Russian Wedding Tradition

PART 1. Ransom for the bride (VYKUP NEVESTY)The groom is coming to the

bride's home with his closest friends and relatives.

To get the bride he has to pay some ransom to the folks on the bride’s side.

Everything is played out as a joke and both sides are mostly competing in the sense of humor.

After getting the bride, the couple gets out of the house into the car to go for the marriage registration.

PART 2. Orthodox Marriage Ceremony (VENCHANIE)

If the couple decides to get married in the Russian Orthodox Church, the ceremony is usually 30 to 120 minutes long with all the Russian orthodox traditions taking place.

PART 3. Civil Ceremony (ROSPIS' V ZAGSE)

The civil ceremony takes place at the department of public services (“ZAGS”). At the entry to the registration hall the couple is greeted by the guests with bread and salt.Afterwards they are led by the receptionist inside the hall, where the actual ceremony is held.

The ceremony is about 15 minutes long and at the end of it the couple exchanges rings, says “I do” and signs the book of registry.Then they are pronounced the man and wife and walk out of the hall to the music of Mendelssohn played by the Russian Wedding Orchestra.

The civil ceremony is an official part of the

wedding but the real celebration starts

afterwards.

PART 4. LIMOUSINE AND PLACES (PROGULKA) After the official part, it is

customary for the bride and groom, and some of their close friends and

relatives to go on a tour of the historic sites of the town, taking pictures and

drinking champagne.

PART 5. Russian Wedding Reception (GULYANKA)But all of the above is just a prelude to the main celebration – the gala feast! Unlike wedding receptions in the West, Russian wedding receptions are very loud and they last for two days or sometimes even longer. They include a lot of Russian music, singing, dancing, long toasts, and the abundance of food and drinks to go with it. The guests love to sing Russian traditional songs to the sounds of accordion, bayan or garmoshka.

BREAD AND SALTIt is offered to the newlyweds by both parents as a symbol of health,

prosperity and long life. Both bride and groom must take a bite of the bread and the one that takes the largest bite will be the head of the

family!

WEDDING TOASTS AND BROKEN GLASSES

By Russian tradition everyone throws their

champagne glasses on the floor and it is

considered a good luck if the glasses break when

they hit the ground.

At the beginning of the reception a relative or close friend makes a wedding toast to the bride and groom.

The groom should constantly keep his eyes on the bride. If the bride gets out of the groom’s sight, she could be stolen by his friends and the groom will have to pay the ransom.

STEALING THE BRIDE (KRAZHA NEVESTY)

PART 5. Day number two

Celebration goes on with no less fun than the day before. After some rest more drinking, singing, dancing, and fighting takes place. There is a rule that the second day of the Russian wedding celebration is even more fun than the first day.

Some other wedding

traditions & superstitions

According to Greek culture, bride should tuck a sugar cube into her glove and it

will sweeten her union

The English believe a spider found in a wedding dress means good luck

In English tradition, Wednesday is considered the "best day" to marry, although Monday is for wealth and Tuesday is for health

Saturday is the

unluckiest wedding

day, according to English

folklore. Funny - it's

the most popular

day of the week to marry!

The groom carries the bride across the threshold to bravely protect her from evil spirits lurking below

Ancient Romans studied pig entrails to determine the luckiest time to marry

Rain on your wedding day is actually

considered good luck, according to Hindu

tradition

For good luck, Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding

day

Middle Eastern brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eye

A Swedish bride puts a silver coin from her father and a gold coin

from her mother in each shoe to ensure that she'll never do without

Peas are thrown at Czech newlyweds instead of rice

A Finnish bride traditionally went door-

to-door collecting gifts in a pillowcase,

accompanied by an older married man who

represented long marriage

Moroccan women take a milk bath to purify themselves before their wedding ceremony

In Holland, a pine tree is planted outside the newlyweds' home as a symbol of fertility and luck

In Germany after the wedding a car

procession is formed and drives through town honking their horns - others honk

back wishing the couple good luck

Car Procession

Thank you for

your attentio

n!