Russian Wedding Traditions...

When planning your wedding day, you may like to find out more about the traditions of your family and culture. It would also make the wedding extra special for your family to see the traditions they and their ancestors observed being observed at your wedding.

When a Russian groom proposes to his bride, he comes to her house with his close friends and family. To get his bride, the groom must pay her family ‘ransom’. After retrieving the bride, the couple then leave the house, usually in a limousine, to get their marriage registration.

A ceremony in a traditional Russian Orthodox Church can be anywhere from half an hour to two hours long. When a couple is married in Russia the traditional way, they are considered royalty for the day. The bride and groom face each other on a special carpet to recite their vows after racing each other there. It is said that the first to reach the carpet will be the head of the household.

However, this traditional Russian ceremony is not considered official, so a civil service takes place as well. At the entry to the registration hall the couple are greeted with bread and salt by their parents as a sign of health, prosperity and a long life.

After the ceremony where the couple exchanged ‘I Dos’ and signed the registry book, the new couple and their close friends and family take a tour of the city in a limousine. The tour takes in historic sites while the couple and their guests take pictures and drink champagne.

A Russian wedding reception is a huge event, usually lasting for two days. The first day of celebrations includes an abundance of Russian music, food and dancing. At the beginning of this reception, a close friend or family member makes a toast to the bride a groom. After the toast, the guests throw their champagne glasses to the ground. It is considered good luck if the glasses break.

The second day of a Russian wedding reception includes even more drinking, singing and eating, where the only rule is, it must be more fun than the day before.