“Tribute to traditions”: wedding customs. Magic rites, signs, rituals

Each ritual associated with a wedding has long-standing roots. Rituals and traditions have migrated from ancient times to the modern world in a slightly modified form. But, nevertheless, they remained, and many today consider their observance to be the key to a happy family life.

First of all, I would like to focus on such an ancient ritual as matchmaking. The modern matchmaking ceremony is quite simple - the ancient wedding rituals associated with this moment have been somewhat simplified.

Today, the matchmaking scheme itself is limited to the fact that the potential future husband, having received consent from his chosen one, visits the bride’s parents. In this case, a mandatory attribute is a bouquet presented to the future wife herself and her mother - her mother-in-law. For the most part, the bride's parents have known their potential son-in-law for months and are not at all against his candidacy as a husband for their daughter. In general, the matchmaking ritual is more formal in nature.

The same matchmaking ceremony takes place with the parents of the potential spouse of the future bride. The father-in-law and mother-in-law welcome the future father-in-law and mother-in-law, as well as a potential daughter-in-law, into their home. In general, after a joint feast, matchmaking is considered completed, and the engagement procedure itself is considered completed.

Wedding traditions - meeting the newlyweds

Wedding traditions have been compiled for decades, and one of the important moments in the wedding ceremony is the ceremony of welcoming the newlyweds with a loaf of bread and blessing the couple by their parents. It is worth saying that wedding ceremonies, which included the process of parental blessing itself, were a prerequisite for a full-fledged Orthodox marriage and were held before the wedding in the church.

The meeting itself and receiving the parental blessing begins with the newlyweds passing through a kind of corridor created by the wedding guests from towels and standing in front of their parents. After bowing three times to their parents, the newlywed couple solemnly receives a blessing and a wedding loaf from them. Having received a loaf of bread from their parents, the newlyweds each break it from their side and, dipping it in salt, give each piece to their spouse to eat.

Wedding traditions give a special place to the wedding cake, since no wedding can be imagined without this decoration of the ceremony itself. It is the moment of joint cutting of the wedding cake - a huge confectionery structure of cream and sponge cake - that will remain in memory as one of the brightest and most colorful moments of the wedding.

The tradition of presenting a wedding cake to newlyweds has its roots in Ancient Rome. Despite the fact that 5 thousand years separate us from those times, this wedding ceremony has survived to this day. But it is worth saying that although people did not know or use the very concept of a cake at that time, in the ceremony itself at the wedding they used wedding bread baked in accordance with all traditions from barley or wheat.

According to the very ritual accepted in those days, the groom was obliged to break the wedding bread over the head of his chosen one and then give each guest a small piece of it, thus offering to share the joy with the groom. The crumbs themselves, which fell on the bride’s head from the broken wedding bread, were collected by the groom and shared with his chosen one. This ritual acted as a kind of symbol of the subordination of the future wife to her husband.

In Rus', such a wedding cake was a traditional loaf. It was in this regard that our ancestors approached on a grand scale and with good knowledge of the matter, since the preparation of this wedding attribute required the efforts of several people.

It was our ancestors who knew that kneading the wedding loaf was done exclusively by married women, and the process of baking in the oven itself was done by men. But the wedding loaf, decorated with viburnum branches and berries, was cut by the child himself. Then, at the wedding celebration itself, the cut loaf was served to the guests exclusively by the matchmakers themselves. Moreover, this entire procedure of treating guests to a wedding loaf was accompanied by the singing of ritual songs. They were performed by “loaf makers”. As a rule, the honor fell to the young people to be the first to touch the most finished loaf, and all this was done before the wedding in the temple.

Wedding ritual of ransoming the bride

The very tradition of bride price as a wedding ceremony is quite ancient and as old as the world. Today, many wedding ceremonies perceive the ritual of ransoming the bride as one of the elements of the wedding game, although our ancestors invested in it a rather sacred meaning and their own special subtext. It was the ancestors, fearing blood mixing in the clan, who chose a bride from another tribe and region for the groom.

Often it could be obtained as a result of either victory in hostilities or during long negotiations and reaching certain agreements, namely, the price for the bride. Today, the wedding ritual of ransoming the young is not so thorough and, as a rule, the ransom itself is conditional in the form of a small gift to the bride’s parents, but a kind of “offering” and ransom in money are also practiced.

Wedding ritual of covering the bride

In this rather beautiful wedding ritual, a special place and participation is given directly to the bride and mother-in-law. It was our ancestors who endowed this ritual with special magical features. In the very ritual of covering the future wife and mother, the mother-in-law herself removed the veil from the young woman and covered her head with a scarf. It was precisely such actions that embodied the sacred meaning that a girl was already becoming a woman and a wife.

At this moment, the bride herself can, as if jokingly, throw off her scarf twice, but the third time the mother-in-law ties the scarf on her daughter-in-law’s head. After this, all the unmarried girls present at the wedding lead a young round dance around, while the bride herself tries on her veil on each head, thereby wishing each of them to get married as soon as possible and find their family happiness.

Wedding ceremony of handing over the family hearth to the newlyweds

The whole essence of this ritual is that it is the parents of the young who symbolically transfer the warmth from their family hearth to the new family. The ritual itself is carried out at the end of the wedding festivities, when the newlyweds themselves go to the new home and the parents, both from the groom and from the bride, light a candle and at the same time light the common candle of the newlyweds with two candles, while pronouncing wishes and instructions for the young family.

The ritual itself also provides for the direct participation of wedding guests. They form a circle and also hold candles in their hands, thereby forming a kind of protective circle around the young ones. The lights in the hall are turned off and the newlyweds stand in an improvised protective circle with one common wax candle. At this time, each of the guests says a short wish and then raises the candle up and mentally repeats the wish spoken out loud and lowers the candle.

After all the guests have expressed their wishes, the parents of the newlyweds approach the couple and pronounce their instructions and light the common candle of the new married couple with a flame from their candles. Having lit a candle and wished the couple all the best, the candles are not extinguished but placed on the tables, thereby creating a romantic atmosphere during the wedding ceremony.

Wedding signs and rituals for a happy family life

I would like to once again dwell on certain signs and customs, the observance of which, according to the beliefs and convictions of many, can make the marriage itself strong and long. In particular, there are a lot of signs regarding the bride’s attire. First of all, we are talking about the number of buttons on the bride’s dress - it must be even, while the bride’s shoes must not contain laces or strings, and underwear must be white.

Many people believe that the number of guests at a wedding should be odd - this will ensure the newlyweds have a long and happy family life together. After the wedding in the temple, the bride had to give out change to everyone she met - this is what ensured the young family prosperity and financial well-being. But showering a couple with grain or candy also promised the couple prosperity and a sweet, prosperous life.

An equally interesting wedding sign is that many newlyweds put small coins in a glass for prosperity and success. It is these coins that should be kept in the future under the tablecloth on the table in the newlyweds’ house. This ritual was accompanied by attracting wealth and well-being to the home.

Today, a wedding is no longer a complex of complex rituals, as it was in the time of our ancestors. Fashion and time change our idea of ​​a wedding ceremony and make their own adjustments. However, some wedding rituals have still been preserved, albeit in a somewhat “modernized” version.

A wedding is a kind of magical sacrament, which is an important event in life for each of us. It indicates the acquisition of a family hearth. In this regard, there are a huge number of rituals, traditions and signs. Any wedding ceremony has its own history and carries deep meaning. Careful observance of wedding traditions was, to some extent, an opportunity for our ancestors to “influence” their future life. Modern wedding rituals are just an addition to the wedding feast; most of us do not even know or think about their meaning. Nowadays, a wedding is a festive event, organized to the best of the capabilities, ideas and knowledge of the organizers of this event.

The tradition of parents getting to know each other before the wedding has survived to this day. Usually on this day, at a festively laid table, parents discuss the organization of the wedding and the financial side of the issue.

Also in our time, the tradition of holding bachelor and hen parties on the eve of the wedding has been preserved. As a rule, this is a farewell party to a free maiden (single) life, which is attended by close girlfriends (friends) of the bride (groom). Bachelor and bachelorette parties are held in different places. This tradition is not as old as, for example, the custom of covering the bride’s head with a veil. This ritual has been around for several thousand years. The bride's head and face were covered with a veil, primarily to protect against damage and the evil eye. In addition, the veil symbolizes the purity, innocence, modesty and purity of the newlywed. After the marriage ceremony, only the husband has the right to lift the veil.

The ritual of ransoming the bride from girlfriends and parents is also observed today. Today this is the most fun, beautiful and spectacular part of the wedding. The groom will have to overcome a number of tests, show off his intellect, strength and erudition in order to gain the right to possess the lady of his heart.

The ritual of church weddings is being revived again these days. Increasingly, lovers want to unite their love not only in front of the public, but also in the face of God. Previously, after the wedding, it was customary to sprinkle the newlyweds with grain. This action acted as a wish for wealth, strength of relationships, and to have many children. Instead of grain, many countries today use rice, raisins, candy, money, rose petals, grains or nuts. The significance of this ritual has been preserved. Today, newlyweds can only be showered upon leaving the registry office (if a wedding in a church is not planned). It was customary to sprinkle the road from the church to the young people's house with flowers. This ritual is somewhat reminiscent of a pagan one. Nowadays, this tradition is observed more because of its beauty and the solemnity of the moment.

The tradition of wearing a white dress to a wedding appeared relatively recently, about two hundred years ago, during the reign of Catherine. Initially, the bride's wedding dress in Rus' was supposed to be red. White color symbolizes purity and innocence, so a white wedding dress began to signify a girl’s entry into a new life. It is white that has become the obligatory symbol of a wedding.

The ritual of exchanging newlywed rings dates back to Ancient Egypt. The circle was considered a symbol of eternity, so the round ring began to symbolize endless happiness and love between husband and wife.

Today it is customary for the groom to buy wedding rings, a wedding dress and shoes for the bride, and the bride’s parents prepare her “dowry” (bed linen, towels, dishes, furniture). Of course, today it also happens that, in general, there is no need to collect a dowry, since the bride already has everything (an apartment with furniture and appliances, etc.). Since it is a bad omen to see the bride in a wedding dress before the wedding, the bride can take on the purchase of the dress. Previously, the bride herself prepared her dowry: she sewed, embroidered, and prepared jewelry. The bride also bought wedding shoes with saved funds, which demonstrated to her relatives her thriftiness and thriftiness.

Having registered the marriage, the newlyweds and their guests go on a wedding walk to the memorable places of their city or village.

After registering the newlyweds’ marriage, according to a preserved tradition, the groom’s parents greet him with bread and salt. The newlyweds take turns biting or breaking off a piece of bread. Whoever has the largest broken piece will be the master of the family.

The newlyweds' kiss contains a sacramental meaning; it unites the souls of a young couple into a single whole. A public kiss from the bride and groom notifies those present at the event about their unification into one family. The relationship between young people before marriage was chaste, so it is very important that the kiss takes place in the presence of parents and relatives.

The tradition of stealing a bride took place among the Russian Slavs. For example, among the Vyatichi and northerners there were games called “between villages”, where during games, songs and dances, men chose brides for themselves and took them to their homes. This is where the tradition of kidnapping brides came from, which symbolized farewell to parents and father's house and the transition to the groom's house, to a new family. Usually the groom's groomsmen were involved in stealing the bride. The groom had to either marry his betrothed or give a ransom for her. Modern weddings have kept this fun tradition alive.

The tradition of throwing a wedding bouquet came to us quite recently from European countries. All the unmarried bridesmaids gather in a heap, and the bride, with her back to them, throws the bouquet. It is believed that the one who catches the bouquet will soon get married. A similar ritual exists for the friends of the groom, who, having removed the garter from the bride’s leg, throws it to his single friends. The one who catches it first will get married in the near future.

Today there is a tradition of breaking dishes at a wedding celebration. This is usually done for good luck. Today, the bride or groom's glass and plates are broken. Based on the resulting fragments, they determine who will be born first to a couple: if the fragments are large, it means a boy, if small, it means a girl.

A new wedding tradition is to tie bottles of champagne for good luck. Witnesses can perform this action either at the beginning or at the end of the wedding feast. Young people drink the first bottle on their first anniversary of marriage, and the second on the birthday of their first child.

No wedding is complete without a wedding cake (pie, loaf), which symbolizes abundance, joy and good luck in family life. Its height can vary greatly, but its shape is usually round.

There is another modern wedding ritual, according to which at midnight the bride, standing in a circle of dancing friends with her eyes closed, puts her veil on the head of one of them. A girl who is lucky will be lucky enough to get married soon.

A very beautiful and romantic tradition, which is increasingly observed by newlyweds, is the tradition of carrying the bride into the house in their arms. Our ancestors believed that such an action would protect the bride from damage and evil spirits.

And today, newlyweds like to release two doves into the sky, on whose paws I tie pink and blue ribbons. They are used to determine who will be born first to a couple. This is usually done on the wedding walk or in front of the building where the wedding feast is scheduled. In addition, there are many other new wedding traditions: hanging locks with the names of the bride and groom on a tree or bridge railing, breaking a champagne bottle on a bridge, etc.

Another interesting and fun tradition at weddings is giving gifts to the newlyweds. Parents, witnesses and guests give the young people valuable and necessary things in everyday life (appliances, dishes, furniture, etc.). At the same time, the donation process is accompanied by interesting jokes, jokes and wishes.

According to tradition, the newlyweds go on a honeymoon after the wedding to spend their honeymoon in a romantic setting.

Despite existing rituals and traditions, only young people have the right to decide whether to observe them at their own wedding. The main thing is that the wedding has retained its important, sacred meaning - the transition from a free single life to family life, with its joys and responsibilities.

Folk rituals have long accompanied the most significant events in human life in Rus'. They were sacredly revered, carefully passed down from generation to generation. Many ancient customs have survived to this day. Rarely does a marriage take place without traditional ceremonies. They give the first family holiday of the newlyweds a special solemnity, making it bright and memorable. Rituals at a wedding not only symbolically unite the destinies of lovers, but also connect many generations of their families with an invisible thread.

Traditional pre-wedding customs

Wedding ceremonies in Russia begin long before the joyful event. The most common customs preceding marriage:

• matchmaking;
• bridesmaids;
• hen-party;
• bachelor party

Long gone are the days when parents chose a suitable match for their children. Modern lovers usually decide to start a family on their own, and matchmaking involves a solemn marriage proposal in the presence of the bride’s father and mother.

And yet, paying tribute to traditions, many arrange matchmaking according to all the rules. This is a fascinating and beautiful ceremony that is performed in the bride’s house. Having received the consent and blessing of her parents, they begin preparations for the wedding.

In the old days, a return visit to the groom's house was made with the aim of inspecting the household, assessing the family's wealth and making sure that the bride would find herself in good conditions after the wedding.

Modern bridesmaids have rather a symbolic meaning. Arriving at the house of the future relatives, the bride's parents get to know them better and once again confirm their consent to the marriage. At the shows they begin to discuss issues of preparation for the upcoming holiday.

Shortly before the wedding, a bachelorette party is traditionally held. The bride gathers her friends and says goodbye to her former unmarried life. The girls exchange small gifts, have fun and have fun.

A bachelor party is a similar holiday for friends of the future newlywed. Whether to hold an interesting party in a narrow circle of close friends or celebrate an event on a grand scale - everyone decides for themselves, based on their preferences and capabilities.

Carrying out rituals on the wedding day

In order for the long-awaited celebration to go off beautifully, it is advisable to prepare for wedding ceremonies in advance. If a toastmaster is invited to a wedding, he will offer ready-made scenarios for holding them and advise what wedding attributes need to be purchased. The selected ceremonies, with the exception of the Orthodox wedding, are easy to organize independently.

Traditional wedding rituals in Russia:

• bride price;
• Orthodox wedding;
• blessing with bread and salt;
• gifting newlyweds;
• family twinning;
• removing the wedding veil;
• transfer of family hearth.

Before marriage, the last pre-wedding ceremony is carried out - bride price.

If in past times a girl was ransomed in the literal sense of the word, giving her parents money and other material values ​​as a sign that the future husband was able to support his wife, then the modern ceremony is carried out in a simplified and often humorous form.

The bridesmaid and bridesmaids arrange a number of “obstacles” for the groom in the form of various competitions, which he must overcome in order to present the wedding bouquet to his betrothed. By demonstrating his intelligence, self-control, and sense of humor, the guy gets the right to take his beloved and become her husband. The groom and witness prepare small gifts for the girls: champagne, sweets and funny souvenirs. Sometimes the bride is bought for money.

This cheerful custom will entertain the guests and heroes of the upcoming celebration, lift your spirits and serve as a successful start to a joyful day. It is worth calculating in advance the time required for the bride price ceremony, so as not to be late for the marriage registration or wedding.

Orthodox wedding ceremony

Many young couples not only get married officially, but also want to take an oath of love and fidelity before God, having received a church blessing. In this case, the wedding ritual in the temple is the most important and significant rite of the wedding celebration.

It is important to make the decision consciously. A wedding requires a certain spiritual preparation: the future newlyweds need to talk with a priest, confess, take communion and endure a short fast. Only the closest and dearest people are invited to share the sacrament of the church blessing of a new family.

For the solemn ritual, they purchase two wedding candles, a white towel for the feet of the newlyweds, wedding rings and wedding icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. It should be taken into account that in Russia the church only crowns those newlyweds who have officially registered their marriage.

Blessing with bread and salt

At a wedding, the ceremony with a loaf of bread is traditionally carried out in the groom's house. Parents meet the happy newlyweds at the entrance with an icon and bread and salt on an embroidered towel and bless them. Along the way, guests shower the young spouses with rose petals, and coins and grains of wheat or rice are thrown at their feet - symbols of family happiness, prosperity and fertility.

The bread and salt ritual at a wedding is often organized at a restaurant or cafe before the start of the festive banquet. The ceremonial custom signifies the acceptance of the daughter-in-law into the home of the husband's parents. According to tradition, the bride and groom must simultaneously take a bite of the loaf without using their hands. It is believed that the one whose piece is larger will dominate the family.

Sometimes guests are treated to a wedding loaf. But more often it is hidden by the groom’s mother, so that after the wedding she can take it to the temple and leave it on the table for donations. According to some beliefs, this guarantees harmony and well-being in the newlyweds’ family.

To carry out the ceremony, an elegant butter loaf is bought or baked. An embroidered towel and an icon are also prepared to bless the newlyweds. A small salt shaker with salt is placed in the center of the holiday bread.

Gift giving by guests

After the parental blessing, the groom carries the bride in his arms into the banquet hall. Before the wedding feast, guests present gifts to the young spouses. At the same time, it is not customary to make long congratulatory speeches, so as not to tire the newlyweds and others present. However, a few sincere, heartfelt words guiding the newlyweds into their life together will successfully complement the ritual of gift-giving at the wedding.

If an impressive number of guests are invited to the celebration, and the ceremony of gifting the newlyweds risks taking a long time, then it is carried out in several stages: first, the newlyweds are congratulated by their parents and closest relatives, and after the first part of the wedding feast, it is the turn of friends, neighbors and work colleagues.

Witnesses and toastmasters ensure that all gifts are collected in one place, and flowers are placed in vases or other containers with water. For cash gifts, you can prepare in advance an elegant chest or a bright box with a slot.

A good idea is to invite those present to write congratulatory words for the newlyweds in a specially prepared album. You can also put a white tablecloth on a separate table, which friends and relatives of the newlyweds will be happy to write with sincere wishes for goodness, happiness, prosperity and prosperity.

Twinning of newlywed families

At a wedding, the ceremony for the parents of the newlyweds is carried out in the second part of the festive feast. On this solemn day, not only the hearts of lovers unite, but their families also become related.

The ceremony of marriage at a wedding can begin with a beautiful ceremony. To do this, prepare a shaped bottle decorated with lace or bright ribbons, a small funnel and coarse salt of two colors. The salt is pre-painted with undiluted gouache and dried.

After the solemn words of the wedding host about the unification of two families and good wishes, the newlyweds pour multi-colored salt from two wine glasses into one bottle. The ceremony symbolizes the merging of the newlyweds' destinies into one and the twinning of their families.

Then the son-in-law with the mother-in-law and father-in-law, the daughter-in-law with the mother-in-law and father-in-law, and the parents of the bride and groom kiss each other. After the ceremony, the new relatives take turns dancing with each other.

Removing the bride's veil

The modern ceremony of removing the veil at a wedding is carried out differently. A pillow is placed on a chair in the center of the hall and the bride is seated. This symbolically means that the daughter-in-law now has her own cozy place in the groom's house. The mother-in-law takes off the newlywed's veil and, with good wishes, ties an elegant shawl or scarf on her head.

Then the bride dances with all her unmarried friends in turn, raising the veil above their heads. Other girls are not allowed to try on the bride's veil. According to popular belief, this is a sign of an imminent marriage. In some scenarios, girlfriends do not dance with the bride, but walk to beautiful music under a veil that the young wife holds in her hands. The dance can be different: the newlyweds lift the veil by the wreath, and the bridesmaids dance around.

Sometimes the veil is removed by the mother of the bride or the groom, and the scarf is put on by the mother-in-law. The wedding headdress is kept in the house of a young family. It will serve as a reliable talisman for the couple’s future daughter.

Transfer of hearth and hearth

One of the most touching and spectacular customs at a wedding is the ceremony of passing on the family hearth. It is held at the very end of the celebration and helps to end it beautifully. The newlywed's mother lights a large candle and carefully passes it to her daughter as a piece of home warmth, comfort and happiness, which from now on should reign in the home of the young family.

Sometimes the ceremony with candles at a wedding takes place differently: from two small candles held in the hands of the mothers of the bride and groom, the newlyweds light the symbolic fire of their family. The ceremony looks very beautiful in a dimly lit hall. To the accompaniment of gentle music, the newlyweds slowly spin in the last wedding dance, ending the holiday and saying goodbye to the guests.

A wedding candle is a symbol of the warmth and well-being of the parental home

A year will fly by, and the young couple will perform the ceremony of tying knots at a chintz wedding - the first family anniversary. In twenty-five years they will tenderly give each other silver. Having lived in harmony for half a century, they will again exchange gold rings with love and gratitude. But the most precious memories will forever remain of an amazing wedding celebration.

Weddings were given special importance among the Slavic peoples. This was a significant moment in the life of every bride, so marriage has always been associated with many customs, traditions and beliefs. Wedding ceremonies they were never just invented out of the blue. Each of them had a special meaning and was aimed at achieving happiness and harmony in a young family.

Now, unfortunately, many customs have been lost, and once important sacred actions have acquired a purely entertaining character. And yet, this is Russian history, even Slavic. After all, once upon a time the inhabitants of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were closely interconnected and represented branches of one people - the Eastern Slavs. That’s why our rituals are so similar.

The meaning and sacrament of marriage in Slavic

Our past, from which the present flows, is based on the Slavic worldview. All modern customs observed at weddings have historical roots., are associated with the peculiarities of the attitude towards the life of our ancestors and are based on logical and consistent actions. There was nothing superfluous in a Slavic wedding. Therefore, if you want to hold a wedding, taking into account all the ancient traditions, you must understand perfectly what justification they had.

Wedding ceremony- a special action aimed at achieving a specific positive result. Purpose of Marriage- create a strong and friendly family in which husband and wife would hold on to each other. It’s not for nothing that Russian words for them are spouses, i.e. people who are in the same harness of life and share all the joys and hardships of everyday life on equal terms.

All folk wedding ceremonies, and and traditions boil down to one thing: it’s right to marry off your daughter and deceive the evil spirits so that she doesn’t do any mischief. Russian beliefs were very closely connected with the idea of ​​evil spirits that hover around in huge numbers and strive to ruin a person’s life. Moreover, for the person who is on the edge, i.e. passes from one state to another.

This directly concerned the bride. At that time she was considered just such a borderline creature. After all, the girl left her father’s house and passed from an innocent girlish state to a female state, and subsequently was supposed to become a mother. Therefore, the main task was to shelter her from evil spirits, to protect her, thereby protecting her future family. This is where this word comes from - “bride”, unknown, hidden, secret.

Almost all customs were aimed at achieving 3 most important results:

1. To protect the future spouse, to prevent evil spirits from breaking through to her, and, consequently, to envelop the newly-made family with blessings. At that time this was considered a very serious task;
2. To attract as many good spirits as possible so that they, on the contrary, accompany this family and strengthen it;
3. Achieve fertility and growth of a new family unit. Simply put, to do everything possible so that young people not only have a large number of children (we all know how huge Slavic families were), but also increase their material wealth: have their own rich home, a good harvest, strong and fertile livestock. The peoples of Russia and Belarus were mostly farmers, and for them the concept of a family hearth also included a prosperous, strong household. Without this, a normal and strong family could not exist, which is reflected in many folk legends, songs and poems in Russia.

Understanding this feature of the Slavic, and subsequently the Russian worldview, we can see the special meaning that wedding rituals carry.

Basic rituals known today

The modern worldview does not allow us to take all traditions as seriously as our ancestors did. We simply don’t understand the meaning of many actions, but we still try to comply. Although wedding rituals have now become akin to entertainment, they have not died, which emphasizes their enormous importance for the people. Moreover, somewhere at a deep level, we still believe that adherence to certain measures, as well as ancient rituals, will help maintain love and happiness in a newly-made family.

So let's talk about them. At almost every wedding that wants to observe all the ancient traditions, the following rituals are performed:

1. Blessing of the Young;
2. Ransom;
3. Wedding;
4. Arrival at the groom's house;
5. Wedding feast.

These are the main rituals. But they consist of smaller traditional actions, also closely related to the well-being of the new family. In our time, there are still rites of twinning families, lighting a family hearth, blessing a daughter, and meeting young people. And although they are no longer observed in the required sacred order, they still have meaning.

By the way, many of them can be found in European countries. This once again proves that the traditions of Russia and its Western neighbors still had the same foundation and were formed in the same worldview.

Family joining ceremony

Transitioning from the state of a girl to the state of a woman, the newlywed goes under the tutelage of the spirits of her husband's family. Accordingly, a special connection is established between her parents and her husband’s parents, akin to a magical one. Families must become related, because children born from this marriage will belong to both of them.

Nowadays, this is more of a fun tradition than a magical act. The rite of marriage is now sometimes carried out jokingly, sometimes even a separate mini-script is written for it. Usually a goblet filled with some kind of drink (most often wine) is used. In order for the twinning to take place, both parents and newlyweds must drink from this vessel, at least a sip, but each one must.
As a rule, the witness brings the drink, he also speaks parting words, and strictly ensures that all participants in the ritual drink the drink.

In ancient times, the ceremony of twinning took place somewhat differently. By the way, both the Ukrainian and Belarusian people have it. After the wedding, families were obliged to perform it, otherwise the spirits would not accept the new person. To eliminate this danger, there was a ritual of twinning, which took place with the reading of special spells and also with drinking a drink from a common cup.

Without twinning there will be no happy family life, they firmly believed in this. But there was one more custom, without which it was also impossible to imagine a happy future family life.

Daughter's blessing

Very close to the rite of twinning. After all, in both cases, a special role is played by parents - senior representatives of two merging clans. It was important to bless the daughter, because she is leaving for another family. In general, in the Slavic worldview, a wedding was akin to death for the bride: she died as a girl and began to live as a woman and mother.

Nowadays, this ritual is no longer treated so reverently. But parental blessing is the most important condition for family prosperity. And in European countries it still exists.

So, before the bride walks down the aisle, the father and mother must give their daughter their blessing. Thus, they approve of this union and agree to it. And if you consider how great the Slavs respected their parents, then the meaning of this custom is clear. The blessing is not received, which means the marriage will not be fruitful and happy. That is why alliances concluded in secret from father and mother were not approved and were not supported at all.

If the father and mother wish their daughter happiness and support her choice, they should give their blessing. A ritual is performed before the wedding. Parents baptize their daughter, say parting words, and express approval. In ancient times there were also special conspiracies, but now they have been forgotten.

Lighting the hearth of a new family

In addition to the rite of marriage and parental blessing, there was one more, now often forgotten. In Russia and other Slavic countries it is called the ritual of lighting the family hearth. In Europe there is an analogue, which also has the same meaning, but a slightly different order of performing actions and their sequence.

The family hearth is what establishes a new family, what should always burn and warm each member of the marriage.

Fire has a symbolic meaning here. The meaning of the ritual is that, once lit, the flame of the family hearth should never go out. The task of each spouse is to maintain the fire of love and take care of the other half. Naturally, all these ideas resulted in concrete actions.

Every marriage is preceded by an acquaintance. First it happens between a guy and a girl, then between their parents. The flame of love and passion is gradually kindled, which will then become the basis for a family hearth. By the way, the meeting of newlyweds also has great symbolic meaning in Slavic wedding culture. But we'll talk about it a little lower.

After love has happened, the flame has flared up, and the wedding has taken place, it is necessary to transform its elemental fervor into the moderate radiance of a quiet hearth.

In other words, from mutual passion and love, create a strong family. For this, the Slavs developed a whole complex of special ritual actions. They were accompanied by the reading of certain conspiracies and absorbed a significant part of ancient magic. Nowadays, much has already been lost and is not observed, but the custom has retained the former name of the ritual of lighting the family hearth. Currently, it is carried out after the marriage in the registry office, and after the wedding, if there was one. It is preceded by rituals of twinning families and blessing the bride by her parents. If you want to comply with all folk traditions, follow the steps correctly.

The parental candle is lit by the father before the ceremony begins. Mothers accept it and, with congratulatory or parting speeches prepared in advance, pass the flame on to their children. Mothers combine the fire of two candles into one and use it to light the newlyweds’ candle. After which the parental flame is extinguished, and the bride and groom’s candle should burn until the bride takes off her veil.

In our country, the ritual of lighting a hearth is still popular. It is not only deeply symbolic, but also incredibly touching.

Ritual of welcoming newlyweds

Meeting for the Slavs was of great importance. She united two loving hearts, kindled new feelings and was the basis for the formation of a new family.

Then a meeting between the parents of the bride and groom took place, and it was called matchmaking. In Russia, this custom preceding the wedding has practically not been preserved, but in European countries it is still observed. In general, the West is more patriarchal in this regard.

After matchmaking, the bride and groom meet as almost spouses. The future husband first buys his betrothed, and then gets the opportunity to see her. This is also a significant moment, and in Slavic traditions it was of great importance. After the ransom, the young must go to church, where the wedding will take place, and according to modern culture - at the registry office, where the marriage will be registered.

And only then does the main meeting take place. It is also surrounded by many beliefs and originates from very ancient ideas. The ritual is called the meeting of the newlyweds, and it takes place on the threshold of the house of the newly-made spouse.

Many ancient ideas are associated with it, now almost forgotten. After the marriage, the husband and wife go to the spouse's new place of residence - the spouse's house. Their parents meet them at the door with bread and salt. The choice of attributes is also not accidental. In ancient times, bread was a symbol of fertility and prosperity, and salt, which was extremely difficult to obtain, was a symbol of wealth.

The meeting of the young people was noisy and joyful. She was accompanied by parting words and congratulations. But the most important thing was to break off a piece of the loaf. Whoever did it better was considered to be the main one in the new family. Naturally, everyone expected this from the groom. After all, a man should lead the family.

A meeting of young people is a wish for good and prosperity, a joyful moment, and an invitation to the table. Then the wedding feast began, during which it was also necessary to observe a huge number of customs. But the most important thing awaited the spouses ahead: their wedding night. Now the tradition is no longer relevant, but before it was of great importance. The next morning, the husband was obliged to present proof of his wife’s innocence: a sheet with blood. And if the wife turned out to be dishonest, this brought great shame on her entire family.

For the Slavs, the meeting had a sacred, very deep and important meaning. After all, according to the beliefs of our ancestors, nothing in this world happened for nothing. And since the two met, it means that the spirits wanted it that way. And their decision must be honored and respected.

Rituals and signs are of great importance today. All modern life has flowed from what came before. That is why all these events: twinning, giving parental blessings, meeting young people and many others are still so carefully preserved and protected.

This is a history that is important to cherish and remember. It is extensive and general, which is confirmed by the marriage rites of Europe, which are practically indistinguishable from ours.

Today, many Russian wedding traditions are observed in a “simplified” form, but still occupy an important place in the wedding celebration.

New fashionable traditions are also emerging, such as outdoor wedding registration.

The cultures of different countries have mixed, many wedding traditions have been borrowed, “modernized” and today are successfully observed by our newlyweds.

In any case, wedding traditions were observed by our ancestors and are observed by us in order to open the path to a happy family life for the newlyweds in such a symbolic way. It is also interesting to know what wedding traditions exist in other countries.

Engagement and betrothal are an important modern wedding tradition

When a couple decides to officially marry, they are considered engaged. The groom proposes to the bride and in honor of this gives her an engagement ring, which she wears on the ring finger of her right hand.

Essentially, an engagement is a formal announcement to relatives that a couple is going to get married.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties are part of modern wedding traditions

Before the wedding, the bride and groom separately celebrate the last day of “free life.” Today hen parties and bachelor parties are fun events, with jokes and congratulations from close friends of the bride and groom.

Bride ransom is an old wedding tradition that has survived to this day.

One of the most fun and interesting events at a wedding, where the groom has to go through various kinds of tests on his way to the bride.
Previously, this ritual was performed so that the groom would buy his future wife from her relatives. Today the groom has to ransom the bride from her bridesmaids, who conduct the ransom.

We bring to your attention a very original bride ransom scenario, which should appeal not only to the bride and groom, but also to the guests of the party.

Exchange of wedding rings is the main ritual of a modern wedding

This tradition came to us from ancient Rome. It was believed that by putting rings on the ring finger of the left hand, lovers thus put a seal on each other’s hearts, which will always keep love in their hearts. The wedding ring is worn along with the engagement ring.

Showering rice, rose petals, coins, sweets - an ancient wedding tradition

There is a deep sacred meaning hidden in this ritual. During the times of worship of pagan gods, the path along which the newlyweds walked was sprinkled with flower petals to appease the goddess of fertility. Rice and money, which were thrown at the feet of the young, signified prosperity and a prosperous life. Many nations use this beautiful ritual. Nowadays, the function of “showers” ​​is, as a rule, performed by all those invited to the wedding; they shower the newlyweds as they leave the registry office.

The newlyweds' dance is the most touching wedding tradition

It turns out that the tradition of the first wedding dance of newlyweds came to us with the accession of the great sovereign Peter I to the throne; in those days, a ball was an integral part of the wedding celebration. The newlyweds opened the ball in honor of their marriage.
Today, the classic waltz is gradually fading into the background, and instead, newlyweds delight guests with staged dances in which they tell the story of their relationship. Sometimes friends, witnesses, etc., invited to the wedding, participate in the wedding dance of the bride and groom. Nowadays, a wedding dance is often a unique part of the celebration, in which the bride and groom show their creativity and surprise guests with an unusual performance.

Wedding tradition - kidnapping the bride and the shoe

This wedding tradition no longer carries such deep meaning as it used to, but is still relevant today.
Bridesmaids or groomsmen hide the bride in some secluded place. To get his newly-made wife back, the groom has to go through a series of “tests.”
The same goes for the bride's shoe. Friends agree in advance with the bride about the time her shoe will go missing. In order to return the shoe to the bride, the newlyweds' witnesses have to go through a series of comic "tests."

Throwing the bride's bouquet and removing the garter - European wedding tradition

The meaning of this tradition is probably known to everyone: it is believed that the girl who catches the bride’s bouquet will soon get married. There is another tradition associated with the bride's bouquet, which says that the bride must keep her bouquet in her house for at least a year in order for the marriage to be strong. In this regard, a duplicate of the bride’s bouquet is ordered, and it is this that the bride throws at the mercy of the girls eager to get married as soon as possible.
By analogy with throwing the bride's bouquet, the wedding garter is removed by the groom from his young wife's leg and thrown to the unmarried guests. The one who catches the wedding garter will soon become a husband himself.

Launching white doves is another modern wedding tradition borrowed from our ancestors.

White doves are considered a symbol of peace and love. It is known that these birds create a couple for life, so it is not at all surprising that these birds are a symbol of a happy and long marriage.
The flight of pigeons determines what the marriage will be like, and even what gender the first child will be. If the groom’s dove flies ahead, then a boy will be born first, and if the bride’s, then a girl.
If the pigeons were aiming high, then it is believed that the marriage will be long and strong.

Delicious modern wedding tradition - cutting the wedding cake

The cutting of the wedding cake symbolizes the newlyweds' first act together. The newlyweds, holding a knife together, cut the cake and treat their parents to the cake first. Then all the guests.
Of course, you don't have to follow every wedding tradition. Nowadays there are many options to celebrate a wedding in a bright and unusual way.

Gifts for the parents of the bride and groom

At Russian weddings, it is customary to give gifts to the bride and groom, but the bride and groom also give gifts to their future relatives.

We told you about modern wedding traditions, many of which have roots from ancient times.
Our editors wish everyone who has decided to enter into a marriage family happiness, prosperity and well-being for many years of life together!