The wedding ceremony of Russian Ethnic Group

Overview of Russian Ethnic Marriage Concepts & Rules

The Russian ethnic group regards marriage as one of the most significant life events and holds it in high esteem, with a complete set of traditional norms to follow.

Strict rules are implemented on marital partners. Close relative intermarriage is explicitly prohibited, including unions between cousins. Members of this ethnic group may marry people from other ethnic groups. However, due to religious differences, intermarriage with Muslim communities is extremely rare. Most marriages stem from free courtship, yet the consent of both sets of parents is generally a prerequisite.

Traditional Pre-wedding Customs

Matchmaking and Betrothal Rituals

In traditional customs, matchmaking by a matchmaker and formal engagement are indispensable steps before marriage. After a period of courtship between the young couple, the groom’s family will invite a matchmaker to propose marriage to the bride’s family.

The proposal adopts a distinctive form: the matchmaker delivers a piece of bread sprinkled with salt. If the bride declines the bread, it signifies rejection of the proposal. If she accepts the bread and personally cuts it into pieces for everyone present to taste, she agrees to the marriage.

Once the bride gives her consent, parents from both sides will hold a simple engagement ceremony together. They will confirm the wedding date and begin all wedding preparations.

Betrothal Gifts and Dowries

There are no strict requirements for betrothal gifts from the groom’s family; only daily and wedding necessities need to be prepared. By contrast, the dowry prepared by the bride’s family is elaborate and abundantly furnished, which is a long-standing traditional custom of the ethnic group.

Wedding Day Ritual Procedures

Gatherings and Preparations at the Bride’s Home

The wedding celebrations commence at the bride’s residence. Guests arrive first, take their seats and enjoy feasts. Afterwards, people dance joyfully while waiting for the groom’s wedding procession to escort the bride away.

The wedding procession consists of carriages, sleds, tractors and automobiles decorated with red silk. The groom, groomsmen and accompanying relatives and friends ride in the vehicles, playing the accordion (手风琴) and singing along the way.

Gate-blocking Ritual

Following traditional conventions, the bride’s family will not open the door immediately. A group of young boys and girls will be arranged to stop the procession. The groom has to distribute red envelopes (红包) as door-opening gifts to the children before being allowed to enter the house.

After entering, relatives and friends of both sides sing and dance to welcome the newlyweds to take seats. Everyone shares tea and pastries, and then makes arrangements to send the bride off. Before departure, the bride kneels on a fur-lined coat spread on the ground to receive blessings from her parents.

Church Wedding Ceremony

After bidding farewell to the bride’s family, the couple heads to the church for the formal wedding oath ceremony. The bride wears white silk garments and a laurel wreath (月桂花环) on her head. The groom holds a bouquet of flowers and a lit candle. They stand in front of the icon of God, and accept inquiries from the priest (神父).

The priest asks two core questions: whether they voluntarily choose to marry each other, and whether they will stay loyal and love one another for a lifetime. After the couple gives affirmative replies, they exchange wedding rings (婚戒), the token of eternal love.

Upon the completion of the priest’s prayer, the newlyweds kneel to pay homage to the icon of God and exchange a kiss, marking the end of the church ritual.

Celebrations at the Groom’s Home

The wedding party then escorts the couple to the groom’s home. A simple home ceremony is held first, followed by banquets for all guests and lively group dances. Local customs influenced by Han folk traditions are also adopted to tease the newlyweds, adding a festive atmosphere.

Post-wedding Return Visit

Three days after the wedding, the bride returns to her natal home together with her husband for a home visit. A second feast is held to entertain relatives and friends. When the couple heads back to the groom’s home afterward, the entire wedding ceremony is fully concluded.

Traditional Marriage Anniversaries & Cultural Implications

General Introduction to Marriage Anniversaries

To maintain a lasting and harmonious marriage, and wish couples mutual respect, lifelong affection and a happy old age, the Russian ethnic group has formed the tradition of celebrating a series of unique marriage anniversaries starting from the wedding day. These anniversaries carry vivid names and profound cultural connotations, and relevant wedding customs have been passed down for generations as part of folk intangible cultural heritage.

Common anniversaries include green marriage, print marriage, wood marriage, copper marriage, tin marriage, rose marriage, silver marriage, gold marriage, diamond marriage, bliss marriage and crown marriage, each with exclusive rituals and symbolic meanings.

Major Marriage Anniversaries and Symbolism

Green Marriage

Green marriage refers to the wedding day itself. As a traditional custom, the newlyweds will plant a sapling in their courtyard on this day. The tree symbolizes their love, embodying the wish that their love will thrive, blossom and bear fruit in the years to come.

Print Marriage

Print marriage marks the 1st wedding anniversary (结婚一周年). Couples exchange printed fabrics and handkerchiefs on this day, which symbolizes the expectation that their married life will be prosperous and beautiful like gorgeous brocade and blooming flowers.

Wood Marriage

Wood marriage falls on the 5th wedding anniversary (结婚五周年). Relatives and friends present various wooden souvenirs to the couple. The custom implies that marriage grows steadily like a sapling maturing into a forest, wishing the couple’s love to be solid and enduring.

Grand Anniversaries

Among all marriage anniversaries, silver marriage, gold marriage, diamond marriage and crown marriage are regarded as the most important by the Russian ethnic group. The celebration activities for these four anniversaries are grand and solemn, and they are cherished as important folk cultural rituals. Every anniversary retains unique cultural meanings and folk customs that have been inherited through time.