Since ancient times, for all peoples and for every family, one of the significant events was a wedding, and that is why a Russian wedding is rich in customs and traditions.

IN modern world Increasingly, newlyweds are returning to traditional wedding ceremonies, for this it is necessary to get acquainted in detail with what traditions exist, what the meaning of their conduct is revealed, based on recommendations that are passed down from generation to generation.

During the time of our ancestors, the Russians wedding traditions they were very revered and given great importance to them, and not in vain, because people believed that it was precisely such rituals that would bring abundance and good to the young at home.

They came up with specially designed prayers that parents read for their children at the wedding, congratulations, conspiracies were read, they danced, sang songs and created all the necessary wedding paraphernalia long before the celebration, with their own hands.

It should be noted that the principle of conducting wedding traditions differed depending on the venue, and this affected the dishes, the outfits, and other components of the ritual.

Because of such features, wedding ceremonies in Rus' were often strange, if, for example, we consider such a rite: before the wedding, the girl must cry bitterly and refuse to marry, and after that she went to the bathhouse to perform the next rite of washing.

The bride is led down the aisle under the arms of her boyfriend, and after the wedding is over, the girl goes herself.

Also in Rus' there was another interesting custom, which was as follows: the young man carried his wife across the threshold of the house, and this was done not in order to pay attention to the bride, but to deceive the brownie, since he was considered the main owner and steward of the house.

From time immemorial, wedding traditions meant that a girl should leave her father's house and live next to her husband. And thus, the bride became a full-fledged mistress of the house and a full-fledged member of the family, where she had one more parents: the mother and father of her husband, whom both young people revered and respected.

In fact, such traditions meant that the girl died as a bride, and after marriage in the church she was reborn as the wife of her husband.

The ceremony of matchmaking according to Russian customs

A wedding in Rus' was held in several stages, and one of its most important rituals is matchmaking. For the ritual, a certain day was chosen, convenient for both parties and parents future bride, and sometimes the matchmaker, went to the house of the groom's relatives.

Matchmakers on the part of the young could be not only parents, but also his inner circle: these are uncles, coma, best friends guy.

On this day, they organized a real holiday, where fervent songs, ditties were sung, prayers and conspiracies were read, an atmosphere of fun and happiness reigned. It was necessary to prepare for the ceremony for a long time.

Despite the matchmaking scenario, where the bride's parents had to refuse to marry their daughter for the first time, both parties had already agreed on everything in advance.

In different localities, matchmaking had its own customs, which differed from each other, for example, in some districts, you first had to shake the lid of the stove well, and somewhere it was enough just to pray in front of the icon.

Usually matchmakers prepared a special text, which they learned by heart.

Marriage was divided into the following stages:

• at first, the girl's parents refused to marry, arguing that their daughter was too young;
• the ceremony could not be performed on Friday and Wednesday;
• the ritual was usually performed in the evening, so that outsiders could not jinx the young;
• if the matchmaking was successful, then all the women in the bride's house tied the dishes with a rope, this was done for the future well-being of the newly-made family.

Features of the engagement ceremony

The essence of the engagement ceremony was to announce to the whole district about the future wedding. Already after the engagement, the young could openly call themselves the bride and groom.

It was at this ceremony that the date of the wedding was decided, the necessary conditions for where the wedding would take place and other important issues regarding the celebration. The bride was interested in the dowry, and the matchmakers discussed the creation of a future family.

How our ancestors performed this ceremony:

• in aristocratic society on the day of the engagement there was a ball, and the young one gave the girl her first ring;
• ordinary people on this day arranged a less modest holiday with a laid table and ritual conspiracies;
• but in the villages everything happened with a special atmosphere, first they baked a loaf, which they gave to matchmakers, then the newlyweds were blessed by their parents, and a feast was arranged for almost the entire village.

After the engagement, it was a terrible sin to cancel the wedding. It was believed that such a sin would haunt the entire generation of the family.

From the moment of the engagement, no one dared to touch the bride, the girl sewed her dowry, did household chores, while she had to tie a scarf on her head, because she needed to “die” and be born again, already under the wing of her husband.

Today it is almost impossible to meet such a beautiful ceremony. However, young people often arrange feasts, inviting all relatives, where they announce the good news about the upcoming wedding.

Step by step preparation for the wedding

To enter into new life, the young one had to bake a loaf, which could be decorated with various figurines. The baking process was very fun and interesting, they convened almost the entire female part of the village.

An important component of the preparation for the wedding was considered a bachelorette party. On it, the bride said goodbye to her life, where she was still a very young girl. The young were braided and then untwisted hair, weaving ribbons into the braid, which were considered magical, it was customary to divide them equally between the girls for a successful marriage for each of them.

Meanwhile, the groom and his friends spent a youth party, on which he also said goodbye to his bachelor life.

Customs and traditions of the wedding itself

wedding ceremonies and traditions in Rus' were held for about a week. Usually the celebration took place in winter, because then there was no work in the field. The ceremony of matchmaking could be held at any time, but the engagement was carried out in the autumn or winter.

For the wedding, a special Russian wedding train was created. For this, on the day of the celebration, people who will ride this train came to the groom's house before dawn. It could be parents, friends, a matchmaker.

After everyone boarded the train, the carriage or cart followed the bride, and from there to the church for the wedding. An interesting fact is that the bride was not immediately given away, before that they asked for a ransom for her or came up with various tasks for the groom.

The wedding process itself took place with a special sacrament and mystery. Special meaning attached to wedding items, because they believed that they carry a magical power that can bring happiness to the young.

After the wedding, they arranged a feast for the whole world. They called the whole village to the celebration, and the holiday itself was very cheerful and provocative, many ceremonies were held for the bride and groom, the ransom of the bride, congratulations to the guests, the first dance of the young.

The newlyweds were considered full-fledged spouses after the wedding night. As a sign that the girl was innocent, in the morning they hung a canvas with red embroidery.

It was customary to end the celebration with pancakes, which the mother of the bride presented to her son-in-law. After such customs, the wedding was considered completed, and the newlyweds were waiting for a happy life together.

Rida Khasanova

It is believed that the observance of some wedding signs is given warmth and happiness in family relationships. Age-old traditions are not subject to doubt and discussion, as they are passed 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 find a compromise.

Photo of the wedding ceremony

modern wedding traditions

Traditional wedding ceremony in Russia starts with a meeting. It usually runs with . A pood of salt for a wedding for the young is prepared, as a rule, by the mother of the groom. Since Soviet times, champagne has been added to bread, although in some regions vodka is poured in the old fashioned way.

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

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

The newlyweds at the time of the marriage were surrounded by awe. According to the ideas of our ancestors, the creation of a family was the creation of a new world, where not two people unite, but the sun (groom) and 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 to bow and pray to the hearth, since it was considered the heart of the dwelling.

Fellow villagers led round dances around the hut newlyweds throughout the wedding night. So people gave blessing to the new family. Ancient superstitions and signs of happiness were clearly expressed in rich clothes. Red or gold belts at the wedding were a talisman. Later, after the holiday, if the husband was away, the wife girded herself with his wedding belt so as not to get sick.

Like the belt, the ring had the shape of a circle and signified the absence of a beginning and an end. Both were considered a symbol of fidelity, a girdle of evil, instincts or chaos.

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

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

In some provinces from the hut the groom unrolled a woven track to the bride's house. When they approached her in a wagon, she stepped only on it. This happened because their houses had images of two universes, and everything else - of the uncreated world.

Wedding in the old Slavonic style

Sometimes bonfires were laid out near the threshold. The groom and his friends jumped over the fire before going to the bride, being cleansed of everything so that the marriage takes place in innocence. Some of the customs and traditions of Russian weddings are still used in modern themed celebrations.

Wedding without traditions - interesting and unusual wedding ideas

The most popular ceremony is: the bride and groom pour black and white sand from the vessels into one container, thereby promising each other that from now on they will be one and never be able to part. The drawing, which is obtained by mixing sand of different colors, always turns out to be individual, like the fate of people.

Sand ceremony at the wedding

The next touching ceremony begins with the fact that the newlyweds write before the wedding two letters to each other. In them, young people guess the first 10 years of married life. You can specify the following:

• what common goals they share;
• what feelings they experience on the night before the wedding;
• how they are waiting for this day;
• who will drink the most at the feast;
• who will dance the most incendiary dance;
• who will say the longest toast;
• who will give the biggest bouquet;
• what they swear to each other.

Besides, messages can be added:

• attach additional letters to future children;
• add drawings;
• express feelings in verse.

The longer the letter gets, the more interesting it will be to read on the 10th wedding anniversary. Next, you need to purchase your favorite drink that will not deteriorate over such a period. 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. Taking out your favorite drink and remembering your feelings, build relationships. This idea is called the box slamming ceremony and is even recommended by psychologists.

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

A beautiful wine ceremony at a wedding is best done during registration. So the marriage will be more complete. A time capsule can become a family heirloom, a reminder of this day, and a good piece of furniture.

How to make wedding ceremonies the most relevant

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

In addition to the attribute of the bride, such as a garter, a piece of a tie is also thrown to the guests, acting as an anti-garter. The one who catches her, according to tradition, will not have time to marry in a year. Such a ceremony will be especially in demand among single men with a good sense of humor.

From the first dance of the young do not refuse even in the absence of skills, because help can be obtained from a professional. The choreographer or director will add professional movements to amateur ones. A special entourage of the room is given by the team or bright props.

The first wedding dance of the young

Another option is to perform the song as a duet. The first wedding live video is not forbidden to be 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 put a slingshot at the wedding, but there are a number of unifying ceremonies. The first thing the bride's parents should do is bless the 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 his dance with his mother and godmother. Good idea- arrange these dances in one or more of the following ways:

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

The rite of interbreeding families is called family hearth ceremony, although all guests can participate in it

To do this, candles are distributed to all married people so that everyone can pass on a piece of their family hearth and warmth to the newlyweds. The newlyweds blow out the lights and make wishes in honor of the family's first birthday.

The last candles are given by parents, they seem to give. Since ancient times, only the mother of the bride participated in the ceremony. She passed the ember from her oven to her daughter so that she would cook dinner for the first time in the new house. In modern times, the mother of the groom also joins this.

Ignition of the family hearth

The participation of parents at the son's wedding mainly takes place 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.

Thus, parents and guests express sadness about the passing of a bachelor. According to Russian traditions, invitees should meet the bride in the house of the bride or groom, and not at the restaurant. each family decides differently. You can listen to, or you can just from the bottom of your heart wish the young a good journey in the new family life.

Parents escorting the bride and groom

Asking the question of who should pay for the wedding according to tradition, one must turn to the Slavic dowry rule. Since the parents themselves agreed on the marriage, they paid for the festivities. Depending on the value acquired by the bride, the groom's parents were charged a fee. Today, in this matter, everything is individual.

Traditions for the second and third wedding day

The second day of the wedding is usually spent in nature, 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 styling and themed actions decorate the continuation of the celebration in the best way.

Traditionally, the husband and wife cook pancakes at the wedding on the second day 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 young people ride around the city that day, the tradition of blocking the road at a wedding obliges them to give delicious gifts. If you give a treat to those who could, then the couple will be able to pay off bad luck in this way. On the third day, the newlyweds open gifts, view photos and send postcards to guests. Some go to the local bridge and hang as a symbol of eternal love.

Wedding traditions of the world

Any marriage involves marriage contract in which the rights and obligations of the newlyweds can be discussed

Oriental weddings begin with the conclusion of the testimony of the parents in the mosque, in order to give sacredness to the ceremony. In Arab countries, without this paper, young people are not even settled in the same room together.

After the business part, two people who create a family have long been obliged to give their consent aloud three times. In addition, if the newlyweds reveal insincere intentions about the wedding, their marriage is considered invalid.

Therefore, the strongest bonds, as a rule, are created in the east. But in 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 harder to perceive, because in fact there is less time for communication, games and dances.

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

August 30, 2018, 19:37

Since ancient times, the Russian wedding has been one of the brightest and most unique rituals of the culture of Rus'.
Ancient chronicles, on the other hand, say that there were no common Slavic wedding traditions as such, customs were different among different tribes.
So, for example, the meadows were more respectful of marriage ties, considered them sacred, and spouses were charged with the duty of mutual respect, maintaining peace in the family.
Other tribes, such as the Drevlyans, the northerners simply kidnapped the girls they liked, including from other tribes, and without performing any rituals began to live with them.
Polygamy was also not uncommon in those days.

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wedding ceremonies

Gradually, the religion and life of the ancient Slavs became more complicated, more and more new deities and traditions appeared, new rites were borrowed. In general, over time, mores became softer, primitive savagery gave way to civility, albeit peculiar. The kidnapping of the bride is still preserved, but it has become more of a rite, which, as a rule, took place by agreement of the parties.

Most wedding traditions, such as throwing rice or breaking a wedding cake, go back a long way.

Wedding traditions are divided into several stages. These are pre-wedding customs, which include acquaintance, the bride's bride. Then, in wedding traditions, pre-wedding preparations can be distinguished: matchmaking, bachelorette party. Then traditionally there are wedding ceremonies - the ransom of the bride, the wedding, the wedding festivities. But apart from these wedding traditions, we can also recall more "ancient" customs. So, for example, a very interesting wedding tradition is to pass on an engagement ring from generation to generation: from mother to daughter or from father to son. In addition, wedding traditions depend on the area and category of the population. But the commonality of wedding traditions and wedding ceremonies different peoples exists.

Every nation has many wedding traditions, rituals and signs, because marriage is one of the most important moments in life.

In the past, young people got married very early.

A single life, judging by the proverbs, did not represent much charm:

Not married - not a man

Single - half a person,

God help the unmarried, and the mistress will help the married,

The family is at war, and the lonely one is grieving,

Not the one who is happy with her father, but the one who is happy with her husband,

With him grief, and without him - twice.

How were the old weddings in ancient Rus'

Before going to church, the bride and groom were put on fur. Matchmakers combed their hair, wetting the comb in wine or strong honey. Then they were showered with hops or grain with money, after which the marriage candles were lit with an Epiphany candle.

Until the 18th century, that is, before the innovations of Peter the Great, the old wedding customs were observed by everyone, including the upper strata of society. Since the 18th century the folk rite begins to be supplanted in high society by the all-European "polites".

The old pre-revolutionary rite consisted of three main cycles: pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding, which was the same for all classes. With the strictest observance of customs, the first cycle included matchmaking, inspection of the house, a bachelorette and bachelor party, ritual washing of the bride and groom in a bath (before the wedding).

The second cycle - the collection of the wedding train, the arrival of the groom for the bride, the meeting of the young parents in the house, the bringing of the dowry, the ceremonies after the wedding night, etc. The wedding feast occupied the central place.

The third, final, cycle included "retractions" - visits by young people to their closest relatives.

The wedding ceremony was the same for almost every Russian - from the grand dukes to the last subject. Otherwise, the marriage rites of Rus' differed for each class. The variety of rituals and superstitions made a village wedding different from a city one, a noble one from a merchant wedding, etc. They were united by one thing - each set of rituals was aimed at ensuring harmony, wealth and offspring in the family.

Matchmaking in Rus'

Previously, it was customary to marry in Rus' early. Often the newlyweds were no more than 13 years old. The groom's parents chose the bride, and young people could find out about the wedding when preparations for it were already in full swing.

Nowadays, most families are formed according to mutual love, and the right of choice belongs to the young people entering into marriage, therefore, matchmaking, as in the old days, with matchmakers, dowry agreements, a deposit and other conditions, now practically does not exist. But even now, according to the rules of etiquette, a young man must come to the bride's house and ask her parents to marry the girl to him. And this is already a tribute to the traditions of Rus' - in fact, the groom does not ask for permission, but a kind of approval of their union.

Collusion

According to an old tradition, after the matchmaking, an agreement follows. The parties agreed on the costs of the wedding, on gifts, dowry, and the like. All this took place in the bride's house, where a meal was prepared.

Bachelorette and bachelor party

On the eve of the wedding, the bride always invited her friends to visit. They went to the bathhouse, washed themselves, and then combed their hair. It was customary to depict the groom and the future family life of the bride in black colors, as this symbolized both the bride's farewell to her friends and the girl's life, and a talisman against damage.

The bachelor party is a rather late tradition. The old Russian bridegroom went to the bath alone, and the custom ordered him, on the contrary, to be silent. But gradually the bachelor party also became a tradition.

ransom

The morning of the wedding day used to begin with the lamentations of the bride and the performance of various rituals from the evil eye in the groom's house, and when the groom and the matchmakers came for the bride, a fun ceremony of redemption began, which many newlyweds love to this day. Girlfriends ask the groom and his assistant-witness difficult questions, make riddles, or simply say:

We won't give up, we'll help out! Let's drive it out or let them give a ransom.

The groom must answer all the questions, solve riddles and give the bridesmaids money or sweets.

Sometimes bridesmaids simply hide the bride's wedding shoes and demand a ransom for them too.

feast

Previously, at the entrance, the newlyweds were always met by a mother who sprinkled her son and daughter-in-law with oats and millet - for a charm and wealth. Then the parents had to cheer the newlyweds with bread and salt. In ancient times, the parents themselves baked bread. The custom of breaking off or cutting off pieces of bread to tell fortunes has survived to this day. Previously, they guessed at children - who would be born first, a boy or a girl, and how young people would manage their income.

Wedding night in ancient Rus'

The wedding day ended with seeing off the young to rest, usually to the bathhouse, to the hayloft or even to the barn. This was done in order to keep the place of their first bedchamber secret and to protect them from the evil eye and evil slander.

That is why even now many couples sometimes unconsciously strive to spend their wedding night not at home - in a luxury hotel, on a yacht, or simply in a new apartment where there is no one else.

Previously, the husband took his wife in his arms and brought him into the house in order to deceive the brownie: supposedly the wife is not a stranger from another kind, but a born baby.

The history of the Russian people is very interesting and completely forgotten in vain. We invite you to learn about wedding ceremonies and traditions that were held in ancient Rus' and were part of the wedding ritual, and today they are successfully forgotten or remade in a new way.

Matchmaking

Matchmaking is not only the unexpected arrival of the groom, accompanied by relatives, to the bride's house in order to woo in an allegorical form (to show oneself and see the goods). Matchmaking was the starting point from which the rebirth of the main participants in the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom, literally began. From the very moment of wooing, a restriction on movement was imposed on the bride (conspiracy), her living space was sharply narrowed to the limits of the parental home. If the girl did go out, it was only accompanied by her friends and, in fact, only to invite guests to the wedding. The bride was also removed from all household chores, became incapacitated. This is how the gradual “dehumanization” took place, which is necessary for the birth of a new person, already a family one.

Smotriny

Two or three days after the matchmaking, the groom and his close relatives again come to the bride’s house, now to the bride, during which the girl must show herself in all her glory and demonstrate all her skills and abilities, just like the groom who flaunts in front of by all those gathered. After that, the groom's mother closely examines and evaluates the bride's dowry. Everything that happens is necessarily accompanied by songs and lamentations, most often performed by the bridesmaids. However, the girl could refuse to marry without going out to the groom.

handshake

Shortly before the scheduled day of the wedding, a handshake or a binge took place, an event that finally sealed the agreement on the wedding. After the handshake, the refusal of the wedding was impossible. The bride and groom were seated side by side at the table and praised in songs that were sung by the bridesmaids.

And what do the bride and groom themselves do? The bride does not talk, but laments, and in some houses she even calls the wrecker, which “howls”, that is, she performs the laments, and the bride groans and cries. And, despite the visible activity of the groom, his constant movements (he comes to the bride’s house almost every day after the handshake for “visiting”, “kissing”, “seeing”), he nevertheless remains passive: the matchmakers speak and do everything for him, relatives, friends.

hen-party

Has this rite disappeared too? The fact is that a bachelorette party in Rus' is not only a farewell gathering of the bride with her friends on the eve of the wedding, but also the production of “beauty” (“will”), braiding, washing the bride in a bath, destroying or transferring “beauty” to a friend or groom. Girlish "beauty" is the last thing that connects the bride with her girlhood. It could be a tow, a tree decorated with ribbons and patches, a wreath, a scarf. After the “beauty” was made, it was burned or the bride distributed it to close friends. Whatever the object symbolizing “beauty”, it is invariably associated with the head, or rather with hair, and hair is a kind of personification of girlish beauty, will. With the destruction or distribution of "beauty", the girl allegorically lost her girlhood.

Also, the bride could cut off her braid and pass it to the groom. And the ritual bathing in the bathhouse finally completed the process: the bride became: “neither alive nor dead”, and in this state she was handed over to the groom, arranged by bargaining, and the bride and her friends resisted with all their might.

Young woman's hairstyle

Immediately after the wedding, the bride was given a haircut by a young woman: they braided two braids and covered her head with a scarf, or immediately “twisted it like a woman”: the hair braided in two braids was twisted at the back of the head into a bun, and a married woman’s headdress was put on top (povoynik, glasses, basting) . From that moment on, only the husband could see the bride's hair: appearing with an uncovered head to an outsider was tantamount to treason, and tearing off a woman's headdress was an insult. A change in hairstyle means the girl’s transition to the power of her husband, and also represents the formation of a new image of a person, his rebirth in a new status. The girl begins to “come to life”: the ability to move independently returns to her, as well as the ability to do everything with her own hands: the bride, entering the house, begins to actively explore its space, throws rye, puts down a cow, throws a belt, etc.

"The Revealing of the Bride"

A special ceremony was dedicated to the "revealing" of the bride, when the young came from under the crown to the groom's house. This ceremony was endowed with a double meaning: for the bride, it meant the return of vision; the bride, continuing to revive, now looked at everything with different eyes, and for the groom it was a kind of recognition of her beloved, since she was now different. In some details of the ceremony, an erotic meaning is read when the bride is “opened”: the father-in-law or boyfriend lifts the hem with a whip, tong, pie or stick. Or they put a pie without filling on the bride’s head, symbolizing a child, and wrapped it in a scarf, put it in a closet, where the young people first ate separately from everyone, and then spent their wedding night. In some areas, it was customary to arrange a bed for newlyweds in a cage or barn, which is associated with the idea of ​​​​fertility, childbearing.

"Bends"

"Take offs" (joint visit of the young by the bride's parents) marks the end of the wedding as a special state for all its participants. This element of the wedding ceremony is especially important for the bride, who arrives for a short time and as a guest, which emphasizes the irreversibility of all the transformations that happened to her during the wedding. However, there are other data about the connection of the bride with her home. For example, in the Voronezh province, during the first year of marriage, a young woman lived with her mother and was engaged in spinning for her future needs.

For a long time, it is the wedding that is considered the most important event in life. Our ancestors created a family, adhering to traditions and strictly observing special rules. Echoes of the wedding ritual traditions of Rus' are also present in modern marriage.

The traditions of the wedding ceremonies of the Slavs date back more than one century: our ancestors followed the rules very carefully. 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, in Rus', passed down from generation to generation.

Wedding rites of the ancient Slavs

For our ancestors, the wedding ceremony was an extremely important event: they approached the creation of a new family very responsibly, hoping for the help of the Gods and fate. The word "wedding" itself consists of three parts: "swa" - heaven, "d" - an act on earth and "ba" - blessed by the Gods. It turns out that historically the word "wedding" stands for "an earthly act blessed by the Gods." From this knowledge, the ancient wedding rites originated.

Entry into family life is always primarily aimed at the continuation of a healthy and strong family. That is why the ancient Slavs imposed several restrictions and prohibitions on creating a new couple:

• the age of the groom must be at least 21 years old;
• the age of the bride is not less than 16 years;
• the family of the groom and the family of the bride should not be related by blood.

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

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

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: the men led the circle “salting” - in the direction of the sun, and the girls - “anti-salting”. Thus, both round dances went with their backs to each other.

At the moment of convergence of the dancing guys and the girl who collided with their backs, they were taken out of the round dance: it was believed that the Gods brought them together. Subsequently, if the girl and the guy were in love with each other, the bride was arranged, the parents got to know each other, and if everything was in order, the date of the wedding was set.

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

First of all, the wedding dress spoke about the symbolic death of the bride for a kind: 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 being in the world of the dead. It could only be removed during the wedding feast, when the blessing of the Gods over the young had already been completed.

Preparing for wedding day for both the groom and the bride, it began the night before: the bridesmaids went with her to the bathhouse for a ritual bath. Under 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 kind, whom she was leaving.

On the morning of the wedding day, the groom sent the bride a gift that meant the fidelity of his intentions: a box with a comb, ribbons and sweets. From the moment the gift was received, the bride began to change clothes and prepare for the wedding ceremony. While dressing and combing, the friends 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 less they would be shed during married life.

Meanwhile, the so-called wedding train was gathering in the groom's house: wagons in which the groom himself and his team went to fetch the bride with gifts to her friends and parents. The richer the groom's family, the longer the train should be. When all the preparations were completed, the train went to the bride's house with 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" of the bride.

After the groom passed all the checks and got the opportunity to see the bride, the wedding train, together with the young, the squad and relatives, was sent to the temple. They always went to him on a long road, covering the bride’s face with a thick veil: it was believed that at that time future wife half is in the world of Navi, and it was impossible for people to see her "fully alive".

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

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

In addition, within six months of family life new family, after evaluating the gift of each guest, she had to pay a return visit and give the so-called “gift” - a return gift worth more than the guest’s gift. By this, the young family showed that the guest's gift went for the future, 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 rites.

Russian folk wedding ceremonies

With the advent of Christianity in Rus', wedding ceremonies have changed radically. For several decades, the ceremony 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 the marriage union was not considered valid without a church wedding, the wedding ceremony consisted of two parts: a church wedding and a ritual part, a feast. "Magic" was not encouraged by the highest church ranks, but for some time the clergy participated in the "non-wedding" wedding part.

Just like the ancient Slavs, in the tradition of the Russian folk wedding, traditional customs were preserved for a long time: matchmaking, bride and collusion. At the general bridegroom, held at 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 was to announce the intentions of the groom's family, the second was to look at the bride's family, and the third was to get consent.

In the event of a successful matchmaking, bride-to-be was appointed: the bride's family came to the groom's house and inspected the household, making a conclusion: will their daughter live well here. If everything was in order and met their expectations, the bride's parents accepted the invitation to share the meal with the groom's family. In case of refusal, the matchmaking was terminated.

If the bride-to-be was successful, then the groom's parents came with a return visit: they personally got acquainted with the bride, observed her housekeeping skills 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 appear in all her outfits, to show how good she is as a hostess and companion. The groom also had to show his best qualities: on the evening of the "third look" the bride in most cases had the right to refuse the groom.

If the young people were able to please each other and did not object to the wedding, their parents began to discuss the material costs of the wedding of their children, the size of the dowry of the bride 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 hands”, that is, they sealed the contract with a handshake.

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

On the day of the wedding, the bridesmaids dressed her in a wedding dress to lament about her girlish cheerful life. The bride had to constantly cry, seeing off her girlhood. Meanwhile, the groom with friends came to 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 young people went to church: the groom and his friends set off noisily and with songs, and the bride went separately, on a long road, without attracting special attention. The groom certainly had to arrive at the church first: in this way, the future wife avoided the stigma of the “abandoned bride”.

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

After the wedding was over, the couple 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 for a short time 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 nevertheless retained many of the ritual moments of ancient weddings.

Ancient wedding ceremonies

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