Ukrainian wedding traditions, sequence of rituals

Ukrainian wedding traditions

Ukraine is a unique country with interesting rituals, many of which have survived to this day. Bright, unforgettable holidays, mysterious sacred rites and, of course, a unique wedding ceremony. In this article you will learn how a wedding is traditionally held in Ukraine. Perhaps you will like some traditions and decide to use them for your celebration.

Matchmaking

First, the Ukrainian boy chooses his fiancée, after which his caring relatives come into play. First of all, it is necessary to obtain the consent of the bride's parents. To do this, a delegation from the groom, represented by his father, uncle and older brothers, pays a friendly visit to the house of the potential bride. In Ukraine, there is an interesting custom of communicating concisely and clearly with matchmakers. In case of a categorical refusal, the relatives of the failed groom receive a pumpkin (watermelon) as a symbol of failure. Hence the old Ukrainian proverb - “You wouldn’t get a watermelon.”

Then slices of cut bread are solemnly laid out on a specially prepared embroidered snow-white towel. This means a positive response to the joyful matchmakers, and therefore they turn to the pullet with a ritual response: “Thank you to the red maiden for embroidering such a red towel.” At this point, the first and most important stage is successfully completed with an agreement on the date of the viewing and engagement. And ahead of the newlyweds await other rituals and exciting events related to the Ukrainian wedding.

Bride

At a Ukrainian wedding ceremony, matchmakers must behave decorously and be friendly towards future relatives. During the ceremony, the young bride carefully looks after her potential mother-in-law and father-in-law. With a bow, he serves national dishes: pies, dumplings, shanezhki, prepared with his own hands. All the girl’s efforts are aimed at creating a positive image in front of dear guests.

Engagement before a Ukrainian wedding is an equally exciting stage. Outside witnesses are already present here so that the solemn moment is recorded forever. After this, it is simply not possible for young people to refuse marriage. Young newlyweds are tied with a towel, a sign of strong marriage ties. The legalized bride presents her mother-in-law and father-in-law with symbolic gifts: embroidered scarves, national shirts, patterned towels.

Bachelorette party and ritual crying of the bride

Before the wedding celebration, a girl must say goodbye to her carefree youth and enter into a serious adult life. For this purpose, bosom girlfriends and sisters, companions of a happy youth, are invited. According to the tradition of Ukrainian weddings, the ritual takes place in a bathhouse. It includes the following points:

Girls with sad songs bathe the bride and comb her long hair.

The newlywed responds by singing a farewell song, a lament for her childhood.

A young girl weaves a kind of amulet of a happy married life. Bright multi-colored ribbons are tied on a branch, which will later become a mandatory decoration for the wedding table of the newlyweds.

Bride ransom

The rite of ransoming the bride by the groom is present in almost all national wedding traditions. However, the Ukrainian people make this task a little more difficult. On the appointed wedding date, the smart groom sets out on a journey to seek his happiness, that is, he marches to his betrothed’s house. On the way to the bride, numerous relatives, friends and acquaintances try to meet the boy and demand a ransom. The groom gifts all passersby with coins, sweets and beautiful scarves.

Directly in the bride’s house, the father-in-law and his relatives arrange difficult tests for the future husband to see which son-in-law is the boss and how physically developed he is. For example, a guy may be asked to harness a horse or lift some kind of household load. During the test, the groom is always asked humorous questions. Thus, his relatives test him for intelligence and mental abilities.

The ritual of pouring water under the feet of young people

The couple's wedding takes place in the village church. The future husband and wife leave the temple and are greeted by a festive fireworks display of coins, grains of rice and millet thrown by guests - symbols of prosperity and a rich family life. It is believed that at this moment a satanic fire is formed in front of the newlyweds. Therefore, the parents of the bride and groom pour water under the feet of the young family, clearing their path forward to a happy and peaceful family life.

Wedding loaf and towel

An integral part of the life of the Ukrainian people is weaving and embroidery. Mostly towels are embroidered, because they are widely used in households. Particularly elegant and skillful products are saved for special occasions. Every young girl should embroider a large number of towels for her own wedding. Loaves and pies are laid out on them. The young bride gives the most beautiful woven products to close people and relatives. A magnificent wedding loaf takes pride of place in the middle of the table on a snow-white towel embroidered with intricate patterns. And fresh fluffy bread on such a towel is a sign of prosperity in the house.

The custom of "Chobota"

In Ukraine, it is customary for the groom to make special efforts to achieve the favor of his mother-in-law. Especially for this there is a cheerful national ritual “Choboty”. It begins with the son-in-law buying new boots. On the special day, the newlywed must invite his mother-in-law to the center of the hall and carefully wash her feet. After which it’s time to put on new beautiful shoes for your wife’s mother. To add brightness and fun to the ceremony, guests accompany this action with folk dances and songs.

Ritual "Bread and salt"

After the wedding, a ritual of the newlyweds eating “bread and salt” takes place at the newlyweds’ house. The parents bring the young couple a special loaf on a towel with a salt shaker on top. Ukrainian wedding traditions require that the future spouses break off a piece of bread, dip it in a salt shaker and eat it. Moreover, the larger size of the slice determines the head of the new family. The process carried out means the blessing of the elders for a happy and long marriage.

The tradition of braiding

Unbraiding a girl's braid is an ancient custom of Ukrainian weddings. A lush long braid is a sign of girlhood and youth. After the wedding, the mother-in-law and husband carefully remove the wedding crown with bright ribbons and unravel the bride’s braid. Then the young husband's mother braids the girl's hair in a semicircle around her head and ties a special scarf on top, which is worn by married women. Changing the hairstyle and tying a headscarf is explained by the fact that having become a wife, a girl must work hard around the house. And braids can interfere with routine housework. In addition, only the husband should see the beauty of the bride. The wife throws the removed wreath into the crowd of cheerful girlfriends, who catch it to determine which of them will be the next newlywed.

Ritual "Dressing"

The name of the cheerful ritual comes from the word “dress up”, that is, to dress up, change clothes. This kind of fun happens on the second day of the wedding celebration. Instead of the newlyweds, “fake young people”, often of advanced age, come out to the guests for the amusement of the guests. The rest of the celebration participants dress up as buffoons or animals if they wish, after which such a cheerful crowd organizes large-scale celebrations. Guests wander along the street to loud music and folk songs. The cheerful ritual aims not only to amuse passers-by, but also to protect young people from damage and the evil eye, and to ward off evil spirits.

Features of Ukrainian wedding dresses of newlyweds

Embroidery is an integral element of Ukrainian culture. Fabric embroidered with patterns of flowers, leaves, birds, and ethnic figures is called embroidery. The festive outfit at a Ukrainian wedding for both the groom and the bride is also made from richly embroidered fabrics. The unusual ornament is long and painstakingly embroidered by needlewomen using threads of different colors. In the process of such creativity, craftswomen use various techniques of complex embroidery: cross-stitch, satin stitch, hemstitch. Original embroidery with beads and ribbons is used.

Animal figurines also carry a secret meaning. For example, the image of a fish symbolizes monetary abundance; an owl symbolizes a request for wisdom. Thus, loving mothers, embroidering wedding dresses, wish a happy fate for their children and dream of a better life for them.

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What Ukrainian wedding traditions must be observed?

Ukrainian wedding traditions have always been famous for their beauty and scope.
A wedding in Ukrainian style is a colorful, bright and luxurious event. Traditions have been passed down from time immemorial. The celebration has remained virtually unchanged these days, except that modern attributes and some elements have been added. Popular signs say that if you celebrate a wedding the way our ancestors once did, the young family will experience happiness, peace and harmony, and the consequence of this will be a long and joyful married life. As in any other country, customs and traditions vary depending on the region. Despite this, the basic wedding scenario of a Ukrainian wedding is the same everywhere. Only some little things, small wedding details may vary.

Policy

The political culture of Ukraine reflects historical and social development. It is influenced by economic and socio-political relations, as well as national and religious factors. Political traditions mean a certain set of values, views and attitudes that change throughout the existence of the state.

The country's political culture is built on the basis of democratic and totalitarian components. Marginality and regionality are considered characteristic features. The majority of the country's residents express dissatisfaction with the current political state, since expectations are far from reality.

Being part of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union for a long time, it was difficult for Ukraine to create its own political culture, so at first it was post-Soviet in nature. Over time, it began to take on national characteristics and become independent. At the same time, in different regions there are significant differences in the vision of the future of the country, which becomes a serious reason for frequent clashes.

Ukrainian wedding customs

A number of customs are preserved from wedding to wedding, from year to year. This applies to the festive ceremony itself and the rituals preceding it.

Matchmaking among Ukrainians

One of the main traditions is matchmaking. Nowadays, you can do without it, but many prefer to leave it in order to preserve the image of a Ukrainian folk wedding as much as possible.

This is an evening ritual. It is customary to get married after the sun has set. Wednesday and Friday are not the best days to hold an event.

If suddenly the bride’s parents do not agree to marry their daughter to the young man she is introducing, she must present the matchmakers with a watermelon - a pumpkin. And the loaf is returned to its owners.

Of course, now matchmaking is agreed upon in advance. If the matchmakers go to the bride's parents, then there will be no refusal.

After the parents have given their consent, everyone is invited to the table. The bride must cut the loaf. This is confirmation of her consent. At the table we are talking about young people, and we need to present them in the best light - talk about all their virtues.

Bride

The bridesmaid must be agreed upon in advance, because the bride's parents must have time to prepare everything: clean the house, prepare a rich table.

It is advisable that the bride take an active part in the preparation, because the groom’s parents should appreciate her housekeeping and culinary abilities.

The choice of wedding details, who pays for it, how many people to invite to the wedding - these and many other issues are resolved during the viewing party. Ukrainian weddings most often take place in autumn or winter. It's better to get married on Sunday.

Before the wedding

In Ukraine, it is also customary to hold a bachelor and bachelorette party before the wedding to say goodbye to single life.

Previously, girls gathered to make a talisman, and young people walked happily in order to enter family life as diligent and exemplary husbands.

Wedding celebration

The long-awaited day comes - the wedding, and then a luxurious banquet. Of course, here you cannot do without beautiful customs and traditions.

Only after the tradition has been followed can one appear before the bride. The bride, both according to Russian and Ukrainian traditions, must be helped by a witness or several bridesmaids to get dressed.

The path to becoming a bride is difficult. In Ukraine, there is also a tradition of drawing up a ransom scenario and arranging various competitions for the groom and forcing him to undergo various tricky tasks. You will have to fight for the bride. After the ransom has been completed, the groom can take the bride to church.

After the wedding, when the newlyweds leave the church, they are showered with hops and rye. This is a kind of wish for family well-being.

Parents present their children with a loaf of bread, from which they bite off as large pieces as possible. Whoever bites off the largest piece will be the master of the house.

After all these traditions have been observed, a luxurious wedding feast begins, during which it is customary to serve Ukrainian dishes to the guests.

The table should be rich, with many treats and drinks. Among the traditional dishes that are present at every Ukrainian wedding are jellied meat, young pig, various salads and snacks.

Interesting traditions

Beautiful outfits, a rich table, a tribute to your parents’ home - these and many other elements of such a wedding will make your day bright and fabulous.

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Traditional dishes

Ukrainian cuisine is known far beyond the country's borders and makes a special contribution to the cultural traditions of Ukraine. It has absorbed the customs of different peoples who have lived on its territory throughout its centuries-old history. She was loved not only by local residents, but also by foreigners. Its popularity is associated with its unique taste and nutritional properties, a variety of recipes using various products. Also noteworthy are the methods of culinary processing and cooking technology. Borscht alone has more than 20 recipes using about 15 ingredients.

Despite the variety of recipes, they are all simple and easy, and the dishes turn out incredibly tasty and aromatic. National Ukrainian dishes include:

• borsch;
• donuts;
• vareniki;
• dumplings;
• rolls;
• Greeks;
• salo;
• aspic;
• cabbage rolls;
• gefilte fish.

Many of them go well with meat and vegetables, for example, dumplings with potatoes and mushrooms, duck with noodles and stewed vegetables. When preparing dishes, a variety of methods are used: boiling, frying, stewing, baking. Some of them can be combined. Despite all the variety of recipes and dishes from other cuisines, not a single holiday table is complete without traditional dishes. Moreover, each region of Ukraine has its own unique culinary traditions and dishes.

Particular attention is paid not only to the quality of the prepared food, but also to its taste, so housewives often experiment with spices and herbs. In some cities of Ukraine they grow garlic, peppers, herbs, and onions. Many dishes are necessarily decorated with dill and parsley.

Traditional drinks

If we talk about native national drinks, there are a large number of them in Ukraine. The most common include:

• Uzvar. In simple words, this is a compote of dried fruits, but with the addition of honey. It can be boiled or simply infused. Previously, not a single festive table at Christmas could go without it; it is also prepared for church celebrations;
• Varenukha. One of the most popular drinks on the left bank of the country appeared back in the 16th century. It is prepared on the basis of strong alcohol, most often moonshine or vodka, with the addition of fruits and spices. You can drink it both hot and cold;
• Kissel. Many people associate this drink with childhood. It is made from various fruits, berries and milk. It can vary in consistency - be sparse or very thick like jelly;
• Syrovets. It has become known since the times of Kievan Rus. If initially it acted as an independent drink, then later it was added to green borscht and okroshka. It is very similar to bread kvass, but no sugar is used in its preparation;
• Ryazhenka. A fermented milk product is yogurt in its pure form, but without any additives. The first recipe appeared several centuries ago. Back then it was prepared by mixing cream and milk, resulting in curdled milk;
• Mead. Another drink that appeared during the times of Kievan Rus. Especially popular in the west of the country. Over the years, many recipes for making the drink have been invented. Some of them involve the addition of ethyl alcohol. The main component is honey, as can be understood from the name.

Wedding traditions in Ukraine