Customs For Russian Brides To Know
The United States has many traditions when it comes to weddings. Knowing this it makes sense that other, older countries would have their own set of accepted occurrences when it comes to tying two people together. Traditional Russian weddings can be difficult to organize but for Russian brides the extra effort is worth every moment in the end.
There is no best man or maid of honor in a traditional Russian wedding. These people are called by the Russian word “svideteli” or witnesses instead. The wedding party itself can last for as little as two days but sometimes goes for even longer!
One thing that remains the same is prep time. Preparation for a traditional Russian marriage can run anywhere from one month to six months. The registration happens in a public place. For Americans it is usually a courthouse. In Russia they call these departments of public service “Zags”.
A bride who is seeking a traditional Russian wedding should look forward to gifts of bread and salt. These edible blessings come from both parents. They are considered to be a symbol of health, prosperity, and longevity.
This bread is even more important to the couple itself. Besides the blessings of their parents the bread is also a symbol of power and sharing. They each take a bite of this bread and whoever has taken the biggest bite is assumed to be the head of the family. This is a visual prop to allow them to see the give and take of marriage.
Another custom that we have in the States that is also used in the traditional Russian weddings is toasts. Toasts are where a friend or relative stands up and says something about the newly formed couple. After that a drink is shared by the entire room as a sort of well wishing.
In Russian tradition once a toast is made the glasses are thrown on the floor. If the glasses break when they hit the ground it is believed to be good luck. However, if the shards draw blood this may be considered a bad omen, so, just like in marriage you have to know when to put force, how much, and you have to take careful aim before you toss anything!
One of the most interesting customs in a traditional Russian wedding is known as Krazha Nevesty. This means “stealing the bride” and it is exactly as it sounds. That’s right; if the groom fails to watch his bride closely he may just end up without a wife.
Wedding celebrations can quickly turn into a bad nightmare for the groom if he’s not watching his woman closely. Friends and family of the groom will execute elaborate schemes in order to kidnap his bride and force him to pay a random to get her back.
There are a great many things you have to remember if you are planning to join the growing group of Russian brides. Above all the rest, though, you have to keep in mind that you are about to get married. This should be one of the happiest days of your life no matter how you celebrate it. So get out there and be happy.