathhouse is compared to washing the deceased. When a bride is led into church arm in arm, this is a symbol of lifelessness, lack of strength, and the young wife leaves the church on her own. The tradition of carrying the bride into the groom's house in his arms is intended to deceive the brownie so that he accepts the girl as a newborn who appeared in the house, and did not enter it.

Russian wedding rites vary in different regions of Russia. For example, in the north the ritual is accompanied only by chants, but in the south it consists entirely of cheerful songs; chants there play a more formal role. Some regional traditions contain pre-Christian origins, as well as elements of magic. The wedding ceremony is presented in the form of a strictly organized system.

Despite some differences, the general order of the wedding ceremony remains the same and includes the following elements.

Matchmaking.
Matchmaking is a wedding ceremony that involves the groom proposing his hand and heart to his beloved in the presence of her parents. As a rule, the future groom himself participates in this ceremony. However, he can also send matchmakers to the parents of the future bride. Most often, the groom's parents, close relatives, and godparents act as matchmakers. The exception is friends; they can be present during matchmaking in rare cases. Before the actual matchmaking, the parents of the bride and groom previously agreed on this.

Entering the bride's parental home, the matchmaker carried out certain ritual actions. For example, in the Simbirsk province the matchmaker had to sit under the mat, and in the Vologda province he had to rattle the stove damper, etc. It happened that the matchmaker could talk about the purpose of his visit in some ritual language, and the bride’s parents answered him in the same manner. This was explained by the need to protect the wedding ceremony from the influence of evil spirits. According to tradition, the bride's parents are obliged to refuse the matchmaker for the first time, even if they approve, but the matchmaker in this case is obliged to persuade them. After the matchmaking ceremony, the parents of the future bride gave an answer. As a rule, the girl’s wishes were not taken into account. Her consent was just a formality. In rare cases, matchmaking took place without a girl at all.

For matchmaking, the future groom must wear a suit and also bring two bouquets of flowers. He must give one of them to the girl’s mother (future mother-in-law), and the second to his future bride. The groom confesses his love for her to the girl’s parents and asks them for her hand in marriage. In case of parental consent, the bride's father places his daughter's right hand in the groom's hand.

Nowadays, as a rule, they combine matchmaking with some kind of family holiday or weekend. Natural fuss around the table allows future relatives to get to know each other better. In the event that the groom's parents were absent from the matchmaking for some reason, the future newlyweds should visit them, where the son will introduce his beloved to his parents, and she will give flowers to the future mother-in-law. After matchmaking, the newlyweds set a date for the engagement and its announcement.

Bride.
Brides are also an obligatory part of the wedding ceremony, during which the groom, his parents, and matchmakers evaluate the merits and demerits of the future wife. As a rule, the bridesmaid ceremony was held before the handshake, after the matchmaking. In addition, the bridesmaid also involves an inspection by the girl’s parents of the groom’s household, with a special place being occupied by the presence of livestock, bread, dishes and clothing. If the parents were not satisfied with something, they could refuse the groom. Otherwise, the bride's parents set a date for public matchmaking - hand-waving.

During the hand-waving ceremony, the final agreement was made regarding the wedding (date, expenses, number of gifts, masonry (a form of financial support for the bride from the groom's relatives), dowry, etc.). As a rule, hand-waving took place 2-3 days after matchmaking. During the handshake, wedding ranks were also distributed. The result of the hand-waving was the beating of each other's hands (while wearing canvas gloves) by the fathers of the bride and groom. This custom symbolized the obligation to fulfill the agreement reached. The hand-waving ceremony indicated that the bride had been matched; in this case, only an exceptional case (for example, the bride’s escape) could cancel the wedding.

Later, the rituals of hand-raising and matchmaking joined the bridesmaid ceremony.

Vytie.
Vytiye meant ritual crying, which was carried out on the side of the bride. Howling symbolized the bride's farewell to her parents and friends. The bride's head was covered with something like a veil so that she could not see anything and they accompanied her. When they released the girl, she fell.

Hen-party.
The bachelorette party was usually held before the wedding or in the days from the wedding to the wedding. At the bride's bachelorette party, her friends gathered and, accompanied by wedding songs, helped her sew gifts for the groom and his relatives. At this time the bride was supposed to “cry, howl, howl.” This meant saying goodbye to girlhood and expecting hard work after marriage.

Another important moment at the bachelorette party was the unbraiding of the girl’s braids, which was carried out by the bride’s friends. It meant the end of the girl’s former life.

Another equally important element of the wedding ceremony was the ritual bathing of the bride in the bathhouse. As a rule, this was done on the eve of the wedding or on the morning of the wedding day. The bride went to the bathhouse with her girlfriends, while special songs and chants were sung, and sometimes some ritual actions that had magical powers were performed. For example, in the Vologda region it was customary for the bride to go to the bathhouse with a healer, who collected her sweat in a special bottle, and at the wedding she added it to the groom’s alcohol.

Nowadays, it is still customary to celebrate a bachelorette party, they just do it at home or in cozy cafes with girlfriends. But there may be other options for holding a bachelorette party, it all depends on the imagination of the bride’s friends.

Dowry.
The bride had to prepare a large dowry for the wedding. Her friends helped her with this. The period for preparing the dowry was called a week. The dowry mainly included things made by the bride with her own hands: a bed (feather bed, pillow, blanket) and gifts for the groom and relatives: shirts, scarves, belts, patterned towels.

The first day of the wedding.
The first day of the wedding is characterized by the arrival of the groom, a trip to the crown, transportation of the dowry, the arrival of the newlyweds at the groom's house, a blessing, and a wedding feast.

Buddy.
The friend (or friend) has always been the most important participant and leader of the wedding ceremony. Most often, it is the friend who is scolded according to ritual custom, and he must adequately respond to such jokes in his direction. On the special day, the groom practically does not say any ritual words. The groom's brother or close friend acts as a groomsman. Its distinctive feature was an embroidered towel tied over the shoulder. In the traditions of some regions there could be two or even three friends, but one of them will still be the main one.

Arrival of the groom.
According to the traditions of some regions, on the morning of the wedding day, the groom visits the bride's house to find out if the bride is ready for the groom's arrival. The bride should already be in wedding clothes for the groom's visit and sit in the red corner. The wedding “train” included the groom with his groomsmen, friends and relatives (poezzhane). As the wedding train moved, special “train” songs were sung.

Ransom.
After the groom arrived, another wedding ceremony took place - ransom. To get to the bride, the groom must pay a ransom for the gate, door, etc. When carrying out this ritual, much attention is paid to magical actions, for example, sweeping the road, in order to protect the young from damage that can be caused by an object, stone, etc. thrown at their feet. In different traditions, the road that should be swept is different. The bride price has survived to this day. It is allowed to ransom the bride from girlfriends and parents. It happened that the groom was deceived by bringing the bride to him with her face covered. Instead of the real bride, another girl or even an elderly woman was brought out. In such a situation, the groom had to buy the bride again, or look for her.

Wedding.
Before the bride and groom left for church, the bride's parents blessed them with an icon and bread. Before the wedding ceremony, the bride’s braid was unraveled, and after it, two “woman’s” braids were braided, while her hair was carefully covered with a headdress (povoinik). Sometimes this was carried out at a wedding celebration, and among the Old Believers - between betrothal and wedding, or before betrothal.

Arrival at the groom's house.
After the wedding, the bride is taken to the groom's house, where his parents bless their union. In many traditions, upon arrival, the bride and groom were seated on a fur coat, which was a talisman. Bread was an obligatory element of the blessing ritual. As a rule, the bread was located next to the icon. In many traditions, both the bride and groom must take a bite of the bread.

Wedding feast.
As a rule, the wedding was celebrated over food with jokes and songs. According to tradition, the bride's parents should not be present at the wedding table on the first day, so there was such a custom of “inviting the proud.” This task was entrusted to the mummered guests on the part of the husband and wife. In a noisy crowd they came to the house of the bride's parents and invited them to the wedding table. After the wedding sacrament, the bride’s lamentations end, and the joyful and cheerful part of the ceremony begins. After this, the newlyweds go to the bride’s house to buy gifts, after which they go to the groom’s house, where everything is ready for the wedding feast. The wedding feast is always accompanied by majestic songs for the bride, groom, parents and groomsmen. The second day is celebrated at the house of the bride's parents. If the feast lasts three days, then the third day is celebrated again in the groom's house.

“Putting down” and “waking up” the young.
The “laying of the newlyweds” was carried out by a matchmaker, or the bedmaid prepared the marriage bed, for which the groom had to give a ransom. In the morning, the matchmaker, mother-in-law or boyfriend “woke up” the newlyweds. As a rule, after the “waking”, the guests were shown a sheet or shirt of the bride with blood stains, which testified to her honor. According to other customs, the groom demonstrated the “honor” of the bride by eating scrambled eggs, pancakes or pie from the middle or the edge. If the bride turned out to be not a virgin, her parents were ridiculed, the gates could be covered with tar, etc.

Second wedding day.
The most common ritual on the second day of a wedding is the search for the bride “search for the little one.” The essence of this ritual is that the bride (yarochka) is hiding somewhere in the house, and the groom (shepherd) or his relatives are looking for her.

The time has passed when parents decided the fate of young people. Future newlyweds choose their soul mate themselves, and the matchmaking ritual has undergone many changes. In ancient times, the groom's relatives and parents came to the girl's house to negotiate a marriage. It was during matchmaking that future relatives got to know each other and established connections.
Nowadays, the ritual has become much simpler: the groom comes to the bride’s house and asks her parents for her hand in marriage. Some even neglect this ritual and simply inform both parties of their decision.

2. Engagement

This ritual is the official proclamation of lovers by the bride and groom. Nowadays, engagement can be considered the most romantic moment and grooms seem to compete with each other in creativity, staging public shows, etc. As before, the groom presents the bride with a ring, which she will wear until the wedding and then keep as a keepsake. In the old days, a real celebration was held on this occasion; in our time, engagement is also accompanied by a party.

3. Bachelorette or bachelor party

Modern and ancient hen parties are very different. If previously the bride listened to lamentations and instructions, cried for her father’s house, etc., now this happens in an atmosphere of lightness and fun. Bachelor and bachelorette parties in our time are rather the last chance to “have a blast” to the fullest and say goodbye to single life. A club or bar, alcoholic drinks, karaoke, strippers or strippers - all these can be considered attributes of a modern hen or stag party.

4. Bride ransom

The wedding day begins with the bride and bridesmaids dressing up. The groom gathers matchmakers, friends, groomsmen and goes to the house of the bride, who is supposed to be bought from relatives and girlfriends. The groom must go through an “obstacle course,” during which he solves riddles, goes through various competitions, etc. For every unsolved riddle, the groom must pay off with a gift or money.

5. Registration at the registry office

After the ransom, the newlyweds and their relatives go to the registry office in order to officially register their relationship. To the accompaniment of Mendelssohn's march, the newlyweds solemnly enter the hall, exchange rings and seal their union with a kiss. The wedding tradition that came to us from Italy has also taken root at Russian weddings. The newlyweds release white doves into the sky. This symbolizes precisely the girl who breaks free from her parents' home by getting married. After the registry office, the couple, accompanied by parents, relatives and friends, goes for a ride around the beautiful places of the city: monuments, the eternal flame, shopping centers, squares, etc. Many couples now do not register their marriage at the registry office, but use the services of a notary and register their marriage directly at the banquet.

6. Banquet and wedding feast

Well, what Russian wedding takes place without a magnificent banquet and a cheerful feast?! The newlyweds are greeted with a wedding loaf or bread and salt, and the newlyweds take turns biting off the loaf. If you follow the belief, the one who bites off the largest piece will be the master of the house. At the entrance, the newlyweds are showered with confetti (rose petals, rice, coins, etc.).

7. Bitter!

According to one version, our ancestors were very superstitious. They seriously believed in evil spirits, who, in their opinion, loved to plot intrigues among the peacefully merry people.
The evil spirits especially did not like it when people were happy and rejoicing. And so, trying to deceive the evil spirits, at the wedding the people shouted “Bitter!”, thereby showing that they were not so happy. Hearing this, the evil spirit had to believe and go away!
Nowadays, upon hearing the exclamation “Bitter!”, the newlyweds should kiss while standing for as long as possible, and all the guests together begin to count: “One, two, three... five... ten...” - and so on. The longer the young people kiss, the stronger their marriage will be.

8. Stealing a bride at a wedding

Like most rituals, this one also dates back to ancient times and has very interesting roots. With the advent of serfdom, a custom arose in which the serf bride had to spend her first wedding night with the master. The grooms opposed this and then the master sent his slaves and in the midst of the wedding they kidnapped the bride. If the groom was wealthy, then he bought the bride safe and sound. Nowadays, the bride is stolen more for fun and the groom also has to ransom the bride, but by performing various tasks.

9. Stealing the bride's shoe

In the old days, there was a custom during which unmarried girls asked the bride to let her try on her shoes. One of the friends for whom the shoe fit kept it for herself and demanded a ransom from the groom. This ritual was a kind of test of the future groom's worth.

10. Wedding cake

In the old days, it was believed that by breaking bread with a person, you become close to each other. It is believed that the ritual of cutting the cake came from this custom. Modern cakes can easily be considered works of art! The newlyweds cut the first piece of cake together, but with one knife.

11. Removing the veil

This ritual can be considered the most ancient and beautiful. In ancient times, they did not remove the veil from the bride, but a wreath entwined with ribbons and unraveled her braid. Married women could not walk with their heads uncovered and wearing a headscarf was mandatory for them, so after removing the wreath and unraveling the braid, the wife's head was covered with a headscarf. This is how the ritual of removing a new wife’s veil and covering her head with a scarf arose. This ceremony of removing the veil symbolizes the transition from girlhood to family life.

12. Throwing a bouquet

This tradition was adopted from Europeans. The bride throws a bouquet from behind to unmarried girls and the girl who catches it will be the next to get married.

13. First wedding night and honeymoon

After finishing all the ceremonies and saying goodbye to the guests, the newlyweds go home or to a hotel room, where they spend their wedding night, and then go on their honeymoon. Sometimes the celebration lasts two days. On the second day, only family members and close people are invited. The second day is dedicated to congratulating parents. This day is called "to the mother-in-law for pancakes." On this day, the parents of the newlyweds are congratulated on their new titles and given gifts, and for them they shout “Bitter!”

Wedding traditions in Russia are a mixture of ancient Russian rituals, traditions of the Soviet period and Western trends. Recently, more and more often we can see Western-style weddings being held in Russia: with on-site registration, without toastmaster, competitions, accordion player, ransom and loaf, but still the majority still prefer classic Russian weddings. In this article we will take a closer look at how a traditional Russian wedding takes place.

There are many signs and traditions, and some of them relate to the period of preparation for the wedding: this is traditional matchmaking, which now takes the form of a small feast for parents and newlyweds.

There is also a tradition of bachelorette and bachelor parties. According to Russian traditions, the bachelorette party was held before the wedding day: the bride's friends gathered there, the bride cried and wailed, said goodbye to her girlhood, and unbraided her hair.

Nowadays, hen and stag parties are increasingly held as we often see in Hollywood films - fun, noisy and with alcohol.

Let's return directly to the day of celebration. What ritual begins almost any Russian wedding?

Bride ransom

Previously, the phrase “bride price” was not a metaphor at all! Indeed, the bride was bought from her parents' house.

Now money has faded into the background. The bride price, which is usually organized by the bridesmaids, takes place in the house of the girl's parents and includes competitions. By passing these competitions, the groom proves that he knows and loves the bride well, and the groom's friends should come to his aid.

This is how the wedding fun begins. Having gone up to the bride's house, the groom takes her to register the marriage. Usually, during the bride price and after it, the bride's parents arrange a small buffet.

Wedding ceremony

After the ransom, traditionally the couple, followed by the guests, go to the registry office, where the marriage is officially registered. The newlyweds perform their first dance there, for which they often order live music.

After accepting congratulations from the guests, a small photo session is usually held, first for everyone, and then only for the newlyweds, during which the guests prepare for the bride and groom to leave the registry office.

Guests sprinkle the newlyweds with rice (for the early birth of children), candies (for a sweet life), coins (for wealth) and rose petals (for a beautiful, romantic life together).

Orthodox couples who belong to the church also undergo a wedding ceremony in the church.

Wedding walk

After registering the marriage, the guests (often only young friends and girlfriends of the newlyweds) go for a walk around the city. At the same time, they try to visit the most beautiful sights in order to take pictures there.

Seven Bridges

We have all seen the groom carry the bride across the bridge. It turns out that this ritual also applies to wedding customs and traditions in Russia.

It is believed that if the newlyweds cross seven bridges on their wedding day, their marriage will be strong. It rarely happens that a couple manages to go around all seven bridges, but everyone tries to cross at least one.

Also, a padlock with the names of the newlyweds is often hung on the bridge, which, according to legend, seals the marriage.

Bread and salt

Traditionally, after the wedding, newlyweds come to the house of the groom's parents, where they meet them with bread and salt.

Usually the new mother-in-law holds a loaf of bread on a towel (a special towel), from which the bride and groom must take a bite. Whoever bites off the most will be the head of the family.

Wedding traditions and customs of the Russian people these days are losing touch with religion: previously, the groom’s parents used to bless the newlyweds in this way, and the groom’s father kept icons for this. Loaf for a wedding is a tradition that originated from here.

Now the wedding loaf is greeted at the restaurant where the banquet on the occasion of the celebration will be held.

Festive feast

The celebration continues in a cafe or restaurant, where everything is ready for the arrival of the newlyweds. The decoration of the hall, tables and menu are usually chosen in advance.

This is a separate topic worthy of a huge post. Now we are talking about the traditions of the wedding feast.

Congratulations

The whole holiday is organized in such a way that special attention is paid to congratulations: everyone will have time to congratulate! Usually the parents are the first to congratulate, they are given the floor, and they seem to bless the children for marriage.

Afterwards, relatives congratulate: first on one side, then on the other, and then friends. Often, the bride prepares a special box in advance, in which she places envelopes with money so that they do not get lost.

Dancing

After the guests have eaten, the dancing begins. But here, too, traditions cannot be avoided. The first dance of the bride and groom is obligatory. Recently, it has become fashionable to prepare this dance in advance, to make it unusual, brides change their dress for the dance, grooms can also change clothes. Of course, such dances are remembered by guests.

Another dance, without which it is difficult to imagine a Russian wedding, is the dance of the bride and her father. With this dance, the father seems to be escorting his daughter to another family, saying goodbye to her. This touching dance reminds that a completely new time is coming in the bride’s life.

Family hearth

An ancient tradition that is still popular today. How to spend a family hearth?

1. Organizers and assistants hand out small candles to guests.
2. Guests stand in a circle and light candles.
3. The lights in the hall turn off.
4. To the accompaniment of slow music, the presenter tells a parable about a family hearth.
5. Parents light their candles and approach the young people.
6. A new candle flame is created for the newlyweds - a family hearth.

Ritual of removing the veil

According to tradition, at the end of the holiday, the mother-in-law or mother of the bride removes the veil. At first, the bride should not agree, only the third time does the mother manage to persuade her to remove the veil.

After the veil is removed, the groom undoes the bride's braids. During the ceremony, the leader usually explains what is happening and tells the story of the ceremony. This wedding moment always turns out to be very touching.

Second wedding day

But the holiday doesn't end there! The first day is followed by the second wedding day, the traditions of which include an informal celebration.

On the second day, guests most often gather outdoors, where they drink, sing songs and barbecue. These days, weddings are rarely celebrated for more than two days. After the wedding, the newlyweds can go on a honeymoon.

These are the wedding traditions in Russia. Of course, these are not all the rituals that exist; many of the traditions are already disappearing, but new ones are replacing them.

So, fortunately, at weddings we can find vulgar competitions, which were very popular 10 years ago, less and less often. Nowadays, themed weddings and outdoor weddings are gaining popularity.

In any case, you do not have to follow all wedding traditions and customs, the main thing is that your wedding is memorable and you like it!