Customs for weddings in ancient Rus'. Ancient wedding rituals and traditions

The wedding ceremony is the most intimate ritual in the life of every person. We all strive to find our soulmate, we dream of uniting our fate with a person of the opposite sex, very similar to us and close in spirit.

The matchmaking ritual goes back to our distant ancestors - during the times of Ancient Rus'. Back then, more attention was paid to rituals than now, but to this day the wedding ceremony has not lost its popularity. Despite the fashion for civil marriages, most newlyweds still strive to tie themselves into legal marriage. In this article we will tell you how our ancestors lived.

For our ancestors to enter into a marriage, it was important that the bride and groom fully match their status (this also included financial status). For wealthy representatives of the fair sex, the same grooms were selected and vice versa.

It is noteworthy that the future husband and wife might not even see each other before the wedding ceremony. As a rule, parents were engaged in choosing a bride for their son.

At the same time, marriages took place at a very early age - the girl should have been no more than 13 years old, but by this time she already knew how to run a household, which she had been taught from early childhood.

Wedding ceremonies among the ancient Russians were performed in three stages:

• first came the matchmaking;
• then the donation of a dowry;
• and then the bachelor and bachelorette parties were held.

Matchmaking ritual

When the decision was made to enter into a marriage, the bride and her relatives actively prepared to meet the groom and his parents (that is, matchmakers). For this meeting, a celebration was organized with a delicious lunch.

The groom had to come with his relatives (they took his father, grandfather, brothers) in a cart pulled by horses. The cart was decorated with ribbons and bells, so that at the first glance it became clear that matchmaking was coming. And the bride, hearing the approach of her betrothed, ran out into the street and met the matchmakers.

Then the relatives got acquainted. The groom presented gifts to the bride's parents. This ritual symbolized respect and serious intentions for their daughter.

Giving a dowry

When the parents blessed the marriage, the wedding date was set. The bride then worked on preparing her dowry with her mother, older sister and grandmother.

The nature of the dowry depended on the financial situation of the family. But usually these were clothing and household items, paintings, bedding, carpets and so on.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties

The bride should have organized a bachelorette party. It was held 3 days before the wedding ceremony.

But, unlike the modern version of a fun party, then all the women living in the village, friends and relatives gathered for a bachelorette party. It was also mandatory to invite a vytnitsa. She sang a sad song that brought the future bride to tears. This symbolized farewell to young years of life, carelessness and parents.

The bride absolutely had to cry at the bachelorette party - otherwise she would have an unsuccessful marriage.

Then all the women were invited to the house - they drank wine, ate and cried. The bride should have presented everyone present with two belts. After this, the collective singing of songs began. If the parents allowed, then the girl and her friends went to the field (in the summer), and in the winter they sledded and sang songs loudly.

At the end, the bride took her best friends and went to the bathhouse, where she was bathed before the wedding.

As for the groom, in his case the situation was not so fun - he had to go to the bathhouse alone and not utter a single word throughout the night.

Wedding in Rus'

The wedding was the 2nd stage of the marriage ceremony. The first part of the ritual was carried out in the morning, before sunrise. The future wife needed to cast various spells against the evil eye in the home of her future husband.

Then the groom came to the bride, but before receiving his future wife, he had to cope with a large number of difficult tasks. Everything was done in a cheerful manner. All the girl’s relatives took part in this.

First of all, the groom was blocked from entering the village, and then to the gate. If the groom was unable to overcome the obstacles, he had to pay with money.

The wedding ceremony itself was very fun and solemn. When the newlyweds entered the venue, the groom’s mother sprinkled oats and millet on them, which symbolized prosperity in the future union.

Everyone was traditionally invited to the wedding: relatives, neighbors and friends. Also, even strangers could easily access it.

What did the white color of the dress mean?

It was not for nothing that the wedding dress was chosen to be white - this color personified the innocence and spiritual purity of the bride. If the bride had lost her virginity at the time of marriage, she was forbidden to wear a white dress.

Her mother-in-law was in charge of arranging the bouquet for the bride. For this purpose, only wildflowers were used (even in winter).

Traditionally, a wedding in Rus' was celebrated for three days. In this way, the newlyweds were tested for endurance. They had to sit for 3 days if they wanted to live a happy family life.

On the second day, the newly-made husband and wife went to a bed prepared in advance for them by their relatives (it did not have to be in the house, it could be a barn, a hayloft, or a bathhouse). There they made love, and subsequently anyone had the right to go there and check the girl’s attire, which confirmed her innocence.

When the young spouses returned to the wedding celebration, the matchmaker should remove the veil from the bride’s head and put on a kika. Further we will pay increased attention to this point in order to understand what it meant.

The ceremony of removing the veil from the bride

The tradition of covering the bride's head with a veil came to Rus' from Western countries. Before this, wreaths with flowers were used instead of veils. Removing the veil had a very symbolic meaning - it indicated that now the girl’s status has changed and from now on she is turning into a married lady, leaving her parents’ home, growing up, starting her own family and is ready for the birth of her own babies.

After removing the veil, the bride becomes a wife and, accordingly, the keeper of the family hearth.

This ritual has not lost its relevance to this day - today the bride is also supposed to take off her veil, thereby sending her into adulthood.

This is how the wedding ceremony of our ancestors, the Slavs, took place. Some moments from it have survived to this day (for example, removing the veil, holding a bachelor and bachelorette party), and some have irrevocably sunk into oblivion (for example, the matchmaking stage). In any case, it is necessary to respect the traditions of our ancestors, because they had great wisdom and accumulated a lot of life experience, which is passed on from generation to generation through rituals and ceremonies.

Most wedding traditions are based on ancient wedding rituals that have come down to us from pagan times that existed many centuries ago, when they had a certain meaning. Of course, weddings today and then in Rus' are very different from each other. Rituals and traditions have passed from past centuries to the present day in a modern and simplified form, having partially lost their original meaning.

On certain dates it was forbidden to hold a wedding, for example, during Lent, during Christmastide, and on Easter.

Often the choice of the bride and groom was made by the parents of the newlyweds. But it happened that parents approved of their children’s own choices.

The bride's parents prepared for their daughter, that is, the property that the bride would take with her after the wedding to her new home. This could be furniture, clothing and jewelry, and even livestock.

Great attention was paid to the wedding night of the newlyweds; after the first day they were escorted to their bed and not disturbed. In the morning, relatives could check if there were stains on the sheets or the bride’s shirt, which indicated the girl’s honesty.

Previously, the sequence of wedding and preceding actions and rituals was as follows: the groom’s relatives to the bride, engagement, and such an unusual stage as “howling”.

They organized it for the bride and her bridesmaids, and for the groom and his friends. Particular attention was paid to the bridegroom buying the bride from her relatives, and then the newlyweds were married. Then the newlyweds and guests walked and went to the celebration.

Even after the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs remained quite superstitious, and this was reflected in their rituals. The main thing was to protect the young from the evil eye and damage.

Matchmaking and betrothal ceremony

In its modern form, the matchmaking process is skipped in most cases and is considered optional and symbolic.

And before, not a single wedding was complete without it; the ceremony was called “handshake”. The groom and his friends and relatives came to the bride’s house, they praised the groom and asked for the girl’s hand in marriage.

On this day, they agreed on when the wedding would take place, discussed the details and calculated the finances.

For the first time, the newlyweds were called bride and groom in front of everyone, and the guy gave the girl a ring and other gifts.

Parents blessed the newlyweds and gave parting words for a happy and long life together. A small feast was arranged, where, in addition to relatives, witnesses to the matchmaking ceremony were present.

"Vytie" and bachelorette party

After the newlyweds were engaged, the wedding began. At this time, the bride was supposed not to leave the house, but to lament and cry about her life in her parents’ house, since after the wedding she moved into the groom’s family in a new status.

The bride's friends and relatives came to the bachelorette party. They also cried and unbraided the bride’s braid, which meant that she was moving to another status, becoming a wife to her husband, a woman.

Groom's bachelor party

In the old days, a bachelor party was called a “youth party.” As a rule, it took place at the groom's house in the form of a feast, during which farewell to his single life and friends took place. Having had fun, the groom and his relatives went to visit the bride with gifts and a good mood.

Bride ransom

Previously, at the ransom, before the groom came to pick up the bride, they swept the road to the house very well, so that the young people would not come across a stone or an object with a curse along the way.

First, the groom and his friends and relatives bought the way to the house, then the door to the house and the bride’s room, then the future wife herself. This ritual of ransom was used to appease both the spirits and relatives of the bride for a happy future life.

In order for the family to have prosperity and well-being, after the ransom and before entering the church, the young people were sprinkled with millet or hops.

Wedding

The wedding ceremony is an ancient Christian rite in the process of a Russian wedding. There was a custom that the bride and groom were taken to church by different roads to ward off the evil eye, or, for example, a superstition that parents were not present at the wedding ceremony.

They laid, and are now laying, a scarf under the feet of the young husband and wife and sprinkled them with small change so that their life would be prosperous.

At the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom simultaneously extinguished the wedding candles, which were then preserved until the birth.

Previously, in church, at weddings, they would also break dishes in order to live happily; part of this sign has been preserved to this day.

But now they don’t break dishes in church anymore.

After the wedding ceremony, the bridesmaids braided the young wife’s two braids, put them in her hair around her head and put on a warrior, this is the headdress worn by married women.

In modern weddings, this ritual has evolved into a process where the bride's veil is removed from her head, which also signifies the transition to married life.

Walking

This ancient tradition has been preserved to this day. Before the celebration in the restaurant, the newlyweds ride around the city through parks, memorable and beautiful places.

And it was not customary for the bride to cross the threshold herself; her husband carried her in his arms in order to deceive the evil forces and avoid the bride’s tripping; this was considered a very bad omen.

Just like today, the young parents greeted the newlyweds with bread and salt, and the bride and groom each took a bite of a piece of loaf, which they then broke over their heads.

In the future, the family had to keep this bread all their lives, as a symbol of family wealth.

In addition to wealth, the young people wanted more children, and for this purpose they put the young people on animal skins.

Wedding feast traditions

We walked and celebrated the wedding for several days. The first day was at the groom's house, the second at the bride's house, the third day we walked again at the groom's house.

According to tradition, on the first day of the festivities, the young couple did not eat anything. And after the first day, the ritual of “laying down” the young took place, which meant healthy offspring.

On the second and third days, the young wife was given checks, for example, she had to light the stove, cook something, sweep.

Weddings that took place several centuries ago are significantly different from today's weddings. Many traditions of the past have been preserved, but have taken other forms, modified, having lost their original meaning. Ancient wedding rituals in Rus' (bride, blessing, etc.) were an integral part of marriage, without them the celebration could not take place. The descriptions of sacraments and traditions presented below will help you understand how an ancient Russian wedding took place.

The sacrament of the wedding ceremony in Rus'

The transition of a girl from one family to another is the basis of wedding ceremonies of the past. It was believed that she died in her father's house, and after the wedding was reborn in her husband's family. At the wedding, the girl was hidden under thick fabrics and scarves, behind which her face and body were not visible. It was impossible to look at her, because according to legend she was “dead.” The bride was led to the altar, holding her by the arms, but after the wedding she left the church on her own, “born again.”

Many wedding ceremonies in ancient Rus' had a magical background. Before the priest forever united the souls of lovers, the future husband and wife were considered vulnerable to evil forces. Many rituals were carried out to help the newlyweds avoid the evil eye and damage: for example, sweeping the road in front of the newlyweds. The ritual excluded the possibility that something would be planted at the feet of the spouses that would attract evil spirits to the new family. Crossing their path was also considered a bad omen.

In ancient times, a wedding was celebrated for several days. The first day was full of events: the bride was prepared for the imminent arrival of her betrothed, the dowry was transported, then the future spouses received a blessing and went to the wedding feast. A large-scale wedding feast took place the next day, after the church wedding ceremony. During the wedding, the groom had to remain silent, so responsibility for performing wedding rituals lay with the groom (relative or friend of the groom).

To avoid damage, custom prescribed that the newlyweds should sleep in a new place - for their first wedding night they were prepared with a haybox, the decoration of which was icons, arrows in the four corners with martens on them, and a bed of twenty-one sheaves. During the wedding feast, the newlyweds drank and ate little, and the last dish was brought to them at bedside. In the morning, they lifted the blanket with the help of an arrow, checking whether the bride was innocent when she got married.

Matchmaking and wedding preparations

Before the wedding, there were several ancient rituals. The first was matchmaking, when the groom's relatives and friends came to the bride's parents, praised him, and talked about his merits. In order for the meeting to be successful, matchmakers and matchmakers traveled in a roundabout way, confusing their tracks - this was protection from dark forces. The first time, the bride's parents should have refused the matchmakers, despite the preliminary agreement between the families about the marriage.

After the positive answer was given to the matchmakers, another important ritual was carried out - the bride. It consisted of an inspection of the chosen one’s clothes, dishes, and the general condition of the household. In the old days, bridesmaids could change the parents' decision to marry off their daughter - a person who was not rich enough to provide for her was refused.

If the viewing went well, and the girl’s relatives were satisfied with the financial situation of the future spouse, a day was set when the family would officially announce their decision - then nothing could interfere with the wedding, except for unforeseen force majeure circumstances. In Rus', it was customary to talk about engagement during a feast in the presence of many guests.

On the eve of the celebration itself, the girl and her friends had to visit the bathhouse. There they washed, sang songs, talked. After the bath, the bachelorette party continued, at which rituals of protection against dark forces were carried out - the girlfriends described the life of the bride and her husband as gloomy and unhappy. Previously, it was believed that this would scare away unclean spirits. The girls performed night fortune-telling by candlelight, danced in circles, and performed ritual ceremonies to strengthen the connection with their future husband.

Unraveling the betrothed's braid by the bridesmaids and weaving two braids instead is an important wedding ritual in the list of customary ones in Rus', which was carried out on the eve of the ceremony. It symbolized the bride’s farewell to girlhood, her formation as a woman, and her readiness to conceive a child.

The groom also visited the bathhouse before the wedding celebration, but alone. Unlike his betrothed, who had to spend the whole evening talking with her friends, telling fortunes and dancing, he had to remain silent.

Ancient blessing ceremony

The Orthodox rite of parental blessing, carried out in ancient times, was considered one of the most important wedding events. Couples separated if they were refused the blessing ritual. It was carried out like this: before the wedding, the future spouses came to the courtyard of the bride’s parental home, where the mother and father greeted them with bread and salt and baptized them with icons wrapped in a towel. For more information about the ceremony, see the photo below.

The newlyweds should have refrained from drinking and eating at the wedding table. They accepted gifts and congratulations, and when the last dish was served (usually a roast) they went to the hay barn, where they spent their first wedding night. Guests were allowed to wake up the newlyweds several times during the night in order to call them back to the table.

In the morning, when most of the tipsy guests left the feast, a “sweet table” was set. After it, the newlyweds went to wash, and the bride’s sheet or shirt was often shown to fellow villagers, proving the girl’s innocence.

The third day of the wedding was difficult for the wife - she needed to show her abilities as a housewife: light the stove, cook dinner, wash the floors, and the guests tried to interfere with her in various ways.

A peasant wedding usually lasted three days. The betrothed were called “prince” and “princess”, because the sacrament of the wedding ceremony in this perspective in Rus' was similar to the elevation of princes to the dignity of power.

Traditional wedding songs

Not a single celebration was held without traditional wedding songs. They accompanied pre-wedding rituals and several holidays. Watch videos of traditional Russian wedding songs being performed:

• Russian folk wedding song:

• "Loach over the water":

Many wedding rites and customs have lost their original meaning, and the attitude of modern people towards ancient rituals has changed - often weddings are limited to painting in the registry office. But some couples continue to observe the ancient traditions of the celebration, paying tribute to the rich past of our country.

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 always primarily 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 helped the new couple find each other in a special, harmonious state.

Nowadays, much attention is also paid to achieving harmony: for example, more and more people are starting to use special meditations to attract love. Our ancestors considered dance to be the best way to harmoniously merge 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 took a long road to see him, 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, during six months of 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 tradition of Russian folk weddings, traditional customs were preserved for a long time: 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 a 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.

Rida Khasanova

It is believed that observing certain wedding omens gives warmth and happiness in family relationships. Age-old traditions are not subject to doubt or discussion, since they are passed on from parents to children. Often, it is the closest relatives who are responsible for the customs, without which the wedding event is incomplete. Undoubtedly, many newlyweds have to look for a compromise.

Photos of the wedding ceremony

Modern traditions at a wedding

Traditional wedding ceremony in Russia starts with a meeting. Usually it goes away with. As a rule, the mother of the groom prepares a pound of salt for the wedding for the newlyweds. Since Soviet times, champagne has been added to bread, although in some regions they pour vodka the old fashioned way.

These traditions are very subjective depending on the values ​​of the bride and groom's family

Wedding rings were placed on a scarf, which was raised above the top of the bride and groom's heads. Such a wedding ceremony in Russian traditions meant making a love covenant in heaven, since the person’s head was associated with the heavenly world.

The newlyweds at the time of their marriage were surrounded by special awe. According to the ideas of our ancestors, the creation of a family was the creation of a new world, where not two people are united, but the sun (groom) and the earth (bride).

Slavic wedding customs

Another Slavic wedding ritual in Rus' - ritual around the stove. When a young man brought his wife to his house, the first thing she did was bow and pray to the hearth, since it was considered the heart of the home.

Fellow villagers danced around the hut newlyweds throughout their wedding night. This is how people gave blessings to the new family. Ancient superstitions and signs of good luck were clearly expressed in rich clothes. Red or gold belts At a wedding they were a talisman. Later, after the holiday, if the husband was away, the wife would girdle herself with his wedding belt so as not to get sick.

Like the belt, the ring was shaped like a circle and signified the absence of beginning and end. Both were considered a symbol of fidelity, a symbol of evil, instincts or chaos

Any Slavic amulets, including wedding ones, symbolized protection from evil.

Nowadays, some rather ancient customs are still used by newlyweds. Eg, . This tradition was passed down from generation to generation. The towel was necessarily inherited as a dowry or was sewn by the bride herself and was used in ancient rituals of the ancient Slavs, as it supposedly had healing powers.

In some provinces from the hut the groom rolled out a fabric runner to the bride's hut. When they approached her in a cart, she only walked on it. This happened because their houses had images of two universes, and everything else - the uncreated world.

Wedding in Old Slavonic style

Sometimes fires were built near the threshold. The groom and his groomsmen jumped over the fire before going to the bride, cleansing himself of everything so that the wedding takes place in innocence. Some customs and traditions of Russian weddings are still used in modern themed celebrations.

A wedding without traditions - interesting and unusual wedding ideas

The most popular ceremony is: the bride and groom pour black and white sand from vessels into one container, thereby promising each other that from now on they will be one and can never be separated. The pattern that is obtained by mixing sand of different colors always turns out individual, just like people’s destinies.

Sand ceremony at a wedding

The next touching ceremony begins with the newlyweds writing before the wedding two letters to each other. In them, young people guess the first 10 years of married life. The following provisions can be specified:

• what joint goals do they adhere to;
• what feelings they experience the night before the wedding;
• how they wait for this day;
• who will drink the most at the holiday;
• who will dance the most fiery dance;
• who will say the longest toast;
• who will give the largest bouquet;
• what they swear to each other.

Besides, messages can be supplemented:

• include additional letters to future children;
• add pictures;
• express feelings in poetry.

The longer the letter, the more interesting it will be to read on your 10th wedding anniversary. Next, you need to purchase your favorite drink that will not spoil within such a period of time. It is placed in the box along with the letters. The joint of the lid is sealed with wax candles and, accordingly, with a seal.

Wine ceremony

If it happens that the newlyweds in a few years will not be able to cope with any life situation, this box can be opened ahead of schedule. By taking out your favorite drink and remembering your feelings, you can improve your relationship. This idea is called the box hammering ceremony and is even recommended by psychologists.

Hay or wood shavings, as well as ribbons, will make the box more elegant. You can close it with a lock or nails

It is better to have a beautiful wine ceremony at a wedding during registration. This will make the marriage more complete. A time capsule can become a family heirloom, reminiscent of this day, and a good piece of furniture.

How to make wedding rituals more relevant

When compiling a guest list, newlyweds often know which of them will come with a couple and which will come alone. Passing the wedding baton is a favorite story. To successfully conduct the competition, you can count single girlfriends and friends, and then play their numbers at auction.

In addition to the bride's attribute, such as a garter, guests are also given a piece of a tie, which acts as an anti-garter. The one who catches her, according to tradition, will not have time to get married within a year. This ritual will be especially in demand among single men with a good sense of humor.

From first dance of the young You shouldn’t refuse even if you don’t have the skills, because you can get help from a professional. A choreographer or director will add professional ones to amateur movements. A special atmosphere for the room is given by the team or bright props.

First wedding dance of the newlyweds

Another option is to perform the song as a duet. The first live wedding video is not prohibited from being performed with a soundtrack. Guests are unlikely to expect this, so it is joyful to be surprised in any case.

What are the wedding customs for the parents of the bride and groom?

As already mentioned, parents can stage a slingshot at a wedding, but there are a number of other unifying ceremonies. The first thing the bride's parents should do is give blessing for marriage. To do this, the father leads the bride to the groom standing at the altar, and dances with her at the banquet.

Parents at the wedding

Classic wedding traditions for the groom's parents include him dancing with his mother and godmother. It's a good idea to style these dances in one or more of the following ways:

• slideshow of children's photographs;
• sparklers;
• candles;
• confetti.

The ceremony of marrying families is usually called family ceremony, although all guests can participate

For this purpose, candles are distributed to all married people so that everyone can convey a piece of their family hearth and warmth to the newlyweds. Newlyweds blow out the lights and make wishes in honor of the family's first birthday.

The parents are the last to present the candles, as if they were giving. For a long time, only the mother of the bride participated in the ceremony. She passed a coal from her stove to her daughter so that she could cook dinner for the first time in her new home. In modern times, the groom’s mother also joins in on this.

Lighting up the family hearth

Parents' participation at their son's wedding mainly occurs in the banquet part of the event. In addition to the usual toasts with life stories they can sing, thereby fitting into the framework of a European wedding.

In this way, parents and guests express sadness over the passing of a bachelor. According to Russian traditions, invitees must meet the bride at the bride or groom's house, not at the restaurant. , each family decides differently. You can listen to them, or you can simply from the bottom of your heart wish the young people a good journey in their new family life.

Parents escort the bride and groom

When wondering who should pay for a wedding according to tradition, it is necessary to turn to the Slavic rule about dowry. Since the parents agreed on the wedding themselves, they paid for the celebration. Depending on the value of the bride's property, the groom's parents were charged a fee. Today, in this matter, everything is individual.

Traditions on the second and third days of the wedding

The second day of the wedding is usually spent outdoors, in a cafe or sauna in the afternoon. The duration of rest is usually 6 hours, but this is not the limit. The scenario for this day is thought out in advance. Small stylization and thematic actions decorate the continuation of the celebration best of all.

Traditionally, the husband and wife prepare pancakes at the wedding on the second day in order to sell them. It is believed that whoever eats the most will be lucky all year. You can replace them with a multi-level ready-made cake.

A wedding cake

If the newlyweds are driving around the city on this day, the tradition of blocking the road at the wedding obliges them to give tasty gifts. If you give treats to those who were able, then the couple will be able to buy off bad luck in this way. On the third day the newlyweds opening gifts, look at photographs and send postcards to guests. Some go to the local bridge and hang it as a symbol of eternal love.

Wedding traditions of the world

Any marriage implies a marriage contract, which may discuss the rights and responsibilities of the newlyweds

Eastern weddings begin with the conclusion of a certificate by the parents in the mosque to give sacredness to the ceremony. In Arab countries, without this paper, young people are not even placed in the same room together.

After the business part, two people who start a family have long been required to give their consent out loud three times. In addition, if the newlyweds are found to have insincere intentions regarding the wedding, their marriage is considered invalid.

Therefore, the strongest bonds tend to be created in the east. But in the Russian Federation, the negotiated marriage contract has no legal force until it is registered in the registry office. Otherwise, a Muslim wedding in Russia is no different from a traditional Islamic one.

There are a lot of wedding traditions. There are even more variations. They make the wedding more solemn. But at the same time, more traditions make it more difficult to perceive, because in fact this leaves less time for communication, games and dancing.

Another interesting tradition is the joining of young families. A video of the wedding ceremony can be viewed here:

30 August 2018, 19:37