Background
As you know, before the October Revolution, marriages in Russia were considered a sacrament and were concluded according to Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist rites. The new government first decided to abandon such a “relic of the past” altogether. Now, instead of a beautiful and sacred ceremony, the newlyweds had to simply go to the registry office to register their relationship. However, the desire to put on a beautiful dress and say “yes” to your loved one in a formal setting has not gone away.
In the early 60s, a special ceremony for concluding a family union in the presence of a civil registrar was invented in the USSR. The registry offices of that time, which were ordinary government institutions with cramped reception areas and offices, were no longer suitable for its implementation.
Base
In 1961, it was decided to open the first Wedding Palace in the USSR in the capital. Although initially there was an idea to build a new building in the center of Moscow to house it, it was later abandoned. Instead, it was decided to reconstruct the old mansion, built in 1909 according to the design of the architect S. Voskresensky for the famous capital merchant A. Roerich. Soon this building was transferred to the care of the City Civil Registry Office of the Executive Committee of the Moscow City Council for the opening of the first Wedding Palace in the USSR. At that time, the street on which the building was located was named after A. Griboyedov. In the 90s it was renamed Maly Kharitonyevsky Lane, but the Wedding Palace has retained its name to this day.
Interiors
After a major reconstruction, which took place in 2009, the interiors of the Griboedovsky registry office in Moscow became even more attractive for newlyweds. There they recreated the interiors of a rich merchant mansion with paneled carved wooden panels, patterned “grass” painting, heavy velvet curtains on the windows, soft carpets, antique polished furniture, etc. The decoration of the premises of the Wedding Palace No. 1 (Griboyedovsky Civil Registry Office in Moscow) was supplemented with stucco cornices and ceilings, luxurious mirrors, antique crystal chandeliers, twisted candelabra, frescoes and old photographs that bear the imprint of time and strengthen faith in the inviolability of family traditions.
Features of the ceremony
The ceremony hall in Griboedovsky Civil Registry Office No. 1 is designed to comfortably accommodate up to 20 people. However, it can accommodate a larger number of guests, but in this case, some guests will have to stand, since there are only 20 chairs for event participants. The Wedding Palace also has another spacious hall where you can take photos for memory and watch a video of the ceremony. According to the rules of the Griboyedovsky registry office, drinking champagne on its territory is prohibited. However, newlyweds can order a buffet in the patio tent for a fee.
Royal Mansion wedding
In addition to weddings, photo sessions are held in the mansion building on Malaya Ordynka, so the official name of this site is Royal Studio. The flat roof in the form of a fenced terrace is also available for events and photo shoots with views of the neighboring Moscow courtyards.
The “Royal” wedding mansion has four spacious and bright rooms with sliding doors, decorated in the style of the European Empire era with an additional entrance room with a bar and cozy sofas, where you can create an area for meeting guests. Stylish interiors created specifically for spectacular photo shoots allow you not to think about additional decor.
- the Prado room with paintings by contemporary artists on the walls;
- the Versailles hall, decorated in a classic palace style;
- the Hermitage hall, reminiscent of the palaces of St. Petersburg;
- Louvre room with an atmosphere of French chic.
The wedding ceremony itself in the mansion can be held in one of the halls or on the open-air veranda. During a wedding dinner, it can accommodate up to 60 guests in a banquet style or up to 100 guests in a buffet format.
A wedding at the Royal Mansion is an event that looks like royalty!
On-site marriage registration
By decision of the Moscow Patriarchate, Wedding Palace No. 1 is allowed to hold ceremonies for Orthodox Christians on the territory of the historical St. Daniel Monastery. The newlyweds are offered the Danilovsky hotel complex, located at Bolshoi Starodanilovsky Lane, 5.
Near the hotel there is a magnificent park with landscape design in a laconic traditional English style.
The park area is decorated with picturesque weeping dwarf apple trees, ornamental pear trees, exotic flowers and plants. Its territory is pleasing to the eye with well-groomed lawns and a sculpture of a heron brought from Holland.
During the warm season, an outdoor wedding ceremony by employees of the Griboyedovsky registry office can be held outdoors in the park. There you can organize a magnificent wedding photo shoot against the backdrop of flowering bushes and temples.
In addition, many newlyweds prefer to book not only an on-site registration, but also a banquet at the Danilovsky complex, especially since the hotel has a restaurant known for its excellent cuisine, serving traditional Russian dishes.
Marriage ceremonies are held by the registry office staff throughout the year only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Only 8 pairs can be scheduled per day.
Why is the capital's First Wedding Palace called starry?
One of the reasons why many Muscovites seek to hold a wedding ceremony in this registry office is the long list of celebrities for whom the Mendelssohn March was performed there. It is, of course, led by cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova and Andriyan Nikolaev. Among the modern stars who tied family ties in Wedding Palace No. 1, we can note Vladimir Presnyakov and Natalya Podolskaya, football player Dmitry Tarasov and Olga Buzova, as well as some participants in the scandalous television project “Dom-2”.
Activities
Wedding Palace No. 1 in Moscow registers actions related to changes in the status of citizens. Among them:
- marriage and divorce;
- recording the facts of birth and death;
- adoption of a child or establishment of official paternity;
- operations to change personal data (change of last name and first name, replacement of patronymic by decision of the judicial authorities).
All changes in civil status (acts) are accompanied by the issuance of a paper certificate and are additionally entered into a single electronic database.
The address of the Wedding Palace 1 in Moscow is well known to foreigners: weddings are held here with citizens of the Baltic states, as well as foreign countries. Cases of divorce are less common, but they do exist.
Griboyedovsky Civil Registry Office of Moscow: reviews (negative)
Every couple getting married wants their wedding ceremony to be memorable and unique. To this end, newlyweds and their families spare no expense and are even willing to wait months until the “happy” calendar date. In addition, many attach particular importance to where their marriage will take place. As already noted, in the capital, one of the places where lovers most often seek to formalize their relationship is the Griboedovsky registry office. However, the number of couples who can do this during the day is limited. And to apply, you have to stand in line for many hours. It is this circumstance that most often becomes the topic of negative reviews, although it cannot be considered among the shortcomings of the work of the First Wedding Palace of the capital. In addition, many guests of ceremonies are annoyed by the fact that there is no spacious parking lot at the Griboedovsky registry office. However, even in this case, the claim cannot be considered justified, since the institution is located in the very center of the capital.
Guests and newlyweds are also outraged by the lack of the opportunity to “salute” with a bottle of champagne. However, the registry office is a state institution, so drinking alcoholic beverages cannot be allowed there a priori.
Minuses
- there is no special parking space, it is inconvenient to drive up to the building - the road is as narrow as possible;
- It is prohibited to drink champagne in the building itself. In the summer months, for an additional fee, you can order a buffet and drink sparkling wine there;
- there is no area where guests can drink champagne and congratulate the newlyweds when they leave the registry office; when they leave, they find themselves right next to the road;
- the queues here are as long as possible if you compare this registry office with others
Changes in the activities of wedding palaces
From May 1, 2022, new rules were introduced in all registry offices of the capital. They are dictated by the ban on cooperation between these institutions and organizations and individuals providing paid services.
When applying for marriage registration, all newlyweds receive a memo that sets out the requirements that they must comply with during the ceremony. In particular, it is not allowed to come to the wedding wearing torn jeans, shorts, or beach or sports shoes. Violation of this dress code may result in denial of registration. Of course, any “Gothic”, “vampire” and “elven” ceremonies with corresponding costumes and surroundings are excluded. In addition, littering is prohibited. Moreover, such actions also include the traditional showering of newlyweds with flower petals, rice or coins. It is also not allowed to bring musicians with you.
Nevertheless, the traditional Mendelssohn march still sounds during the ceremony in the Griboedovsky registry office. There is the necessary modern equipment to provide musical accompaniment for weddings. As for photo and video shooting, it can be done either by guests or by an operator invited by the bride and groom. It is now impossible to order such services in the Palace itself.
Judging by the reviews of the newlyweds, they are not delighted with such innovations, since they believe that the prices in the registry offices for additional services were more than acceptable, and now they will have to pay much more. In addition, many are upset that it is forbidden to invite an orchestra, since, in their opinion, a phonogram cannot replace a live orchestra. They also believe that the requirement not to scatter petals will still be violated, since this is a long and beautiful tradition.
Now you know where the Griboedovsky registry office in Moscow is located. If you are not yet married, then perhaps this article caught your eye for a reason, and it is in this palace that your wedding will take place!
Pros of the palace
- It's prestigious. It is considered the most popular place for marriage;
- Newlyweds have access to many halls with a variety of interiors that can be selected to match the theme of the celebration itself;
- The place is quite beautiful. The location of the palace stands out - it is an ancient building with a beautiful interior that helps create a festive mood;
- Professionalism of employees;
- The registry office underwent a major renovation in 2005, and after that it became more elegant and festive;
- There is a spacious room where the newlyweds can immediately watch the video of the ceremony;
- Ceremonial registration can be carried out not only on weekends, but also on weekdays.
