Going through all the wedding procedures and rituals is a dramatic experience for many western men who have found their wives in Russia. Some of the wedding traditions have survived from the ancient times and might not make sense to a foreigner, and some are modern and understandable.
Ask your Russian fiancé about her expectations from the wedding. If she wants traditional Russian wedding, learn as much as you can about the rituals and ask her questions to make sure you understood everything correctly. Here are some basic things you should know about traditional wedding rituals in Russia.
One of the old traditions still alive is when a groom asks his fiancé’s parents for the permission to marry their daughter. It is not a must nowadays, of course, but some men prefer to follow this rule to establish a good relationship with his future wife’s family.
Another procedure that might be practiced as an introduction to the wedding is groom’s “buying” the bride. This is sort of a game which is not meant to be offensive; its aim is to begin the whole event in an informal way to entertain the guests and make everyone feel comfortable. The bride and the groom decide together whether to include it or not into the wedding process. Bridesmaids are usually asked to conduct this procedure.
If your future wife is willing to conduct the ceremony in church after the formal official registration, take into consideration that the orthodox wedding ceremony might take at least half an hour and might last more than four hours. Most couples prefer the short procedure.
After a while, the whole party moves to a restaurant or somewhere else where guests are entertained and treated to delicious Russian meals.
