Workers of civil registry office say that summer time is now the most active wedding season. Nevertheless, in the old days there were no weddings in the summer: there was no time to celebrate, as there was a lot of work on the field and in the kitchen gardens. The wedding season began only with the advent of autumn, when all the field work was done. Step2Love will tell you about the wedding in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, for a very long time in the wedding rite prevailed folk customs. Some of them are so old that even now it is difficult to find an explanation for them. For instance, such customs of weddings in Ukraine like pouring wine and beat the wine glasses “for luck” originate from religion, when people believed in God-the Sun.
The marriage union in the church for a long time was only legal need for the Ukrainians, and after the Orthodox ceremony the newlyweds could live separately for several years until they got married.

The wedding process began with matchmaking. Elected elders – respected elderly people who have eloquence: because of this quality it was often depended, will a bridegroom receive a rushnyk (Ukrainian embroidered towel) or go away with nothing. At that time people got married, as a rule, on people living in the same village. However the girls could go looking for the grooms also in the neighboring village together with the elders. Because of this, houses were brightly colored, where girls lived who were ready for marriage, – it was a delightful sign for the newcomers elders.
There were situations when girls came to guys with purpose to get married. For the girl this tradition was akin to getting rid of, because it was impermissible to deny a girl. According to folk customs, the marriage union could also save the person sentenced to death. Although there were situations when a guy, after seeing his rescuer, wanted a speedy death.

There were also such traditions for a wedding in Ukraine like well-known a bride’s theft: in this way a guy could get a pretty wealthy girl. The most important rule was to hide a girl for at least a day. After this, he was supposed to marry a girl (of course, if she wished).

Couples, who were successfully matched for marriage, could be engaged soon: it meant, they exchanged by engagement rings. From this moment the guy could spend the night in the house of the girl. There is a hypothesis that the so-called civil marriage was earlier in Ukraine and was called a trial marriage. The church was against to this dissoluteness. Actually, on the central territory of Ukraine the virginity of the girl was necessary in the subsequent wedding ceremony.

The main attribute of the weddings was a karavai (ceremonial and symbolic wedding bread). Its baking was done by women, whose family life was exemplary, successful and happy. Bread was decorated for the wedding with a periwinkle, which symbolized eternal love. Karavai never was not baked by widows and widowers who were married for the second time.

The wedding celebration began in the house of each of the newlyweds. When the guy was going to fetch his bride, on the way, he could be stopped by people asking for a ransom for the betrothed. After the bargaining by the tradition of the wedding in Ukraine, there was a festive dinner.

After that, the girl had to untwist the braid. It was done by members of her family in turn. From that moment the girl had to hide her head under a piece cloth or a handkerchief.

We hope this article will help you to understand Ukrainian culture. Impress your Lady with your knowledge of traditions and customs of her Homeland.