How to meet young people?
At the end of the official part of the wedding, the murals, they begin the traditional, unofficial part of the wedding, a feast. The newlyweds are met at the entrance to the restaurant. There is already set a table, covered with a festive tablecloth. A rushnyka is placed on it, on which traditional bread and salt are placed. Salt is placed in a silver salt shaker. An old Russian proverb says: “When only salt is on the table - for good and for poverty. Waking it up by chance - calling for trouble. When bread and salt together - for wealth and fertility. Moreover, the bread and salt of the enemy will not be missed and evil will not be done will give.
To meet young people, the groom's mother prepares a large silver tray. New glasses are put on it, of which no one has ever drunk. Nearby put red wine, or champagne, which are a symbol of sweet married life.
When everything is prepared, the young come to the parents awaiting them. Meanwhile, guests who meet young people are lining up on the right and left side of the road, thereby forming something like a living corridor.
No one should stand behind the young. At first, the newlyweds are baptized three times and bow to their parents. Then, if possible at the same time, they break off a small piece of bread and dip it into a silver hodgepodge. So, if the wife first breaks off the loaf of loaf at the wedding, then she will prevail in the house. If the husband - he will rule in the house, and at the same time breaking off promises harmony and order in married life. This is what the belief says.
After the young people have fully “salted” each other and determined who will dominate the family, the groom’s mother serves glasses filled with wine, saying parting words. Then the young people take a cross to cross glass in their left hand. It is important that the bride takes a glass for herself from the groom, and the groom, in turn, from the bride. That means their fates are intertwined.
With the words "Lord, Bless! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen," the young baptize glasses with their right hand. This must be done so that someone does not put a wedding spoilage on the young. There were times that parents in the bustle did not have time to keep track of the observance of the rite and through sweet wine (and spoilage is often induced through it) spoilage was done that spoiled the bride.
The sign of the Cross over the glasses is necessary to neutralize all negative influences. After the danger of bad exposure is averted, the young put the glass in their right hand and take one sip, pouring the remaining contents of the glasses behind. So they do it twice, on the third they break glasses with the words “Let all of us who want to cause enmity and hatred between us fall under our feet!” Then they turn around over his left shoulder and trample all the fragments into the “sand”. After the solemn meeting of the young and all the rites, they are invited to the hall, where they pass through a horseshoe set in advance (apparently for good luck). After them, gathered guests go into the hall, after having bitten bread and salt.
The solemn, ceremonial part of the meeting of the newlyweds ended. The celebration was transferred to the hall, where it was conducted by professional presenters according to a specially prepared scenario. By the way, special attention should be paid to this part of the celebration, because guests should have fun, and without a well-prepared program this is unlikely to succeed.
So in this part of the holiday there are also some subtleties:
- Without the newlyweds, no one to sit at the table
- When young people leave the table, guests should follow after them.
- Congratulate the young in a special order: first the parents, then the next of kin, friends and guests.
- Throughout the holiday, young people should not part with each other, otherwise one of the guests will steal the bride, for which you will have to pay a ransom. Although, in some traditions, the ransom ceremony of the bride is an integral part of the holiday.
Thus, the meeting of the young and the further celebration takes place, which ends late at night and continues for several more days.