What Are The Traditions Of ‘Russian Women Marriage’?
Monday, June 21st, 2010If you are interested in ‘Russian women marriage’ customs, this article will be of interest. Although Russian weddings have recently become more westernized, there are still a number of cultural traditions that remain in place. For example, it is very rare to see bridesmaids, flower girls or a best man at a Russian wedding.
There is no engagement as such. If a man wants to marry a woman, he simply asks her and that’s it. There is no engagement ring to mark the occasion and only very close family members and friends are informed about the proposal. An honorable man may give his bride-to-be flowers, but this is not obligatory.
The ceremony will be held between one and three months later. It all depends when the Department of Registrations has available dates. The couple will be married by a marriage registrar. A written letter of request has to be submitted to the Department. When this has been received, the couple will be given a list of available dates.
After this application has been made, the couple is then referred to as the bride and groom. When it comes to planning the ceremony, there is not a lot of fuss. The most important things are the rings, the bride’s dress, the bridal car and the reception. Items like invitations, flowers, bridesmaids’ dresses and music are not important.
There is no such thing as an engagement ring. The only rings exchanged are those at the wedding ceremony. The couple will shop together for the rings, but the groom must pay. This is a mandatory custom.
The rings are usually plain gold wedding bands. They do not contain stones or diamonds. In Russia, married people wear their wedding bands on the right hand, not the left. The ring is worn on the third finger next to the pinky. If someone in Russia wears a ring on his or her left hand, it means they are divorced or widowed.
If the family can afford it, many cars will be used at the ceremony. Large black cars are the favorite. This shows that the family has wealth and status. For the bride alone, there is often more than one car. As many cars as possible will be used.
The wedding ceremony, called ‘brakosochetanie’, is conducted by a registrar at the Department of Registrations. The number of friends and relatives in attendance will depend on the number of cars in use. If there are just a few cars, only immediate family and a few close friends will attend the ceremony.
When planning the reception, the main concern is that enough liquor is available. Everyone is expected to get inebriated at the wedding reception. Should a person pass out because of over-indulgence, this is quite acceptable. No-one will be surprised or shocked. It is also essential that there is an abundance of food.
Some receptions can continue for two days. The celebration will continue until the alcohol stock is depleted. Sometimes, a reception can carry on for a week. Again, the family will be pleased because this shows that they were able to supply plenty of alcohol. To learn more about traditional weddings in this part of the world, search the internet for ‘Russian women marriage’.