My big Dagestan wedding. Customs and traditions of the Dagestan wedding

While we are here defending our right to the freedom and independence of a modern woman (and at the same time we are afraid to overdo it in our struggle), Anastasia Gosteva was among the 800 guests at the Dagestan wedding in Makhachkala. And she shared her experience with us.

The first day. Issue price

Two silver Mercedes rush along the mountain serpentine - honking to passing cars, cutting each other and slowing down dangerously close to the edge of the road. One of them jumps out into the oncoming lane and, in order to avoid a collision with a Zhiguli car flying towards him, slips between the checkpoint and the police fence. Miraculously, the surviving traffic cops do not try to catch up with the offender. A wedding in Dagestan is sacred. As long as everyone is alive, the Avars have the right to fair horse riding.

In addition to Mercedes, the wedding cortege consists of a Land Cruiser and a Cayenne, which, like in Moscow, comes as standard with a blonde in the cabin. True, here the blonde sits behind the wheel and in terms of dashing driving is not much inferior to men.

Rubles in a box and in a line

While the happy parents of Aida accept congratulations, at the very entrance, quietly and imperceptibly, perhaps the most important action takes place. At the set table, spreading a lined school notebook between plates and glasses, the bride's relatives collect money, putting it in a large plastic bag and entering the income data in neat handwriting - such and such gives young people 600 rubles, may Allah bless them for many years and send them they have as many sons as there were hairs in the beard of the Prophet. The same notebook, but in a box, will appear later at the groom's wedding. A Dagestan wedding is an honest taking of money from the population. It is believed that the minimum amount that is decent to give is 500 rubles. But most guests give 1000 or more. Moreover, if a guest is invited to both weddings, to the bride and the groom, he carries cash both there and there. If the families are not very wealthy, then the money collected at the bride's wedding remains with the bride's parents, and the money collected at the groom's wedding remains with the groom's parents. Those who live in abundance give everything to the young. Considering that a modest wedding involves at least 700-800 guests, young people never have to start the household from scratch.

In addition, all the money that the guests throw during the dance of the bride with the groom and the bride with the male guests also remains with the newlyweds. As a result, another 150-200 thousand are usually recruited.

- Listen, Marat, what is the average salary in Dagestan? I ask the groom's uncle as we turn off the gas to take a look at the Buynaksky pass. Falcons soar in a dazzling blue sky. The wind smells like the Caspian. Low mountains, overgrown with dilapidated small flowers, lie in large folds, like sharpei skin. From this serenity, media reports that Wahhabi militants hide here and blow up someone once a week seem like ridiculous propaganda.

- Well, ordinary people have 5 thousand.

- So, the parents of the newlyweds are not simple people?

- No, that you, of course, are simple. The groom's father is a taxi driver. Mom doesn't work. The bride's father is an engineer, and her mother is a cook in a cafe. So no one lives on a salary, everyone is spinning. And then, they prepare for the wedding from the birth of the children.

Three hours earlier, 350 people had gathered in the Venice banquet hall in the center of Makhachkala. At tightly packed tables, men and women sit separately, lapped together like peas in a pod. Old women in national dress and headscarves eat khinkal and look at the youth. Youth shoots eyes on the sides. Most of the girls, despite 43 degrees in the shade, are long and dark. From all sides comes: “Did you see how he looked at me? Whose relative is this? On the tables are mineral water, fruits, dolma envelopes oozing oil, and salads that are almost homemade in appearance and taste. Alcohol is not visible, but if the girls ask for champagne, they immediately bring it and pour it. And the girls, having sipped a couple of sips, go dancing in a flock.

At the head of the table in the center of the hall are the newlyweds, Omar and Aida. This is the wedding of the bride. Her parents and relatives, girlfriends and neighbors are here. From here the groom will take her to his wedding - to Buynaksk, to his guests and his family. In the meantime, the orchestra plays the lezginka and the toastmaster goes into eloquence, announcing the next number - the dance of the oriental beauty Leila, - and a girl of about 10 years old appears in the aisle between the tables, famously moving her hips and jingling her monists.

But now the bride and groom get up from the table - it's time to go to the second wedding. And soon the cortege rushes, deafeningly honking, through the streets of Makhachkala - past billboards on which the Butyrka group presents "the best hits in 10 years", past Phoenix grilled chickens, the Magic Donald restaurant and the Arafat Islamic clothing store , past the Khrushchev five-story buildings, tiled in the Arabic style, and cows grazing by the roadside - the east is the east.

And when, an hour later, we find ourselves in another banquet hall with shifted tables, khinkal, Pinocchio soda, but now expensive alcohol, everything repeats itself - toasts, lezginka and money flying up.

Aida steps into the center of the circle in a latte-coloured dress with puffed sleeves. Her face, white with powder, is almost motionless, red curls fall on bare - for the last time - shoulders. Without looking at anyone, she moves between the men who jump out in front of her in a dance. Crumpled hundred-ruble notes fall underfoot, and children rush after them, as if after balls at Wimbledon.

Second day. Men and women

Initially, Aida was not going to marry Omar. They met a year ago - Aida's neighbor married a friend of Omar. And then he began to look after her, and she realized: “He is my man. It was my decision." In Dagestan, where arranged marriages still exist, this is important.

She speaks the truth or observes the tradition - do not understand. Local girls are brought up with the idea that men should achieve them. “If the guy wants to, he will figure out how to find me,” Aida's friend explains to me. Such confidence can exist only in a city where everyone is brothers, kunaks and neighbors to each other.

Are you supposed to be afraid of your husband? I ask Aida.

- Afraid? - she's confused. No, you have to be respectful. The family gives a sense of security. We are taught from childhood that marriage requires patience and humility. Every girl knows that she will grow up, get married and take care of her husband.

I am also assured that every girl knows that her husband will be the only man in her life - local women hold on to their innocence as firmly as men hold on to their oil. Which is logical: both are the privatization of mineral resources, an irrefutable argument in future matchmaking.

Dad, give me!

The issue of dowry and bride price is discussed during the matchmaking. The groom's parents must provide young people with housing - a separate apartment or their own rooms in the house. They also buy jewelry for the bride and a whole suitcase of clothes. “They gave me a Black Lama mink coat - knee-length, with a hood, very beautiful, and also gold - a chain, bracelets, a ring and earrings with diamonds, boots, shoes and bags, underwear, in general, all clothes - winter and summer, - lists Aida . - Dressed from and to, so I did not even take anything from my parents' house. Over time, of course, I will go there, pick up something, distribute something, but so far I don’t need anything.”

The bride's parents buy furniture - a kitchen, a bedroom, a living room - and everything that is needed in the household: from bed linen to a toilet brush. Start saving money from the birth of children. Mothers of little boys proudly say that they have already prepared all the gold for future wives.

I will try to tell in more detail to convey the whole flavor.

The first stage is the search for a bride . The bride in Dagestan is chosen in different ways. You can, for example, just meet a girl in a park / minibus / neighboring yard, talk to her, make love, get to know her better, fall in love and, finally, send her parents to woo her parents - this option, the most desirable for girls, unfortunately, is quite common. rarely. More often, the groom's parents, eager to marry their son, find a beautiful girl from a good family in the area, show her to their son, he meets her, then gives his consent (or does not give; my dad, for example, “rejected” 6 girls offered to him, the seventh was my mother).
Next is the bride's turn. Either she agrees, and then everyone prepares for the wedding, or she refuses and dooms the groom and his parents to a new search (although the groom may be persistent and make several more attempts). But not everything is so simple, the bride's turn may not come: either the enamored groom will simply steal her away, leaving her / her parents no choice; or strict parents will say that it is necessary (many of my classmates got married that way - at the behest of their parents). That is, for many brides, and for grooms, the choice of a spouse is a lottery. You see a person from the outside, you can communicate with him for a while, but you can really get to know him only in marriage.
Moving on to the more fun part - matchmaking . In Dagestan, this is a great festive event. The groom's relatives come to the bride's house, eat, drink, communicate, call the bride, put on her ring. From that moment on, she is considered married. She can be in this status for a week or ten years - as the circumstances develop (my neighbor was married when she was 16, and she got married at 23 - the groom was on the road).
What obligations do the bride and groom have? The bride must bring dowry and the groom dowry . The richer the family, the greater the dowry / dowry - therefore, probably, the issue of the wealth of the family of the groom / bride is always so vigorously discussed here. I’ll start with something more pleasant… As a kalym, the groom should bring to the bride a lot of gold jewelry and a lot of clothes, from underwear to outerwear - it is believed that the bride, when she gets married, should leave all her things in her parents’ house. Here's a complete wardrobe change. As a rule, a few weeks before the wedding, the groom's relatives take the bride to a store (or market), where she chooses everything she likes. In turn, the bride must bring her dowry: furniture, dishes, carpets, household appliances ... - she must furnish the groom's dwelling, which can be one room, and a three-story house - as the bride is lucky.
Let's move on to the celebration! The wedding takes place over two days: on Saturday at the bride's house with her guests, on Sunday at the groom's house with his guests. Weddings here are huge. On average, about 300-400 guests come to a wedding. All relatives (I have some cousins, uncles, brothers, sisters, about 70), neighbors, colleagues, friends, acquaintances. So weddings of 700-1000 people can be commonplace.
What do they do at the wedding? And as usual: they eat, drink, say toasts, congratulate the newlyweds, dance (the music is always national - lezginka, akushinka ...), eat again, drink. At the same time, the newlyweds behave very quietly and modestly (I remember one of her relatives remarked to my friend at her wedding that she laughed too often); they sit at a separate table opposite the guests, listen to toasts, accept congratulations, go out to dance a couple of times, they are showered with money, after which they again go to their places.
About money - if you suddenly happen to visit a Dagestan wedding, do not be surprised when you see that men in the dance give money to women. This is our custom. Depending on the people and their customs, a woman can keep the money at home (I remember how, as a child, I came from some neighbor’s wedding satisfied, flushed from dancing, with banknotes clutched in my hands), or throw them into a common basket for the newlyweds.
Oh, didn't say anything about the food ! We cook delicious food, especially at weddings! On the wedding table there will definitely be pilaf, dolma, cabbage rolls, lamb/chicken/sturgeon barbecue, black caviar, all kinds of fruits and snacks. (About the Dagestan cuisine, you need to write separately somehow).
Well, the wedding for the newlyweds ends on the wedding night . And for the bride, this must be her first night with a man. And how life will develop further for these newlyweds depends on themselves and on many other things.
Well, I hope I haven't missed anything. If so, ask questions 🙂

As before, today the Dagestan wedding is held in compliance with all national traditions, rituals and rituals. In any nationality of the world there are traditions and rituals that have developed over the centuries. Of course, weddings are recognized as the brightest, most colorful and interesting.

Dagestan wedding customs

A wedding in Dagestan is distinguished by its "scale". A huge number of guests, noise, music, fun, a lot of different treats. In Dagestan, two weddings are traditionally celebrated. The first wedding takes place in the bride's house, and the second wedding is celebrated in the groom's house. The total number of guests at a wedding celebration, as a rule, can reach one and a half thousand people.

Preparing for a wedding in Dagestan

An important point in holding this celebration in Dagestan is the observance of all national rites and rituals. According to Dagestan customs, preparation for the wedding day begins almost immediately after the birth of a child. Parents already then begin to collect a dowry and accumulate funds for a future wedding. That is why, after a few years, a truly luxurious celebration is arranged for the newlyweds.

Pre-wedding engagement of Dagestan newlyweds

Among the Dagestanis, like among any other people, the procedure for declaring the young bride and groom is called engagement, or betrothal. Matchmakers are sent to the bride's house, where the matchmaking ceremony takes place, where she is presented with various gifts. Immediately, the parents of the bride and groom appoint a wedding day, which should not coincide with the birthdays of the young or their parents, Muslim holidays, and should not be during the Uraza.

A Dagestan wedding does not take place without the official registration of the young in the registry office. At the end of the engagement ceremony, they go to the registry office and apply for their desire to marry. According to Dagestan customs, the bride and groom can meet only occasionally before the wedding and in no case should they spend nights together. Next, preparations for the celebration itself begin. This is the choice of wedding dresses, the venue of the wedding itself, the choice of a restaurant and menu, inviting guests, decorating the hall, various organizational issues, and so on.

Features of wedding dresses in Dagestan

There are no strict requirements for the outfit of the Dagestan bride these days. The main thing is that it should be expensive, elegant, elegant and solemn. Modern Dagestan girls are preparing two outfits for the wedding: one is a white wedding dress, the second is a national costume. Any restaurant, banquet hall or even a house can also be chosen as a wedding venue. Wedding tables are laid according to all the traditions of the Dagestan cuisine: pilaf, dolma, khinkali, shish kebabs, vegetables, herbs and much more. The duties of the bride before the wedding include the selection of furniture for the house or apartment where she will live with her young husband.

Traditions of celebrating the first wedding day in Dagestan

A Dagestan wedding is impossible without loud music resounding from the roof of the house. The first day, according to tradition, takes place in the bride's house. As a rule, only women gather here. Bridesmaids, relatives, neighbors and just acquaintances. On this day, a kind of farewell of the girl with her parental home and her former life takes place. In the midst of the celebration, the groom comes to the bride and gives her many expensive gifts: a chest with clothes and shoes, gold jewelry and other valuables. The number of gifts depends on the financial situation of the groom.

Traditions of celebrating the second wedding day in Dagestan

A wedding in Dagestan is celebrated on the day of the official marriage. It usually takes place at the groom's house, a week after the first wedding day. Both men and women are already gathering here, but they sit separately at the table. The women sit at one table and the men at another. During the celebration, mainly national music plays, but there may also be modern foreign compositions. The groom at his wedding has the right to dance with other representatives of the fair sex. The bride has no such advantage.

On this day, in the afternoon, the groom's father goes to the bride's house, holding candles and a mirror in his hands, he comes to her. The fire of a candle and a mirror must be protected and preserved, as they symbolize the happiness brought to a young family. Leaving the house, the groom's father pays a ransom (usually a symbolic payment) to the close relatives of the bride.

Next, the bride will arrive at the house of her groom. Before the road, her face is covered with a special cape, and accompanied by the father of the groom and relatives, the girl goes to the place of the wedding celebration. Before entering the house, the blood of a freshly slaughtered ram is shed under the bride's feet. According to popular belief, this rite serves as a powerful amulet against the evil eye. In this case, the girl should not stain her outfit. Then she is treated with honey so that the future family life will be sweet.

Despite the very height of the wedding feast, the bride is taken to a separate room, where she will wait for her lover and prepare for her wedding night. The meeting of the young should take place exactly at midnight. On this night, the bridegroom's relatives always remain at the door of the bedroom of the young, whose task is to take out of the bedroom and show everyone the proof of the bride's innocence. This fact is accompanied by joyful congratulations, exclamations, shots.

A wedding in Dagestan, of course, does not end there. The celebration may continue for several more days, depending on the financial capabilities of the young and their parents. Only a week after the second day of the wedding, relatives of the bride can come to the house of the newlyweds with congratulations. Any day of the Dagestan wedding is accompanied mainly by national music, dances, games, entertainment for invited guests, general fun. It is believed that the more luxurious and fun the wedding is, the better the young will live.

The Dagestan wedding is a beautiful celebration, which is celebrated for several days on a wide scale. The holiday is accompanied by national customs and traditions that are not similar to those of other peoples.

To attend a Dagestan wedding means to see the whole culture of the people. After all, at the wedding they not only observe customs, but also pronounce national toasts, dance Dagestan dances, put on folk costumes.

What is it - a beautiful Dagestan wedding?

Features of the folk celebration

Dagestan weddings are difficult to confuse with any other. And all thanks to national characteristics.

1. The traditional Dagestan wedding is celebrated for two days. But between them exactly 7 days pass.
2. A huge number of guests are present at the wedding - from 300 to 1500. These are necessarily close and distant relatives, friends, colleagues. Officially uninvited people can also come to the celebration: neighbors, acquaintances, or just residents of a city or village. The last ones do not have to stay at the celebration, but they are obliged to congratulate the young and make a toast.
3. At the request of parents and newlyweds, the wedding can be held in one of two options: religious Muslim without alcohol, loud music and dancing, or classical with alcohol, a lush table, noisy festivities.
4. Parents start collecting money for a wedding from the birth of a child. Guests give a lot of money for a future wedding, for a bride's dowry, for a ransom. This fact leads to the fact that the money for organizing a wedding goes without an account.
5. A national feature, which is now rarely observed, was that the parents themselves chose the bridegroom for the bride. The newlyweds got to know each other right at the wedding. Now this custom is observed very rarely.
6. Previously, bride kidnapping was carried out very often. It was a beautiful national custom. Now they resort to it when the parents of the bride and groom do not give blessings for marriage. When the groom steals his beloved, he brings her to his house. And an unmarried girl who spent the night in a man's house is considered disgraced. And in order to wash away this shame from the family, parents have no choice but to agree to the wedding.
7. The wedding date should not fall on the birthdays of the newlyweds, parents' birthdays, Muslim religious holidays.

How is the marriage going?

Dagestan wedding customs begin with matchmaking. Also called collusion. This is the procedure for concluding an agreement and discussing all the nuances. Representatives of the groom: parents, relatives, friends come to the house of the future wife, look at the well-being of the family, are interested in the bride's dowry, discuss the size of the kalym - the ransom for the bride. There is no fixed size in this question.

Marriage can take place in two ways:

1. An agreement between the parents is concluded when the bride and groom are still children. Such collusion is called "lullaby". When it is held, the opinions and desires of the bride and groom are not asked. If all the conventions were negotiated, the bride's father handed the groom's father a valuable thing that served as a symbol of the conclusion of the contract, and from now on the children became the bride and groom. More often such collusion can be found among the Lezgins.
2. The conspiracy is carried out when the potential bride and groom are already adults. This view is relevant for a modern Dagestan wedding. The bride is presented with valuable gifts, which in some regions, along with her dowry, are hung on ropes near the house, showing them to others. If everything suits everyone, then the engagement is made. After her, the groom and parents visit the bride's house, and then a return visit is made.

Wedding preparations

You can celebrate the celebration in the restaurant hall, banquet hall, as well as in the house. The main thing is that the room is spacious enough, since the number of guests varies from several hundred to two thousand. Such a scale implies the expenditure of huge sums of money.

They start collecting money from the birth of children, but they begin direct preparation for the celebration after the engagement. They begin to prepare both from the side of the bride and from the side of the groom. The first day of the holiday is held by the bride, the second - by the groom. If living conditions do not allow to receive a huge number of guests, then it is possible to hold an event in a restaurant.

Official registration takes place only on the second day. By the way, stretching the wedding for two days is associated with a national custom: parents do not have the right to attend such an event with their daughter, since she passed under the protection of the groom's family. The bride went to the groom's house accompanied by unmarried sisters.

But the parents wanted to see their daughter's wedding, and the bride herself wanted her parents not to stay away from the important day in her life. In order not to offend anyone, but also not to go against the custom, they began to hold mini-weddings in the bride's house. In modern Dagestan, gatherings in the bride's house have become a full-fledged wedding day, which is celebrated in a big way.

After the engagement, the preparations are mainly carried out by the parents of the newlyweds. But the bride also does not stand aside. Her responsibilities include preparing the future family "nest": choosing furniture, arranging it in the house, decorating the interior.

Celebration outfits

In a modern Dagestan wedding, brides are not limited in their choice of dress. The only condition is that it should be long, elegant, expensive and refined: made from expensive fabrics with the addition of expensive jewelry. A scarf or veil is not used.

However, no one forgets about the traditional decoration of the bride. It is prepared as a second outfit for a wedding.

With the groom, everything is much simpler with the outfit - any classic suit. But if you do not deviate from traditions, then the groom must also have a second wedding suit in which he will perform a solemn dance. The main attribute of this costume is a hat.

wedding day one

Holding a holiday in two days is also explained by the fact that, as a rule, a Dagestan wedding is celebrated only once. Divorces are an extremely rare occurrence among the Dagestan people. The strength of the union is connected with the religiosity of the people.

The first day of the wedding - in the bride's house - begins with the performance of ritual music. Invited musicians are located on the roof of the bride's house and perform folk songs reminiscent of a prayer motif.

At this time, the bride is actively preparing for the Dagestan wedding in the house. At 12 noon, a festive procession leaves the groom's house, consisting only of women - relatives of the groom. The groom himself and his entourage follow the procession, performing at the same time typical for the Dagestan wedding songs. Those marching carry gifts in the form of sweets, jewelry and carpets. As soon as the guests enter the bride's house, all the treats and gifts brought are put into the chest, which the bride will take with her to her now home.

The mother of the bride, accompanied by other female relatives, gives her daughter to the groom's family. The whole process is accompanied by weeping and lamentations, which mourn the departure of the daughter from the parental home. Although that night the bride still remains in her parents' house.

wedding day two

The second day is spent at the groom's house. He comes to his wife's house and takes her under his care. But, before picking up the bride, the groom is met by her sister, performing a national festive dance before the wedding. After the girl's mother gives the newlyweds a drink of honey from the bowl. This is a symbol of a happy family life.

It is on the second day that many noisy and fun events are held. Shooting in the air, songs and dances, competitions for guests. On the second day of a Dagestan wedding, lezginka is the most popular favorite pastime.

The celebration begins after 12 days, when the groom brings the bride to the house. The holiday is accompanied by dances, while men dance separately from women.

The newlyweds also perform their first dance. But this event is preceded by another custom: the bride must dance with every man present at the wedding. But, the dance looks like this: the girl is dancing, and the man is spinning around her, throwing money near her.

The entire wedding event is hosted by a toastmaster - a pre-selected relative. He holds competitions, makes toasts, monitors the observance of traditions.

What happens on the 3rd day?

After a Dagestan girl has become married, she is allowed to remove the headscarf from her head. This happens the day after the 2nd day of the wedding.

Guests come to the house of the young spouses to once again congratulate them on the creation of a family and at the same time enjoy treats from the bride's chest.

At the end of the lavish festivities, the bride's relatives and the groom's relatives exchange expensive gifts. Thus begins the family life of young spouses.

Modern wedding in Dagestan

Modern weddings among Dagestanis are increasingly reminiscent of European celebrations. Some customs have become obsolete, and some continue to be observed.

1. The groom must dance the lezginka, dressed in a national costume.
2. National treats are always present on the tables: barbecue, khinkali, dolma, pilaf, etc.
3. The dowry of the bride and bride price from the groom must be collected.
4. The groom necessarily comes for the bride at the head of the solemn procession.

Dagestan weddings are already hiring a toastmaster - a professional host, not a relative. More often, restaurants and banquet halls are rented for the event, which are decorated in a modern way. Popular music is playing.

Entrance of the bride to the groom's house: a national custom

The beautiful custom - the entry of the bride into the house of the future spouse - was previously preceded by repeated visits by the relatives of the bride and groom to each other a few weeks before the wedding. Now this is done only after marriage.

The entrance of the bride to her husband's house is accompanied by sprinkling her with nuts, coins and sweets, as a symbol of the fact that in this house the girl will know neither grief nor need. In some regions of Dagestan, the bride is sprinkled with flour.

As soon as the young woman crossed the threshold, the mother of the groom handed her a cup of honey, which the bride was supposed to drink.

After the end of the wedding, the mentor (now the wife) told her how to spend the wedding night: how to behave and what to do. The young husband begins to fulfill his marital duty only after he asks the girl about her true desire to become his wife and receives a positive answer.

toasts

Dagestan wedding toasts are long, beautiful stories with meaning. They are usually told by the toastmaster. At the end of the toast, glasses are raised for the young, for parents, for friends.

Guests can also make short toasts or say a beautiful national greeting.

National dances

At a Dagestan wedding, lezginka is an obligatory, traditional dance that everyone loves and knows how to perform: both men and women. It is in this dance that the whole character and potential of the Dagestanis is revealed. They put their "soul" into this dance.

In general, at the Dagestan wedding, dances are opened by aravul - the main dancer at the celebration. The beginning of the dances laid down by him is called "dem". After that, male guests join the dancer.

At the beginning of the dance, the men are given flowers - a symbol of an invitation to the dance. As soon as a man feels tired, he can pass the flowers to another, who has no right to refuse the invitation. Such dance events last until the end of the holiday.

Dancing at a Dagestan wedding for girls and women begins with an invitation from the groom's sister. It is she who has the right to be the first to start dancing. Women can also dance the lezginka at a Dagestan wedding.

Are marriages of Dagestanis with other peoples possible?

The Russian-Dagestan wedding takes place in modern times, regardless of the difference between these two peoples.

The preparation of such a wedding is, first of all, a discussion by the two parties (the bride and groom) of all the nuances regarding the observance of Russian and Dagestan traditions. What is expected at a Russian wedding and not accepted at a Dagestan one, and vice versa.

Many couples compromise and hold only the most interesting customs and competitions that are typical for each nation at their celebration.

The Dagestan people have their own unique traditions and customs associated with the wedding celebration, which is not only an important event for the newlyweds and their families, but also a grandiose event that is celebrated on a grand scale!

It is interesting to know what exactly the wedding in Dagestan is famous for? Then the Wedding.ws portal invites you to plunge into the wonderful world of Dagestan weddings with their unique traditions and customs!

Features of a wedding in Dagestan

A wedding celebration in Dagestan has its own characteristic features inherent in this particular nation, in particular:

The scenario of the Dagestan wedding: the main stages

A Dagestan wedding consists of several important stages, each of which has its own unique traditions, customs and rituals.

Engagement

A wedding in Dagestan begins with an engagement or betrothal, which takes place in a standard way for many peoples: matchmakers from the groom’s side come to the bride’s house and give the girl gifts. The parents of the bride and groom choose the date of the wedding, excluding the birthdays of the newlyweds and parents, Muslim holidays, in particular, Eid al-Adha. A distinctive feature of the engagement in Dagestan is that it is held almost secretly, in the evening and in a narrow circle of relatives.

When the date is chosen, the young go to the registry office to apply. Intensive preparation for a beautiful Dagestan wedding begins: the choice of wedding dresses and a banquet hall, menu coordination, etc.

First wedding day at the bride's house

According to the traditions of the Dagestan wedding, the celebration itself begins in the bride's house, where female representatives usually gather. They sing wedding songs, "mourning" the departure of the bride to the groom's house (the same can be found among the rituals at the Kazakh wedding). The bride on this day says goodbye to the parental home and former life.

In the midst of the holiday, the groom arrives at the bride's house with expensive gifts: jewelry, textiles, carpets, etc. He is accompanied by a large number of relatives who perform ritual songs and bring gifts to the bride, which they later put in a special wedding chest.

Second wedding day at the groom's house

The grandest celebration takes place in the groom's house a week after the first wedding day. It begins with the fact that the groom's father goes to the bride's house for lunch, taking a candle and a mirror with him. He gives them to the bride as a symbol of happiness for the newly-made family and pays her relatives a symbolic ransom.

The bride is dressed in a festive attire that fascinates with its beauty, since Dagestan wedding dresses are usually the most expensive in the world due to the amount of jewelry used to decorate them. Previously, the bride's hair was hidden under a scarf, but now this is rarely done. Modern Dagestan wedding hairstyles are distinguished by intricate shapes and various weaves, which makes them look like real works of hairdressing art.

The mother and bridesmaids take the bride out into the yard, having previously covered her face with a special cape, after which she, together with the groom's father and his relatives, goes to her new house.

The wedding procession is accompanied by songs and national music. Along the way, they may be blocked by acquaintances and bystanders, demanding gifts. On the threshold of the groom's house, the bride is treated with honey so that the life of the newlyweds is sweet. An unusual wedding tradition at a Dagestan wedding is the shooting of the groom's friends, which should bring happiness to the house of the young and scare away evil spirits.

A noisy celebration begins in the groom's house! A feature of the Dagestan wedding is that men and women sit at different tables. The latter are simply bursting with a huge number of national dishes.

The main event of the wedding evening is the dance of the newlyweds. Before him, the bride must dance with the men present at the celebration: she circles around each of them, and the men perform lezginka and give the young woman money that the bridesmaid collects.