MARRIAGE REGISTRY
Of course, almost no one went to church; they signed only at the registry office. All relatives and friends gathered there. The tradition of exchanging rings did not come immediately; somewhere from the early 70s it already became commonplace, but before that, rings were present not in every wedding. At the registry office they prepared all the necessary documents, put a stamp in the passport, and after that they arranged a solemn registration of the marriage. After the newlyweds were declared husband and wife, they were given flowers and gifts. At the registry office they usually took a group photo of the couple with the guests. Of course, there were few photographers then, but sometimes someone filmed the wedding with amateur cameras.
How weddings changed in the USSR
What do we think about when we hear that one of our friends is getting married? Most likely, about gigantic expenses. However, a wedding has not always been an expensive event. And today we would like to tell you about how marriage ceremonies in the USSR changed.
"Red" weddings
Of course, no beautiful phrases about marriages being made in heaven could be heard in the USSR, due to the fact that religion was banned. The church wedding, which previously united people stronger than any other bonds for life, has faded into oblivion . In the young country, marriage began to be registered in the registry office and received the status of “civil.” In fact, the whole procedure has become simplified, quick and somehow completely mundane, devoid of the flair of romanticism. The young people received the notorious stamps in their passports, signed the book, listened to a short congratulation from the registry office employee, and that’s it. The tablecloth on the tables in the registry office was usually red, in honor of the revolution, which is why weddings in the young USSR received this name.
Soviet newlyweds of the 30s. Photo: oppps.ru
Modesty is a sign of the times
The post-war years were a time when the issue of organizing a wedding was the last thing that needed to be resolved. A modest outfit for the bride, but the obligatory veil, a happy groom in a pressed military uniform, a circle of relatives, a modest meal - this has become a sign of the times. After registration, the celebration was either not held, or was held, but in a narrow family circle. Today's most ordinary wedding table would seem to the newlyweds of those years an unprecedented feast, the limit of abundance, a picture from a fairy tale.
By the 60s, given that life in the country of the Soviets had become much easier and more satisfying, the weddings themselves had changed. There is a tradition of coming to such celebrations with gifts. The bride, usually with a bouquet of gladioli or carnations, is the center of attention, wearing a modest but beautiful dress. Children dressed up for the wedding in school uniforms, and guests simply wore their best clothes. There was no talk of any “wedding color” or other delights, which did not make marriages any less strong or families less happy.
More and more interesting and more expensive
By the 70s, a seemingly long-forgotten tradition came into use - to greet the young with bread and salt. There are funny competitions for the groom, bride price, songs, in a word, weddings are becoming more and more interesting in terms of the program, this is already a real event with a certain plot.
Soviet wedding in 1973, Rostov-on-Don. Photo: wikimedia.org
The 80s were famous for the scale of weddings. Not inviting all relatives to a key event in the life of a son or daughter was considered, if not a fair amount of meanness, then at least a lack of basic politeness. Therefore, inviting a hundred guests in those days was commonplace. The toastmaster was also called, the gifts were better than each other, the table was laden with food and the cries of “Bitter!” By the way, if you like beautiful photo collections from weddings, we highly recommend looking at the one that contains photos of similar ceremonies from Imperial Russia to the decline of the USSR .
Weddings in the 80s were already more expensive events with a lot of guests and gifts
Today you don’t have to hold a wedding at all, or you can spend all your savings on it. As they say, every whim is for your money. Special agencies will relieve you of worries and help you organize the celebration the way you wanted. There is just one drawback to this approach. The more effort you put into something, the longer you wait for some event, the more it means to you, the more valuable it is. And a wedding, for which you did nothing to organize, mindlessly showing your favorite pictures from social networks on your phone, is somehow a little unreal. It’s like singing along to a soundtrack or taking an exam using a cheat sheet. Or are we wrong?
Source: N. Lebina “Soviet everyday life. Norms and anomalies. From War Communism to Great Style", 2018
Decor for wedding invitations in Soviet style
It is better to think through all the details of your celebration in advance. The wedding begins with sending out wedding invitations to guests; if you approach this issue creatively, the invitees will be intrigued long before the celebration begins.
USSR wedding invitation
You can design invitations in the form of Soviet wedding cards, you will find many samples on the Internet, or you can use the design of Soviet calendars, pioneer letters, carnival invitations and other similar things.
Humorous text, appropriate design - such a wedding invitation in the style of the USSR simply cannot help but bring a smile.
ideas for creating creative invitations
Bridal bouquet in 80s style
There are two options for designing a mini “greenhouse” in your hands - classic and wedding cascade.
In the first case, the bride's bouquet is assembled from flowers on a long stem and tied with a ribbon. Give preference to callas, gladioli, carnations and roses. The “waterfall” of flowing flowers in the hands of the bride looks nontrivial. The bouquet, designed in the form of a cascade, can stretch up to a meter in length, and therefore is suitable for tall and slender brides.
Treats and wedding cake
The wedding menu should consist of simple table dishes, such as Olivier salad, fur coat, seafood, jellied tongue, sliced Finnish cervelat or fish. You can experiment with the cake “both lengthwise and widthwise.” Decorate the dessert with a chocolate layer, icing, and colored dragees. You can use “edible prints” on all tiers of the cake. The wedding should be washed down with traditional drinks: wine, champagne, ice cream, etc.
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How to dress?
Brides of the 80s wore either a white dress or a bright, airy dress or pantsuit. Shoes must be very high heels, bright makeup and jewelry in the opposite color and not compatible with the color of the outfit. It is preferable to choose the second option. It will be more interesting and similar to the times of the 80s. The bride could be recognized among the guests only by her very small veil. She is an indispensable attribute. The groom should be dressed in jeans and an original T-shirt with a large English inscription. Calla lilies were fashionable flowers for the bride's bouquet.
Guests must be warned about the format of the wedding . They can choose banana pants, dumplings, leather jackets, bright shirts, leggings, and miniskirts. The advanced youth of the 80s always had large mirrored glasses. The hairstyle was distinguished by an unusual bouffant, and the makeup was bright, often provocative.
If you want to arrange such a wedding, the costs will be minimal. Still, this is the era of the older generation, and many things have been preserved and can be borrowed. Surely, for such an event, people will be happy to contribute to the organization of the holiday.
Wedding traditions in the later years of the USSR
In the 70s, visiting monuments to war heroes or the Lenin monument became popular, and the now customary decoration of a car with newlyweds with various festive ribbons began to come into fashion.
Before the ceremony, those getting married were also required, as a new tradition, to plant a sapling as a symbol of the new life into which the bride and groom were entering. After the wedding itself, the newlyweds were sent on a tourist trip around the country, to those settlements that they themselves chose.
In the 80s there was a small return to the roots, to old folk customs. Now the bride and groom were again served bread and salt on an embroidered towel, and ancient wedding songs were sung. There were also innovations. The bride and groom were awarded the “Advice and Love” medal on behalf of the Soviet state.
Where did you go after registration?
After registration, it was considered correct if the couple went to some monument and left a bouquet of flowers there. In Moscow, newlyweds most often came to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to the Pushkin monument on Tverskaya (then Gorky Street), to the Mayakovsky monument (ibid.) - in general, they chose beautiful and solemn places in the center of the capital.
The tradition of coming to the observation deck on the Vorobyovy (then Lenin) Mountains is still alive. In general, in any city there is certainly a place where newlyweds come, and in every color photo album dedicated to a particular city, published in Soviet times, you will certainly see a photo where the newlyweds are standing at a monument or monument.
What to combine with 50s dresses
Hats
You can create a bright and interesting look by adding an accessory. At the same time, you should not overdo it, so as not to distract attention from the main detail - the dress .
Hats are the element that the bride's image is missing. Stylish hairstyles, smoothly combed hair - this is required in order to put on an original headdress. So-called bowler hats were at the peak of their popularity in the 1950s. Of course, they are suitable as an accessory only for the cold season.
Veils and flirty hats with feathers are suitable for summer and warm spring. A silk scarf is offered to completely original and stylish ladies. At the same time, the hair should be heavily backcombed and tucked under a scarf. The accessory is tied under the chin.
Voluminous hats will suit fluffy and wide skirts. They are decorated with flowers or ribbons. As a rule, the decorations on the hat are bright and juicy.
Shoes
The 50s were the time of pointed or slightly cropped shoes. At the same time, the shoes are delicate and laconic. It is not decorated with anything. The maximum that can be added is the brightness of the colors. For example, wear red shoes and highlight bright lips.
How to organize?
To hold such a wedding, you will need a room where you can equip a disco club. After all, this era is associated with the spread of just such discos, and no feast could be imagined without dancing. Such establishments were decorated with all kinds of posters depicting pop stars. You will definitely need to make it yourself or buy a mirror ball, which was in every self-respecting club, place records everywhere, get color music, decorate everything with garlands. And the hall for the event is ready!
Decoration of the hall in the style of a wedding of the 80s
Hairstyle and make-up
The beautiful bride chooses splendor not only in her outfits, but also in her hairstyle, and applies makeup generously. The volume of curls, backcombing, massive accessories on the head, in the form of headbands, brooches - adapt all the jewelry to the style of the 80s.
Catchy make-up is an integral attribute of a girl’s image. Be sure to apply pink blush to the cheekbones, draw bold lines, choose pearlescent shadows or colored liquid shadows. Moreover, they are applied to the eyebrow line in pink, neon, lilac, bright blue. The expressiveness of the eyes is emphasized by straight eyebrows and long eyelashes, possibly false ones.
The image of the newlyweds
It is important to think about the outfit for the newlyweds. After all, a traditional outfit is so boring! The bride should be dressed in a bright knee-length dress with a full flared skirt . The dress can be any color: purple, green, orange, and the hair can be tied with a ribbon of the same color. No veil was worn, but gloves were required. Be sure to be long, up to the elbow.
The future husband's suit should match the bride's outfit . He can be dressed in a shirt of the same color as the bride's dress. Light colored trousers only. A mandatory part of the costume is a bow tie. You can choose a bright jacket for the groom.
Warn guests about the style of the wedding
Girls' hairstyles should be voluminous with backcombing and very thick bangs. Bright lipstick and winged eyes are a hallmark of 70s makeup. The girls wore bright high-heeled shoes that did not harmonize with the color of the dress. The men sported pointed boots.
Possible room decor
Here the flight of imagination is not limited by anything, the main thing is the ability to get the required paraphernalia. It is advisable to hang posters on the walls with inscriptions (“Chatterbox is a godsend for a spy” or “Five-year plan in three years”) and symbols (for example, a hammer and sickle, a bugle).
Lay red tablecloths on the tables (they must be placed in the letter “P”). The lamps have lampshades with fringes. Also required:
- rotary telephone;
- checkboxes;
- pioneer drum;
- bust of Lenin;
- flowers in vases: carnations, gladioli, roses;
- Soviet rubles.
On the tables there should be cut glasses and decanters with juice (fruit drink), shot glasses for vodka, crystal glasses for champagne.
Place
The location for the celebration should be selected according to the main criterion: the presence of a large dance floor and a bar counter. You can move to familiar rhythms in the fresh air, under tents or in the open air. The decor will define the disco atmosphere.
50s
THEN: The 1950s were the antithesis of the heavy 40s. Voluminous shoulders and other nods to military uniforms are a thing of the past. In their place came a delicate feminine silhouette with a thin waist and a fluffy skirt reminiscent of a half-blooming flower. Fashionistas were much more willing to expose their décolleté and often their shoulders.
Brides of the 50s also liked this airy “floral” look. Wedding dresses of this period were not much different from evening or cocktail dresses - color does not count. The wedding outfit was complemented by a set of high snow-white gloves and elegant pointed pumps.
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Now: modern wedding fashion most actively borrows lush floral skirts from the 50s, making them even more lush and airy - a real princess dress, as in the current Hayley Paige collection.
Newlyweds images
The image of the bride has no clear requirements:
- the dress can be anything, the main thing is not a sexy style, if possible closed;
- a veil is required (choose the length yourself);
- neat hairstyle (preferably tied hair);
- pumps.
There are more specific standards for the image of the groom:
- black and white suit;
- cufflinks;
- suspender;
- patent leather shoes.
A round wedding bouquet (without exotic plants) is appropriate for the bride, and a harmonizing boutonniere for the groom.
