An honest feast and for the wedding: what will a wedding in the Russian style be remembered for?

When choosing a wedding style, modern brides and grooms often lean towards the theme of Ancient Rus'. A cheerful and fiery wedding in Russian folk style is quite original and will certainly be remembered for a lifetime.

In the article we will look at what is important to consider for a wedding celebration in the theme of Ancient Rus', how to choose the appropriate decor and color palette, costumes for the newlyweds and guests, the bride’s bouquet, what the wedding cake and menu for guests should be in the folk Russian style.

Peculiarities

Newlyweds are the main figures of a Russian wedding, where they appear as part of the Tree of Life of their Family. Competitions play the last role at the celebration. Important! Preparing a national Russian wedding, even a stylized one, is impossible without immersing yourself in history, folklore and studying folk customs.
A wedding in the Russian style has a number of features:

• the beginning and end of a Russian wedding is marked by parental blessing;
• the absence of strong alcohol in the wedding menu, “demonic” dancing to Verka Serduchka and obscene language;
• abundance of bright colors;
• celebrations on a grand scale;
• playing the accordion and driving round dances.

Groom image

Like the bride, the groom can wear either a Russian wedding attire or a traditional version - a suit, complemented by thematic elements. This could be a tie or bow tie with an ornament, a boutonniere made of dried flowers, a scarf in the buttonhole of a jacket with a pattern in the Khokhloma style.

Venue for winter and summer wedding

The decisive factor in preparing a Russian folk wedding is the time of year. If the celebration is planned for warm weather, then it is better to find a green lawn near a river or a clearing on the shore of a lake surrounded by pine or birch trees. Gorgeous landscapes and fresh air will fit well into the theme.

As an alternative, you can rent a tourist base or a country house, the interiors of which are designed in Russian style.

In winter, an excellent place for a Russian wedding will be a banquet hall with characteristic architectural details and ancient Russian decor - a wooden log house with a large refectory, with massive wooden furniture (long tables and benches), with a Russian stove.
If you can’t find a stylized establishment, a restaurant with many natural elements in the interior will do. It is easier to transform such a room into a cozy place for a banquet in the Russian style.

For those who are not afraid of cold weather, you can choose an extreme option - find a beautiful clearing surrounded by snow-covered trees, place tables there with treats and a burning samovar. Outdoor games and round dances will keep the guests and the bride and groom from freezing. And if the winter is very harsh, you can continue the feast indoors - in a restaurant or at home.

Wedding banquet

Russian cuisine is famous for its generosity, scope and variety. At the wedding banquet, guests are treated to national dishes and dishes:

1. Pancakes.
2. Kulebyaka.
3. Red caviar.
4. Marinated mushrooms.
5. Homemade dumplings.
6. Baked goose with apples.
7. Sbiten.
8. Mead.
9. Loaves.

This is not the entire list of possible wedding treats at the festive banquet. A variety of homemade pickles, homemade sausages, hams, pies, fish - all these delicious dishes are perfect for treating a wedding feast.

At the end of the festive feast, the main dessert of the festive banquet is served - a multi-tiered wedding cake in the shape of a wreath, sleigh or stylized as a wooden hut.

Nuances of the organization

Compliance with the Russian style of the entire wedding ceremony and the images of the newlyweds depends on a combination of different factors - the location of the banquet, outfits, culture of behavior, selection of accessories. Each detail must fit into the overall color.

In summer

It is better to celebrate a summer wedding outdoors or in a cozy cafe overlooking the beautiful landscape.

In summer it is easier to resolve organizational issues. To have a wedding in the Russian style, it is enough to take into account a few points:

• Decide on the venue. Agree to rent a restaurant or tourist center if you are planning an indoor celebration. If it's just a green lawn, you need to think about how to arrange it for the wedding feast;
• Present wedding invitations and notify guests of the planned dress code;
• Think about the holiday menu;
• Take care of an unusual wedding procession;
• Order professional photography and videography services, invite a toastmaster;
• Look out for Russian folk groups - singing or musical, or negotiate with a good accordion player;
• Select appropriate accessories for the photo shoot and decor;
• Prepare gifts for guests;
• Calculate your wedding budget.

in winter

Compared to a summer wedding, a winter wedding is more colorful because it is distinguished by its chic scope.

• You can use a real Russian sleigh , not just a cart;
• choose beautiful snowy landscapes for photography;
• spend a lot of winter fun in the fresh air - sliding down a hill, building a snow fort or a competition to sculpt the biggest snowman, snowball fights;
• decorate the banquet hall in a special way - with dried flowers, pine needles, rowan bunches;
• arrange a tea party with a boiling samovar, pancakes with caviar and gingerbread , and invite folk singers, dancers and a bear trainer to entertain guests;
• complement the wedding outfits of the bride and groom with fur vests, painted scarves , warm shawls or flirty hats with fox trim.

Important! In winter, nature fits favorably into the style of a Russian wedding, and if a Russian stove is installed in the banquet room, the holiday atmosphere is imbued with warmth and cordiality.

Where to spend

The celebration can be held either in the fresh air (for example, on some picturesque lawn), or in a restaurant decorated in the appropriate style.

A wedding in an open area is suitable for the warm season, but a restaurant is in no way tied to the time of year. The main thing is to choose a fairly spacious room with wooden furniture and decorate it as needed. Tables should be long and stand close to each other, and instead of chairs it is appropriate to use the same long benches.

Stages of the Slavic celebration

Traditionally, the wedding scenario in the Russian style is divided into several stages:

1. Bride ransom . At dawn, the groom and his retinue drive up to the bride's house, where he is met by friends and relatives. The groom is asked to go through a series of tests to get the girl. Competitions for the groom are symbolically connected with Russian epics - he is asked to demonstrate heroic strength, defeat the Serpent Gorynych, outwit Baba Yaga;
2. Marriage registration. In summer, the wedding ceremony can be outdoors;
3. Wedding. For this ceremony, it is advisable for the bride and groom to prepare clothes in the Russian style;
4. Wedding photo shoot. The photographer prepares accessories and decorations in advance, but the most beautiful photos of the newlyweds are taken against the backdrop of ancient Russian architectural structures and natural objects;
5. Festive feast. Near the entrance to the banquet hall, the newlyweds are greeted by their parents with salt and a loaf of bread, and the guests give gifts. In the interval between the feast and the celebration of the newlyweds, they conduct round dances, dance, sing, and perform ditties;
6. At the end of the celebration, guests are presented with symbolic gifts .

In the past, a wedding took place in several stages, invariably accompanied by wedding ceremonies.

Matchmaking

Nowadays, young men and women decide for themselves who to marry, but this was not always the case. The man's parents were looking for a bride. Often future marriages were negotiated when the potential newlyweds were children. Matchmakers were sent to the family of the future wife. They had to present the groom and his family in the best light and present them with gifts. Matchmaking was considered a solemn event, and preparations were made for it in advance.

Even if the bride’s parents understood that they liked the potential groom, the matchmakers were always turned down at the first visit. And only when trying again, the head of the bride’s family gave the go-ahead if the presented candidate met strict criteria - he was hardworking, respected his ancestors and elders, and regularly attended church.

In a stylized Russian wedding, matchmaking usually takes place on the first day of the wedding. It becomes a replacement for the more common ransom. The ceremony is organized in the house of the bride's parents in the form of a fun performance with games and jokes, to which relatives and friends are invited.

Collusion

In Rus' it was carried out after matchmaking. On it, the parents of the newlyweds, together with the matchmakers, determined the wedding date, discussed expenses and agreed on the size of the bride’s dowry.

Now these issues are decided by the bride and groom themselves or their parents long before the celebration itself , while the range of issues discussed has remained almost unchanged over the centuries. They determine how the costs of the wedding will be divided and what the total budget is, where the newlyweds will live, and how the special event will take place.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties

The day before the main event, the bride and groom say goodbye to their free life , and the ritual part of the bachelor and bachelorette parties is amazing, filled with rituals designed to protect from the evil eye, nourish them with energy, and cleanse themselves for a happy life together.

The bride and her friends took a steam bath. At night at her house the girls told fortunes. It was common to feel sad about the upcoming wedding and family life: the more artistically the girl portrayed grief, the happier the future she predicted for herself. However, girls often grieved quite sincerely, especially when they were married off to old men.

Interesting! And the groom should have taken a steam bath, but completely alone. After the procedure, he was forbidden to talk until the marriage ceremony.

Today, a bachelorette or bachelor party on the eve of a Russian wedding can be held in a bathhouse or rented a country estate. It’s nice that now the groom has the right to say goodbye to his bachelor status not in splendid isolation, but in the company of friends.

A real fairy tale!

We all sometimes want to become the heroes of some good story, and a wedding in the style of Russian fairy tales is a great opportunity to make such a dream come true.

This is one of the varieties of Russian folk weddings, where a certain fairy tale is chosen, after which a script is developed, the outfits of the couple and surroundings are selected that correspond to the plot of this story.

If a wedding in the style of a Russian folk tale is held in winter, then the newlyweds can take the fairy tale “Morozko” as a basis. A sleigh with bells drawn by a Russian troika, mountains of snow, and frosty air will create an unforgettable atmosphere for this holiday.

It is good to spend such holidays in the forest, because this is where the action of many folk tales takes place. Specially invited animators will dress up as fairy tale characters, for example, the Gray Wolf.

This will result in colorful and vibrant photographs; The toastmaster can also give the groom and his friends the task of rescuing the bride who was kidnapped by a wolf. Thus, the fairy tale will become not only the background for the holiday, but also part of the plot of the wedding ceremony itself.

Any Russian folk tale can be used as the basis for the celebration. Everything depends only on the wishes and imagination of the newlyweds!

Images of newlyweds

Bride

To create an image in the Russian style, the following is suitable:

• a red or pale blue dress or sundress with embroidery;
• red boots or shoes;
• kokoshnik or wreath of meadow herbs;
• ribbons and flowers woven into a long braid.

Makeup should emphasize natural beauty - natural “sable” eyebrows, rosy cheeks, red lips. You should not draw eyeliner or use eye shadow.

If you don’t have the courage to wear a Russian sundress and kokoshnik, then you can stylize a traditional white dress using hand embroidery. An outfit with prints in the form of Gzhel painting will fit perfectly into the atmosphere.

Bouquet

Exotic flowers are not chosen for a Russian bouquet. Peonies, marigolds, and asters are suitable, but it is best to create a composition of daisies, sunflowers or wildflowers.

In the winter version of the bouquet, clusters of rowan berries look great in combination with white roses, but the red color of the berries must be duplicated in a dress or shoes.

Intricate decor is not used. Usually the bouquet is simply tied with twine or scarlet ribbons.

Groom

If the bride has chosen a wedding dress with Russian-style ornaments, the groom only needs to complement his loose-fitting wedding suit with an embroidered shirt.

If the bride wanted to dress up in national clothes, then the groom’s outfit should be created taking into account the features of the Russian costume:

• black loose-fitting trousers with cuffs at the hem;
• embroidered white or red shirt;
• wide belt - sash made of bright red fabric;
• black boots (preferably patent leather or polished to a mirror shine), into which trousers are tucked.

It is recommended that the groom wear a cap with a visor on his head, and a vest over his shirt. The headdress can be decorated with a flower to match the shirt.

Dress code

Ideally, everyone - the bride and groom, the guests, and the toastmaster at a Russian-style wedding - are dressed in the same way. Long sundresses are suitable for women, and brightly colored shirts and trousers are suitable for men. It is recommended to rent traditional Russian clothing.

Not everyone may like such images, and then it is worth inviting guests to add one of the elements of Russian flavor to their outfit. This could be wildflowers, jewelry, accessories or a matching hairstyle.
Advice! To ensure that there are no black sheep at the party, you should take care of accessories for guests in advance by placing boutonnieres or ribbons on a separate table at the entrance to the banquet hall.

Guest clothing

It is not necessary for those invited to dress up completely in traditional Russian outfits; it will be enough to add a few details to their images. For the bride's friends, you can choose bright sundresses or dresses, and complement the outfit with scarves with painting or embroidery, wreaths on the head or various jewelry - voluminous beads, bracelets and earrings. The groom's friends can wear shirts with ornaments and caps.

Summer wedding photo in Russian folk style

Cortege

At a Russian-style wedding ceremony, it is better for the heroes of the occasion to appear in an open horse-drawn carriage. The coachman must wear an embroidered shirt, a cap with a bright flower, and a zipun. In winter, sleighs are used instead of carts.

The cart and horses are decorated with flower garlands and bright ribbons, and the inside is lined with carpets in summer and furs in winter. To notify everyone about the creation of a new family, bells are hung on the chests of horses.

If you couldn’t find specific transport, don’t be upset. You can decorate ordinary cars in the Russian style - with wreaths of wild flowers, beautiful satin ribbons, rings with bells.

Hall decoration

In order for the space for a wedding banquet to fit harmoniously into the overall theme of the holiday, several rules must be followed:

• make white the leading color, adding red, golden, black decorative elements to it;
• Cover the tables with openwork tablecloths, decorate them with birch branches and rowan berries;
• Use handmade napkins, crocheted or embroidered with Russian ornaments;
• Hang towels and paintings depicting nature on the walls;
• Replace the chairs with long wooden benches;
• Place the samovar in the center of the table;
• Choose beautiful dishes in the Russian style with artistic painting;
• Instead of shot glasses and glasses, use iron cups.

Decorative elements should complement each other without merging into a motley and homogeneous mass. When decorating a banquet room, traditional symbols are also used - paired figurines of swans, a random horseshoe and matryoshka dolls.

Invitations

Be sure to mention the dress code in the invitations, and also do not forget to indicate the date and location of the wedding.

Invitations can be:

• in the form of rectangles with folk ornaments;
• imitation of nesting dolls or bears;
• with old Russian calligraphy.

You can order postcards to be sent by a courier who will dress in Russian costume.

Accessories

The book of wishes and glasses for the newlyweds can be decorated using bright ornaments:

• based on Mezen painting in red and black in combination with ocher;
• Gorodets pattern, the palette of which includes white, green, red, blue and black shades;
• in Gesture style using red, gold and dominant black;
• Gzhel painting in white and blue tones.

To emphasize the breadth of the Russian soul and the scope of the holiday, guests present at a Russian-style wedding are given gifts. Porcelain saucers with floral patterns, painted spoons or nesting dolls are ideal.

Menu

When drawing up the menu, the bride and groom should not save money, because the tables at a Russian wedding should be bursting with treats. There should not be any sushi, rolls, pizza or other foreign dishes at the banquet - only dishes of classic Russian cuisine.

The first course is served with goose baked with apples, veal on a spit or suckling pig. For a snack prepare:

• red and black caviar, but not eggplant;
• baked fish;
• salted herring with onions;
• canned mushrooms;
• pickles - cucumbers and cabbage.

Important! It is impossible to imagine a Russian menu without traditional pastries - pies with meat, kulebyak with cabbage, pies with berries and fish, buns. The next day they treat you to royal fish soup or soup with mushrooms.

For soft drinks, berry fruit drinks and dried fruit compotes are perfect. At a Russian wedding it is not customary to drink a lot of alcohol, so several varieties of home-made mead, tincture or fruit liqueurs are sufficient as alcohol.

Cake

An alternative to the traditional cake should be a large loaf decorated with birds and flowers made from dough.

If the newlyweds consider a wedding cake to be an obligatory attribute, it can be baked in the form of a tower, matryoshka or samovar. It is decorated with stylized birch branches, ears of wheat, bunches of rowan berries, sunflower flowers, and is crowned with a figurine of two swans.

Ancient beliefs

Since ancient times, a Russian wedding has been a significant milestone in a person’s life path. According to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, the union of a woman and a man was blessed by the gods, and they were considered full members of the clan. The celebration was accompanied by ritual actions designed to attract all kinds of benefits for the newly created family and protect them from evil forces:

• evil spirits were driven away with the help of ringing bells, amulets, beating the floor and walls of the home with whips;
• a veil or veil served as a shelter from unkind spirits and a symbol of passage through the afterlife, because a woman died for her clan and was born for her husband’s clan;
• conversations in roundabout ways and metaphors, dressing up of the newlyweds and bride price were intended to protect the expectant mother from the slightest evil eye;
• prosperity was invoked by sprinkling grains;
• in the bathhouse they cleansed themselves, washing away all sorts of bad energy and enlightening their souls.

Much has changed since then. The origins and true meaning of the old rituals have been forgotten, but much has been preserved and to this day at Russian weddings they hang bells under the arc of the troika, arrange for a substitution of the bride and groom, and choose a wedding general.

Folk style photo shoot

It is better to organize a photo session outdoors. A dense pine forest, birch grove or green lawn will be the best decorations. In winter, spectacular photos will be taken against the backdrop of snow-covered spruce trees or red rowan trees.

It would be great if you could capture footage of horses. Standing next to these magnificent animals makes for gentle and romantic photos.

You can organize a photo session against the background of pre-revolutionary buildings, for example, a merchant’s house preserved in good condition or a wooden tower. Warm shots will be taken near the Russian stove, and romantic ones - in the hayloft.

Folk musical instruments, kokoshnik, samovar with bagels, nesting dolls, and wreaths of wild flowers are used as additional accessories for a photo shoot.

Location

A wedding in a folk style is best held outdoors, but it all depends on the vagaries of the weather.

Summer and spring

• rustic courtyard with wooden buildings;
• picturesque lake;
• Birch Grove;
• boron;
• a park;
• wheat field;
• country wooden estate.

Winter and autumn

• banquet halls;
• restaurants;
• cafe;
• wooden ancient hut;
• tower;
• theater halls.

It is important to simply choose the interior to match the folk style or organize it yourself.

Photo

One of the most popular themed celebrations is a Russian-style wedding. Centuries-old traditions and rituals that have existed in Russia since time immemorial make the holiday very soulful :

Cake

This style is characterized by multi-tiered cakes covered with fondant and painted with folk patterns.