Свадьба чей праздник это

Процедура знакома многим, если не по личному опыту, то по опыту близких людей или просто понаслышке.

Свадебное торжество в той или иной мере регламентировано — есть юридические нормы, национальные традиции, есть модные течения, многочисленные заимствования из других культур, есть личные предпочтения и давление со стороны… В целом большинство свадеб довольно типичны — сборы, выкуп, регистрация, прогулка, банкет, некоторые пункты в произвольной последовательности.

Лично у меня возникает справедливый вопрос: что из всего этого делается для молодых, а без чего, в общем-то, они могли бы запросто обойтись?

Зачастую одним из основных ориентиров в подготовке к свадьбе оказываются вовсе не жених и невеста, а гости. Составить список приглашенных оказывается далеко не так просто, как хотелось бы. Не позовешь родственников, живущих где-нибудь за Полярным кругом, которых ты, возможно, даже не видел — может выйти нехорошо и некрасиво, если на этом настаивают все прочие родственники, которых ты видишь значительно чаще. Позовешь приятеля по институту, но не выделишь место для его девушки, с которой вы не знакомы, а то и вовсе на ножах, приятель засомневается, так ли сильно он нужен на вашем празднике. Позовешь одного — другие обидятся, а кто-то из гостей на свадьбе, возможно, на дух не переносит кого-то из числа других приглашенных.

И молодые сидят, ломают голову, спорят, вычеркивают имена, потом снова вписывают, а бюджет мероприятия всё разбухает, банкет становится всё дороже, мест в лимузине всё меньше… Хотя, если быть до конца откровенными, молодым хочется разделить свою радость только с теми, кто им по-настоящему дорог — а не с тетей по пятому колену и девушкой приятеля друга жениха.

Многие молодожены оказываются заложниками собственной свадьбы: мало того, что приходится учитывать интересы родни и друзей, пытаясь их приятно удивить и качественно развлечь, торжество превращается в необходимость кому-то что-то доказать — и чтобы платье было не хуже, чем у всех, а лучше — неудобное, но жутко дорогое; чтобы кольца поражали воображение обилием пусть небольших, но всё-таки бриллиантов; чтобы не каждый на своей машине плюс автобус-развозка, а лимузин, в котором относительно удобно, только если вас трое.

В итоге кто-то оставляет всё как есть, терпит пьяных дядей и чужих теть, в то время как кто-то другой приглашает всех желающих приобщиться к торжеству в загсе, а вместо дорогостоящего банкета летит отдыхать на Кубу или даже на Мальдивы. Ведь те, кто действительно рад и счастлив поздравить молодоженов, сделают это и так, без обязательного кормления и драк. Все же прочие остаются в своем праве, но без шанса слегка разорить молодую семью.

Перед тем, как с головой окунуться в не всегда такие уж приятные хлопоты, следует определиться, для кого устраивается этот день, и так ли важно расходовать теперь уже общий бюджет на никому ненужные демонстрации вместо того, чтобы устроить себе праздник в окружении только родных и любимых людей, а то и вовсе наедине друг с другом где-нибудь в теплых странах. Никогда не стоит приносить свое счастье в жертву стереотипам и чужим желаниям!

A wedding is a ceremony where 2 people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a couple, presentation of a gift (offering, rings, symbolic item, flowers, money, dress), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or celebrant. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers, or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony, as well as superstitious customs.

Common elements across cultures[edit]

Some cultures have adopted the traditional Western custom of the white wedding, in which a bride wears a white wedding dress and veil. This tradition was popularized through the marriage of Queen Victoria.^[1] Some say Queen Victoria’s choice of a white gown may have simply been a sign of extravagance, but may have also been influenced by the values she held which emphasized sexual purity.^[2]

The use of a wedding ring has long been part of religious weddings in Europe and America, but the origin of the tradition is unclear. One possibility is the Roman belief in the Vena amoris, which was believed to be a blood vessel that ran from the fourth finger (ring finger) directly to the heart. Thus, when a couple wore rings on this finger, their hearts were connected. Historian Vicki Howard points out that the belief in the «ancient» quality of the practice is most likely a modern invention.^[3] In the United States of America, a groom’s wedding band has not appeared until the early 20th century,^[4] while in Europe it has been part of the tradition since the ancient Romans, as witnessed by the jurist Gaius.

The exit from the wedding ceremony is also called the «send off», and often includes traditional practices, such as the newlyweds and the wedding party bowing and kissing the knees of the elders in Ethiopian weddings. The send off often includes throwing rice (a symbol of prosperity and fertility)^[5] or other seeds at the newlyweds in most of the Western world,^[6] as well as for example India^[5] and Malaysia.^[7] Despite fears of the opposite, the use of uncooked rice for this purpose is not harmful to birds.^[8] Shoe tossing in place of rice has also been used in several cultures.^[9]

The wedding ceremony is often followed by wedding reception or a wedding breakfast, in which the rituals may include speeches from a groom, best man, father of a bride and possibly a bride,^[10] the newlyweds’ first dance as a couple, and the cutting of an elegant wedding cake. In recent years traditions have changed to include a father-daughter dance for a bride and her father, and sometimes also a mother-son dance for a groom and his mother.

Traditional wedding attire[edit]

• Western dress code
  • Wedding dress (or bridal gown), a special dress worn by a bride.

  • 

    Traditional western wedding veil

    Wedding veil, popularized by Queen Victoria, was a long-held custom in which the ‘purity’ and ‘innocence’ of the bride could thwart evil spirits.

  • Morning dress, western daytime formal dress
  • White tie («evening dress» in the U.K; very formal evening attire)
  • Black tie or Evening Suit («dinner jacket» in the U.K; often referred to as a «tuxedo» in the U.S. and Canada; traditionally appropriate only for use after 6:00 p.m.
  • Stroller
  • Lounge suit
  • Non-traditional «tuxedo» variants (colored jackets/ties, «wedding suits»)
• Ao dai, traditional garments of Vietnam
• Barong Tagalog, an embroidered, formal men’s garment of the Philippines
• Batik and Kebaya, a garment worn by the Javanese people of Indonesia and also by the Malay people of Malaysia
• Dashiki, the traditional West African wedding attire
• Dhoti, male garment in South India
• Hanbok, the traditional garment of Korea
• Kilt, male garment particular to Scottish culture^[11][12][13]
• Kittel, a white robe worn by the groom at an Orthodox Jewish wedding. The kittel is worn only under the chuppah, and is removed before the reception.
• Qun Gua or Kua (裙褂 pinyin qún guà, Cantonese kwàhn kwáa), Chinese traditional formal wear. This can be in the form of a qipao or hanfu.
• Ribbon shirt, often worn by American Indian men on auspicious occasions, such as weddings, another common custom is to wrap bride and groom in a blanket
• Sampot, traditional dress in Cambodia
• Sari/Lehenga, Indian popular and traditional dress in India
• Seshweshe, a female dress worn by the Basotho women during special ceremonies. Although it has recently been adopted to men attire as well.
• Sherwani, a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia
• Shiromuku Kimono, a traditional wedding garment in Japan
• Tiara, or wedding crown, worn by Syrian and Greek couples (which are called «τα στέφανα,» which literally means «wreaths») and Scandinavian brides
• Topor, a type of conical headgear traditionally worn by grooms as part of the Bengali Hindu wedding ceremony

• Different wedding clothing around the world

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  Khmer (Cambodian) wedding in traditional outfits

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  A bride and a bridegroom in Nepal

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  Japanese bride and bridegroom

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  Wedding 1935 in Barcelona, Spain

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  Groom in the traditional dress of Bangladesh in a wedding ceremony.

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  Armenian Wedding at Khor Virap

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  Aadiwasi tribal marriage groom bride, India

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  Wedding in Turkey

Wedding music[edit]

Western weddings[edit]

Music played at Western weddings includes a processional song for walking down the aisle (ex: wedding march) either before or after the marriage service. An example of such use is reported in the wedding of Nora Robinson and Alexander Kirkman Finlay in 1878.^[14]

The «Bridal Chorus» from Lohengrin by Richard Wagner, commonly known as «Here Comes the Bride», is often used as the processional. Wagner is said to have been anti-Semitic,^[15] and as a result, the Bridal Chorus is normally not used at Jewish weddings.^[16] UK law forbids music with any religious connotations to be used in a civil ceremony.^[17]

Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D is an alternative processional.^[18] Other alternatives include various contemporary melodies, such as Bob Marley’s One Love, which is sometimes performed by a steel drum band.^[4] The Music used in modern weddings is left completely up to the Bride and Groom and it is also becoming growingly popular for couples to add their own twist to the song they walk down the aisle to. Many Brides and Grooms use songs that are sentimental or hold special value to them.

In the United States, approximately 2 million people get married each year and close to 70 million people attend a wedding and spend more than $100 on a gift.^[19]

In the United Kingdom, according to a survey, the average spend minimum spend on a wedding gift^[20] is £24.70 and the average maximum spend is £111.46. 85% of people said that they were more likely to spend more money on a person if they had a better relationship with them.

Customs associated with various religions and cultures[edit]

Christian customs[edit]

Most Christian churches give some form of blessing to a marriage, which is seen as a sacred institution in some sense, although terminology and associated theological meanings vary widely from one denomination to another: e.g., «holy matrimony,» «sacrament of marriage,» «holy ordinance of marriage,» «holy union,» and so forth.

A celebration of Holy Matrimony typically includes mutual vows or solemn promises of lifelong love and fidelity by the couple, and may include some sort of pledge by the community to support the couple’s relationship. A church wedding is a ceremony held in a church and presided over by a Christian pastor. Traditionally, Christian weddings occur in a church as Christian marriage ideally begins where one also starts their faith journey (Christians receive the sacrament of baptism in church in the presence of their congregation).^[21] Catholic Christian weddings must «take place in a church building» as holy matrimony is a sacrament; sacraments normatively occur in the presence of Christ in the house of God, and «members of the faith community [should be] present to witness the event and provide support and encouragement for those celebrating the sacrament.»^[21] Bishops never grant permission «to those requesting to be married in a garden, on the beach, or some other place outside of the church» and a dispensation is only granted «in extraordinary circumstances (for example, if a bride or groom is ill or disabled and unable to come to the church).»^[21] Marriage in the church, for Christians, is seen as contributing to the fruit of the newlywed couple regularly attending church each Lord’s Day and raising children in the faith.^[21]

Wedding ceremonies typically contain prayers and readings from the Holy Bible and reflect the church’s teachings about the spiritual significance of marriage, as well as its purpose and obligations. The wedding service often includes the reception of Holy Communion, especially in the context of Mass (as with Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism).^[22] In some traditional weddings of Western Christianity (especially Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism), a ‘care cloth’ or ‘nuptial veil’ (velatio nuptialis) «signifying a marriage yoke joining the bride and groom together» may be held over the kneeling couple during the nuptial blessing given by the priest.^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

Pre-marital counseling may be urged or required for the engaged couple.^[28] In some Christian countries or denominations, a betrothal rite, as well as the reading of banns of marriage may also be required before the wedding date.^[29]

In the Roman Catholic Church, Holy Matrimony is considered to be one of the seven sacraments, in this case, one that the spouses bestow upon each other in front of a priest and members of the community as witnesses. As with all sacraments, it is seen as having been instituted by Jesus himself (see Gospel of Matthew 19:1–2, Catechism of the Catholic Church §1614–1615). In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is one of the Mysteries and is seen as an ordination and a martyrdom. The Christian wedding ceremony of Saint Thomas Christians, an ethnoreligious group of Christians in India, incorporates elements from local Indian traditions. Protestant weddings may be elaborate (as with Lutheranism and Anglicanism) or simple (as with Baptists). For example, in the United Methodist Church, the Service of Christian Marriage (Rite I) includes the elements found in a typical Sunday service, such as hymns, prayers, and readings from the Bible, as well as other elements unique to a wedding, including taking marriage vows and an optional exchange of wedding rings, as well as a special benediction for the couple.^[30] Holy Communion may be part of the wedding service in liturgical Protestant churches (e.g., Lutheran, Anglican, or Methodist), but is rarely, if ever, found in weddings of other low-church Protestant denominations (e.g., Baptists).

A Quaker wedding ceremony in a Friends meeting is similar to any other meeting for worship, and therefore often very different from the experience expected by non-Friends.^[31]

In some Western countries, a separate and secular civil wedding ceremony is required for recognition by the state, while in other Western countries, couples must merely obtain a marriage license from a local government authority and can be married by Christian or other clergy authorized by law to do so.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry civilly in many countries, and some Christian churches in those countries allow religious marriages of same-sex couples, though some forbid it. See the article Same-sex marriage.

Hindu customs[edit]

Hindu ceremonies are usually conducted totally or at least partially in Sanskrit, the language of the Hindu scriptures. The wedding celebrations may last for several days and they can be extremely diverse, depending upon the region, denomination, and community. Mehendi ceremony is a traditional ritual in Hindu weddings, where Henna application takes place on the bride’s hands and legs, before the wedding. On the wedding day, the bride and the bridegroom garland each other in front of the guests. Most guests witness only this short ceremony and then socialize, have food, and leave. The religious part (if applicable) comes hours later, witnessed by close friends and relatives. In cases where a religious ceremony is present, a Brahmin (Hindu priest) arranges a sacred yajna (fire-sacrifice), and the sacred fire (Agni) is considered the prime witness (sākshī) of the marriage. He chants mantras from the Vedas and subsidiary texts while the couple is seated before the fire. The most important step is saptapadi or saat phere, wherein the bride and the groom, hand-in-hand, encircle the sacred fire seven times, each circle representing a matrimonial vow. Then the groom marks the bride’s hair parting with vermilion (sindoor) and puts a gold necklace (mangalsutra) around her neck. Or a yellow thread applied with turmeric is knotted around the bride’s neck 3 times at marriage. The first knot represents her obedience and respect to her husband, the second one to his parents and the third represents her respect to God. Several other rituals may precede or follow these afore-mentioned rites. Then the bride formally departs from her blood-relatives to join the groom’s family.

Jewish customs[edit]

A traditional Jewish wedding usually follows this format:^{[32][33][34][35][36]}

• Before the ceremony, the couple formalize a written ketubah (marriage contract), specifying the obligations of husband to the wife and contingencies in case of divorce. The ketubah is signed by two witnesses and later read under the chuppah (wedding canopy).
• The couple is married under the chuppah signifying their new home together. The chuppah can be made from a piece of cloth or other material attached to four poles, or a giant tallit (prayer shawl) held over the couple by four family members or friends.
• The wedding couple is accompanied by both sets of parents and they join the wedding couple under the chuppah.
  • In Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride is accompanied to the chuppah by both mothers, and the groom is accompanied to the chuppah by both fathers.
• Seven blessings are recited, blessing the bride and groom and their new home.
• The couple sip a glass of wine from a Kiddush cup.
• The groom will smash a wine glass with his right foot, ostensibly in remembrance of the destruction of the Second Temple.
  • In Reform Jewish weddings, the bride and groom can smash the wine glass together.
• At some weddings, the couple may declare that each is sanctified to the other, repeat other vows and exchange rings.
  • In Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride does not speak under the chuppah and only she receives a ring. The groom recites «Harei at mekudeshet li k’dat Moshe V’Yisrael»- «behold you are [thus] sanctified to me by the law of Moses and Israel» as he places the ring on the bride’s right index finger. The bride’s silence and acceptance of the ring signify her agreement to the marriage. This part of the ceremony is called kiddushin. The groom’s giving an object of value to the bride is necessary for the wedding to be valid.
  • In more egalitarian weddings, the bride responds verbally, often giving the groom a ring in return. A common response is «ani l’dodi, v’dodi li» (I am my beloved’s, my beloved is mine)
• In some Orthodox weddings, the groom then says:

«If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth.

If I do not remember you,

if I do not consider Jerusalem in my highest joy.»

• The ceremony ends with the groom breaking a glass underfoot.
• The couple spend their first moments as husband and wife in seclusion (apart from the wedding guests, and with no other person present). This cheder yichud – «the room of seclusion (or ‘oneness’)» halachically strengthens the marriage bond since Orthodox Jews are forbidden to be secluded with an unrelated person of the opposite sex.
• The ceremony is followed by a seudat mitzvah, the wedding meal, as well as music and dancing.
• At the conclusion of the wedding meal, Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) is recited, as well as the seven wedding blessings.

In more observant communities, the couple will celebrate for seven more days, called the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) during which the seven wedding blessings are recited at every large gathering during this time.

Islamic customs[edit]

A wedding is typically a happy time for families to celebrate. In the Middle East, there are colorful, cultural variations from place to place.^[37]

Two male witnesses who are the members of the family in most cases are required for Nikah. According to the Quran, in a married Muslim couple, both husband and wife act as each other’s protector and comforter and therefore only meant «for each other».

All Muslim marriages have to be declared publicly and are never to be undertaken in secret. For many Muslims, it is the ceremony that counts as the actual wedding alongside a confirmation of that wedding in a registry office according to fiqh. In Islam a wedding is also viewed as a legal contract particularly in Islamic jurisprudences. However, most Muslim cultures separate both the institutions of the mosque and marriage; no religious official is necessary, but very often an Imam presides and performs the ceremony, he may deliver a short sermon.^[38] Celebrations may differ from country to country depending on their culture but the main ceremony is followed by a Walima (the marriage banquet).

In Islam, polygyny is allowed with certain religious restrictions. Despite that, an overwhelming majority of Muslims traditionally practice monogamy.

It is forbidden in Islam for parents or anyone else: to force, coerce, or trick either man or woman into a marriage that is contrary to the individual will of any one of the couples. It is also necessary for all marriages to commence with the best of intentions.

Chinese customs[edit]

At traditional Chinese weddings, the tea ceremony is the equivalent of an exchange of vows at a Western wedding ceremony. This ritual is still practiced widely among rural Chinese; however, young people in larger cities, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, tend to practice a combination of Western style of marriage together with the tea ceremony.

When the bride leaves her home with the groom to his house, a «Good Luck Woman» will hold a red umbrella over her head, meaning, «Raise the bark, spread the leaves.» This «Good Luck Woman» should be someone who is blessed with a good marriage, healthy children, and husband and living parents. Other relatives will scatter rice, red beans, and green beans in front of her. The red umbrella protects the bride from evil spirits, and the rice and beans are to attract the attention of the gold chicken.^[39]

The newlyweds kneel in front of parents presenting tea. A Good Luck Woman making the tea says auspicious phrases to bless the newlyweds and their families. The newlyweds also present tea to each other, raising the tea cups high to show respect before presenting the tea to each other.

The attendants receiving the tea usually give the bride gifts such as jewelry or a red envelope.

The tea ceremony is an official ritual to introduce the newlyweds to each other’s family, and a way for newlyweds to show respect and appreciation to their parents. The newlyweds kneel in front of their parents, serving tea to both sides of parents, as well as elder close relatives. Parents give their words of blessing and gifts to the newlyweds.

Humanist weddings[edit]

While many wedding traditions and rituals have origins in religions and are still performed by religious leaders, some marriage traditions are cultural and predate the prevalent religions in those regions. Non-religious people will often want to have a wedding that is secular (not religious) in content. In order to meet this demand, secular ceremonies by carried out by humanist celebrants first developed in the 19th century. Humanists UK members pioneered humanist weddings in the 1890s, and its weddings continue to be popular with couples across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) has carried out secular ceremonies in the country since the 1980s. These have been legally recognised since 2005,^[40] and became more numerous than church weddings in 2018.^[41][42]

Humanist wedding ceremonies are carried out in a variety of countries like the U.S., Canada and recently Brazil, having legal status in only a few of these countries. Humanist celebrants are able to perform valid civil marriages and civil partnerships in the Republic of Ireland. Secular weddings are becoming more popular in Ireland due to a declining influence of the Catholic Church.^[43] Since 2015, Irish humanists have conducted more weddings than the Church of Ireland.^[44]

Types[edit]

There are many ways to categorize weddings, such as by the size or cultural traditions. A wedding may fall into several categories, such as a destination microwedding, or a civil elopement.

White wedding[edit]

A white wedding is a term for a traditional formal or semi-formal Western wedding. This term refers to the color of the wedding dress, which became popular after Queen Victoria wore a pure white gown when she married Prince Albert and many were quick to copy her choice.^[1] At the time, the color white symbolized both extravagance and virginal purity to many and had become the color for use by young women being formally presented to the royal court.^[2]

Civil wedding[edit]

A civil wedding is a ceremony presided over by a local civil authority, such as an elected or appointed judge, Justice of the peace or the mayor of a locality. Civil wedding ceremonies may use references to God or a deity (except in U.K law where readings and music are also restricted), but generally no references to a particular religion or denomination.

Civil weddings allow partners of different faiths to marry without one partner converting to the other partner’s religion.

They can be either elaborate or simple. Many civil wedding ceremonies take place in local town or city halls or courthouses in judges’ chambers.

The relevance of civil weddings varies greatly from country to country. Some countries do not provide any form of civil wedding at all (Israel and many Islamic countries), while in others it is the only legally recognized form of marriage (most countries in Latin America, Europe, and Asia). In this case civil weddings are typically either a mandatory prerequisite for any religious ceremony or religious weddings have no legal significance at all. See Civil marriage.^[45]

Destination wedding[edit]

Not to be confused with an elopement, a destination wedding is one in which a wedding is hosted, often in a vacation-like setting, at a location to which most of the invited guests must travel and often stay for several days. This could be a beach ceremony in the tropics, a lavish event in a metropolitan resort, or a simple ceremony at the home of a geographically distant friend or relative. During the recession of 2009, destination weddings continued to see growth compared to traditional weddings, as the typically smaller size results in lower costs.^[46]

Weddings held at prestigious venues such as castles or stately homes have become increasingly popular in the 21st century particularly in European countries such as the UK, France and Germany. From 2010 onwards, there has been an increase in destination weddings that are hosted in exotic places like Indonesia, Maldives, India, and Pakistan.

Destination weddings are prohibited in certain denominations of Christianity, such as the Catholic Church, which teach that Christian marriages should take place in the presence of God at church, where Christians began their journey of faith in the sacrament of baptism.^[21]

Double wedding[edit]

A double wedding is a double ceremony where two affianced couples rendezvous for two simultaneous or consecutive weddings. Typically, a fiancé with a sibling who is also engaged, or four close friends in which both couples within the friendship are engaged might plan a double wedding where both couples legally marry.

Elopement[edit]

Elopement is the act of getting married, often unexpectedly, without inviting guests to the wedding. In some cases, a small group of family or friends may be present, while in others, the engaged couple may marry without the consent or knowledge of parents or others. While the couple may or may not be widely known to be engaged prior to the elopement, the wedding itself is generally a surprise to those who are later informed of its occurrence.

Handfasting[edit]

A handfasting is an old pagan custom, dating back to the time of the ancient Celts. A handfasting was originally more like an engagement period, where two people would declare a binding union between themselves for a year and a day. The original handfasting was a trial marriage.^[47]

Highland or Scottish wedding[edit]

A Highland or Scottish wedding has the groom, with some or all of the groom’s men wear a kilt. The bride may wear a sash or other tartan clothing. The Scottish basket sword is used for any Saber Arch.

Mass wedding[edit]

A collective or mass wedding is a single ceremony where numerous couples are married simultaneously.

Microwedding[edit]

A microwedding is defined by the small number of friends and family members present. The number of guests is usually understood to be no more than 10 or 15 people including family members,^[48] although some sources will use this label for a small wedding with up to 50 guests.^[49] Compared to an elopement or a civil wedding with no guests, a microwedding is planned and announced in advance and may incorporate whatever traditions and activities the family wants to maintain, such as a wedding cake, photographs, or religious ceremonies.^[48] Although the cost per guest may be higher, the overall cost of a microwedding is usually significantly less than a large wedding.^[48][50] Microweddings gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to have a wedding event in compliance with public health restrictions.^[51][52]

Military wedding[edit]

A military wedding is a ceremony conducted in a military chapel and may involve a Saber Arch. In most military weddings one or both of the people getting married will wear a military dress uniform in lieu of civilian formal wear. Some retired military personnel who marry after their service has ended may opt for a military wedding.

Peasant wedding[edit]

A peasant wedding is a Dutch carnival custom.

Not everywhere in Limburg and Brabant is a boerenbruiloft (peasant’s wedding) part of the carnival. Especially in the northern and central part of Limburg and eastern part of North Brabant is the boerenbruiloft very often held during the carnival and is an important part of the carnival culture. Each carnival association has its own tradition concerning choosing the spouse for a wedding. Often the bride and groom are chosen by the council of eleven or by the couple that was married the year before. It is not necessary that the newlyweds are a couple in real life. It is also not necessary that the bride and groom are single. Both the bride and groom, however, should be in love during the carnival and they need to transfer their love to all the people who celebrate their wedding along with them. The highlight of the festival of the peasant wedding is the wedding and feast of the onecht (not-marriage) of the bride and groom. There are many aspects that can be found in a real-life marriage. First the engagement will be announced just as if it would be an official marriage. And both the families should learn to know each other very well in organizing the party and the ceremony, like a normal wedding. The two families prepare a piece of entertainment for the wedding.^[53] And just like a real wedding, a reception and a feast is organized where guests are asked to wear appropriate clothing. The bride and groom will often dress in wedding clothing from before 1940. The bride, for example, will often wear a poffer, which is a traditional Brabantian headdress.^[54]

Same-sex wedding[edit]

A marriage between two people of the same sex.

Shotgun wedding[edit]

A shotgun wedding is a wedding in which the groom is reluctant to marry the bride, however, is strongly encouraged to do so to avoid family, social or legal repercussions. In many cases, the bride is pregnant before the wedding and the family of the bride, most commonly the bride’s father insists that the groom marry the bride before the pregnancy becomes obvious.

Vow renewal wedding[edit]

A wedding vow renewal is a ceremony in which a married couple renews or reaffirms their wedding vows. Typically, this ceremony is held to commemorate a milestone wedding anniversary. It may also be held to recreate the marriage ceremony in the presence of family and friends, especially in the case of an earlier elopement.

Weekend wedding[edit]

A weekend wedding is a wedding in which couples and their guests celebrate over the course of an entire weekend. Special activities, such as spa treatments and golf tournaments may be scheduled into the wedding itinerary. Lodging usually is at the same facility as the wedding and couples often host a Sunday brunch for the weekend’s finale.

Wedding ceremony participants[edit]

Wedding ceremony participants also referred to as the wedding party, are the people that participate directly in the wedding ceremony itself.

Depending on the location, religion, and style of the wedding, this group may include only the individual people that are marrying, or it may include one or more brides, grooms (or bridegrooms), persons of honor, bridespersons, best persons, groomsmen, flower girls, pages, and ring bearers.

A «bride’s party» consists of those chosen to participate from her family or friends, while a «groom’s party» consists of those from his family or friends.

• Bride: A woman about to be married.
• Bridegroom or Groom: A man about to be married.
• Marriage officiant: The person who officiates at the wedding, validating the wedding from a legal and/or religious standpoint. This person may be a civil celebrant, judge, justice of the peace, or a member of the clergy. In Hindu marriages, the marriage officiant is called a pandit or Brahmin.^[55]
• Best Man, Woman, or Person: The chief assistant to a bridegroom at a wedding, typically a sibling or friend of special significance in his life. Often holds the wedding rings until their exchange.
• Mothers of a Bride or Groom^[56]
• Fathers of a Bride or Groom
• Maid, Matron or Man of Honor: the title and position held by a bride’s chief attendant, typically her closest friend or sibling.
• Bridesmaids: the female attendants to a bride. Males in this role may be called honor attendants or sometimes bridesmen, but that term has a different traditional meaning.
• Groomsmen or Ushers: The attendants, usually male, to a bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. Female attendants, such as a sister of the groom, are typically called honor attendants.
• Pages: Young attendants may carry a bride’s train. In a formal wedding, the ring bearer is a special page that carries the rings down the aisle. The coin bearer is a similar page that marches on the wedding aisle to bring the wedding coins.
• Flower girls: In some traditions, one or more children carry bouquets or drop flower petals in front of a bride in the wedding procession.

Wedding industry[edit]

The global wedding industry was worth $300 billion as of 2016. The United States wedding industry alone was estimated to be worth $60 billion as of the same year. In the United States, the wedding industry employs over one million people throughout 600,000 businesses and grows 2% each year. The industry has undergone a transition due to the increased use of technology. Bridal websites, blogs,^[57] and social media accounts have driven spending up and created new trends and traditions.^[58]

In 2016, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was estimated to be at $35,329,^[59] whereas the median cost of a wedding was around $14,399^[60] that year. According to one scholarly study of American couples, extravagant spending on weddings is associated with debt stress and short-lived marriages that end in divorce.^[61] Couples who spent less than US$10,000 on all wedding-related expenses, and who had a relatively large number of guests in attendance, were the least likely to divorce.^[61]

See also[edit]

• Wedding customs by country
• White wedding
• Wedding dress
• Wedding reception
• Wedding cake
• Elopement

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wedding Tips

• The dictionary definition of wedding at Wiktionary

A wedding is a ceremony where 2 people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a couple, presentation of a gift (offering, rings, symbolic item, flowers, money, dress), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or celebrant. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers, or readings from religious texts or literature are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony, as well as superstitious customs.

Common elements across cultures[edit]

Some cultures have adopted the traditional Western custom of the white wedding, in which a bride wears a white wedding dress and veil. This tradition was popularized through the marriage of Queen Victoria.^[1] Some say Queen Victoria’s choice of a white gown may have simply been a sign of extravagance, but may have also been influenced by the values she held which emphasized sexual purity.^[2]

The use of a wedding ring has long been part of religious weddings in Europe and America, but the origin of the tradition is unclear. One possibility is the Roman belief in the Vena amoris, which was believed to be a blood vessel that ran from the fourth finger (ring finger) directly to the heart. Thus, when a couple wore rings on this finger, their hearts were connected. Historian Vicki Howard points out that the belief in the «ancient» quality of the practice is most likely a modern invention.^[3] In the United States of America, a groom’s wedding band has not appeared until the early 20th century,^[4] while in Europe it has been part of the tradition since the ancient Romans, as witnessed by the jurist Gaius.

The exit from the wedding ceremony is also called the «send off», and often includes traditional practices, such as the newlyweds and the wedding party bowing and kissing the knees of the elders in Ethiopian weddings. The send off often includes throwing rice (a symbol of prosperity and fertility)^[5] or other seeds at the newlyweds in most of the Western world,^[6] as well as for example India^[5] and Malaysia.^[7] Despite fears of the opposite, the use of uncooked rice for this purpose is not harmful to birds.^[8] Shoe tossing in place of rice has also been used in several cultures.^[9]

The wedding ceremony is often followed by wedding reception or a wedding breakfast, in which the rituals may include speeches from a groom, best man, father of a bride and possibly a bride,^[10] the newlyweds’ first dance as a couple, and the cutting of an elegant wedding cake. In recent years traditions have changed to include a father-daughter dance for a bride and her father, and sometimes also a mother-son dance for a groom and his mother.

Traditional wedding attire[edit]

• Western dress code
  • Wedding dress (or bridal gown), a special dress worn by a bride.

  • 

    Traditional western wedding veil

    Wedding veil, popularized by Queen Victoria, was a long-held custom in which the ‘purity’ and ‘innocence’ of the bride could thwart evil spirits.

  • Morning dress, western daytime formal dress
  • White tie («evening dress» in the U.K; very formal evening attire)
  • Black tie or Evening Suit («dinner jacket» in the U.K; often referred to as a «tuxedo» in the U.S. and Canada; traditionally appropriate only for use after 6:00 p.m.
  • Stroller
  • Lounge suit
  • Non-traditional «tuxedo» variants (colored jackets/ties, «wedding suits»)
• Ao dai, traditional garments of Vietnam
• Barong Tagalog, an embroidered, formal men’s garment of the Philippines
• Batik and Kebaya, a garment worn by the Javanese people of Indonesia and also by the Malay people of Malaysia
• Dashiki, the traditional West African wedding attire
• Dhoti, male garment in South India
• Hanbok, the traditional garment of Korea
• Kilt, male garment particular to Scottish culture^[11][12][13]
• Kittel, a white robe worn by the groom at an Orthodox Jewish wedding. The kittel is worn only under the chuppah, and is removed before the reception.
• Qun Gua or Kua (裙褂 pinyin qún guà, Cantonese kwàhn kwáa), Chinese traditional formal wear. This can be in the form of a qipao or hanfu.
• Ribbon shirt, often worn by American Indian men on auspicious occasions, such as weddings, another common custom is to wrap bride and groom in a blanket
• Sampot, traditional dress in Cambodia
• Sari/Lehenga, Indian popular and traditional dress in India
• Seshweshe, a female dress worn by the Basotho women during special ceremonies. Although it has recently been adopted to men attire as well.
• Sherwani, a long coat-like garment worn in South Asia
• Shiromuku Kimono, a traditional wedding garment in Japan
• Tiara, or wedding crown, worn by Syrian and Greek couples (which are called «τα στέφανα,» which literally means «wreaths») and Scandinavian brides
• Topor, a type of conical headgear traditionally worn by grooms as part of the Bengali Hindu wedding ceremony

• Different wedding clothing around the world

• 

  Khmer (Cambodian) wedding in traditional outfits

• 

  A bride and a bridegroom in Nepal

• 

• 

• 

  Japanese bride and bridegroom

• 

• 

• 

• 

  Wedding 1935 in Barcelona, Spain

• 

• 

• 

  Groom in the traditional dress of Bangladesh in a wedding ceremony.

• 

  Armenian Wedding at Khor Virap

• 

  Aadiwasi tribal marriage groom bride, India

• 

  Wedding in Turkey

Wedding music[edit]

Western weddings[edit]

Music played at Western weddings includes a processional song for walking down the aisle (ex: wedding march) either before or after the marriage service. An example of such use is reported in the wedding of Nora Robinson and Alexander Kirkman Finlay in 1878.^[14]

The «Bridal Chorus» from Lohengrin by Richard Wagner, commonly known as «Here Comes the Bride», is often used as the processional. Wagner is said to have been anti-Semitic,^[15] and as a result, the Bridal Chorus is normally not used at Jewish weddings.^[16] UK law forbids music with any religious connotations to be used in a civil ceremony.^[17]

Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D is an alternative processional.^[18] Other alternatives include various contemporary melodies, such as Bob Marley’s One Love, which is sometimes performed by a steel drum band.^[4] The Music used in modern weddings is left completely up to the Bride and Groom and it is also becoming growingly popular for couples to add their own twist to the song they walk down the aisle to. Many Brides and Grooms use songs that are sentimental or hold special value to them.

In the United States, approximately 2 million people get married each year and close to 70 million people attend a wedding and spend more than $100 on a gift.^[19]

In the United Kingdom, according to a survey, the average spend minimum spend on a wedding gift^[20] is £24.70 and the average maximum spend is £111.46. 85% of people said that they were more likely to spend more money on a person if they had a better relationship with them.

Customs associated with various religions and cultures[edit]

Christian customs[edit]

Most Christian churches give some form of blessing to a marriage, which is seen as a sacred institution in some sense, although terminology and associated theological meanings vary widely from one denomination to another: e.g., «holy matrimony,» «sacrament of marriage,» «holy ordinance of marriage,» «holy union,» and so forth.

A celebration of Holy Matrimony typically includes mutual vows or solemn promises of lifelong love and fidelity by the couple, and may include some sort of pledge by the community to support the couple’s relationship. A church wedding is a ceremony held in a church and presided over by a Christian pastor. Traditionally, Christian weddings occur in a church as Christian marriage ideally begins where one also starts their faith journey (Christians receive the sacrament of baptism in church in the presence of their congregation).^[21] Catholic Christian weddings must «take place in a church building» as holy matrimony is a sacrament; sacraments normatively occur in the presence of Christ in the house of God, and «members of the faith community [should be] present to witness the event and provide support and encouragement for those celebrating the sacrament.»^[21] Bishops never grant permission «to those requesting to be married in a garden, on the beach, or some other place outside of the church» and a dispensation is only granted «in extraordinary circumstances (for example, if a bride or groom is ill or disabled and unable to come to the church).»^[21] Marriage in the church, for Christians, is seen as contributing to the fruit of the newlywed couple regularly attending church each Lord’s Day and raising children in the faith.^[21]

Wedding ceremonies typically contain prayers and readings from the Holy Bible and reflect the church’s teachings about the spiritual significance of marriage, as well as its purpose and obligations. The wedding service often includes the reception of Holy Communion, especially in the context of Mass (as with Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism).^[22] In some traditional weddings of Western Christianity (especially Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism), a ‘care cloth’ or ‘nuptial veil’ (velatio nuptialis) «signifying a marriage yoke joining the bride and groom together» may be held over the kneeling couple during the nuptial blessing given by the priest.^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

Pre-marital counseling may be urged or required for the engaged couple.^[28] In some Christian countries or denominations, a betrothal rite, as well as the reading of banns of marriage may also be required before the wedding date.^[29]

In the Roman Catholic Church, Holy Matrimony is considered to be one of the seven sacraments, in this case, one that the spouses bestow upon each other in front of a priest and members of the community as witnesses. As with all sacraments, it is seen as having been instituted by Jesus himself (see Gospel of Matthew 19:1–2, Catechism of the Catholic Church §1614–1615). In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is one of the Mysteries and is seen as an ordination and a martyrdom. The Christian wedding ceremony of Saint Thomas Christians, an ethnoreligious group of Christians in India, incorporates elements from local Indian traditions. Protestant weddings may be elaborate (as with Lutheranism and Anglicanism) or simple (as with Baptists). For example, in the United Methodist Church, the Service of Christian Marriage (Rite I) includes the elements found in a typical Sunday service, such as hymns, prayers, and readings from the Bible, as well as other elements unique to a wedding, including taking marriage vows and an optional exchange of wedding rings, as well as a special benediction for the couple.^[30] Holy Communion may be part of the wedding service in liturgical Protestant churches (e.g., Lutheran, Anglican, or Methodist), but is rarely, if ever, found in weddings of other low-church Protestant denominations (e.g., Baptists).

A Quaker wedding ceremony in a Friends meeting is similar to any other meeting for worship, and therefore often very different from the experience expected by non-Friends.^[31]

In some Western countries, a separate and secular civil wedding ceremony is required for recognition by the state, while in other Western countries, couples must merely obtain a marriage license from a local government authority and can be married by Christian or other clergy authorized by law to do so.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry civilly in many countries, and some Christian churches in those countries allow religious marriages of same-sex couples, though some forbid it. See the article Same-sex marriage.

Hindu customs[edit]

Hindu ceremonies are usually conducted totally or at least partially in Sanskrit, the language of the Hindu scriptures. The wedding celebrations may last for several days and they can be extremely diverse, depending upon the region, denomination, and community. Mehendi ceremony is a traditional ritual in Hindu weddings, where Henna application takes place on the bride’s hands and legs, before the wedding. On the wedding day, the bride and the bridegroom garland each other in front of the guests. Most guests witness only this short ceremony and then socialize, have food, and leave. The religious part (if applicable) comes hours later, witnessed by close friends and relatives. In cases where a religious ceremony is present, a Brahmin (Hindu priest) arranges a sacred yajna (fire-sacrifice), and the sacred fire (Agni) is considered the prime witness (sākshī) of the marriage. He chants mantras from the Vedas and subsidiary texts while the couple is seated before the fire. The most important step is saptapadi or saat phere, wherein the bride and the groom, hand-in-hand, encircle the sacred fire seven times, each circle representing a matrimonial vow. Then the groom marks the bride’s hair parting with vermilion (sindoor) and puts a gold necklace (mangalsutra) around her neck. Or a yellow thread applied with turmeric is knotted around the bride’s neck 3 times at marriage. The first knot represents her obedience and respect to her husband, the second one to his parents and the third represents her respect to God. Several other rituals may precede or follow these afore-mentioned rites. Then the bride formally departs from her blood-relatives to join the groom’s family.

Jewish customs[edit]

A traditional Jewish wedding usually follows this format:^{[32][33][34][35][36]}

• Before the ceremony, the couple formalize a written ketubah (marriage contract), specifying the obligations of husband to the wife and contingencies in case of divorce. The ketubah is signed by two witnesses and later read under the chuppah (wedding canopy).
• The couple is married under the chuppah signifying their new home together. The chuppah can be made from a piece of cloth or other material attached to four poles, or a giant tallit (prayer shawl) held over the couple by four family members or friends.
• The wedding couple is accompanied by both sets of parents and they join the wedding couple under the chuppah.
  • In Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride is accompanied to the chuppah by both mothers, and the groom is accompanied to the chuppah by both fathers.
• Seven blessings are recited, blessing the bride and groom and their new home.
• The couple sip a glass of wine from a Kiddush cup.
• The groom will smash a wine glass with his right foot, ostensibly in remembrance of the destruction of the Second Temple.
  • In Reform Jewish weddings, the bride and groom can smash the wine glass together.
• At some weddings, the couple may declare that each is sanctified to the other, repeat other vows and exchange rings.
  • In Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride does not speak under the chuppah and only she receives a ring. The groom recites «Harei at mekudeshet li k’dat Moshe V’Yisrael»- «behold you are [thus] sanctified to me by the law of Moses and Israel» as he places the ring on the bride’s right index finger. The bride’s silence and acceptance of the ring signify her agreement to the marriage. This part of the ceremony is called kiddushin. The groom’s giving an object of value to the bride is necessary for the wedding to be valid.
  • In more egalitarian weddings, the bride responds verbally, often giving the groom a ring in return. A common response is «ani l’dodi, v’dodi li» (I am my beloved’s, my beloved is mine)
• In some Orthodox weddings, the groom then says:

«If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth.

If I do not remember you,

if I do not consider Jerusalem in my highest joy.»

• The ceremony ends with the groom breaking a glass underfoot.
• The couple spend their first moments as husband and wife in seclusion (apart from the wedding guests, and with no other person present). This cheder yichud – «the room of seclusion (or ‘oneness’)» halachically strengthens the marriage bond since Orthodox Jews are forbidden to be secluded with an unrelated person of the opposite sex.
• The ceremony is followed by a seudat mitzvah, the wedding meal, as well as music and dancing.
• At the conclusion of the wedding meal, Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) is recited, as well as the seven wedding blessings.

In more observant communities, the couple will celebrate for seven more days, called the Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) during which the seven wedding blessings are recited at every large gathering during this time.

Islamic customs[edit]

A wedding is typically a happy time for families to celebrate. In the Middle East, there are colorful, cultural variations from place to place.^[37]

Two male witnesses who are the members of the family in most cases are required for Nikah. According to the Quran, in a married Muslim couple, both husband and wife act as each other’s protector and comforter and therefore only meant «for each other».

All Muslim marriages have to be declared publicly and are never to be undertaken in secret. For many Muslims, it is the ceremony that counts as the actual wedding alongside a confirmation of that wedding in a registry office according to fiqh. In Islam a wedding is also viewed as a legal contract particularly in Islamic jurisprudences. However, most Muslim cultures separate both the institutions of the mosque and marriage; no religious official is necessary, but very often an Imam presides and performs the ceremony, he may deliver a short sermon.^[38] Celebrations may differ from country to country depending on their culture but the main ceremony is followed by a Walima (the marriage banquet).

In Islam, polygyny is allowed with certain religious restrictions. Despite that, an overwhelming majority of Muslims traditionally practice monogamy.

It is forbidden in Islam for parents or anyone else: to force, coerce, or trick either man or woman into a marriage that is contrary to the individual will of any one of the couples. It is also necessary for all marriages to commence with the best of intentions.

Chinese customs[edit]

At traditional Chinese weddings, the tea ceremony is the equivalent of an exchange of vows at a Western wedding ceremony. This ritual is still practiced widely among rural Chinese; however, young people in larger cities, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, tend to practice a combination of Western style of marriage together with the tea ceremony.

When the bride leaves her home with the groom to his house, a «Good Luck Woman» will hold a red umbrella over her head, meaning, «Raise the bark, spread the leaves.» This «Good Luck Woman» should be someone who is blessed with a good marriage, healthy children, and husband and living parents. Other relatives will scatter rice, red beans, and green beans in front of her. The red umbrella protects the bride from evil spirits, and the rice and beans are to attract the attention of the gold chicken.^[39]

The newlyweds kneel in front of parents presenting tea. A Good Luck Woman making the tea says auspicious phrases to bless the newlyweds and their families. The newlyweds also present tea to each other, raising the tea cups high to show respect before presenting the tea to each other.

The attendants receiving the tea usually give the bride gifts such as jewelry or a red envelope.

The tea ceremony is an official ritual to introduce the newlyweds to each other’s family, and a way for newlyweds to show respect and appreciation to their parents. The newlyweds kneel in front of their parents, serving tea to both sides of parents, as well as elder close relatives. Parents give their words of blessing and gifts to the newlyweds.

Humanist weddings[edit]

While many wedding traditions and rituals have origins in religions and are still performed by religious leaders, some marriage traditions are cultural and predate the prevalent religions in those regions. Non-religious people will often want to have a wedding that is secular (not religious) in content. In order to meet this demand, secular ceremonies by carried out by humanist celebrants first developed in the 19th century. Humanists UK members pioneered humanist weddings in the 1890s, and its weddings continue to be popular with couples across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) has carried out secular ceremonies in the country since the 1980s. These have been legally recognised since 2005,^[40] and became more numerous than church weddings in 2018.^[41][42]

Humanist wedding ceremonies are carried out in a variety of countries like the U.S., Canada and recently Brazil, having legal status in only a few of these countries. Humanist celebrants are able to perform valid civil marriages and civil partnerships in the Republic of Ireland. Secular weddings are becoming more popular in Ireland due to a declining influence of the Catholic Church.^[43] Since 2015, Irish humanists have conducted more weddings than the Church of Ireland.^[44]

Types[edit]

There are many ways to categorize weddings, such as by the size or cultural traditions. A wedding may fall into several categories, such as a destination microwedding, or a civil elopement.

White wedding[edit]

A white wedding is a term for a traditional formal or semi-formal Western wedding. This term refers to the color of the wedding dress, which became popular after Queen Victoria wore a pure white gown when she married Prince Albert and many were quick to copy her choice.^[1] At the time, the color white symbolized both extravagance and virginal purity to many and had become the color for use by young women being formally presented to the royal court.^[2]

Civil wedding[edit]

A civil wedding is a ceremony presided over by a local civil authority, such as an elected or appointed judge, Justice of the peace or the mayor of a locality. Civil wedding ceremonies may use references to God or a deity (except in U.K law where readings and music are also restricted), but generally no references to a particular religion or denomination.

Civil weddings allow partners of different faiths to marry without one partner converting to the other partner’s religion.

They can be either elaborate or simple. Many civil wedding ceremonies take place in local town or city halls or courthouses in judges’ chambers.

The relevance of civil weddings varies greatly from country to country. Some countries do not provide any form of civil wedding at all (Israel and many Islamic countries), while in others it is the only legally recognized form of marriage (most countries in Latin America, Europe, and Asia). In this case civil weddings are typically either a mandatory prerequisite for any religious ceremony or religious weddings have no legal significance at all. See Civil marriage.^[45]

Destination wedding[edit]

Not to be confused with an elopement, a destination wedding is one in which a wedding is hosted, often in a vacation-like setting, at a location to which most of the invited guests must travel and often stay for several days. This could be a beach ceremony in the tropics, a lavish event in a metropolitan resort, or a simple ceremony at the home of a geographically distant friend or relative. During the recession of 2009, destination weddings continued to see growth compared to traditional weddings, as the typically smaller size results in lower costs.^[46]

Weddings held at prestigious venues such as castles or stately homes have become increasingly popular in the 21st century particularly in European countries such as the UK, France and Germany. From 2010 onwards, there has been an increase in destination weddings that are hosted in exotic places like Indonesia, Maldives, India, and Pakistan.

Destination weddings are prohibited in certain denominations of Christianity, such as the Catholic Church, which teach that Christian marriages should take place in the presence of God at church, where Christians began their journey of faith in the sacrament of baptism.^[21]

Double wedding[edit]

A double wedding is a double ceremony where two affianced couples rendezvous for two simultaneous or consecutive weddings. Typically, a fiancé with a sibling who is also engaged, or four close friends in which both couples within the friendship are engaged might plan a double wedding where both couples legally marry.

Elopement[edit]

Elopement is the act of getting married, often unexpectedly, without inviting guests to the wedding. In some cases, a small group of family or friends may be present, while in others, the engaged couple may marry without the consent or knowledge of parents or others. While the couple may or may not be widely known to be engaged prior to the elopement, the wedding itself is generally a surprise to those who are later informed of its occurrence.

Handfasting[edit]

A handfasting is an old pagan custom, dating back to the time of the ancient Celts. A handfasting was originally more like an engagement period, where two people would declare a binding union between themselves for a year and a day. The original handfasting was a trial marriage.^[47]

Highland or Scottish wedding[edit]

A Highland or Scottish wedding has the groom, with some or all of the groom’s men wear a kilt. The bride may wear a sash or other tartan clothing. The Scottish basket sword is used for any Saber Arch.

Mass wedding[edit]

A collective or mass wedding is a single ceremony where numerous couples are married simultaneously.

Microwedding[edit]

A microwedding is defined by the small number of friends and family members present. The number of guests is usually understood to be no more than 10 or 15 people including family members,^[48] although some sources will use this label for a small wedding with up to 50 guests.^[49] Compared to an elopement or a civil wedding with no guests, a microwedding is planned and announced in advance and may incorporate whatever traditions and activities the family wants to maintain, such as a wedding cake, photographs, or religious ceremonies.^[48] Although the cost per guest may be higher, the overall cost of a microwedding is usually significantly less than a large wedding.^[48][50] Microweddings gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to have a wedding event in compliance with public health restrictions.^[51][52]

Military wedding[edit]

A military wedding is a ceremony conducted in a military chapel and may involve a Saber Arch. In most military weddings one or both of the people getting married will wear a military dress uniform in lieu of civilian formal wear. Some retired military personnel who marry after their service has ended may opt for a military wedding.

Peasant wedding[edit]

A peasant wedding is a Dutch carnival custom.

Not everywhere in Limburg and Brabant is a boerenbruiloft (peasant’s wedding) part of the carnival. Especially in the northern and central part of Limburg and eastern part of North Brabant is the boerenbruiloft very often held during the carnival and is an important part of the carnival culture. Each carnival association has its own tradition concerning choosing the spouse for a wedding. Often the bride and groom are chosen by the council of eleven or by the couple that was married the year before. It is not necessary that the newlyweds are a couple in real life. It is also not necessary that the bride and groom are single. Both the bride and groom, however, should be in love during the carnival and they need to transfer their love to all the people who celebrate their wedding along with them. The highlight of the festival of the peasant wedding is the wedding and feast of the onecht (not-marriage) of the bride and groom. There are many aspects that can be found in a real-life marriage. First the engagement will be announced just as if it would be an official marriage. And both the families should learn to know each other very well in organizing the party and the ceremony, like a normal wedding. The two families prepare a piece of entertainment for the wedding.^[53] And just like a real wedding, a reception and a feast is organized where guests are asked to wear appropriate clothing. The bride and groom will often dress in wedding clothing from before 1940. The bride, for example, will often wear a poffer, which is a traditional Brabantian headdress.^[54]

Same-sex wedding[edit]

A marriage between two people of the same sex.

Shotgun wedding[edit]

A shotgun wedding is a wedding in which the groom is reluctant to marry the bride, however, is strongly encouraged to do so to avoid family, social or legal repercussions. In many cases, the bride is pregnant before the wedding and the family of the bride, most commonly the bride’s father insists that the groom marry the bride before the pregnancy becomes obvious.

Vow renewal wedding[edit]

A wedding vow renewal is a ceremony in which a married couple renews or reaffirms their wedding vows. Typically, this ceremony is held to commemorate a milestone wedding anniversary. It may also be held to recreate the marriage ceremony in the presence of family and friends, especially in the case of an earlier elopement.

Weekend wedding[edit]

A weekend wedding is a wedding in which couples and their guests celebrate over the course of an entire weekend. Special activities, such as spa treatments and golf tournaments may be scheduled into the wedding itinerary. Lodging usually is at the same facility as the wedding and couples often host a Sunday brunch for the weekend’s finale.

Wedding ceremony participants[edit]

Wedding ceremony participants also referred to as the wedding party, are the people that participate directly in the wedding ceremony itself.

Depending on the location, religion, and style of the wedding, this group may include only the individual people that are marrying, or it may include one or more brides, grooms (or bridegrooms), persons of honor, bridespersons, best persons, groomsmen, flower girls, pages, and ring bearers.

A «bride’s party» consists of those chosen to participate from her family or friends, while a «groom’s party» consists of those from his family or friends.

• Bride: A woman about to be married.
• Bridegroom or Groom: A man about to be married.
• Marriage officiant: The person who officiates at the wedding, validating the wedding from a legal and/or religious standpoint. This person may be a civil celebrant, judge, justice of the peace, or a member of the clergy. In Hindu marriages, the marriage officiant is called a pandit or Brahmin.^[55]
• Best Man, Woman, or Person: The chief assistant to a bridegroom at a wedding, typically a sibling or friend of special significance in his life. Often holds the wedding rings until their exchange.
• Mothers of a Bride or Groom^[56]
• Fathers of a Bride or Groom
• Maid, Matron or Man of Honor: the title and position held by a bride’s chief attendant, typically her closest friend or sibling.
• Bridesmaids: the female attendants to a bride. Males in this role may be called honor attendants or sometimes bridesmen, but that term has a different traditional meaning.
• Groomsmen or Ushers: The attendants, usually male, to a bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. Female attendants, such as a sister of the groom, are typically called honor attendants.
• Pages: Young attendants may carry a bride’s train. In a formal wedding, the ring bearer is a special page that carries the rings down the aisle. The coin bearer is a similar page that marches on the wedding aisle to bring the wedding coins.
• Flower girls: In some traditions, one or more children carry bouquets or drop flower petals in front of a bride in the wedding procession.

Wedding industry[edit]

The global wedding industry was worth $300 billion as of 2016. The United States wedding industry alone was estimated to be worth $60 billion as of the same year. In the United States, the wedding industry employs over one million people throughout 600,000 businesses and grows 2% each year. The industry has undergone a transition due to the increased use of technology. Bridal websites, blogs,^[57] and social media accounts have driven spending up and created new trends and traditions.^[58]

In 2016, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was estimated to be at $35,329,^[59] whereas the median cost of a wedding was around $14,399^[60] that year. According to one scholarly study of American couples, extravagant spending on weddings is associated with debt stress and short-lived marriages that end in divorce.^[61] Couples who spent less than US$10,000 on all wedding-related expenses, and who had a relatively large number of guests in attendance, were the least likely to divorce.^[61]

See also[edit]

• Wedding customs by country
• White wedding
• Wedding dress
• Wedding reception
• Wedding cake
• Elopement

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wedding Tips

• The dictionary definition of wedding at Wiktionary

В современном мире многие понятия и традиции утрачивают свое значение. К сожалению, древняя, истинная суть свадьбы также оказалась в их числе. Отношение к древнему таинству стало небрежным, поверхностным. Люди женятся и разводятся, не удосужившись осознать серьезность данного шага. Оставляют собственных детей без родительской поддержки, перекладывая ответственность за их обеспечение на государство. А между тем, само понятие «свадьба» имеет глубокий духовный смысл. И возможность вкусно покушать и повеселиться — далеко не самое главное в этот значимый, судьбоносный день.

Смысл слова «свадьба»

Заглянув в любой толковый словарь, можно узнать значение слова «свадьба». Согласно печатным источникам, смысл свадьбы в проведенном обряде бракосочетания, с соблюдением принятых в данной этнической общности традиций и обычаев.

Если же рассматривать слово с точки зрения этимологии, открывается несколько иная, интересная картина. Что характерно, почти во всех языках, имеющих славянские корни, оно звучит узнаваемо:

• «сватьба» на церковно-славянском, чешском и болгарском;
• «swadźba» на польском;
• «svadba» на словацком и македонском.

Обычно происхождение слова выводится от корня «сват», «свой», то есть, человек, которого принимают в ближний круг, делают близким, родным, союзником. Однако, существует еще одна, более сложная версия. Согласно исследованиям ученых, слово «свадьба» в старославянских языках легко делится на три слога-понятия:

• «сва», обозначающее просветление, духовный рост, небесную благодать;
• «дь», имеющий значение добро;
• «ба», который переводится, как уважение, почитание.

То есть, древнеславянское значение этого привычного нам слова – благословение молодых на благополучную семейную жизнь.

Какими бывают свадьбы?

В современном обществе, мало ограниченном традициями и верованиями, существуют различные виды свадеб. Они различаются степенью официоза, сценариями и стилистикой. Молодожены выбирают тот формат, который им больше нравится, подходит их мировоззрению и устремлениям. Какие есть свадьбы?

Традиционная свадьба

Желая сыграть свадьбу по всем правилам, с обрядами, пришедшими из глубины веков, новобрачные выбирают традиционный формат. Это может быть:

• торжество в национальном стиле — русская народная, чувашская, мордовская, якутская и т. д.;
• свадьба с венчанием в церкви;
• торжественная церемония в Дворце Бракосочетаний или ЗАГСе.

Обычными атрибутами таких праздников являются красивые наряды невесты и жениха, освященный веками и десятилетиями церемониал, который необходимо строго соблюдать. Составляется парадный поезд, из украшенных машин или повозок, назначаются свидетели, сваты, дружки и подружки, распорядители свадебных торжеств. Такие свадебные гуляния выглядят очень эффектно, имеют массовый характер и запоминаются на долгие годы.

Свадьба для двоих

В последнее время набирает популярность свадьба только для двух влюбленных. В современном мире, с его повседневной суетой, обилием информации и общения, порой хочется отдохнуть от всех в спокойной, уютной обстановке. Поэтому, многие новобрачные устраивают свадьбу, не приглашая гостей и родственников. Так, как им хочется, без оглядки на чужое мнение и традиции.

У свадьбы для двоих множество плюсов:

• не нужно уделять время гостям, разнимать пьяные конфликты;
• намного меньше предсвадебной суеты с ее подготовкой, денежными тратами, списками гостей и украшением банкетного зала;
• можно покинуть ресторан в любой момент или совсем отказаться от застолья в привычном формате, а устроить, например, пикник на природе;
• можно потратить отложенные на свадьбу накопления не на гору продуктов и обслуживающий персонал, на действительно увлекательное, романтичное путешествие.

Символическая свадьба

Данная свадьба – разновидность торжества на двоих. С той разницей, что торжество для семьи и друзей все же устраивается, но после официального заключения брака. Обычно такой формат предлагается, если мероприятие будет проводиться на море, за границей, вдали от места проживания.

Кроме того, такую свадьбу можно устроить в разгар семейной жизни, в любом возрасте, чтобы вспомнить о тех чувствах, которые однажды связали два сердца.

Годовщины свадеб

Годовщина свадьбы – еще одна традиция, о которой вспоминают довольно часто. Далеко не все семьи празднуют ее каждый год, но круглые даты обычно не пропускают. Отмечать ее можно скромно, только с ближайшими родственниками. Или устроить большое торжество с большим количеством гостей. Вот их список:

• Зелёная свадьба – это день бракосочетания
• Ситцевая свадьба — 1 год брака.
• Бумажная свадьба — 2 года брака.
• Кожаная свадьба — 3 года брака.
• Льняная свадьба — 4 года брака.
• Деревянная свадьба — 5 лет брака.
• Чугунная свадьба — 6 лет в браке.
• Медная свадьба — 7 лет в браке.
• Жестяная свадьба — 8 лет в браке.
• Фаянсовая свадьба — 9 лет брака.
• Оловянная свадьба — 10 лет в браке.
• Стальная свадьба — 11 лет брака.
• Никелевая свадьба — 12 лет брака.
• Ландышевая свадьба — 13 лет брака.
• Агатовая свадьба — 14 лет в браке.
• Хрустальная свадьба — 15 лет в браке.
• Топазовая свадьба — 16 лет брака.
• Розовая свадьба — 17 лет брака.
• Бирюзовая свадьба — 18 лет.
• Гранатовая свадьба — 19 лет брака.
• Фарфоровая свадьба — 20 лет брака.
• Опаловая свадьба — 21 год брака.
• Бронзовая свадьба — 22 года в браке.
• Берилловая свадьба — 23 года брака.
• Атласная свадьба — 24 года брака.
• Серебряная свадьба — 25 лет брака.
• Нефритовая свадьба — 26 лет брака.
• Красное дерево — 27 лет брака.
• Никелевая свадьба — 28 лет брака.
• Бархатная свадьба — 29 лет брака.
• Жемчужная свадьба — 30 лет брака.
• Солнечная свадьба — 31 год брака.
• Медная свадьба — 32 года брака.
• Каменная свадьба — 33 года в браке.
• Янтарная свадьба — 34 года брака.
• Коралловая свадьба — 35 лет брака.
• Костяной фарфор — 36 лет брака.
• Муслиновая свадьба — 37 лет брака.
• Ртутная свадьба — 38 лет брака.
• Креповая свадьба — 39 лет брака.
• Рубиновая свадьба — 40 лет брака.
• Железная свадьба — 41 год в браке.
• Перламутровая свадьба — 42 года брака.
• Фланелевая свадьба — 43 года брака.
• Топазовая свадьба — 44 года в браке.
• Сапфировая свадьба — 45 лет брака.
• Лавандовая свадьба — 46 лет брака.
• Кашемировая свадьба — 47 лет брака.
• Аметистовая свадьба — 48 лет брака.
• Кедровая свадьба — 49 лет брака.
• Золотая свадьба — 50 лет в браке.
• Изумрудная свадьба – 55 лет.
• Бриллиантовая свадьба – 60 лет.
• Железная свадьба – 65 лет.
• Благодатная свадьба – 70 лет.
• Коронная свадьба – 75 лет.
• Дубовая свадьба – 80 лет.
• Красная свадьба – 100 лет.

Говорящие свадебные традиции

Каждый свадебный обычай, дошедший до нас, имеет свою символику:

• переезжая в дом жениха, невеста тем самым обязуется вести совместный быт, воссоединяется со своим супругом, который является основой, скрепляющим фундаментом новой семьи;
• обмениваясь подарками, чужие до сей поры люди становятся ближе, налаживают добрые отношения;
• обильная еда и питье, песни и пляски отгоняют недобрые силы, символизируют будущее благоденствие новой семьи, выражают радость людей по поводу создания новой ячейки общества.

Кроме народных, существуют и религиозные обряды. Они дошли до наших дней практически в неизменном виде. Эти и христианское венчание, и исламский никах, и еврейский нисуин. Считается, что таинство бракосочетания скрепляет брак неразрывными духовными узами.

Суть свадьбы

Какие привычные нам свадебные обряды имеют древние корни и обрядовое значение?

• Похищение невесты означает ее выход из родительского рода. А выкуп — это доказательство любви и финансовой состоятельности жениха, а также компенсация семье невесты за красавицу и умницу дочь.
• Подружки невесты, одетые в одинаковые с нею наряды, запутывали злых духов, которые не могли найти новобрачную и навести порчу. А позднее, когда невест начали похищать разбойники, такой маскарад позволял доставить ценную девицу к жениху в целости и сохранности.
• Одетое на палец кольцо — это клятва верности.
• Осыпание монетами и зерном — это пожелание благоденствия, плодовитости и благополучия молодоженам.

Очень важно было получить родительское благословение на брак. Пара, не получившая доброго напутствия, считалась проклятой, отверженной.

Суть свадьбы на Руси

На Руси единение двух людей считалось священным. Существовали разумные ограничения, помогающие родам выживать:

• жених мог жениться в 21 год, а девушка — после 16;
• не должно было быть кровной связи, включая побратимство.

Кроме того, жених должен был проявить себя — совершить нечто значимое, быть обеспеченным по меркам древних славян. А еще, наши предки не приветствовали браки против воли. Считалось, что только нашедшие друг друга влюбленные составят счастливую, гармоничную пару.

С приходом на Русь христианства распространились договорные браки, женитьба по расчету. Решение о свадьбе и отбор кандидатур проводили родители жениха и невесты, они же заключали «рядную запись», которая стала предтечей брачного договора. В ней обязательно указывались траты на свадьбу с обеих сторон, размер выкупа и приданого.

Если в языческие времена девушка могла выходить замуж, будучи на сносях или имея детей, то позже невинность невесты стала обязательной. В доказательство наутро после брачной ночи демонстрировалась окровавленная сорочка или простынь.

Петр I, придя к власти, разрешил неравные браки и союзы с иноземцами. Официально запретил «рядные записи» и обряд доказательства невинности невесты, а также осудил практику насильственной женитьбы. Но традиция родительского сговора держалась вплоть до революции.

Традиции современной свадьбы

Кроме традиционных обрядов, пришедших к нам из глубины веков, появились вполне современные обычаи, трогательные и зрелищные, имеющие свою символику:

• выпускание белых голубей с привязанными к лапкам голубой и розовой ленточками. Какой голубь взлетит выше — такого пола будет первенец;
• молодожены разбивают бокалы, из которых сделали первые глотки шампанского на празднике, — на счастье;
• шампанское новобрачным принято наливать из двух разных бутылок, выпивая их полностью. После чего хранить тару в течение года;
• первый танец молодых — восхитительно нежное, берущее за душу зрелище.

Следовать старинным обычаям, или привнести в торжественное мероприятие нечто новое, необычное — это выбор, который каждая пара должна сделать самостоятельно. Сценарий должен быть не только оригинальным, но и радовать, создавать непередаваемое ощущение чего-то невероятного, светлого, торжественного. Такая свадьба оставит только добрые воспоминания и станет отличным началом совместной жизни.

Суть свадьбы — это древний ритуал, объединяющий двух людей в единое целое, в одну семью с целью продолжения рода. С момента его проведения их жизнь, души и судьбы тесно связаны, что отражено во всех религиозных обрядах и канонах. Также, свадьба является символом единения и братания двух родов. В старину таким образом часто закрепляли долгосрочные договора на частном и государственном уровне. Отмечать знаковое событие принято пышным пиром, песнями и весельем, дорогими подарками.

Происхождение слова «свадьба»

История свадьбы на Руси

Свадебные обычаи

Современные свадебные традиции

Топ-5 свадебных суеверий: а вы верите?

Свадьбу даже в современное время можно назвать магическим действом: пара выбирает определенные образы, обменивается драгоценностями и клятвами. И этот…

ИСПЫТАНИЯ И ОБРЯДЫ, ПРОВОДИМЫЕ НА СВАДЬБАХ

1. «Аллея любви»

Все молодые девушки становятся в ручеек, а в конце ручейка – веста.

Жених заходит в ручеек и идет к весте, а остальные девушки пытаются его соблазнить всячески. Кто на ушко что-то ему такое этакое шепнёт, кто улыбнется по особенному. А он должен искренним быть. Вести себя со всеми живо, но при этом задачу свою держать – не отвлекаться от пути к весте. Можно было бы схитрить и сделать «лицо кирпичом» да пройти спокойно, если бы не одно «но»!

В конце ручейка стояла не только суженая, но и её родители, и, часто, старейшина села. Уж они-то видят всё, что происходит с женихом на самом деле. Все, что он чувствует, о чём думает. Куда его душа устремляется, на что зарится. Если жених «не соблазняется», то испытание пройдено!

После этого молодые менялись местами и веста шла к своему суженому через аллею молодцев.

2. «На руках»

Жених брал весту на руки, и нужно было ему пронести ее вокруг всей деревни. Да не просто пронести, а не устать при этом и «рожи какой недовольной не скорчить».

Деревеньки тогда не маленькими были, долго можно было так «ходить». Нельзя было отдыхать и ставить весту на землю. Это испытание показывало, готов ли жених нести все тяжести, что с молодыми могут приключаться на их совместном пути. И не будет ли он впадать в уныние и ярость каждый раз, когда тяжелые задачи будут в их жизни появляться.

К счастью, в этом испытании молодые потом не менялись местами.

3. «По лесу не веревке»

Веста ведет жениха по лесу на веревочке (длиной в 7 саженей – это около 14 метров). Глаза жениха завязаны. Задача – вывести своего жениха без побоев и увечий. Пройти нужно было не мало, через лесок с оврагами и пеньками, полный разными «интересностями».

Затем они менялись ролями.

В этом испытании проверялось, насколько каждый из молодых способен вести по семейному пути второго, когда случается, что второй не видит куда идти. И насколько тот второй, кто не видит, может в этом случае признать своё невединие и довериться ведущему.

4. «Ау!»

Молодые шли в лес, где было много деревьев. Жениху завязывали глаза, а веста отходила за 100 метров и кричала «Ау!». Задача жениха была прийти к весте по голосу через лес и обнять. Она же могла крикнуть свое «Ау!» только трижды. Затем они менялись ролями.

В этом испытании проверялось, насколько чувствуют они друг друга по жизни. Насколько уверены они в своем решении связать себя узелком именно с этим человеком, насколько сильно их намерение.

5. «Отгадай по голосу!»

В круг становились девушки и веста вместе с ними, а в центр – жених. Его раскручивали с завязанными глазами, затем останавливали, и все девушки хором кричали имя жениха! Да так, чтобы голоса их сливались.

Задача услышать – разобрать во всем этом едином звуке ЕЁ голос. Затем менялись ролями. Так проверялись они на умение слышать друг друга.

6. «Отгадай где он/она!»

Так же, как и в предыдущем испытании, с завязанными глазами, только отгадать нужно было не по голосу, и даже не на ощупь – а, не дотрагиваясь до девиц, почувствовать свою. То же делала и веста, – угадывала среди парней своего.

7. «Развяжите узелок»

Молодым связывают узел, и они за определённое время должны его развязать. Это испытание на умение выпутываться из сложных ситуаций сообща, вместе. Опять же важен тут не столько результат, сколько поведение молодых во время выполнения этого задания.

8. «Первый танец»

Молодые разучивали свадебный танец, который должен был показать всю красоту их отношений. При этом важнейшим элементом любого танца было следующее: жених должен был раскрутить весту, да так чтобы у-у-у-х!, и голова у нее не закружилась при этом. Не сложно, если бы не нужно было делать это раз так 49 подряд!). Жених показывал насколько он может заботливо и в тоже время уверенно крутить весту, а она показывала, насколько она готова отдаться ведению жениха в это время.

Ну и падать после такой раскрутки нельзя было – если падала, значит не почувствовали друг друга, перестарались… Из равновесия вышли…

Так же молодым нужно было подготовить различные танцевальные элементы, в которых они обыгрывали их совместную жизнь, причем так показать, чтобы действительно удивить гостей!

9. «Совместная песня»

Молодые разучивали минимум три песни (одну быструю, одну медленную и одну на их усмотрение), и пели их дуэтом. Проверялось, насколько созвучны их голоса, ведь без этого молодым сложно было бы в семейной жизни слиться. У наших предков такое понятие как «нет музыкального слуха» отсутствовало. Пели все, и каждый обладал своим красивым и уникальным голосом. Ведь любой человек, идущий по своему уникальному, а не чужому пути – обладает своим уникальным голосом, и умеет им управлять.

10. «Вещий лес»

Молодые связаны веревкой длиной в 50 метров, у жениха завязаны глаза. Задача весты – с натянутой веревкой словами объяснить (передать) жениху указания, где нужно под деревом сломанным присесть, а где через пенёк перешагнуть. Нужно пройти определенный участок леса, причем не натыкаясь на живые препятствия.

В этом испытании веста выступала в образе берегини. Проверялось, как она способна оберегать жениха от опасностей встречающихся на его пути.

Затем молодые так же менялись ролями.

При успешном прохождении описанных испытаний, молодых ждало последнее. Самое главное.

Нужно было забраться на горку/холмик и оттуда, подробно рассказать всем гостям о своей будущей семейной жизни.

Рассказать сколько детей они хотят, каким делом заниматься вместе будут. Как землю и дом содержать.

Гости должны всё внимательно выслушать и одобрить.

Уже после этого, начинались различные игры, хороводы и театральные постановки. Например, разыгрывали похищение весты «Змеем Горынычем», показывая при этом весь процесс перехода молодых из одного мира в другой. (Из мира незамужней незрелой девушки в мир жены, из мира незрелого юноши в мир статного мужа)

А потом все вместе высаживали «саженцы» что принесли с собой гости.

А девушки устраивали «похороны» девицы, которая становилась вестай. Для того чтобы перейти из одного мира в другой полноценно, нужно «умереть» в предыдущем. Только тогда можно достать из предыдущего мира свою жизненную силу и прийти с ней в новый мир, где могут действовать новые договора и стоять новые задачи. Так и происходило: девушки отплакивали молодую девицу, принимая то, что той молодой девицы с теми целями и задачами уже больше нет. Произошла её смерть (Смена МЕРносТи). А у замужней девушке жизнь совсем другая. И цели другие. И мысли.

Если такого “перехода” не произвести, то зачастую, в современном мире, девица так и остаётся девицей, не готовой к тому, чтобы стоять за мужем, нести лад в семье и воспитывать детей. Штамп в паспорте, такого перехода, увы, не заменяет.

Отдельно хочу рассказать про то – когда кричат «Горько!» и молодым приходится долго целоваться у всех на виду.

Как виделось в народе: за всю свадьбу оба рода поднимали чару за молодых (чашу с безалкогольными напитками, такими, как например травяной сбитень на меду), вокруг них водили хороводы – осуществляли все возможные действия по передаче молодым общей силы.

Молодые как магнитики эту силу собирали, и их задача была её не растерять. Именно поэтому им нельзя было целоваться, чтобы не «сливать» притяжение, которое между ними с каждой минутой возрастало. Хороводик вокруг них поводили – их уже тянет поцеловать друг друга – а нельзя!

Испытание прошли – уже совсем тяжко не поцеловать – а нельзя. Копится, копится – и наконец, первая брачная ночь!

Во время первой брачной ночи – происходит просто «взрыв» на всех уровнях. В этом случае, считалось, что происходило «непорочное» зачатие ребенка, и тогда он рождался настолько сильным, что буквально сразу же держал голову и начинал ползать.

Итак, суть свадьбы заключалась в переходе из одного мира в другой для молодых, в том, чтобы подготовить их к ладной жизни в новом мире, где каждый из них рождался заново, а так же в том, чтобы объединить и сплести между собой два рода, и набраться сил для ладной семейной жизни. И сама свадьба была тяжелым экзаменом, который далеко не каждая пара могла сдать.

Зато, если молодые все же преодолевали все премудрости свадебного обряда – они соединялись в любовные узелки уже до конца своих дней, как и свойственно надежно и крепко связанным узелкам.