Psychology of men / 22.06.2021

Russian wedding. Traditions at a wedding: Russian signs and customs for the start of a happy family life Russian wedding traditions and customs

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 memory. 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 earlier 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” full program 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 beautiful places cities: to monuments, 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 evil spirits I should have believed it and walked 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 They could not walk with their heads uncovered and wearing a scarf was mandatory for them, so after removing the wreath and unraveling the braid, the wife’s head was covered with a scarf. 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 her back 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!”

For a long time, a wedding has been considered the most important event in life. Our ancestors created a family, adhering to traditions and strictly observing special rules. Echoes of Russian wedding ritual traditions are also present in modern marriages.

The traditions of Slavic wedding ceremonies go back more than one century: our ancestors were extremely careful about observing the rules. Starting a family was a sacred and meaningful act that took an average of three days. Since that time, wedding signs and superstitions have come down to us, passed down from generation to generation in Rus'.

Wedding ceremonies of the ancient Slavs

For our ancestors, the wedding ceremony was an extremely important event: they approached the creation of a new family with extreme responsibility, hoping for the help of the Gods and fate. The word “wedding” itself consists of three parts: “sva” - heaven, “d” - an act on earth and “ba” - blessed by the Gods. It turns out that historically the word “wedding” is deciphered as “an earthly act blessed by the Gods.” Ancient wedding ceremonies came from this knowledge.

Entering into family life is first and foremost always aimed at continuing a healthy and strong family line. That is why the ancient Slavs imposed several restrictions and prohibitions on the creation of a new couple:

The groom must be at least 21 years old;
the bride's age is at least 16 years;
the clan of the groom and the clan of the bride should not be close by blood.

Contrary to existing opinion, both the groom and the bride were rarely married off or married against their will: it was believed that the Gods and life itself help the new couple find each other in a special, harmonious state.

Nowadays, much attention is also paid to achieving harmony: for example, everything more people begin to use special meditations to attract love. Our ancestors the best way dance was considered a harmonious fusion with the rhythms of Mother Nature.

On the day of Perun or on the holiday of Ivan Kupala, young people who wanted to meet their fate gathered in two round dances: men led a circle “salting” - in the direction of the sun, and girls - “counter-salting”. Thus, both round dances walked with their backs to each other.

At the moment of rapprochement between the dancers, the guy and girl, their backs colliding, were taken out of the round dance: it was believed that the Gods had brought them together. Subsequently, if the girl and the guy were in love with each other, a viewing party was held, the parents got to know each other, and, if everything was in order, a wedding date was set.

It was believed that on the wedding day the bride died for her family and its guardian spirits in order to be reborn in the groom's family. This change was given special significance.

First of all, the wedding dress spoke about the symbolic death of the bride for her family: our ancestors adopted a red wedding dress with a white veil instead of the current translucent veil.

Red and white in Rus' were the colors of mourning, and the thick veil that completely covered the bride’s face symbolized her presence in the world of the dead. It could only be removed during the wedding feast, when the blessing of the Gods over the newlyweds had already been completed.

Preparations for the wedding day for both the bride and groom began the evening before: the bride's friends went with her to the bathhouse for ritual ablution. Accompanied by bitter songs and tears, the girl was washed with water from three buckets, symbolically indicating her presence between the three worlds: Reveal, Navi and Rule. The bride herself had to cry as much as possible in order to receive the forgiveness of the spirits of her family, whom she was leaving.

On the morning of the wedding day, the groom sent the bride a gift, signifying the loyalty of his intentions: a box with a comb, ribbons and sweets. From the moment she received the gift, the bride began to dress and prepare for the wedding ceremony. While dressing and combing her hair, the girlfriends also sang the saddest songs, and the bride had to cry even more than the day before: it was believed that the more tears shed before the wedding, the fewer they would be shed during married life.

Meanwhile, the so-called wedding train was assembled at the groom’s house: carts in which the groom himself and his squad went to pick up the bride with gifts for her friends and parents. The richer the groom's family, the longer the train should be. When all preparations were completed, the train departed to the bride's house accompanied by singing and dancing.

Upon arrival, the bride's relatives checked the groom's intentions with questions and comic tasks. This tradition has been preserved in our time, turning into a “ransom” for the bride.

After the groom had passed all the checks and had the opportunity to see the bride, the wedding train, together with the newlyweds, the groom and relatives, headed to the temple. They always traveled the long way, covering the bride’s face with a thick veil: it was believed that at this time the future wife was half in the world of Navi, and people were not allowed to see her “fully alive.”

Upon arrival at the temple, the waiting sorcerer performed the ceremony of blessing the union, thereby confirming the harmony in the couple and sealing the oath of the young people before the Gods. From that moment on, the bride and groom were considered family.

After the ceremony, all the guests, led by the married couple, went to a feast in honor of the wedding, which could last up to seven days with breaks. During the meal, the newlyweds received gifts, and also repeatedly presented their guests with belts, amulets and coins.

In addition, within six months family life the new family, having appreciated the gift of each guest, had to pay a return visit and give the so-called “otdarok” - a return gift worth more than the guest’s gift. By this, the young family showed that the guest’s gift was used for future use, increasing their well-being.

Over time, unshakable wedding traditions have undergone some changes caused by migrations and wars. The changes took root and brought us the memory of Russian folk wedding rituals.

Russian folk wedding rituals

With the advent of Christianity in Rus', wedding rituals changed radically. Over the course of several decades, the ritual of blessing the Gods at the temple turned into a wedding ceremony in the church. People did not immediately accept the new way of life, and this directly affected the holding of such an important event as a wedding.

Since a marriage was not considered valid without a wedding in the church, the wedding ceremony consisted of two parts: the wedding in the church and the ritual part, the feast. “Sorcery” was not encouraged by the highest church officials, but for some time clergy took part in the “non-wedding” part of the wedding.

Just like the ancient Slavs, in the Russian tradition folk wedding for a long time Traditional customs were preserved: matchmaking, bridesmaids and collusion. At the general viewings that took place during the festivities, the groom's family looked after the bride, inquiring about her and her family.

Having found a girl of suitable age and status, the groom's relatives sent matchmakers to the bride's family. Matchmakers could come up to three times: the first - to declare the intentions of the groom's family, the second - to take a closer look at the bride's family, and the third - to obtain consent.

In case of successful matchmaking, a bridesmaid was appointed: the bride's family came to the groom's house and inspected the household, concluding whether it would be good for their daughter to live here. If everything was in order and met their expectations, the bride's parents accepted the invitation to share a meal with the groom's family. In case of refusal, the matchmaking was terminated.

If the bridesmaid stage was successful, then the groom’s parents came for a return visit: they personally met the bride, observed her ability to run a household and communicated with her. If in the end they were not disappointed in the girl, then the groom was brought to the bride.

The girl had to show herself in all her outfits, to show how good she was as a hostess and interlocutor. The groom also had to show his best qualities: on the evening of the “third viewing,” the bride in most cases had the right to refuse the groom.

If the young couple managed to please each other and did not object to the wedding, their parents began to discuss the material costs of their children’s wedding, the size of the bride’s dowry and gifts from the groom’s family. This part was called “handshaking” because, having agreed on everything, the father of the bride and the father of the groom “beat their hands,” that is, they sealed the agreement with a handshake.

After the completion of the contract, preparations for the wedding began, which could last up to a month.

On the wedding day, the bride's friends dressed her in a wedding dress while lamenting about her girlish, cheerful life. The bride had to cry constantly, seeing off her girlhood. Meanwhile, the groom and his friends arrived at the bride’s house, preparing to buy his future wife from her family and friends.

After a successful ransom and symbolic tests of the groom, the newlyweds went to church: the groom and his friends went noisily and singing, and the bride went separately, on a long road, without attracting much attention to herself. The groom certainly had to arrive at the church first: in this way, the future wife avoided the stigma of a “jilted bride.”

During the wedding, the bride and groom were placed on a spread white cloth, sprinkled with coins and hops. Guests also carefully watched the wedding candles: it was believed that whoever holds his candle higher will dominate the family.

After the wedding was completed, the newlyweds had to blow out the candles at the same time in order to die on the same day. Extinguished candles should be kept for life, protected from damage and lit briefly only during the birth of the first child.

After the wedding ceremony, the creation of a family was considered legal, and then a feast followed, at which the ritual actions of the ancient Slavs were largely manifested.

This custom existed for a long time until it changed into modern wedding traditions, which still retained many of the ritual moments of ancient weddings.

Ancient wedding rituals

Many people in our time do not even realize the sacred significance of the now familiar moments of any wedding. Instead of an authentic ceremony at a temple or a wedding in a church, which has long been mandatory, now there is state registration of marriage followed by a banquet. It would seem that what is left of the ancient way of life in this? It turns out that there is a lot.

A wedding in the Russian style is an interesting variety, which is based on the ancient traditions of the Slavic people. To fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Russian flavor, you need to familiarize yourself with the folklore heritage in advance. The advice of older relatives who performed the wedding according to ancient rituals can help in organizing a Russian wedding.

Newlyweds are the main figures of a Russian wedding, where they appear as part of the Tree of Life of their Family. At the celebration, the last role is assigned.

Important! Preparing a national Russian wedding, even a stylized one, is impossible without immersing yourself in history, folklore and studying folk customs.

A wedding in the Russian style has a number of features:

the beginning and end of a Russian wedding is marked by parental blessing;
lack of strong alcohol in wedding menu, “demonic” dancing to Verka Serduchka and obscene language;
abundance of bright colors;
celebrations on a grand scale;
playing the accordion and driving round dances.

Venue for winter and summer wedding

The decisive factor in preparing a Russian folk wedding is the time of year. If the celebration is planned for warm weather, then it is better to find a green lawn near a river or a clearing on the shore of a lake surrounded by pine or birch trees. Gorgeous landscapes and fresh air will fit well into the theme.

As an alternative, you can rent a tourist base or a country house, the interiors of which are designed in Russian style.

In winter, an excellent place for a Russian wedding will be a banquet hall with characteristic architectural details and ancient Russian decor - a wooden log house with a large refectory, with massive wooden furniture (long tables and benches), with a Russian stove.

If you can’t find a stylized establishment, a restaurant with many natural elements in the interior will do. It is easier to transform such a room into a cozy place for a banquet in the Russian style.

For those who are not afraid of cold weather, you can choose an extreme option - find a beautiful clearing surrounded by snow-covered trees, place tables there with treats and a burning samovar. Outdoor games and round dances will keep the guests and the bride and groom from freezing. And if the winter is very harsh, you can continue the feast indoors - in a restaurant or at home.

Nuances of the organization

Compliance with the Russian style of the entire wedding ceremony and the images of the newlyweds depends on a combination of different factors - the location of the banquet, outfits, culture of behavior, selection of accessories. Each detail must fit into the overall color.

In summer

It is better to celebrate in the fresh air or in a cozy cafe overlooking the beautiful landscape.

In summer it is easier to resolve organizational issues. To have a wedding in the Russian style, it is enough to take into account a few points:

Decide on the venue. Agree to rent a restaurant or tourist center if you are planning an indoor celebration. If it's just a green lawn, you need to think about how to arrange it for the wedding feast;
Present and notify guests about the planned dress code;
Think about the holiday menu;
Take care of an unusual wedding procession;
Order services professional photography and video filming, invite a toastmaster;
Look out for Russian folk groups - singing or musical, or negotiate with a good accordion player;
Select appropriate accessories for the photo shoot and decor;
Prepare gifts for guests;
Calculate your wedding budget.

in winter

Compared to summer wedding, more colorful, because it has a chic scope.

You can use real Russian sleighs, and not just a cart;
choose beautiful snowy landscapes for photography;
spend many winter fun outdoors– sliding downhill, building a snow fort or competition to sculpt the biggest snowman, snowball fights;
decorate the banquet hall in a special way– dried flowers, pine needles, bunches of rowan;
arrange a tea party with a boiling samovar, pancakes with caviar and gingerbread, and to entertain guests, invite folk singers, dancers and a bear trainer;
complement the wedding dresses of the bride and groom fur vests, painted scarves, warm shawls or flirty hats with arctic fox trim.

Important! In winter, nature fits favorably into the style of a Russian wedding, and if a Russian stove is installed in the banquet room, the holiday atmosphere is imbued with warmth and cordiality.

Stages of the Slavic celebration

Traditionally, the wedding scenario in the Russian style is divided into several stages:

. At dawn, the groom and his retinue drive up to the bride's house, where he is met by friends and relatives. The groom is asked to go through a series of tests to get the girl. Competitions for the groom are symbolically connected with Russian epics - he is asked to demonstrate heroic strength, defeat the Serpent Gorynych, outwit Baba Yaga;
Marriage registration. In summer, the wedding ceremony can be outdoors;
Wedding. For this ceremony, it is advisable for the bride and groom to prepare clothes in the Russian style;
Wedding photo shoot. The photographer prepares accessories and decorations in advance, but the most beautiful photos young people are produced against the backdrop of ancient Russian architectural structures and natural objects;
Festive feast. Near the entrance to the banquet hall, the newlyweds are greeted by their parents with salt and loaf of bread, and guests give gifts. In the interval between the feast and the celebration of the newlyweds, they conduct round dances, dance, sing, and perform ditties;
At the end of the celebration guests are given symbolic gifts.

In the past, a wedding took place in several stages, invariably accompanied by wedding ceremonies.

Matchmaking

Nowadays, young men and women decide for themselves who to marry, but this was not always the case. The man's parents were looking for a bride. Often future marriages were negotiated when the potential newlyweds were children. To the family future wife they sent matchmakers. They had to present the groom and his family in the best light and present them with gifts. Matchmaking was considered a solemn event, and preparations were made for it in advance.

Even if the bride’s parents understood that they liked the potential groom, the matchmakers were always turned down at the first visit. And only when trying again, the head of the bride’s family gave the go-ahead if the presented candidate met strict criteria - he was hardworking, respected his ancestors and elders, and regularly attended church.

In a stylized Russian wedding, matchmaking usually takes place on the first day of the wedding. It becomes a replacement for the more common ransom. The ceremony is organized in the house of the bride's parents in the form of a fun performance with games and jokes, to which relatives and friends are invited.

Collusion

In Rus' it was carried out after matchmaking. On it, the parents of the newlyweds, together with the matchmakers, determined the wedding date, discussed expenses and agreed on the size of the bride’s dowry.

Now these issues are decided by the bride and groom themselves or their parents long before the celebration itself, while the range of issues discussed has remained almost unchanged over the centuries. They determine how the costs of the wedding will be divided and what the total budget is, where the newlyweds will live, and how the special event will take place.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties

The day before the main event, the bride and groom say goodbye to their free life, and the ritual part of the bachelor and bachelorette parties is amazing, filled with rituals designed to protect from the evil eye, nourish with energy, and cleanse for a happy life together.

The bride and her friends took a steam bath. At night at her house the girls told fortunes. It was common to feel sad about the upcoming wedding and family life: the more artistically the girl portrayed grief, the happier the future she predicted for herself. However, girls often grieved quite sincerely, especially when they were married off to old men.

Interesting! And the groom should have taken a steam bath, but completely alone. After the procedure, he was forbidden to talk until the marriage ceremony.

Today, a bachelorette or bachelor party on the eve of a Russian wedding can be held in a bathhouse or rented a country estate. It’s nice that now the groom has the right to say goodbye to his bachelor status not in splendid isolation, but in the company of friends.

Images of newlyweds

Bride

Suitable for creation:

a red or pale blue dress or sundress with embroidery;
red boots or shoes;
kokoshnik or wreath of meadow herbs;
woven into long braid ribbons and flowers.

I must emphasize natural beauty– natural “sable” eyebrows, rosy cheeks, red lips. You should not draw eyeliner or use eye shadow.

If you don’t have enough courage for a Russian sundress and kokoshnik, then you can stylize a traditional white dress using hand embroidery. An outfit with prints in the form of Gzhel painting will fit perfectly into the atmosphere.

Bouquet

Exotic flowers are not chosen for a Russian bouquet. Peonies, marigolds, and asters are suitable, but it is best to create a composition of daisies, sunflowers or wildflowers.

In the winter version of the bouquet, clusters of rowan berries look great in combination with white roses, but the red color of the berries must be duplicated in a dress or shoes.

Intricate decor is not used. Usually the bouquet is simply tied with twine or scarlet ribbons.

Groom

If the bride has chosen a wedding dress with Russian-style ornaments, the groom only needs to complement his loose-fitting wedding suit with an embroidered shirt.

If the bride wanted to dress up in national clothes, then the groom’s outfit should be created taking into account the features of the Russian costume:

black loose-fitting trousers with cuffs at the hem;
embroidered white or red shirt;
wide belt - sash made of bright red fabric;
black boots (preferably patent leather or polished to a mirror shine), into which trousers are tucked.

It is recommended that the groom wear a cap with a visor on his head, and a vest over his shirt. The headdress can be decorated with a flower to match the shirt.

Dress code

IN ideal everyone - the bride and groom, the guests, and the toastmaster at a wedding in the Russian style - are dressed in the same way. Long sundresses are suitable for women, and brightly colored shirts and trousers are suitable for men. It is recommended to rent traditional Russian clothing.

Not everyone may like such images, and then it is worth inviting guests to add one of the elements of Russian flavor to their outfit. This could be wildflowers, jewelry, accessories or a matching hairstyle.

Advice! To ensure that there are no black sheep at the party, you should take care of accessories for guests in advance by placing boutonnieres or ribbons on a separate table at the entrance to the banquet hall.

Cortege

At a Russian-style wedding ceremony, it is better for the heroes of the occasion to appear in an open horse-drawn carriage. The coachman must wear an embroidered shirt, a cap with a bright flower, and a zipun. In winter, sleighs are used instead of carts.

The cart and horses are decorated with flower garlands and bright ribbons, and the inside is lined with carpets in summer and furs in winter. To notify everyone about the creation of a new family, bells are hung on the chests of horses.

If you couldn’t find specific transport, don’t be upset. You can decorate ordinary cars in Russian style– wreaths of wild flowers, beautiful satin ribbons, rings with bells.

Hall decoration

In order for the space for a wedding banquet to fit harmoniously into the overall theme of the holiday, several rules must be followed:

make white the leading color, adding red, golden, black decorative elements to it;
Cover the tables with openwork tablecloths, decorate them with birch branches and rowan berries;
Use napkins self made, crocheted or with embroidery with Russian ornaments;
Hang towels and paintings depicting nature on the walls;
Replace the chairs with long wooden benches;
Place the samovar in the center of the table;
Choose beautiful dishes in the Russian style with artistic painting;
Instead of shot glasses and glasses, use iron cups.

Decorative elements should complement each other without merging into a motley and homogeneous mass. When decorating a banquet room, traditional symbols are also used - paired figurines of swans, a random horseshoe and matryoshka dolls.

Invitations

Be sure to mention the dress code in the invitations, and also do not forget to indicate the date and location of the wedding.

Invitations can be:

in the form of rectangles with folk ornaments;
imitation of nesting dolls or bears;
with old Russian calligraphy.

You can order postcards to be sent by a courier who will dress in Russian costume.

Accessories

The book of wishes and glasses for the newlyweds can be decorated using bright ornaments:

based on Mezen painting in red and black in combination with ocher;
Gorodets pattern, the palette of which includes white, green, red, blue and black shades;
in Gesture style using red, gold and dominant black;
Gzhel painting in white and blue tones.

To emphasize the breadth of the Russian soul and the scope of the holiday, guests present at a Russian-style wedding are given gifts. Porcelain saucers with floral patterns, painted spoons or nesting dolls are ideal.

Folk style photo shoot

It is better to organize a photo session outdoors. A dense pine forest, birch grove or green lawn will be the best decorations. In winter, spectacular photos will be taken against the backdrop of snow-covered spruce trees or red rowan trees.

It would be great if you could capture footage of horses. Standing next to these magnificent animals makes for gentle and romantic photos.

You can organize a photo session against the backdrop of pre-revolutionary buildings, for example, a merchant’s house preserved in good condition or a wooden tower. Warm shots will be taken near the Russian stove, and romantic ones - in the hayloft.

Folk musical instruments, kokoshnik, samovar with bagels, nesting dolls, and wreaths of wild flowers are used as additional accessories for a photo shoot.

Photo

One of the most popular themed celebrations is a Russian-style wedding. Centuries-old traditions and rituals that have existed in Rus' since time immemorial make the holiday very soulful:

Useful video

In an effort to make the wedding celebration not only fun, but also unforgettably original, newlyweds are increasingly choosing thematic themes for its decoration. After all, this is an opportunity not only to try on bright and unusual image, but also to create exactly the mood that I would like to see on this day. Best choice There will be a wedding in Russian style.

Conclusion

To organize a wedding in the Russian style, do not be lazy to study folk traditions. The entire wedding scenario is based on them. You can compose it yourself or leave this work to professionals in order to accurately convey the Russian flavor of the important rite of birth of a new family.

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 nations, 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 specific 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, each modern wedding turns out to be woven from customs 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. No one asked her about her desire to get married - she only had to demonstrate her mastery abilities 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 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 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 floral arrangement, since it must be combined with the whole image.

The groom went to pick up 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, came 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, 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.

Feast

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.

Wedding traditions and the customs of the Russian people go back to very deep roots. Since historical times, people have respected all the rules, the founders of which were the ancestors of the Russian people, and adhered to them.

Thanks to this, many of them have reached the present day. But not many newlyweds and even their parents know their essence. Despite this, it is the long-standing traditional actions that make the wedding celebration touching, original and unforgettable. They will be discussed in more detail later.

Russian wedding is a whole list of different rules, taking into account all kinds of signs for the bride and groom: these are numerous wedding rituals, and the second day of the event, which is organized by the groom’s parents, and many other nuances. Moreover, in ancient times, all of them were strictly observed.

Matchmaking

Before getting to the wedding itself, in ancient times it was necessary to go through many more traditional actions. It was impossible to imagine young people getting married without a preliminary matchmaking procedure.

First, the young man sent matchmakers to the girl, who conspired with the bride’s parents and decided various questions related to marriage. Today this tradition is known, but is hardly observed. Only in a humorous way.

And the newlyweds decide all the main points about the date of the celebration and other little things on their own. In ancient times, the groom could not come to the matchmaking ceremony with anything - an engagement ring had to be prepared. Often, parents agreed in advance about matchmaking and pairing up their children.

But according to custom, it was believed that the wedding would take place only if the girl accepted the ring from young man.

If a guy came without a ring, then the parents concluded that he would not be able to provide for the family in the future.

If the matchmaking ended with a positive decision, then the parents had to perform a blessing ceremony. In ancient times, it was carried out only in the temple using icons, a towel and bread and salt.

In the case when young people agreed among themselves about a wedding, and their parents did not like their choice, they might not receive the latter’s blessing. The young had to obey.

Otherwise, there was a risk of a complete severance of relations with parents for disobedience.

Engagement

After the matchmaking took place, the next stage was a conspiracy or, in other words, a “handshake”. During this event, all participants in the event discussed all the aspects of preparing and holding the wedding.

It was from this day that all joint actions began, and it began to be called an engagement. Engagement was considered an important day in the development of relationships between young people. From this point on, certain obligations were determined. On this day, a young man publicly proposed marriage to a girl.

But first of all he addressed the bride’s father. And only after his approval could the groom turn directly to his chosen one. After an affirmative answer, the guy handed her a ring, which was worn on the ring finger of her right hand until the wedding celebration. The engagement was celebrated quite solemnly. All cares relied mainly on the bride's family.

A luxurious table was set, the heroes of the occasion and all the guests put on elegant clothes. It was the father of the bride who sat in the center of the feast.

He always retained the right of the first word and parting words. Then the guests approached the young people one by one and offered congratulations.

In village families, the engagement gradually grew into a noisy event with songs and dances. Among wealthy people, balls were traditionally organized on this day, to which a huge number of guests were invited.

In ancient times, the engagement ceremony took place at least 3-6 months before the wedding. In this way, the young people were given time to think about their decision and check their feelings. Another reason for such a long period was the allocation of the necessary period of time for organizing the wedding and carrying out preparatory activities.

For some time, the tradition of engagement was forgotten, but recently some newlyweds are increasingly turning to this moment.

Preparing for the wedding

So, the engagement has taken place, the wedding date has been set, and therefore the time has come to prepare for the wedding.

Dowry

After the agreement and engagement, the bride began to prepare the dowry. Basically, the girl did this on her own, but if the deadlines were tight, then all the women in the house came to the rescue: mother, sisters, bridesmaids. The composition of the dowry differed depending on the wealth of the families and their status.

The dowry list usually included several dresses, fur coats, dishes, bed linen, blankets and bedspreads, carpets, fur coats, etc. In addition to her dowry, the girl had to prepare wedding attributes:

an embroidered towel used for blessing;

an embroidered shirt for the groom, which he wore at the wedding.

After the wedding celebration, the embroidered towel was kept in new family and was a talisman against sorrows and bad weather.

Outfit

The bride's wedding attire was significantly different from what is usually seen at modern celebrations. White wedding dress came to Russia from Europe.

And in ancient times, the bride wore a red sundress, symbolizing a happy marriage and large offspring. And white color was attributed to misfortune and sadness.

Now about the veil. This item wedding dress a girl who was getting married for the first time had the right to wear. Such a bride had to keep her veil on throughout the entire wedding. The veil is a symbol of innocence. In many cases it was replaced by a translucent shawl.

The shawl was protection for the bride from evil spirits who could not see her underneath. She had to leave her parents' house in it and not take it off until the wedding ceremony.

Wedding rings

Tradition to wear wedding rings also appeared a long time ago. And there were certain requirements for them.

The main one was that their surface should be absolutely smooth. The presence of a stone, preferably a diamond, is welcome in an engagement ring. The wedding attributes should not contain any designs or stones.

It was believed that all these moments would attract misfortunes, troubles and other unpleasant moments into family life.

Groom's concerns

The groom also had concerns. He prepared in his own way for the wedding celebration. Of course, the young man did not have as many worries as the newlywed. His main task was to organize a wedding bouquet for his chosen one.

Nowadays, you can easily use the services of florists, but previously the front gardens of relatives and neighbors came to the rescue. It should be noted that none of them could refuse the groom’s request.

According to tradition, on the wedding day, the guy presented a bouquet to the bride, and she had to choose the most beautiful flower and attach it to the groom’s shirt. This moment is the prototype of the boutonniere for the newlywed in modern times. Today it is prepared in advance and often not from fresh flowers. The young man also had to think about the wedding procession. Previously it had the name “ceremonial wedding train”. All relatives and guests from the groom’s side took part in it.

The exception was his parents. They had to stay in the house and complete all preparations for the holiday.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties

Immediately three days before the wedding, two more events took place. The brides were organizing a bachelorette party, and the groom was organizing a bachelor party.

Nowadays, a bachelorette party takes place in the form of have a fun party, where the bridesmaids give the bride all sorts of trinkets. In ancient times, everything happened differently. The newly-made bride gathered all the girls of the village, friends and relatives.

A vytnitsa woman was always invited to sing songs of suffering. At this time, the girl cried bitterly, saying goodbye to her youth, carefree life, and her parents’ home.

The bride's sobbing at the bachelorette party was mandatory - otherwise she would face an unhappy married life.

After the ceremony of weeping, all those present were invited to the table. Everyone drank, ate and continued to cry. The bride gave each guest two belts. The event ended with songs.

If a girl was allowed to leave the house, then in the summer the whole crowd went to the field, picked flowers, knitted wreaths. All these actions were accompanied by songs. In winter, we went sledding. At the end of the bachelorette party, the bride and her friends went to the bathhouse, where they washed her and prepared her for the upcoming wedding.

The groom's bachelor party was the absolute opposite: he spent it completely alone, had to be in the bathhouse from evening to morning and be silent.

Celebration

Finally, the day of celebration arrived, and on this day it was necessary to observe every action exactly. It all started at sunrise. The new bride needed to read spells against all kinds of evil eye in her future husband's house.

Bride ransom

The next tradition that has survived to this day is the bride price.

At the moment when the young man came to pick up his betrothed, various kinds of tests were prepared for him. Only after all the tasks were completed could he take the bride. The whole process was fun.

The participants were all relatives from the bride’s side, who blocked the groom’s path at the entrance to the village. The next stage was at the gate of the courtyard. If the young man did not cope with the task, then he had to pay with money. Of course, the goal was not to ruin the groom. Everything was symbolic. Moreover, the groom’s friend was allowed to help at all stages.

After the groom took the bride, everyone went to the temple for the wedding.

Celebration

After church, the newlyweds went to the groom's house, where the festivities took place.

On the threshold of the newlyweds' house, the newlyweds' mother met them. She showered the couple with wheat and oats so that there would be prosperity and prosperity in their family life. Then they treated them to bread and salt.

Loaf or bread was baked at home. The parents were directly involved in this. Previously, there was a tradition of fortune telling using a broken piece of bread. It has survived to this day. In general, a lot of fortune telling was done at the wedding celebration.

In particular, on who will be born first, a boy or a girl, or how the young will manage their budget.

Present

One of the pleasant traditions at a wedding is giving gifts to the newlyweds. In those days it was customary to give the following gifts:

rich towels white, decorated with fringe;

a whip to the husband so that the wife knows her place;

various kinds of kitchen utensils;

dishes and souvenirs made of porcelain and crystal.

In past times, it was customary to give gifts not only to newlyweds, but also to their parents. The festive wedding table directly spoke about the status of the groom. If he was from a wealthy family, then the table was luxurious. It was sure to include meat dishes, fresh produce, and wine. different varieties, various pickles.

The husband from a poor family set the table more modestly.

First wedding night

The celebration ended with the couple seeing off to rest. The location of the wedding night was kept secret.

It could be a hayloft, a bathhouse, or even a barn. This was done so that the newlyweds’ sleeping place could not be jinxed by unkind people.

The bed was prepared by a man who did not envy the bride and mentally wished her well and happiness. That is why the mother of the bride did this. It should be noted that echoes of the tradition of not spending the night at home on the first wedding night have reached the present day.

Many newlyweds try to spend their wedding night in a hotel, on a yacht or in another suitable place.

After the wedding

After the wedding night, the newlyweds performed the following ritual: they carried the newlywed into the house in his arms. In this way he tried to deceive the brownie - this is not a stranger, but the mistress of the house.

During the wedding, the newlyweds swore an oath of eternal love and fidelity. According to tradition, it was during the wedding that their first kiss took place. And then, throughout life, hand in hand, strong love and deep respect for each other appeared.

After some time, knowledgeable people assessed whether everything was done correctly during the wedding ritual. If the young family lived happily and in abundance, then there were no violations. She kept the dress that the young wife wore at the wedding in her chest and fished it out only to give it to her heiress when the time came. But this was not a panacea.

A girl could prepare a completely new wedding dress and not wear her mother’s.

As we can see, our ancestors had quite interesting customs and traditions, many of which have survived to this day, although somewhat in a distorted form. Of course, the goal is not to oblige the newlyweds to strictly follow the traditions that were the law for their great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers. But you need to remember them in order to preserve the history and customs of your people.

This video shows how a wedding was held in Rus' with the rituals and traditions of the Russian people:

But if there is a desire to apply this or that custom, then it is necessary to study it thoroughly so that no incident occurs.

Nowadays, newlyweds try to hold their wedding using some theme, while completely forgetting the traditions of their people and omitting the traditional component of this event. I would like everything in the life of each of the young to happen exactly the opposite. After all, who, if not the young, can preserve the culture and traditions of their people? Or do you consider the procedure for holding a wedding with traditions and customs inherited from your ancestors to be outdated and unacceptable for a modern celebration?