Russian wedding traditions are a bit different from traditional weddings in the USA.  For instance Russians do not have a maid of honor, bridesmaids or groomsmen.  Instead, they have witnesses. These are usually the best friends of the bride and groom.  The witnesses are the rulers of the wedding, so to speak. The witnesses make posters, plan contests and other fun things for the groom and the bride to do.

Russian Wedding Rules

One rule for Russian weddings is they must be full of fun and good times.  So, what qualifies as fun? Well, I mentioned that posters are made and also a script is written.  The posters are placed in the bride's apartment building (as most Russian live in apartments). These posters will have jokes on them about family and marriage. As the script goes the groom must pay a ransom to the bride's family.

The ransom is just good-natured teasing. As the groom makes his way to the bride, the groom has to answer questions: such as when is the brides birthday? or what colors does she love? (His friends can help him answer).  If the groom answers incorrectly, the groom has to pay a ransom to whomever asked the question.  The ransom could be that he has to sing a song, dance or do both.  The ransom amount is usually written in the script, so it can be anything the witnesses think up.

Finally after all the fun, the groom finally makes it to the bride and he whisks her away. The witnesses follow the couple to the ZAGS (this is the official state registry office).  At the ZAGS office, the bride and groom exchange vows and sign the registry. The witnesses also sign. The couple is now married.

Often, witnesses will be the only ones with the bride and groom. However, sometimes other close family members will go to the ZAGS office as well.  Some Russians will have a religious wedding ceremony, but these are not recognized by the government.  Couples must go to ZAGS and formally marry there.

You can find so many different wedding superstitions and many brides and grooms today keep these superstitious traditions when they are marrying.

Want to know a little more about specific wedding superstitions? Here are a few of the interesting ones:

Clock's Hand Position

As you plan your wedding, someone might tell you not to marry when the clock's hands are in the down position. As the superstition goes, you should say your vows only when the clock's second hand is in the up position. If you take the time to coordinate your vows as the hand is going up it shows your willingness to work together.

Waning Moon

Another interesting wedding superstition is the one concerning a waning moon. A waning moon means it is moving toward the new moon and is considered to be weaker. The superstition is that if you marry when the moon is waning, so too will your love.

Marriage & Numbers

Superstitious numbers might spell good or bad luck for your wedding and marriage. The Chinese put great reverence in numbers. For instance, the number eight means prosperity. In Japan, the number four means death, so they consider it bad if your wedding gifts have any reference to the number four. Of course, Western culture dictates that the number thirteen is an unlucky number. Some may think that marrying on Friday the 13th of any month may bring bad omens.

The thing about superstitions is they can have a life of their own.  In other words, it's your wedding and if you let yourself get too hung up on superstition, it can take over your wedding.  Chose your wedding date and time because you want that time and that date, not because your Aunt Betty said that date fell on a bad number.

Avoid the bad lucky of superstitions — let Wedding and Party Network help you plan your wedding.

Wedding Traditions Influenced By The Mayans

Many wedding traditions, that take place today, come from people of civilizations that no longer exist.  The Mayans are one example of those civilizations. Many Mayan wedding traditions can be found in the wedding ceremonies of today.

Mayans And The Wedding Unity Candle

The use of a unity candle today for instance may stem from the Mayan culture.  The Mayans, as a means to incorporate the spiritual world into their wedding ceremonies, used a candle to unite the feminine (Mother Earth)  and masculine (Cosmic Energy). Candles were used in other ways as well. For instance, four candles would be placed on an alter during the wedding ceremony. These candles were placed on each corner of the altar representing  north,  south,  east, and west which had a very symbolic meaning for the Mayan people.

Mayans And Wedding Flowers

For the Mayans, flowers are symbolic of their gods. The North God is represented by red flowers, the East with yellow flowers, the South with purple flowers, and West with white flowers.  Today's weddings are full of flowers and we still choose the colors based up ancient symbolism.  Red flowers symbolize love. Yellow equals new beginnings. While purple means success and white represent purity.

Mayans And Chocolate Fountains

We can probably thank the Mayans for the use of chocolate fountains at wedding receptions.  As far back as 2600 years ago, Mayans had chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We can surmise that if they had it that often it probably was served ass a wedding tea. If the Mayans were the ones who gave birth to the chocolate fountain wedding reception custom, then kudos to them. It is yummy tradition.

As we plan a wedding, we may not always know why custom dictates the use of roses or a chocolate fountain or even a white wedding dress. But, we do know that previous cultures found valued and symbolism in these things.  Incorporating the traditions of our ancestors makes the wedding ceremony more meaningful.

Native Americans have wonderful wedding ceremony traditions. One such ceremonial tradition is the Rite of the Seven Steps. Several tribes follow this wedding ceremony tradition and its vows. The Seven Steps, as with most wedding traditions, revolves around symbolism. The bride and groom step clockwise around a fire as a symbolic gesture of  light and warmth. The clockwise (sun-wise) rotation symbolizes the light (sun) while the fire symbolizes warmth.

How The Ceremony Is Performed

The couple approach the fire. At the same time their family and friends circle the couple and hold hands forming another circle around the bride and groom. The groom takes the first step and recites a vow. Then the bride steps to him and gives her vow.  They will make seven steps each time reciting a new vow.

You can find examples of  the Rite of Seven Steps vows on some Native American web sights like Manataka American Indian Council.  From my understanding, it is better for you to write your write own vows.

In some variations of the Seven Steps ceremony, gifts are given by the bride and groom to one another.  For instance, the bride might give the groom an ear of corn. The corn symbolizes fertility and growth.  The groom may give his bride a feather, representing honesty and truth.

There are several ways in which you can incorporate the apsects of this wedding tradition into your wedding ceremony.

• Recite seven different vows to each other during the wedding ceremony
• Give each other a gift or gifts that symbolize what you will bring to the marriage.
• Have your wedding attendants form a circle around you during the ceremony.

It's your ceremony, so don't be afraid to include some of the older traditions or traditions from different cultures.

This information about Native American Wedding Traditions brought to you by Wedding and Party Network, your leading resource for planning weddings and parties.

Dutch Wedding Tradition: Bridal Showers

Where does the bridal shower tradition come from? A Dutch wedding tradition, of course, is where the idea of a bridal shower started!

In Holland, if the bride's father disapproved of her choice of husband he would not give a dowry. The bride's friends, knowing how much she loved her intended, would shower her with gifts.  In turn, the gifts would then be used as her dowry.  Often after seeing how her friends believed in the couple, the bride's father would relent and add to the "dowry".

Another version to the bridal shower story goes like this — A young girl wished to marry but her father disapproved. Her friends gave her gifts, so that she would not need her fathers dowry.

Dutch Wedding Tradition: Wish Trees

Another, Dutch tradition is a wish tree. In Western cultures, this would be similar to a guest book.  At the reception, a decorative tree branch is placed on a table and paper with ribbon is placed along with it. Each guest can write a note to the bride and groom wishing them well.  During the reception the couple reads each message aloud. As the bride and groom read the notes, they place them on the tree branch.

Dutch Wedding Tradition: Evergreen Reception

Evergreens have significant meaning in the Dutch culture.  Evergreens signify "everlasting love".  To symbolize this "everlasting love", the bride and groom sit under a canopy made with evergreens during the  reception.

Dutch Wedding Tradition: Lily-of-the-Valley

One of the sweetest Dutch traditions is the planting of Lilies-of-the-Valley around the couples house symbolizing a return to happiness. This custom is supposed to ensure that the couple's love is renewed every year as the lilies bloom.

Of all the dutch wedding traditions, I like the last one the best. I think I will use the lilies-of-the-valley tradition as a housewarming gift for a newlywed couple I know.

Wedding dresses have been worn by brides in some form or fashion since weddings began.  But why is white the color most often chosen in western weddings? Why do others cultures use red for wedding dresses?  Both are interesting questions. To learn more about the color tradition of wedding dresses, we can start with our western culture and move around the globe.

Western Culture Prefers White Wedding Dresses

White wedding dress became fashionable when Queen Victoria wed in 1840.  White wedding dresses were reserved for the elite, as they couldn't be worn again or washed.  Less fortunate brides would wear white but then dye them another color or forgo a wedding dress — marrying in everyday clothes. As time went on, the white wedding dress became the symbol for virginity and/or purity.  Christian cultures have perpetuated the tradition.

Eastern Cultures Prefer Red Wedding Dresses

Red, Silver, White and Gold Play A Large Part in Asian Wedding Dresses.
Red or brightly colored shades of red are common in Asian (China, Japan, Vietnam, etc.) weddings dresses.  In China, wedding dresses are embroidered with dragon and phoenix symbols on red fabric with silver, white and gold threading. The phoenix and dragon are symbols of male and female. In Japan, the bride wears a traditional white Kimono, but then changes into a red one (symbolizing good luck) after the wedding ceremony.

Red, Gold and White Are Wedding Dress Color Choices For Indian Brides
With a heavy Hindu base, bridal attire in Indian is usually some shade of red. In fact, the prominent colors for Hindu brides are a combination of red, gold and white. However, bridal attire can vary by the region.

Gold Is The Delight Of Egyptian Brides
Egyptian bride wear gold or gold embellished wedding dresses. The dresses tend to be white linen with gold threading. On certain occasions, the dress is embellished with silver thread.

Every cultural has a rich and deep symbolism related to color. Wedding dress color takes it que from these long standing traditions. As the world's cultures met so do their customs and traditions. In our western culture, we are seeing brides mix color styles from other cultures into their wedding dress selections. It is truly a global world in which we live. Brides today have the flexibility to add color to their white wedding dress. So think outside of the traditional white wedding dress.

Wedding and Party Network, your number one wedding planning resource has a few examples of colorful wedding dresses below.

Africa's rich tribal traditions offer some of the best family-inspired wedding traditions.  In Africa, family and especially elders play a huge part in a couple's lives. Even elders who have passed are still remembered in wedding celebrations.

There are many African wedding traditions. However Tambiko and Kola nuts are two traditions that can be used in any wedding celebration.  Tambiko is a special prayer and blessing, while Kola nuts are a symbol of endurance of love.

Tambiko is an African wedding tradition that involves a libation ceremony. Alcohol or holy water is poured onto the ground.  The libation is poured in the cardinal directions and prayers are recited to the ancestral spirits. During the prayer they also recognize those who recently passed.

Traditionally one of the eldest family members says the prayer. Today the bride and groom tend to have their clergy recite the prayer during the wedding ceremony. This ceremonial prayer gives the groom and bride an opportunity to honor the elders in their family.

Tambiko (Libation prayer)

An African proverb tells us that people who lack the knowledge of their past are like a tree without roots. So, in the spirit of remembrance, we pour this libation. We pour to honor the past, so that we may learn from it. We pour to honor the importance of family. We raise our cup to God to show our reverence for the original source of our lives. We use cool water as a symbol of the continuity of life, to purify and to nourish our souls. We pour to celebrate the coming together of these two families.   It is said that through others, we are somebody. Through this marriage, we broaden our family circle, remember our heritage and recall those who gave us life. We call upon our ancestors—our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers, our fathers, grandfathers and our great-grandfathers, uncles, aunts and cousins – the foundations of our families, immortalized in our thoughts.  We call upon our elders, whose wisdom we seek in all endeavors. Our friends, whom we are blessed to have in our lives, our parents who guided us along the road to adulthood. We call upon family who have passed over and could not be here to day. We ask that they be with us in our thoughts. We call upon the Bride and Groom, that they may always find prosperity in love and devotion. We ask that this couple be blessed by children, because children give glory to a home.  Place your minds with those who could not be here today. Family, friends and ancestors who have passed on, are ill, or simply could not find their way here. Place your thoughts with this person or persons so that they may bear witness to this union in spirit. Therefore we cast our libation to the North, to the South, to the East and to the West. We wish everyone to leave more blessed than when they came. Amen.

Prayer taken from the Celebrant Foundation and Institute.

Kola Nuts

In Africa, the kola nut is a symbol of healing and is used for medicinal purposes. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom exchange kola nuts with family members and each other before they exchange their vows. This is a symbolic way of saying that they will always heal their differences and their love is greater than any hard times they might endure.

Both of these African traditions show how important family is. Most weddings are concerned only with the bride and groom. So, it is nice to stop and honor your elders and those who passed during one the most cherished days of your lives. When planning your wedding  keep these family oriented traditions in mind.

This wedding tradition was brought to you by Wedding and Party Network, your resource for wedding planning.

In researching the question; why do grooms carry the bride over the threshold? I found many interesting reasons.

One reason is it was considered bad luck for a bride to trip over the threshold of her home. This just doesn’t seem romantic enough. Certainly, I could see how this would be bad luck especially for the groom. After all if the bride became injured or mad because she tripped, it could make the honeymoon a not so pleasant one.

Further research shows, a slightly more romantic note. In days of old a woman was not to give up her virginity so easily. Thus the man would sweep her off her feet and assert his manliness over her carrying her off to the honeymoon bed. This way the women even though married would still appear virtuous. However romantic as that might seems, it probably is rooted more in the tradition of kidnapping of women (during Roman times) and making her a bride to her abductor.

In some cultures, it is believed one's family demons would follow the bride to her new home. To keep them at bay, the groom would carry the bride over his threshold. By carrying the bride over the threshold the demons could not follow or ever enter their new home.

In today's western countries, the custom of carrying the bride over the threshold is still practiced. I suspect, mostly, because it has been romanticized in TV and movies. Just a little tip for those who want to carry on this tradition – make sure the groom has been working out.

This wedding tradition is one of the many wedding planning resources brought to you by WeddingandPartyNetwork.com.

Courting Before Marriage

Before you can have a wedding you have to have a courtship right? The Dutch certainly had a unique way to court their intended. It is called bundling or in Dutch queesten (kweesten).

This form of wooing is where a young lady would leave her window or door open, so that her intended lover could sit or lie on the outside covers of her bed.  At the same time,  she would lie in bed clothed in her heavy nightwear and covered heavily in blankets. The idea was for the two to converse all night and gain a bit of intimacy from each other.

This custom may have also been used in Welsh communities. However it went a bit further with the young lady dressed only in her petticoat with a knot tied at the bottom. This almost always lead to wedlock.

This custom continued on in the USA till the 1930’s where it fell out of style among those who had brought it over from the Netherlands. The Pennsylvania Dutch would allow their children (of age) to share a bed before marriage. Following the old custom both would be heavily dressed and also covered in heavy blankets. I suspect this happened more in the fall and winter then the summer. Sometimes a thick board would be placed between the two. Again the idea is for the young couple to share the night together talking and gain intimate knowledge about one another before marriage. It seems to have fall out of grace as it may have lead to actual intimacy.

Even though this custom is no longer practiced in it original form, we still do this courtship ritual our own way. Many of us spend a night or two with our intended talking all night long getting to know each other before our marriages. Sometimes we travel to a vacation spot as part of our courtship ritual.  The important concept of this wedding tradition is getting to know each other.

This wedding tradition was brought to you by weddingandpartynetwork.com, your number 1 source for wedding planning.

Throughout history food has been used to symbolize many different things in different cultures. In Polish tradition you have the Bread and Salt blessing. In Russian weddings the use of bread helped determine who the head of the family would be. Two different cultures but each use bread in their wedding tradition.

Polish Wedding Tradition- Bread and Salt Blessing

The Polish wedding tradition of The Bread and Salt Blessing is a sweet tradition that can be incorporated into today's modern weddings. At the wedding reception the bride and groom are met by both sets of parents. The parents have a loaf of bread sprinkled with salt and a goblet of wine. The parents then say "According to our Old Polish tradition, we greet you with bread and salt so that your home might always enjoy abundance."

The bread is given in hopes that the bride and groom will never go hungry or be in need. The salt conveys that time may be difficult but they must learn to cope with the struggles in their life and marriage. The wine, as with the bread, give hope that the couple never goes thirsty and their lives be filled with joy and happiness.

The bride and groom each take a piece of the bread and a drink of the wine and then break the plate and the glass by throwing them to the ground. The parents then give a kiss to the couple and the reception begins.

Russian Bread Tradition

The Russians have a unique way to determine who the head of the household is. During the wedding ceremony or at the reception, the bride and groom are given a loaf of karavay (a small round loaf of bread). Someone holds the bread for them as they each take a bite from the loaf. Whomever takes the bigger bite is the considered the head of the family.

As with the Polish tradition the bread is also a symbol for health, long life and wealth. And after the bites are taken, the bride and groom take a drink as well and then break the glasses from which they drank.

Even though each culture has different ways to use bread in their ceremonies, the bread still has the same symbolization. That symbolization is what makes this these traditions so great. The Polish and Russians probably got the ideas and varied the ways the breads are used from the Romans. This shows us that the tradition, even if changed slightly, goes on forever, passed down from generation to generation.

How lovely that we can enjoy all the cultural traditions and differences and incorporate them into our modern days weddings.