russianmarriageonline

Russian marriage finger had the honor of attending a Russian wedding last year. My former exchange student was married in Yaroslavl. She is a wonderful person, and I have known her fiance as well for a few years. I was not expecting the treatment I received at the wedding.

I felt like a “head of state” or “father of the bride”. Thank you for providing an insight into Russian ways and traditions. I have a good friend, who has married a Russian woman, and I believe that browsing through your site has given me a better insight into her background and some of the obstacles they will face in their future. A Russian wedding sure sounds like fun – especially compared to our boring traditions. Russian wedding protocol is quite different from what you are used to.

For example, there are no bridesmaids, a best man and flower girls. I will describe here an average wedding, the type all my friends and family had. Nowadays the new rich probably have something more Western-like, but the ordinary people’s weddings still fit into this description. First of all, let’s start with engagement.

Frankly speaking, there is no such a thing. A man asks a woman if she marry him, that’s it. If the man is gallant, he will give his lady flowers, but this is not mandatory. The wedding is usually planned soon, within 1-3 months. The couple is supposed to apply in writing to the department of registrations asking to register their marriage. Russians do not talk about being engaged, they say “They handed in the application”. I was amazed how much more complicated it is here!

Such things as stationery, flowers, music, brides maids’ dresses, and many others do not feature. Russians call “engagement rings” the rings that the couple exchanges during the wedding ceremony. Russian engagement rings are in reality just plain wedding bands of gold, without diamonds or stones, and they wear them on the RIGHT hand on the finger next to the “pinky”. I am often asked about how Russian sizes of rings correspond to western ones. Russian sizes of rings are given in MILLIMETERS OF DIAMETER. So if woman’s size is 17, it means the ring should be 17 millimeters in diameter.

The bride’s dress is usually made specially for the occasion because it’s cheaper than buying it. The others buy dresses, and sell them afterwards. The necessary part of the wedding ceremony is a wedding train of several cars. The more cars participating in the wedding train, the more proud the couple will be.

Usually they ask all their friends and relatives who have cars to join the ceremony. The biggest concern at the wedding is to have enough liquor. A Russian Wedding is an event where everybody must be drunk. No one will be surprised if people drink themselves to unconscious on the wedding – and many do. Having plenty of food is typical for any Russian function, and a wedding is not an exception. If you have enough liquor and food, the wedding is basically ready. This is all about preparations for the wedding – it’s not very complicated, is it?