Added: 11/27/2005 |
Russian Brides Have A Lot To Plan ForSince a traditional Russian wedding reception lasts for two full days, russian brides planning a traditional wedding Russian style, whether it is a st. Petersburg wedding or a marriage in the countryside, have a lot to do and think about. Russian brides and grooms and their families engage in a long series of traditional behaviors during this epic reception party. However, the wedding ceremony itself is not as detailed in Russia as it is in many other places in the world.
Russian brides and grooms must undergo a civil marriage, which usually consists of a small ceremony of a few very important relatives and friends of the couple. This civil service is an intimate affair, very different from the sprawling church weddings popular across much of Europe, for example. However, even this intimate ceremony is surrounded by traditions carried out by Russian brides and grooms and their families. Russian brides and grooms start the day of their wedding Russian style far apart, each surrounded by their own family and sometimes a few friends. The Russian brides wait while the Russian groom spends the day trying to get to her. Her family and friends will do everything they can to try and stop him from reaching his goal, with tactics ranging from blocking the halls of his apartment building until he correctly answers trivia questions to hiding his car keys and other such pranks. Russian brides must be sure before they plan to marry that their groom is up to such a challenging series of tasks!
Once Russian grooms make it to their Russian brides, the whole wedding party heads to the site of their civil ceremony by train. The bride and groom must ride in separate train cars for the trip, each surrounded by their own families. The wedding ceremony itself isn't anywhere near as spectacular as the traditions that surround it, but is meant to be an intimate moment shared by the couple. When the ceremony is complete, the couple embarks on a tour of the city where they have been married. This tour is not a traditional site-seeing tour, but is made up of visitations to graves of soldiers who have died in service. For two or three hours, the couple tours st. Petersburg if it is a Petersburg wedding, or whatever city is nearest to the site of their civil ceremony, putting flowers on the graves of Russian soldiers killed in war. The couple does this essentially alone, accompanied only by the two friends or family members who served as their legal witnesses during the ceremony.
After this somber afternoon, the Russian bride and groom arrive at their reception, where the two days of revelry and gustatory indulgence begin. First, the parents of the couple toast the newlyweds, then everybody else does. After each toast, the couple kisses to "sweeten the wine" which all will drink. Along with the numerous toasts, there is plenty of dancing, and unique traditional games, including one wherein the groom's friends playfully kidnap the bride and make the groom pay a ransom to get her back.
Russian etiquette demands that anyone and everyone who wishes to attend this first night of the wedding reception will be welcomed, making for a big, festive party. The second day is more intimate, and reserved for close friends and family only. This epic series of traditions really allows the newlyweds to begin their life in a memorable fashion.
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