Great Russian Wedding Traditions

To commemorate and celebrate your ancestral roots of Old Mother Russia, there are a lot of things you can do at your wedding ceremony or reception. Whether you are a Russian bride and/or groom planning your special day, these Russian customs will bring you some great ideas.

KISS LIP-PRINT NAPKIN - Before the actual ceremony or your wedding, one of the bridesmaids will present a napkin to the groom-to-be with various lipstick kiss prints all over it. If the groom guesses the wrong print, he has to pay a fine to the bride!!!

WEDDING BUTTERFLIES - Instead of rice or flowers, live butterflies are often released! This makes for some really interesting pictures.

THE BREAD PRESENTATION - Before the actual wedding ceremony, a member of the bridal party will often present in typical Russian wedding custom, both the bride and groom with a wedding ceremonial bread and salt tray. The bride and groom are lead into the actual ceremony hall where the actual rites and vows are to be held. (The platter of bread is symbolizes the hope for a healthy long life with prosperity for the couple.)

At the ceremony, the bread is then eaten by both the bride and groom, and the traditional joke is that the one who takes the largest bite will be the one who wears pants in the family.

BRIDAL PARTY SASHES - It's tradition for the best man and maid of honor to wear sashes over their clothing.

THE FANCY DECORATED CAR - Many Russian couples will hire a fancy limousine and have it decorated in gold streams, decorations and yellow and white flowers. When the couple cannot afford a limo, most just have their bridal party pretty up their own cars, or borrow a friend's car. No matter what, the bride and groom end up riding around their town after the ceremony in style.

Quite often, neighbors and other people in the city will see the couple's names painted on a side window. They always cheer and run to the car and wave good luck in support of their peers' happy day.

5 STOP TRIP - For most Russian brides and grooms, the traditional town bridal tour is not only a matter of showing up in a specific and often scenic location for a great photo shoot reasons, the long ride symbolizes a long and happy marriage to come. The newly weds make pitstops at 5 different places around the city that hold special meaning for citizens. There they engage in various wedding photos and leave flowers to symbolize their contribution as husband and wife to the town.

POPULAR DOVE RELEASE PHOTO OPP - The bride and groom often arrange to simultaneously release a white dove near a waterfront for a beautiful picture together. This release symbolizes the purity of their love.