All posts tagged Eastern Europe

The Symbolic Wedding Veil

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The symbol of the wedding veil has been permanently tied to a tradition that the bride and groom not see each other the day of the wedding. The tradition holds that it is bad luck. The symbol of the bride’s veil is actually part of the old traditions when marriages were prearranged, often before they were even born. The bride would be kept away from the groom for her entire life. On the day they were to be married, she would wear a veil so that her face is not revealed until after they have been legally declared as husband and wife. This is so the groom will not see the bride and possibly change his mind. While this custom was terribly degrading for the bride, it was not customary to tell women how beautiful they are and not buildup their esteem. It was just another form of repression in those cultures.

There is another culture in Eastern Europe that is steeped in the people’s superstitions. The people of old were terribly frightened of demons and evil spirits. It is said that these evil spirits would be jealous of a newly married couples attempt at happiness through marriage. Spirits cannot do what the living do and it makes them extremely angry. The bride would be veiled from the moment she arose on the day of her wedding. The veils back then were huge, billowy, and much thicker than today’s sheer fabrics. She would eat, dress, and do everything disguised under her veil so that evil spirits could not recognize her and torment her before she could be married. The veil was only lifted after they were married and therefore protected by her husband and by God.

The wedding veil was also said to be the funeral shroud. For this reason, a woman would make the veil before she was married. It was long enough to wrap her body in on the day of her death. This would prevent the evil spirits from recognizing her as she crossed from this world to the next. Women lived in great fear in those days and while this sounds morbid, a woman’s veil turned shroud was of great comfort to her. When I girl was old enough to sew, she would begin making her veil with the help of her mother or grandmother. By the time she was married, it would be long enough to serve both purposes.

Another symbol and tradition was that the wedding veil was supplied by the husband. It is what he used to capture is bride. The groom would pick the woman he wanted and sneak up on her, throwing the veil over her and carrying her away. She wore it until after she was married so that no one would recognize and attempt to rescue her.

The wedding veil and the wedding kiss are also tied together in symbolism. The wedding veil is pushed back after they are pronounced man and wife but in some places, this did not conclude the service. The bride and the groom had to then consent to a kiss before it was legal. Since the bride could not see her husband very well and in some cases, the husband never saw the bride until he lifted the veil, it was a moment of extreme anxiety as to whether they would both consent to the kiss. It was very often the happiest or saddest moment of the entire affair. The wedding gifts were often money in those days and the groom would be counting on the monetary gain. He would also be out any wedding accessories he would have had to purchase up to this point. That means that it was a more crucial moment for the groom than for anyone else.

Wedding Traditions Of Eastern Europe’s Eastern Region

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Wedding traditions of Eastern Europe is steeped in beautiful traditions of many years gone by. Despite many of the ceremonies and receptions being modernized, many older traditions still live on. For the countries of Belarus, Turkey and the Ukraine, this is no different.

Belarus

– Prior to the ceremony, the groom is challenged as he attempts to get to his bride. He needs to climb to her apartment and during that climb often faces different tasks that he need to accomplish. He may have to dance, or sing, or answer questions about the bride. He may also have to pick her out amongst her friends in odd ways such as showing certain parts, such as a hand from each girl and he has to identify which hand is his bride’s. The groom will also get poked as he climbs the apartment and must continue on. Once he reaches her, he is able to carry her off.
– It’s important that a wedding ceremony and reception be a big-to-do. Therefore, it is not out of the ordinary to witness such things as parades, colorful outfits, and exotic entertainment during the reception such as belly dancers.
– War memorials are traditionally toured with loudly dressed and sounding cars as a way of honoring those who sacrificed their lives for the lives of the living.
– The couple will go together to a local potter and make dishes of their own. This symbolizes a foundation for their family. It also includes one particular pot in which each partner creates half and then is brought together as one; thus the symbol of family integrity.
– One of the more important aspects of a Belarusian ceremony is the kiss, as it seals the deal. In addition, with each toast that is made, they often render the champagne as being bitter or gorko. This can be remedied by the couple’s kiss which is a way of sweetening the bitterness.
– Often the groom’s friends will kidnap the bride therefore causing the guests to pony up cash as her ransom payment. The cash is then given to the young couple as they start their new lives together.

Turkey

– Did you know that in old traditional Turkey, a wedding would last up to 40 days and nights? It’s true, but not in the more rural areas, that tradition has been shortened to three days and even shorter in the cities.
– The bride’s family receives a variety of gifts from the groom’s family during the three day feast.
– The bride’s friends hide the bride and for small cash payments by the groom’s relatives, they receive clues to her whereabouts.
– The family’s elders create a list of gifts for the couple that needs to be approved by the village alderman.

Ukraine

– An old Ukrainian belief was that the wedding isn’t only a party, but a set of rituals. These rituals were a symbol of a new family built on the creation of a life foundation that was strong and with a future of well being. Therefore they did not refer to a wedding as a celebration, but to play wedding.
– The groom sends two married men, also known as starosty, to the bride’s to ask her parents for approval to marry. If yes, the bride will lay a rushnyky, or towels, over the two men, along with gifts and loaves of bread. If she hands them a pumpkin instead of bread, then her reply is no.
– The wedding ceremony generally starts a week after the engagement.
– The couple walks throughout the village handing out shishkas, ritual wedding bread, as invitations to their guests.
– Prior to the wedding, the bride and her friends have a party known as devich vecher. At this party they create a giltse, also known as a ritual tree that will be placed on the wedding table. The giltse symbolizes youth and beauty for the new couple.
– Weekends are the traditional days for weddings. After the wedding, the couple goes separately back to their parent’s home for a meal with family and friends. After, the groom will get his new bride and bring her back to his home. When the groom arrives to her house, he is expected to pay a ransom to be allowed in and eat at the same table as the bride’s family.
– The day after the ceremony is the craziest day of all. Often the wedding guests will dress as gypsies and create fun mayhem in the village.