Russian Brides: What Wedding are they Dreaming of?
Table of content:
- Importance of the Wedding Day for Russian Brides
- Russian Wedding in Olden Days
- Components of the Modern Russian Wedding
- The Way Russian Brides Look
- Some Historical Facts about Russian Bride Clothing
- Wedding Ceremony
- Wedding “Afterparty” or Holiday Feast
- Honeymoon with Russian Wife
- Some More Wedding Ideas Russian Brides Wish to Realize
- As a Summary
What is the most significant point for Russian brides? The answer is quite plain to see. It is the best wedding in the world, you know. Strong relations and registered marriage being of great importance for almost every girl, they wish to have an impressive event this very day.
Importance of the Wedding Day for Russian Brides
Russian culture being based on family values and generation traditions, a fine husband and cozy home are Russian ladies’ ardent desires. When dating they enjoy romantic atmosphere, cordiality and affection, their partners favors. And the brightest thing a girl is dreaming of this time is her lover’s proposal. A foreigner should know that it is not some kind of execution for him but only a serious step into a future family life.
According to the statistics, 33% of Russian brides get married when being 18-24 years old.
Being of this age they are sure to wish getting vivid impressions, outstanding colorful merrymaking, fairytale-like atmosphere and everything of the type.
Speaking of a Russian woman golden dream wedding must be set from its historical traditions.
Russian Wedding in Olden Days
Ancient customs suggested that a girl should marry at about 12. There was no word about mutual respect and love, the parents choosing the pair for the children.
But exceptions also happened to be. A male could ask the matchmakers to effect a “deal” between him and his loving girl’s father. If they had come to the agreement a happy couple would get married.
The wedding could last from 3 days to a week as there were a great number of family members to celebrate the occasion with. A significant part of the ceremony was assigned to the bride’s ransom and a church marriage service going after.
“There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage” Martin Luther
Components of the Modern Russian Wedding
A modern wedding differs much from ancient one but, anyway, common points present. So a man has proposed marriage and a girl has accepted it, after that the wedding preparations start. They may take from 1 month to even half a year.
The average age the couple gets married varies from 25 to 34.
As a rule, a great scale event is wished by Russian brides. Recently in big cities this day organization resembles European ceremonies in increasing frequency, including bridal showers and bachelor parties, outer registration, special photo sessions and what not. But in small towns mostly common national traditions are kept up.
It should be said that it makes no matter what variant is chosen, there are some so-to-say canonic components of the wedding each Russian bride is dreaming of. Everything must be beautiful and well-thought-out. It is a key element.
The Way Russian Brides Look
Traditionally a Russian bride chooses a white wedding dress, fashionable and princess-looking.
The marriage registration being not the first one for her she prefers clothing of another color. But it is still an evening dress or a nice gala outfit. Sometimes eccentric couples take on jeans and t-shirts or something resembling swimsuits instead of classical wedding variants. Fortunately, it happens very rarely.
One more idea to be mentioned is a dress-code if so desired by the bride, when the wedding being a special thematic event. It usually takes place if the girl in tandem with the wedding attendant has created some original scenario of the celebration.
Besides, all jewelry, footwear and other accessories must perfectly suit the whole image of the Russian bride.
Professional hairdo and make up, manicure and other details of the appearance are taken into consideration as well, putting into the wedding list during the process of preparing.
Some Historical Facts about Russian Bride Clothing
Unlike with the modern time in days past white-colored clothes were worn during mourning occasions and wedding dress was made in red, associated with joy and holiday. It consisted of a pinafore and some kind of a blouse, beautifully decorated with embroidery. There was a flower wreath, or a ribbon later, to be put on the head. Then it was replaced with a famous kokoshnik.
The 16th century gave the birth to wedding accessories made of metals, gold, silver, iron.
Since about the 17-18th centuries Russian wedding fashion had been changing, resembling more and more European one. The red color wasn’t obligatory any more, white dresses of different cuts began to replace it.
Wedding Ceremony
As you could understand, the wedding day is sure to be complicated, full of special moments. The first part of it consists of the following points.
- The bride purchasing (or ransom). In the wedding morning, when the bride has just finished all the dressing preparations, the groom and his friends coming to her house must pass some tests, offered by the girl’s friends and relatives. If not passing he gives a token payment to get to his beloved.
- The official marriage registration. There are two variants of this procedure. The first one is organized in Civil Registry Office, and the second means an outer session, held by a registry assistant. Recently, especially in summer warm and sunny days, these outer sessions become more and more popular.
- Church wedding ceremony. This step being quite serious not so many couples, chiefly international, make their mind to take it. Though Russian brides will not stop dreaming of it, such a ceremony considered to be the most significant from all.
Later on the time of entertainment comes. After being registered the couple is having photo sessions, walking to some memorial places or ones symbolizing a future happy life, or just continuing the celebration if an outer session has been planned.
Wedding “Afterparty” or Holiday Feast
It stands to reason that Russian brides wish to have a luxurious end of the wedding day as well. That is why some kind of a feast is organized in a restaurant or café. It depends on the mood if the event occurs to be crowded with a special attendant or just a simple celebration in a close group of friends and parents.
It may be the time of great joy and entertainment, plenty of presents and a grand banquet to satisfy all the guests, or a cozy but memorable gathering of a newborn family.
The celebration is traditionally finished with bride’s bouquet throwing for observing the object of the next marriage.
“The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time” Julia Child
Honeymoon with Russian Wife
The description of the golden dream wedding won’t be fully-fledged without a couple of words about the honeymoon. Every Russian lady wishes to have a romantic restful period, filled with her husband favors, tenderness and love. The best idea here is to change the scenery.
Some women like going to tropical islands, Maldives or the Dominican Republic. On the contrary, the others prefer European countries and luxurious hotels. Anyway, this point is always discussed during the wedding preparations.
Some More Wedding Ideas Russian Brides Wish to Realize
There are some more pleasant traditions to follow during the celebration:
- To organize matchmaking before the wedding, visiting the lady’s parents.
- To arrange a wedding city tour, renting a limousine.
- To perform the 2nd day of the wedding, when all the friends and newly-weds gather to make a picnic, garden-party or barbeque, some event in the open air.
As a summary
Looking through this saturated article you may make a conclusion that Russian brides are picky and whimsical. But it is not really so. The wedding being of great importance for a young woman, she is sure to dream of the best things and the best ceremony, staying a princess from a fairy-tale in her thoughts. It may be explained by the traditions kept in the country and Russian set of mind.
The main point a foreigner should remember that if Russian girl really loves him and want to create a family, she can make compromise and agree to make a homely minimalistic celebration.
