You have found your Russian bride, congratulations! You need to be prepared to face different wedding expectations when preparing to the wedding with your Russian bride. Unlike Western traditions, Russian weddings are not planned one year in advance. They are more spontaneous and happen at a faster pace. In the following article you will get acquainted with the usual pattern of Russian wedding.
As a rule, Russian weddings have a rather standard pattern. Social ceremony of wedding takes place at government authority where your marriage becomes official – “ZAGS”. Close friends and relatives accompany the groom and the bride there. Before this, you need to file an application 1 month prior to your wedding date. At the date of wedding a government worker will ask for mutual consent of the groom and the bride for marriage and make standard speech. Then a husband and a wife exchange engagement rings and kiss. Then their passports are stamped to make their marriage official.
In Western countries before the wedding a man proposes to a woman with the engagement ring. Engagement rings are not very common in post Soviet countries, but still many couples repeat this Western tradition during the last few years.
After the official ceremony it is common to have a ‘walk’ around parks, churches, etc. Some couples would also have a church ceremony to become a husband and wife in face of God. The couple is accompanied by parents and friends. There is also a professional photographer and camera man to take pictures and video to make memorable wedding pictures and movie.
In Western country preparation for the wedding is planned in advanced and requires much time. In Russia however, the lady can get proposal and get married the next month.
It is very common to book a good large restaurant for the wedding celebration. Celebration provides everything: food, music, the host to oversee the wedding celebration and organize different wedding competitions, dances and the like.
Russian wedding celebrations can last for two-three days and all relatives are present at wedding celebration. It is a great opportunity to meet all the relatives from different parts of post Soviet countries from both sides. Russian weddings are full of food and drinks to symbolize the wealth of the family. The guests eat, drink and have fun till the early morning. It is a common practice to prolong celebration for the next day and even the day after.
A wedding in Russia is a very interesting experience, so don’t miss this opportunity!