Russian Traditions For Marriages
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by: DavidSmythe
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Word Count: 624
Russian marriages are a distinct experience. Wherever you meet the Russian bride, be it on the streets or marriage agency, you ought to learn certain basic things about Russian culture and the traditions that are followed by them.
In the olden days of Russia it was quite usual for the bride and groom to be "promised" to each other at a very early age. They would actually spend their wedding getting to know each other. It was the family and the parents who made the decision that they would get married, not the young man or woman.
It was after 1960 that the age Old Russian tradition in which promised marriages began changing and the Americans also came to be known as "hippies". Then youth were permitted to date before marriage but were punished if they had sexual contact prior to marriage.
It was perfectly acceptable for the man to visit and get to know the bride's family before asking permission to marry the woman. When he did the father either approved it or did not approve it, and if he did, the woman was then expected to knead bread and take it to her future in-laws. This showed her modesty and ability to be a good wife.
Purchasing a bride was in no way an offense. It is practiced even today. It is however being considered a tradition than an act of trade. Bidding on a woman is done by the man. He offers as much as money and presents that he can to her family. Practices such as this were just done to show that the man will be able to support the woman. A good life after the marriage and no greed was the bottom line of this act.
If the bride's family is against the marriage in any way it didn't mean that it was impossible for her to get married, but it was more of a challenge. There was a solution that is a tradition called "Stealing". Today it might sound funny to some, but as of a century ago stealing girls was considered a profession. Young men worked out all the plans to trick the family members who were refusing to allow the marriage.
Men were paid by the groom, his family, and his friends. This would also never happen without the active support of the bride. Then in the middle of the night she would elope with the man whom she loved. This just proves that Russian women are rebels by nature and are ready to leave everything behind, even their mothers and fathers, when it comes to love and passion.
Besides getting formal papers signed the traditional form of Russian marriages also included taking promises in front of the almighty. They wanted their religion and marriage to mean something to them. They also wanted to assert that they had not got married merely for legal purposes.
Orthodox ceremonies usually take at least half an hour, but can be as long as four hours or more if they include the traditional and sometimes obligatory chants and acts for God's blessing. Modern couples do prefer the short adaptation of the marriage vows instead of the much longer ceremonies. After the ceremony, the wedding party moves to a restaurant or family house where all the guests celebrate the event with a lot of drinking, happiness, and delicious Russian meals.
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