Kidnapping and ransoming the bride - competition for a banquet: fun and unexpected

The abduction and ransom of the bride is a competition for a banquet that will not allow you to relax and will bring the groom back into shape. It will also bring a lot of fun to the gathered guests, some of whom may not have been present at the ransom at the bride's entrance.

At almost every wedding, the bride is kidnapped and then a ransom is demanded from the groom. Surely, the bride will also be kidnapped at your wedding, so it is better to prepare for this from the beginning.

From this article you will learn how to organize a theft and where best to hide the bride, as well as how to inform the toastmaster about the impending abduction.

How can you punish the witnesses and the groom?

There are many ways to punish witnesses and the groom who missed the bride, and here are some of them:
• Place in front of the witnesses two plates with champagne or wine poured into them, which they must drink without using their hands;

• Give witnesses three lollipops. Each of them must very quickly unwrap all the candies and put them in their mouths. When all the candies are in the mouth, the witness and witness must say an impromptu congratulation to the newlyweds;

• Ask witnesses to act out a scene in which the witness is the wife and the witness is the husband. Let the presenter give the husband some banknote, which the husband allegedly received at work as a bonus and decided to make a nest egg from his wife. Having hidden the money under the collar of his shirt, in a tie, in a sock or a secret pocket, he returns home. The wife must return the money to the family by finding the money in any way;

• Ask witnesses to act out a scene in which the witness is a mother who has just given birth to a baby, and the witness is the father of a newborn child who has come to visit his wife in the maternity hospital. Due to quarantine, the husband is not allowed into the maternity hospital, and the ward in which the wife is lying is on a high floor. The husband stands under the windows of the maternity hospital and his task is to find out as much information as possible about the newborn child, asking all kinds of questions. The wife should answer without words, using only facial expressions and gestures;

• Demand that the witness sing a song about a chocolate bunny or dance “Gypsy” with a mop as punishment;

• Let the witness and the groom dance “Lezginka” with knives in their teeth, and let the witness put a jug (plastic bottle) of water on her shoulder or head and dance with it.

If you yourself are unable to come up with worthy punishments for the groom and witnesses, in this you can safely trust an experienced presenter, who has repeatedly carried out these “tortures” on the guilty! Happy marriage!

How does bride kidnapping happen at a modern wedding?

In order for everything to go according to plan, the script should be prepared in advance. What is needed for this?

1. So that there is no surprise for the bride, she is informed about the time of the abduction. This information must also be communicated to the toastmaster and to those who will abduct.
2. Find people who will agree to kidnap the newly-made bride. This should be done by those people who will be adequate, will not be very drunk, and they should also have a sense of humor.
3. You need to think about where you will hide the bride after she is kidnapped. You should not use dark closets, basements and kitchens for this purpose. You should also not take it far by car.
4. You need to come up with tasks that the groom must complete in order to find his bride.
5. Prepare all the necessary props that will be needed to kidnap the young woman.
6. The bride is only kidnapped once per wedding, so guests should be prohibited from stealing again.

It is best to hide her in a room in which she will not stain her dress, and will be able to observe everything that will happen in the banquet hall.

Stealing a shoe

A more gentle version of kidnapping is stealing a shoe. When shoes are stolen, the tasks must be completed by witnesses.

What to do to steal shoes:

1. Warn the toastmaster who plans to do this, the organizer will help you choose the best time.
2. Warn the newlyweds about the planned action. Otherwise, the bride or groom may not understand what is happening and get scared. And the first reaction is to fight back with all your might. Then the kidnappers may suffer quite badly, and the holiday will be ruined.
3. Conduct theft when the bride is not participating in competitions or dances.
4. Shoes are quite complex footwear, and abruptly yanking them off the feet can harm the bride, so they need to be removed carefully.

If you follow these simple rules, the theft of a shoe will go well and will be bright and memorable.

Leading

Agree on the “Stole the Bride” competition at the wedding with the host so that the theft only brings additional joy and fun.

Valentine

For the “Bride Stealing at a Wedding” competition, there are several rules that are best adhered to.

There is no need to take the bride far away or hide her in dusty basements or utility rooms, because this idea can ruin the wedding image. It is advisable that the bride sees the actions that the groom is ready for for her. It is important not to delay the action, let the theft and the process of finding the bride last no longer than 15-20 minutes.

Features and Variations

A competition for the bride at a wedding will help make the celebration unique. They allow the bride to show her best qualities: intelligence, dexterity, sense of humor, ingenuity, creativity. Such competitions differ from others in their specificity, because there is only one participant in them - and this is the bride herself.

Basically, they can be divided into 2 large groups: active and mental. In the first, participants need to move, and in the second, they just need to show their ingenuity, intelligence and creativity. For the bride, you can choose both types of competitions, or only one.

But do not forget that often the future wife has a lush and not very comfortable outfit. This point must be taken into account. To make the competition go smoothly, try to focus on the girl’s strong character traits, eliminating possible awkward moments. Here you can read about competitions for the groom.

Entertainment on the road

Even the road to the registry office and restaurant can be made memorable. You can organize light entertainment for the bride on the way to the wedding or a small photo shoot. Particularly beautiful shots are obtained if the newlyweds have chosen an unusual type of transport, for example, a carriage. Along the way, it is also possible to film a congratulatory part of the video or hold small competitions in the form of a survey. Try not to tire the bride too much on the way, because the most important and solemn part of the event awaits her ahead.

Practical tips and recommendations for choosing and holding wedding competitions for the bride are below.

• Choose competitions in which the bride can show her talents and abilities: dancing, art or artistic.
• Try to eliminate inconvenient questions and controversial issues
• Competitions in which the bride must guess the groom using a certain thing or blindfolded look very advantageous.
• When choosing, do not forget to take into account the season, location, style of the wedding, as well as the outfit of the future wife
• For the bride, 1-2 separate competitions are enough
• The “Bride Stole at a Wedding” competition should be organized by the most creative and charismatic friend of the groom, who can beat any situation.

Don't forget that wedding competitions should be varied and interesting. Try to involve every participant, and then this wedding will definitely be remembered by everyone for a long time!

What to do if the groom is kidnapped at a wedding?

If a bride is kidnapped at a wedding, none of the guests will be surprised. But the theft of a groom is a new and extraordinary phenomenon. Couples who decide to break stereotypes and surprise those present with a non-standard prank can, by mutual consent, organize the kidnapping of the young man.

Photo of the groom being kidnapped at a wedding

How to redeem a spouse? For example, a wife is given a note saying that she will see her lover again if she pays the ransom.

There is also an option with a checkbook of wishes, the sheets of which the spouse will use to receive tips. The “bandits” send the young woman SMS notifications or hide letters with tasks, after completing which they will return her husband.

When drawing up a scenario for such a kidnapping, you can start from the wedding theme and idea. In any case, the goal is the same - to pass all the tests in order to return the young one. Suitable tasks include puzzles, listening to audio recordings, analyzing a note written by a young spouse, and so on. You can also write a separate script in which the authors will take into account and reflect all the characteristics of the young and young.

Bride kidnapping tradition

Later in Rus', bride theft became more cruel and humiliating: the master stole the bride from the wedding if she was his serf, and if the groom could not buy his bride from him, then she returned to her husband only in the morning.

And then the only option left for the young people was to steal their beloved. Bride kidnappings are still taking place in the Caucasus and Kyrgyzstan.

Of course, now these are mostly playful kidnappings that occur by agreement of the bride and groom, but among these nationalities, forced weddings are also quite common, when the bride does not even know who her abductor is, and in the future her husband.

Bride kidnapping at a modern wedding

Nowadays, not a single wedding is complete without a symbolic repetition of such an ancient ritual as bride kidnapping, especially in the style of a quest.

Nowadays, bride kidnapping is just a fun touch in the wedding scenario. And in order for everything to be truly fun, it is necessary to prepare well the moment of the bride’s abduction.

So, in order for everything to happen without surprises, you need:

1. Set an hour for the kidnapping and inform about it: the bride, the toastmaster, the kidnappers themselves, and let the groom guess.
2. Appoint kidnappers. This cannot be discussed with guests, as it is assumed that by this point in the wedding they are no longer completely sober. Kidnappers must be adequate, with a developed sense of humor and proportion.
3. Think over the place where the bride will be taken after the abduction. Let it not be basements, storage rooms, kitchens and other work rooms. They also do not take the bride far in a car. In no case will she be harmed, her wedding dress will not be soiled, and the young woman cannot be offended. In addition, it is better to place her in a room from which the bride can see everything that the witness and husband are capable of for her return.
4. Come up with tasks for the groom that he will complete to return his beloved. It would be better if all competitions were about the bride.
5. Prepare props, if needed, to stage a bride kidnapping.
6. Prohibit guests from stealing the bride again. This is the rule: the bride must be stolen once, she is ransomed quickly and then everyone returns to the festive table.

Scenarios of bride theft from a wedding

There are a huge number of scenarios for carrying out such a colorful ritual.

• You can use your own imagination, not use other people’s ideas, and create your own scenario for kidnapping a bride from a wedding.
• Or you can use existing ones, the most common of which are listed below.

Scenario of bride kidnapping by gypsies

A distinctive feature of such a kidnapping is the fact that the gypsies can be paid with fake money for the return of the bride.

Scenario of a bride being kidnapped by a detachment of armed special forces

This version of abduction will also require a lot of props: a uniform and weapons, but the positive feature is the fact that it is not necessary to take the bride anywhere.

Armed young men can simply surround her and begin to demand a ransom from the groom.

Bride kidnapping scenario “Caucasian Captive”

There are very few people in Russia who are not familiar with this film. Therefore, guests will immediately recognize the costumes of the characters in this film - the Coward, the Experienced and the Goonie.

And also in this version of bride kidnapping, you can slip the groom a fake bride - a sleeping bag with a blanket inside, without a bride, and demand that he complete more and more new tasks.

Bride kidnapping scenario “Koloboks are conducting the investigation”

This scenario involves the inclusion of many, many guests in the action; few props are required here, but a lot of competitions for the guests and separately for the groom and witness need to be prepared.

In addition to these scenario options, there are many more interesting ways to kidnap a bride from a wedding and ransom her from the kidnappers.

However, it will be much more fun and original to come up with your own individual scenario for repeating the ancient ritual, which will once again give the young woman the opportunity to be convinced of the love of her groom.

Funny scenario of a bride being kidnapped at a wedding.

Many people think that all the groom's trials on the wedding day occurred during the bride price. But in reality this is not so, because there is also theft of a girl. The tradition appeared due to the fact that some parents did not want to give their daughters in marriage, and in order to be with their beloved, the guy had to kidnap her.

These times are long gone, but the traditions remain, so it is important to decide how bride kidnapping will take place at an event such as a wedding, the scenario of which must be planned in advance. In addition to the fact that planning will help the toastmaster choose the right moment, it will also give the opportunity to choose an unusual plot

Wedding ceremonies in Rus'

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The Slavs believed that the main conditions were that the bride had to correspond to the groom in status, including material status. If the girl’s family lived in wealth, then the groom was chosen no lower in rank. An interesting fact is that the groom might not even see his future wife in person, just like she might not even see her future husband. The parents chose the wife for their son. They could see each other only during the wedding celebration. The bride could be quite young, no more than thirteen years old. At such a young age, she already knew how to do everything around the house, sew, and cook. It was believed that a wedding should be held either in the fall or in the winter. Intercession is a sacred holiday that was honored by the Slavs. The Veil blesses young spouses for a long, happy family life.

Wedding ceremonies in Ancient Rus' took place in three stages. First, it was time for preparation. This stage was called pre-nuptial. It included matchmaking, meeting parents, a bachelorette party, and preparing a dowry.

Matchmaking

After the couple decided to tie the knot, the girl’s family was actively preparing for the meeting of the groom and his parents. Father-in-law and mother-in-law were called matchmakers. This name of the relatives remains to this day. A large table was set with a white tablecloth. They prepared a delicious lunch. The young guy shouldn’t just show up, especially alone and empty-handed. He was supposed to arrive along with all his relatives, father, grandfather, and brothers on a horse-drawn cart. Everything is decorated with ribbons and bells so that everyone can see that people are going to get married. The bride should have heard the groom approaching and ran out to meet him.

Everyone got acquainted. The young groom gave gifts to his parents. He gave the future father-in-law wine, meat, a sheepskin coat, and a vest made of animal skin. Beaver, fox, bear. The gift ritual signified high respect and serious intentions for their daughter.

Dowry

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After the parents' blessing, the wedding date was set. Then the girl begins to prepare her dowry. She was helped by her mother, older sister, and grandmother. The dowry was different and depended on the same family status:

• dresses;
• fur coats;
• dishes;
• paintings;
• curtains;
• bed linen, blanket, bedspread;
• carpets.

Bachelorette and bachelor parties

The new bride was having a bachelorette party. It was held on the eve of the upcoming wedding, three days in advance. This is not a fun party of friends with gifts, like we have now. Everything was completely different. In Ancient Rus', the bride gathered all the women of the village, her friends, and relatives. She definitely invited the vytnitsa to the house. There were very few of these women in Rus', so they were held in high esteem among the Slavs. Vytnitsa sang a painful song, and the girl cried. This was how it was customary to say goodbye to youth, your carefree youth, your parental home. She definitely had to cry, otherwise an unhappy marriage awaited her.

After this, the girl invited all the women to her house for the table. They drank wine, ate, cried. She gave all women two belts. Then everyone started singing songs. They sang and sang, and if the parents allowed their daughter to leave the house, then they went to the field (in summer) or rode on a sleigh (in winter), and sang songs loudly in chorus. Then the girl went with her best friends to the bathhouse, who washed her for the upcoming wedding. But for the groom, things were not so fun. He just went to the bathhouse alone and had to be silent all night.

Where did the custom come from?

Before telling you what competitions you can hold to buy shoes at a wedding, you should explain where this tradition came from and what determines it. This ritual appeared specifically among the Slavic peoples. In Ancient Rus', after a wedding, a young woman was asked to try on her shoes by her unmarried girlfriends. If one of them got their shoes at the right time, it meant that this girl would soon get married.

Photo of the bride's shoes

But after the fitting procedure, the friend decided to check how generous the young man was and did not give the shoe to its rightful owner. The girl asked her young husband for a certain amount to return the stolen property, since it would be difficult for the bride to dance without shoes.

The newlywed had the right to cheat and pay with sweets or fruits instead of money. There have been cases where the friends of the young man quietly stole an accessory from the newlywed's girlfriend when she was distracted.

Today, the purchase of the newlywed's shoes is arranged solely for entertainment purposes, to amuse the guests and have fun themselves.

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Redemption: traditional and original options

It is such cool wedding competitions as bride ransom that help create a festive mood. The “Chamomile” competition is especially popular.

They also provide an opportunity to demonstrate all your love to your newly-made spouse.

Therefore, you should not neglect this ancient tradition. There are various wedding competitions for bride price, original and classic.

Here are just a few of them:

"Formula of Happiness"

The groom goes through several competitions that will help him create a formula for happiness with his future wife. The first competition is to test the groom's knowledge of their relationship together. That is, the future spouse is asked questions about when they met the bride, how many years or months they have been together, etc. It is best if each question can be answered with a number. This is the first component of the formula. Then, the groom walks up the steps, at each of which he must say what family happiness is. For example, happiness is when you cook dinner together. If the groom does not pass the competition, he must pay a ransom.

"Hollywood Casting"

The most artistic friend of the groom should play the role of the director who conducts the casting. The future husband should try to act out several scenes: meeting his wife from the maternity hospital, the first joint renovation or vacation. The groom will also have to demonstrate other skills - show his artistry, ability to dance and sing. And only after passing all the competitions the groom will be able to see the bride.

Abduction by gypsies

If you want your bride theft to be a spectacular spectacle, then this can be arranged with the help of invited gypsies. Brightness and vigor are achieved through cheerful songs and motley colorful outfits. For this, you may need purchased costumes for gypsies, if they do not have their own, guitars, tambourines and scarves.

First, young gypsy women enter singing and surround the groom. And so that he cannot leave the circle of girls, they must wave their scarves and skirts. Then he will not be able to see what is happening beyond this circle. While the gypsies distract the groom, two gypsies take the bride away and hide her in a secret place.

But when the groom discovers that the bride has been kidnapped, he will have to pay a ransom for her, otherwise no one will give his newly-made wife for free. Watch the video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PRfk0XvMs6o

What can you offer the groom as a ransom?

1. Pay with money. This can be either real or fake money.
2. He can sing a beautiful song that will be dedicated to their love.
3. If he dances an original dance, it will also be very fun and fiery.
4. You can also invite the groom to take part in a comic competition.

After the ransom is approved by all the kidnappers, the bride is returned to the rightful hands of the groom.

Competition "Problem Towel"

In no case should the rules of show jumping be announced before the start, because there is a little trick. To perform this test you will need a wet towel. The first thing you need to do is ask the main character of the event to tie a knot in this wet towel as much as he actually loves his wife. It would seem nothing complicated, right? But no, such bride price competitions have their pitfalls!

A man can ask friends to help him tie a towel in a knot - this is not prohibited by the rules. The catch is that after the groom ties the towel, he will need to untie it as quickly as possible (here you won’t have to wait for help from friends), because the towel needs to be undone as quickly as the man can resolve family conflicts and disputes. After all, we all know that friends often help lovers quarrel, but young people have to make peace themselves - so this is a kind of rehearsal!

If a man fails to untie, he can pay money to avoid doing this, to quickly reach his beloved and complete the bride price. Competitions for the groom are sometimes a very big problem, but if your beloved has coped with them, it means that he really loves you and is ready to do anything for you!

Bride kidnapping by wedding guests

You need to think through the entire scenario and props in advance so that everything planned goes smoothly and unforgettably.

Abduction by gypsies

This type of theft will look very good, since the gypsies add zest to the celebration with their atmosphere, colorful dances and unique speech.

To make everything look beautiful and natural at the celebration, you should:

1. Order actors who will act out any scenario; it is thanks to colorful costumes and professional acting that the desired atmosphere of the event will be achieved.
2. You should also order another hero who will conduct direct negotiations with the young man and his relatives.
3. You can choose a more economical option, but no less boring - you should agree in advance with the bride’s friends, who will find costumes and play the role of gypsies.

The most important thing is not the costumes, but the right moment. A company of cheerful and perky gypsies should burst into the hall, who with their singing and ditties will distract not only the groom, but also the guests

And thanks to their magnificent costumes, the gypsies dance around the bride and take her out of the hall so that no one notices.

Demands that can be put forward to the husband.

1. Dance a gypsy dance, of course.
2. Sing a serenade.
3. Play a song on any instrument.

After the buildings are completed, the man is given a friend dressed in women's clothing, and in order to receive a wife, he must pay an agreed amount of money.

In the style of a Caucasian captive

To carry out a stylized theft, inspired by the cult film “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, you will need:

• prepared remarks;
• 2 sleeping bags and one blanket;
• white rope;
• shoes;
• flesh-colored stockings;
• cotton wool;
• pillows.

You need to make the base of the “body” from pillows and ropes, stuff the stockings with cotton wool, and then insert them into the shoes.

At the right moment, the thieves must approach the newlyweds, take the bride, and plant a silhouette of the body in her place.

While the girl is being taken away, you need to convince your husband that this is a ritual that is constantly performed at weddings.

Afterwards, the girl is wrapped in a blanket and taken away, while the husband is left alone. Only after this do three guys in disguise come into the hall and convince the young man that he needs to do a courage test.

After the test has been passed, the stuffed animal must be brought again, as if the captive had been returned. Before anyone notices, you should run away, but slowly, so that the groom and his boyfriend can catch up with the kidnappers, pay off and take the bride.

Armed attack

To pull off a theft like this, you need quality props and people who will play their roles flawlessly.

In this case, the spouse is taken a short distance, after which they begin to demand money from the husband and to pass tests. At least 5 people must pick up the bride.

Tests that can be proposed to be completed.

1. Peel the potatoes for a while.
2. Hit the target.
3. Squats or other types of physical activity.

If you are playing out a raider takeover scenario, you need to demand a ransom; if the groom does not have money, then he is given a bag and sent to collect money from the guests; if there is little money, you can offer to take part in a quiz.

Recommendations for organizing theft of a young person

Since theft of a young person is an exclusively entertaining event , it is important to carefully prepare for it. It is necessary to think about how long the competition will last, what tasks the young man and his friend will have to complete in order to return the girl, how much the ransom will be. It is better that the entire ceremony lasts a maximum of 30 minutes, otherwise the guests will get bored.

Before you kidnap the bride, you need to think about where she will hide. A gateway, pantry, car, kitchen or place under the stairs is not suitable for this. We must not allow the newlywed’s snow-white dress and/or her fabulous mood to deteriorate. It is best to prepare a festively decorated room for the young woman and her girlfriend, where they can relax for 20 minutes, chat, and touch up their makeup.

Photo of the bride in the room

It is important to ensure that the young woman can observe how her husband will look for her. So, in the room where she will wait “in the wings”, you can install a TV on which the whole process will be broadcast.

It is best to carry out the theft in the middle of the celebration, before the hot food is served on the table. While the service staff removes the dirty plates and places clean ones, the guests will happily watch the interesting spectacle associated with the “kidnapping” of the girl.

Script based on the film "Prisoner of the Caucasus"

Only a baby probably hasn't seen this movie. Therefore, if you choose suitable costumes, all the guests, and the groom himself, will understand that they are about to kidnap the bride. To do this, you need to find three young men whose build will resemble the characters in the film. You also need to rent or buy a sleeping bag.

Young people in disguise must take the bride away from the festive hall, and then return back and begin to demand a ransom from the groom. For ransom, you can prepare themed songs and toasts. First, they can slip the groom a sleeping bag without the bride, stuffed with something. But when the groom realizes that he has been deceived, he can reclaim his bride. And only after that, the thieves return the young wife back.

What is entertainment?

Entertainment is a major part of the wedding reception. They allow you to create a festive mood and not let any of your guests get bored.

Most of these competitions are held in a humorous and light form; there are no losers or winners.

They allow you to show your abilities, get to know both the bride and groom and all the guests better, and also get to know some people.

That is why you should not exclude scenes from your wedding script, because there are a huge number of them and any newlyweds will find several ideas to suit their taste.

Interesting! Since the program will include competitions for the bride, consider options for both newlyweds, as well as tasks only for the groom.

Quest script for a wedding

Quest is an original and exciting way to entertain guests

Do you want to know at what wedding stages it can be organized? Then take a look at the list below:

• Quest as a scenario for bride ransom. An excellent opportunity to start getting acquainted with guests is to arrange a quest for the groom with a witness and everyone go together to find the bride. The game will set a good tone and mood for the celebration.
• Wedding walk. During the newlyweds' photo shoot, guests don't have to be bored on the sidelines. Let the bride and groom take pictures, and the guests will be involved in the exciting action. You can spend your free time in an exciting competition or get by with solving riddles. There are many ideas for entertaining guests - it all depends on your preferences.
• Banquet. This could be a quest - searching for a kidnapped bride, a stolen shoe, or a quest instead of the traditional bouquet throwing. If you wish, you can build the entire wedding in a quest format.
• The next day. All the solemn moments of the wedding are over, so the script for the second day of the wedding may well include some kind of active quest for guests or newlyweds.

Buying the bride's shoe

Competitions for the groom's team

The arriving thieves begin to frantically bargain and demand ransom for such an important detail of the bride’s wedding dress.

The groom is offered various tests, for example:

• you need to depict a pantomime based on Pushkin’s poem “There is a green oak at the seaside” (or something similar, with many images and semantic dynamics) without prior preparation. 1 minute is given to assign roles. The voice-over text is read by one of the thieves, and “with feeling, sensibly, with precision”;
• dance the cancan with the whole team - the groom's friends;
• agree to drink as much champagne from the bride’s shoe as will be poured into it;
• men usually do not have a very good memory when it comes to women’s outfits, hairstyles, and shoes. You can play on this. The groom is offered 5-6 white shoes (prepared in advance) and is invited to recognize the bride. Moreover, during the competition the groom should not see the second shoe. Paradoxically, few people recognize their bride’s shoe.
• the most commonplace way is to simply pay, but the mummers must agree to the payment after conducting a series of tests. Otherwise it won't be interesting.

Competitions for the bride's team

The point is that, also in the midst of the dance program, it is discovered that the stylish groom is standing in one sock and announces that the shoe has disappeared in an unknown direction.

The bride is in panic, the guests are terrified, and thieves appear in the wedding arena. We mentioned the appearance of thieves above.

The bride is offered the following tests:

• dance without shoes with the oldest guest;
• dance without shoes with the youngest guest;
• pull in and tie the laces on men's shoes for a while (for example, 1 minute);
• recognize the blindfolded groom's shoe among many men's shoes;
• “give out”, again, a fiery cancan together with his team.
• after all the tests - pay, you can offer a kiss to each thief as a ransom.

Competitions for the bride and groom

You can simultaneously organize a shoe purchase for both the bride and groom. Payment for the shoes can be any joint action of the bride and groom, symbolizing joint overcoming of difficulties in family life.

This could be sawing logs, picking up broken dishes for good luck, feeding pets, etc.

In the process of buying a shoe, special attention should be paid to the photo shoot: what could be more interesting for future children than your wedding photos in the company of fairy-tale characters, all kinds of kikimoras, witches, goblin, devils, cowboys, pirates? A professional photographer will take excellent staged photographs that will turn your wedding album into a real masterpiece!

Remember: the more rituals and traditions presented at the wedding, the brighter and more interesting the celebration will be. The main thing is not to overdo it and harmoniously integrate traditions into the wedding scenario.

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Popularity of tradition

With the establishment of serfdom, this tradition did not lose its popularity. Only now the bride was kidnapped by the master, intending to spend the night with her. If the young husband had the means, then he bought the bride, but if not, then he received her back only in the morning.

Among Caucasians, theft of those named then and now is of a criminal nature. Often there is no collusion here, it’s just that the parents ask for a too large ransom for the girl, which the groom is not able to pay. Or a woman is opposed to marrying an unloved person, and this can only be resisted in this way.

History of the custom

During serfdom, a landowner who married a peasant woman could spend the first night with her. That is, the bride’s first wedding night was not with the groom, but with her landowner, who kidnapped her during the wedding. This beautiful tradition has not very pleasant roots. But this is in the past , now no one can kidnap a bride from a wedding against her will.

The bride is also kidnapped to avoid certain prohibitions. For example, the youngest daughter in a family cannot become a wife earlier than the eldest. In this case, the groom kidnaps his beloved without any blessing from her parents. After this, they stop communicating with their youngest daughter, but only up to a certain point. When a young child is born, the joyful grandparents forgive everything.

In ancient Rome

Once upon a time, only men lived in Rome. Neighboring tribes refused to give their girls to the poor Romans, so brides began to be kidnapped. Since then it has become a beautiful Roman custom.

Among the Slavs

In ancient times, the Slavs acquired a bride through fun games. During dances and round dances, the man chose a companion and led her away from everyone by the hand, of course, with her consent. He took his chosen one to his house. Games were held most often in the spring and summer, until the day of Ivan Kupala.

After the adoption of Christianity, the custom was preserved, despite the negative attitude of the church towards this ritual.

In western Bulgaria, bride kidnapping was staged to ensure a rich harvest. In Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro, the groom dressed in military style and had to forcibly kidnap his beloved. Cossacks even today carry out the ritual of kidnapping the bride before the wedding.

Among the Tatars

To prevent parents from forcibly marrying their daughter to an unloved man, Tatar women negotiated with their lover. At a certain time, he had to steal the chosen one from his father’s house. A few days later, the young people returned to receive a blessing from their parents. The girl’s father and mother had no choice; they blessed the children for this marriage.

The Tatars have never kidnapped brides by force. The young people agreed on everything in advance so that the girl could marry the one her heart chose.

In the Caucasus

In Russia, the custom of kidnapping a beloved in the Caucasus is very common. In the film “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” a bride is kidnapped, and it is carried out without the girl’s consent. Even then it was prohibited and prosecuted.

Now a Caucasian man can get a real sentence for kidnapping his beloved and forcing her to cohabitate.

Bride kidnapping in modern Russia

Today in Russia, for kidnapping a bride, you can get a prison sentence and spend several years behind bars. But now, as a rule, this is just a tribute to fashion , and couples are simply having fun, recreating various kinds of traditions performed in ancient times.

In Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, the custom translated into Russian sounds like “grab and run.” In few cases, everything is played out and done by consent.

In most cases, the girl is abducted by force. Even after she becomes the kidnapper's wife, he will treat her like an animal. Girls are especially often kidnapped in rural areas. They simply grab her on the street and forcefully push her into a car. At the kidnapper’s house, his parents persuade her not to resist and to stay with her fiancé. If the girl starts to leave, the oldest woman in the house lies down on the threshold. If she crosses it, the bride will be cursed.

In some cases, the girl’s parents still turn to law enforcement agencies for help, but, as a rule, they do not receive any help. The groom sends expensive gifts and monetary rewards, the relatives agree to this marriage.

After the wedding night, a sheet with blood is hung out to prove that the abducted woman was a virgin. In the event that there is no blood on the sheet, the “slut” can be returned to her parents’ home.

Why are they kidnapping the bride at a wedding now?

• Already in Soviet times, the custom of kidnapping a bride at a wedding was not so much a tribute to tradition, but a way to entertain guests at the wedding.
• Now they steal with the desire to pay tribute to tradition and amuse guests in equal measure.
• Another reason why the bride is kidnapped is because they believe that this way the guests and the bride can “test” the groom’s feelings and what he is ready for for the sake of his beloved.

Scene 2: training for young people and witnesses from Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga. Here I am, my dears, I see right through people. I can read their thoughts at a great distance. Do you young people know how to read each other’s thoughts?

Young. Sometimes.

Baba Yaga. Do you want to practice?

Young. Yes.

Baba Yaga. The witness and the groom, the witness and the bride should discuss among themselves and write down on a piece of paper the ten most important advantages of the groom and the 10 most important advantages of the bride. But do it this way. The witness and groom remain in the hall, and let the bride and witness leave the hall. If at least 7 coincides, then the thoughts of the young people will coincide in life

It is very important! I'll give you two minutes

After the bride and the witness left the banquet hall, the witness tells the bride that the Serpent Gorynych is stealing her and wants to make her his wife. A cardboard castle and an inflatable Snake are taken out from a hidden place. The three-headed man allegedly takes the young woman far away to his castle. Use a refrigerator box as a lock, cut lengthwise and along the bottom. Windows are drawn.

Baba Yaga. Time is over. Bride-in-law, please go to the hall!

The bride does not come out and does not answer. Baba Yaga repeats the request several times, but to no avail. The groom and guests attack Baba Yaga with reproaches that she promised not to be harmful.

Baba Yaga. Yes, I promised and I keep my word! I have nothing to do with this! Now I'll see where our beauty is.

Baba Yaga stands in the center of the hall, takes out a large magnifying glass and points it towards the exit.

Baba Yaga. This is my all-seeing eye. It will now show us all where the daughter-in-law has disappeared.

At this time, the bride and witness enter the hall, separating themselves from everyone with a cardboard castle. It’s as if the bride is imprisoned in Gorynych’s castle.

Tips for organizing a bride kidnapping

Bride kidnapping is an ancient custom that existed among many peoples, so it is often performed at weddings. Sometimes, even without the consent of the newlyweds, tipsy relatives may decide that it is time for entertainment, and the main one is the demand for ransom from the groom. The scenario must be drawn up so that the kidnapping occurs when everyone is a little drunk, but still retains their common sense.

Things to consider when creating a kidnapping:

Its duration is 10-15 minutes, no more

If the ritual drags on too long, the guests’ attention will wander, and even the most interesting scene will seem boring. Fully discuss all stages of the event with the bride. Warn the groom that they will carry out a kidnapping without disclosing the sequence of the process. Prepare a comfortable room where the bride and witness will be. If possible, install a TV in the room and broadcast live from the hall. After all, the bride should see how hard the groom is trying. Prepare the props without anyone noticing.

The main thing that the bride must do is to facilitate her abduction in every possible way. This will help to quickly and efficiently carry out tests or redemptions.

Subtleties of kidnapping

• It is better to kidnap the bride together with a friend so that she is not bored;
• It is better to hide on the street, and not inside a restaurant. Vigilant workers can arrange their own kidnapping and the ransom will have to be paid to them.
• You should not hide the bride too far, otherwise you will have to look for the kidnappers along with the bride.
• You should not hide the bride in dirty places - attic, basement, etc. Her beautiful attire will come to an end.
• Do not force witnesses to drink from the bride's shoe. They need to keep a level head.

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For the groom

Cool competitions for the groom at the ransom will allow everyone present to laugh heartily and relax, and the groom himself will be able to show his best qualities, be it acting talent, dexterity or intelligence.

You are my teddy

Soft toys of various shapes and sizes are laid out on a flat surface. The groom, blindfolded, needs to feel all the proposed options, choosing from them the toy that most resembles the bride. To make the competition more difficult, you can take various household items instead of plush animals.

Carlo

As props for this competition, you will need a medium-sized piece of wood and a well-sharpened knife. The bridesmaids pass the props to the groom with a request to demonstrate how the hero of the occasion knows how to “plane children.” At the end of the competition, guests must decide which spouse the child is like.

Groom dance

Music is played for the groom, to which he must dance merrily. But the catch of the competition is that the music is constantly changing, and the groom has to adapt to a new rhythm every time. The hosts of the ransom must prepare in advance a selection of 10-15 different melodies. To complicate the task, you can force the groom to tie bows from multi-colored ribbons during the dance.

Oculist

The young groom is greeted by a guest wearing a medical gown, a doctor's cap and a reflector on his head (all props can be rented at costume shops). An impromptu ophthalmologist introduces himself to the groom, saying: “We are looking for a healthy groom for our bride! Let's check your vision!" After these words, the presenters bring out a poster with various dates that are significant for the newlyweds. The date of acquaintance, the bride's birthday, the anniversary of the relationship is best suited. The groom guesses each date. He can be fined for incorrect answers.

A gift from the heart

The bridesmaids bring out a basin to the groom, offering to put in the bottom the best gift that is dear to the bride’s heart. The newly-made spouse will begin to sort through options with friends, settling on various things. But all these options are wrong. The test continues until the groom guesses that he should sit in the basin.

Attention! If the competition drags on, guests may get bored. After several incorrect options on the part of the groom, you can safely give tips

Fisherman

The bride and her three friends tie ribbons to their wrists and then hide behind a screen. Ribbons are extended into the hall. The groom, like a real fisherman, must “catch” his betrothed. If the bridesmaid is hooked, the fisherman pays a ransom. The competition continues until the real hero of the occasion is found.

Examples

• "Find a spouse." It will suit absolutely any wedding style and will be a wonderful addition to it. Its essence is that the bride must find her groom's things among several pairs of shoes, watches or children's photographs. The more additional things there are, the more interesting the competition.
• "Draw your loved one." The bride is asked to draw her husband in a few minutes on a large sheet of paper. You can complicate the task and make it more interesting if the girl’s eyes are closed.
• Mini-quest. Will help a girl find a wedding gift hidden for her. She is given a piece of paper with the first clue, which encrypts the location of the next message. So, you can make several points with tips, and the final one will be the place where the gift from the groom is hidden. It is especially interesting to hold such a competition in the summer season in an informal setting, for example, when a wedding is celebrated outdoors.

Cool

• "Guess the groom." It is necessary to seat the groom and his friends on several chairs, preferably 5-6 people. The bride is blindfolded and using a certain part of the body (for example, the nose, hand or head), she must find her beloved.
• "Blitz survey". Before the ceremony, the host should ask the groom a few questions. The host may ask what the groom's first word was, what the name of his childhood best friend was, or at what age he had his first kiss. Then the same questions are asked to the bride, and she must give the correct answer, remembering as many facts about her groom as possible. If she cannot answer all the questions, then you can use the help of the audience.
• "Kiss". The girl is first blindfolded, and then told that different men will kiss her and that by kissing her she must find her groom. Of course, this competition is a joke and no one except the groom will kiss her. But she must figure it out herself!

Secrets of organizing a bride kidnapping

Many young people want to diversify their wedding in such an interesting way. But sometimes, a seemingly ordinary tradition can lead to unpleasant consequences. Often on forums people speak negatively about this wedding period. They describe stories when the groom did not understand the joke, after which he had to be searched for several hours. Or tipsy guests tried to take the bride away and got into an accident. And in some cases, the ransom of the kidnapped girl became the most boring episode. And today we will try to figure out how to kidnap a bride so that everyone has fun. And when is it better to abandon such an idea?

• Discuss with the newlyweds. You need to know the clear position of the newlyweds. If at least one of the two disagrees, it is better to abandon the idea.
• Theft and ransom are two different things. Often the groom does not want to buy the bride a second time, and does not see much difference between the two traditions. It is worth noting that the girl’s ransom from her parents’ house is carried out with money and gifts. And ransoming a kidnapped wife is a way to test your ingenuity and resourcefulness with the help of funny tasks.
• Kidnapper. Select the kidnapper in advance. This must be a responsible person who knows the limits of alcohol and understands the limits of what is permitted.

• Place of the bride's imprisonment. The room where the young woman is hidden must be found in advance. It must be clean and located near the hall where the groom will bathe her. After all, the bride also has the right to observe what her beloved is capable of for her sake. In some scenarios, the bride is not taken out of the hall, but is simply surrounded by thieves, or tied up with a symbolic ribbon. Thus, the girl can watch everything that happens without leaving the room.
• Selecting a key figure. As a rule, the groom and witness are responsible for the safety of the bride. Therefore, two people must participate in competitions. But here it is worth remembering that fun tasks are achieved if the artistic talents of the groom and best man are at their best. When they are serious or inhibited, you can bring in other people to play.

The main task of the bride kidnapping ritual is to amuse the guests and newlyweds. And to make the competitions fun, feel free to involve everyone who can bring the task to life.

Dance impromptu

A great idea for a competition at a wedding: “Bride and girlfriend – dance with tasks.” The bride and her friends can move to various music pre-selected by the host. You can also arrange a small dance competition, the outcome of which will be decided by the other guests. Another option: girls dance on a small piece of paper, which they then fold several more times. The participant who lasts the longest on this “island” wins. More dance competitions at the link.

The dance can also become a gift from the bride and her friends to the groom. In this case, it is important to prepare for the dance in advance by rehearsing all the difficult moments.

We advise you to choose songs for dancing that are associated with happy moments in life with your future spouse. This will add a touch of romance to both the competition and the dance gift. Another great option is to choose songs from movies of various genres that are familiar to everyone.