Ukrainian weddings

Ukrainian weddings have always been celebrated with solemnity and were considered one
of the most beautiful holidays in our culture. Ukrainians have always been distinguished by
their originality and unconventional approaches, so the weddings of our ancestors were
extremely rich and colorful.

There were so many traditions and rites that in some regions the wedding meal could last a
week.

Traditions and rituals connect centuries. Today, many brides prefer a variety of customs
and delicious traditional dishes. In Ukraine, a wedding was once celebrated for three days.
The origin of the Ukrainian wedding is immersed in the mysteries and rituals of the Eastern
rite of Christianity. Here are some of them:
 Blessing
A few hours before the couple goes to church, the bride and groom ask their parents for a
blessing at the bride's parents' house. Young couple kneels on an embroidered towel in
front of their parents. Usually, elders keep icons of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary
wrapped in an embroidered towel. Parents bless their children and wish them a happy,
joyful, rich and healthy life together. Parents keep a loaf as a symbol that two families have
officially become one.
 Ceremony

Unlike most Western wedding ceremonies, in the Ukrainian

tradition, the bride's father does not "betray" his daughter.
Historically, equality and unity has been a centuries-old
tradition. Ukrainian bride and groom enter the church together
hand in hand, as voluntary and equal husband and wife.
The whole ceremony, except for the sermon, takes the form of
a song. St. Augustine once said, "He who prays and sings
prays twice." Ukrainians liked these words.
 Wedding
During the wedding, the priest meets the young couple at the entrance to the church and
the ceremony begins. Before entering, the bride and groom declare to the priest that they
are marrying of their own free will. Then the priest blesses the wedding rings and puts them
on the fingers of the bride and groom (traditionally on the right hand). The priest then takes
both hands and leads them to the altar, symbolizing that God is leading them into marriage.

The Ukrainian embroidered towel, on which the couple will stand, is laid in front of the altar.
It symbolizes the hope that the newlyweds will never suffer poverty or that they will "never
stand on bare ground." After the wedding, the couple will continue to use a wedding towel
to decorate the icons or for the first common Easter basket.

Traditionally, the first to step on the towel will be the head of the family. However, Ukrainian
folk wisdom says that "A man is the head, a woman is the neck: wherever the neck turns,
there the head looks."
 Prefects

Elders are wedding participants, usually friends or family

members (one from each party or godparents) who have a special
role to play in the celebration. They are official witnesses of the
marriage. In the distant past, elders were matchmakers. Today,
their responsibilities are limited to holding a wedding procession,
and they also carry icons of Jesus and the Virgin Mary to church.
These icons will accompany the couple to their home and will
hang in a prominent place, symbolizing the spiritual center of the
family.
 Tying hands

During the ceremony, the brides' hands are tied with an embroidered
towel to show their merging into one. The priest then leads the
couple around the tetrapod (small altar) three times (as a sign of the
Holy Trinity). This walk symbolizes that marriage is an endless
journey that must be led by Christ. These are the first steps a young
couple takes as husband and wife.
 Shared bowl

The couple takes three sips (as a symbol of the Trinity) from a silver
common bowl, which reminds us of the miracle at Cana and
symbolizes the unity of life - a life that should be divided equally into
two - in grief and joy.
 Candles

The bride and groom hold candles throughout the wedding

ceremony. They symbolize that Christ is a ray of light to us.
 Coronation
The coronation is a beautiful and divine part of the Ukrainian wedding ceremony.
Brides lay their right hands on the gospel, exchange vows, and marry in the eyes
of the Lord. Crowns hold friendship and bridesmaids over the heads of brides.
These crowns symbolize that they will be king and queen in their own family
kingdom.

In the Western Ukrainian tradition, wreaths woven of myrtle or periwinkle replace

crowns. They are a symbol of love, purity and fertility.
 WEDDING RECEPTION OR WELCOME!
The Ukrainian wedding begins with a ceremony of meeting the
brides at the entrance to the festive hall. Parents and elders greet the
newlyweds with a tray with symbolic gifts: bread, salt, honey and
wine. Bread means the generosity of nature, salt is a vital necessity,
honey is the sweetness of life and wine is prosperity. The newly
formed family unites in a toast. Only then the toastmaster invites the
bride and groom to the hall.
 Loaf
Loaf is a traditional wedding bread, which is immersed in symbolism. In Ukraine, it takes
the place of the wedding cake, but modern brides often choose both. In ancient times, it
was baked by all rural women, which expressed support for the newlyweds. The women
sang wedding songs and shared their life experiences with the bride and gave her advice
on married life.

The loaf is decorated with ornaments made of baked dough: two pigeons depicting a
couple, pine cones symbolizing fertility and other decorations to represent family and
friends. In the center of the cow is a tree of life, which means life, love, hope and building a
new nest. The whole composition is surrounded by a wreath of periwinkle - a symbol of love
and purity. The loaf is placed in a prominent place on an embroidered tablecloth. Periwinkle
and myrtle are twisted together into wreaths. Other decorations - wheat, poppies, daisies,
cornflowers and colorful ribbons enrich the loaf.
 Removing the bride’s veil

This tradition is now experiencing a revival. Towards the end of the

holiday, the groom's mother removes the bride's veil and wears a
kerchief as a symbol that she is leaving the status of a "girl" and she
is becoming a married woman. A married woman, by tradition,
cannot wear a wreath. During this special folk songs are sung. Then
the bride dances with all the unmarried girls, putting a veil on their
heads. as a wish that each of the girls also found a life partner.
 Continuation
According to Ukrainian tradition, a wedding is a three-day affair. The
next day after the wedding, the bride's parents treat the guests to
dinner. The purpose of the amendments is to congratulate the bride
and groom on their first day as a married couple. This tradition in the
modern interpretation continues to this day.
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