Wedding turmoil: which ceremonies are popular with newlyweds in Russia
The happy day of the newlyweds is surrounded by pleasant chores, and they strive to share the emotions of the wedding with their relatives and friends. But before the future spouses say the cherished "yes" and put rings on each other, you need to provide for everything: both the wedding ceremony and the holiday itself. Izvestia talked about the wedding traditions and preferences of the newlyweds with those who are witnessing the birth of a new cell of society, the wedding organizers and the registrar.
Become husband and wife
The first thing that the bride and groom traditionally face is choosing a wedding date, which can be symbolic or just beautiful. Some choose June 12 to get married on Russia Day, others prefer the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity and sign on July 8, others prefer "double" dates — when the numbers of the day, month or even year coincide. Many people choose a dating day for their wedding.
As soon as the couple has decided on the date, the preparation begins. The newlyweds are having a wedding "for someone" - for their parents, for friends, or for themselves — and this determines the entire future vector of how the day will be organized, wedding registrar Olga Kovaleva explained to Izvestia. Here, the traditions of the wedding day itself come into force, adjusted for modern realities: if initially the spouses signed at the registry offices, now exit ceremonies at venues, parks and complexes have become popular.
— There are a lot of beautiful, modern and unusual places. This is confirmed by the second wedding festival, when in front of my eyes 150 couples simultaneously said "yes" and got married. It looks unusual and grandiose, it remains in the memory for many years. Plus, there are always a lot of photographers, organizers and spectators at such an event," Olga Kovaleva shared.
The All-Russian wedding festival is dedicated to the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, in 2025 it lasted from July 8 to July 13. This year, 442 couples got married as part of the festival.
The first festival, held within the framework of the International Exhibition and Forum "Russia", brought together 221 couples, 151 of whom got married simultaneously on the same day.
Wedding organizer Evgenia Abodan, in a conversation with Izvestia, noted that modern couples are increasingly abandoning template scenarios in favor of a chamber, personalized celebration. In her opinion, if before the main thing was the scope, now it's the emotions and the atmosphere. Young people choose unusual locations — lofts, golf courses, playgrounds by the water and even forest clearings - and prefer minimalistic decor with an emphasis on environmental materials and, of course, convenience for guests.
— Short ceremonies are popular without excessive pathos, but with touching personal moments — for example, instead of the traditional tiered wedding cake, long and rectangular ones with candles are chosen. The main trend is that a wedding should reflect the character of a couple, not someone's expectations," said Evgenia Abodan.
Meanwhile, while some newlyweds go into futuristic formats, including cyberpunk weddings or with gamification elements, others, on the contrary, play up traditions — but not directly, but through stylization.
— The bride's Russian cocoanut is combined with comfortable sneakers, and instead of throwing a bouquet and garter, interactive contests are chosen, for example, to pick up the keys to the lock under which the wedding bouquet is locked. Fully "classic" weddings are not uncommon now, but couples add something unexpected and personal to the script,— added Evgenia Abodan.
Preserving traditions
Contrary to popular belief, the speech of wedding receptionists does not undergo any changes — the standard that has developed over the years remains, however, if necessary, a couple can adjust a little.
However, immutability has contributed to the fact that field ceremonies have become popular today — they are conducted by actors, presenters, wedding master of ceremonies or invited official registrars. According to Olga Kovaleva, in this case, you can arrange absolutely any scenario for a couple, that is, to voice everything that they would like to hear on their holiday.
— The frame is approximately the same, but they can add vows to each other or leave rings, but at the same time remove the traditional painting. Whatever the couple wants. That's why it's an off—site wedding ceremony, when the certificates are already in hand, when the guests are present, when the couple themselves want it that way," Olga Kovaleva said.
Informal wedding ceremonies are always a flight of fancy, from the yacht's approach to the ceremony site and getting out of the limo to landing a helicopter or getting engaged at the airport. They do not eliminate the need to register a marriage in registry offices, but they allow you to add self-expression. For example, Olga Kovaleva had a chance to paint newlyweds in Sheremetyevo. Of course, classic outdoor options are also popular — restaurants, country houses or parks. However, even at exit ceremonies, the couple adheres to certain standards, because the audience of their day is parents, relatives, friends and sometimes even children.
— There were no such wishes among my couples — the newlyweds are happy to follow the classic scenario at the registry office, appreciating its solemnity and touching moments. The registrar's traditional speech and the stamp in the album remain an important part of their day, creating the very atmosphere of a "real wedding," Evgenia Abodan emphasized.
For better or for worse
However, wedding ceremonies are unusual not only because of the format or location. According to Olga Kovaleva, at the All-Russian Wedding Festival there were nominations for those who met as students and even in childhood. And once she happened to register a couple where the bride was 42 years old and the groom was 56 years old, and this was their first ceremony.
— I remember I conducted the ceremony for a Russian-French couple. Foreigners differ in that their celebration takes place in the city hall or in another government institution, so the couple chose a similar place. The French delegation, the other side, should have understood the Russian part that in France it is about the same, that it brings them closer together without getting out of the rut," explained Olga Kovaleva.
In her opinion, the main idea that should underlie the ceremony is that the newlyweds enter into marriage with the expectation of happiness, bright and pure, which will last a long time.
— The classic scenario is a farewell to a happy family life and a reminder that rings have been a symbol of love, devotion and loyalty to each other since ancient times, — explains Olga Kovaleva. In such a scenario, the newlyweds are first asked if their decision to become spouses is sincere, mutual and voluntary, followed by a classic "yes, yes" and an exchange of rings. The last one is the issue of a marriage certificate.
Most often, wedding receptionists wish for long years of married life and happiness, so that the years may pass, and the children of those who joined their hearts forever will stand in the same place.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
