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If you are interested in ‘Russian women marriage’ customs, this article will be of interest. Although Russian weddings have recently become more westernized, there are still a number of cultural traditions that remain in place. For example, it is very rare to see bridesmaids, flower girls or a best man at a Russian wedding.
There is no such thing as an engagement. A man simply asks a woman to marry him, and that’s it. No rings are exchanged on the occasion, and no-one is told about the proposal, except very close family and friends. A gallant man might give his wife-to-be flowers, but this is not compulsory.
The wedding is planned to take place within 1 to 3 months after the man has proposed. This all depends on the government’s Department of Registrations. The couple has to send a letter to the department requesting that their marriage be registered. The department will tell them on which dates the registrar will be available.
When the couple has made this application, they can be referred to as the groom and bride. There is no big fuss when it comes to planning the wedding ceremony. Items such as flowers, invitations, music, and bridesmaids’ dresses do not feature. The main focus is on the bride’s dress, the rings, the reception, and the bridal car.
There is no such thing as an engagement ring. The only rings exchanged are those at the wedding ceremony. The couple will shop together for the rings, but the groom must pay. This is a mandatory custom.
The rings are usually plain gold wedding bands. They do not contain stones or diamonds. In Russia, married people wear their wedding bands on the right hand, not the left. The ring is worn on the third finger next to the pinky. If someone in Russia wears a ring on his or her left hand, it means they are divorced or widowed.
If the family can afford it, many cars will be used at the ceremony. Large black cars are the favorite. This shows that the family has wealth and status. For the bride alone, there is often more than one car. As many cars as possible will be used.
The actual ceremony is conducted at ZAGS (Zapis Aktov Grazhdanskogo Sostoyaniya) which is the name for the Department of Registrations. The wedding ceremony is called ‘brakosochetanie’. If there are only a few cars, the ceremony is attended by close family and friends only. If there are many cars, then additional people may attend.
When planning the reception, the main concern is that enough liquor is available. Everyone is expected to get inebriated at the wedding reception. Should a person pass out because of over-indulgence, this is quite acceptable. No-one will be surprised or shocked. It is also essential that there is an abundance of food.
It is customary for the reception to continue until the liquor runs out. Some receptions carry on for two days, while others have lasted a whole week. This makes the families very proud because it shows that there was enough alcohol to keep all the guests happy. If you would like to learn more about these interesting wedding customs, log onto the internet and search for ‘Russian women marriage’.
Russian women for marriage-Slavicbridge.com
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