Moldova is a small country located on a hilly plain between Ukraine and Romania. The complex, changeable fate of the Moldovan people is reflected in cultural traditions and holidays. People here have been farming for centuries, and many customs are associated with the wheel of the year, fertility and seasonal work. From ancient times to the present day, hospitable, hospitable Moldovans have carefully preserved their cultural heritage and the wisdom of their ancestors. A Moldavian wedding is the embodiment of the rebellious spirit of a small country, a time when you can touch the amazing traditions of this people with trepidation, plunge into the atmosphere of primordial folk festivals.

The inhabitants of Moldova are very careful about their heritage and are happy to share the heritage of their ancestors with everyone who wants to hear and see. This friendly, hospitable people welcome fun and holidays with plentiful refreshments. At the celebrations, melodic folk songs are necessarily sung, energetic, incendiary dances are danced. And how beautiful and original traditional outfits embellished with embroidery! It was in Moldova that carpets of incredible beauty and masterpieces of hand embroidery were created.

Traditional marriage rituals

Wedding celebrations were traditionally scheduled in the fall. After the end of the harvesting campaign, the most suitable time came for festivities with the whole world, and with all the breadth of the soul. The bins were bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables, and young wine was ripening, and the main hard work in the fields was over.

A wedding in Moldova has never been started in haste. From the conspiracy of the young to the wedding day, a year passed, or even more. All this time, preparations were made for the grandiose action and the subsequent feast. Every little detail was scrupulously taken into account, and the date of the wedding was chosen with all care: it should not have happened during a post or not. auspicious days. Marriage witnesses and Nashaul advisers were chosen. They could only be a strong married couple, older than the newlyweds, but younger than their parents, who would help the young during the celebrations, and then begin to give wise advice in family life.

Matchmaking and engagement

The ancient traditions of the Moldovan wedding imply an obligatory ritual of matchmaking. For this, favorable days were necessarily chosen - Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, but not on big days. church holidays or on fasting days. Matchmakers were sent to the house of the chosen girl, and the presence of the groom was not required. They painted in colorful expressions all the virtues of a young successful hunter who spotted such a coveted prey. In allegorical speeches and careful observance of the time-honored ritual lies a sacred meaning: only in this way will the future family be protected from misfortunes.

If the girl's parents gave prior consent to the marriage, then her personal item was transferred to the groom or his representative. Then followed a stormy bargaining between both sides, when a ransom was demanded for the bride, sometimes very serious. As soon as the parties came to an agreement, a date for the final agreement was set. This time, usually up to two weeks, was given for reflection and weighing all the pros and cons. At the end this period the agreement could be either confirmed or broken without mutual claims. After that, an engagement was scheduled. Usually preparation for it was about seven to ten days.

On this day, the bride's relatives paid a return visit to the groom's house, making sure that everything said about him by the matchmakers was true. And the young hunter is a really worthy choice, that he is a strong master with skillful hands and will be able to adequately support his family. The hospitable hosts served a plentiful feast, and a leisurely conversation began. They discussed the details of future wedding celebrations, the list of guests, the day and the dowry of the bride were appointed.

Because of the size of the dowry, it used to be a lot of controversy. Usually, the girl was given luxurious hand-embroidered carpets and rugs on the floor, embroidered towels and linen, and kitchen utensils. The guy's parents, for their part, allocated a plot of land, materials for building a house, a workhorse and tools.

Preparation period

The choice of nahauls was approached with great care. Not every couple was suitable for such a responsible role. And without their presence, the marriage could not have taken place at all - this is just as indispensable an element of a Moldovan wedding as newlyweds. The chosen married couple must necessarily have family ties with the young, be happy in marriage. Also, an important criterion was their strong financial position and readiness to help and instruct the young family.

Invitation cards were lovingly baked by the hands of a young hostess rich products - bagels, kalachi or gingerbread. Ignoring the invitation was considered a serious insult, therefore, without a serious reason, such a responsible mission was not refused. In fact, these people became the second parents for the newlyweds.

Nowadays, good acquaintances, friends of parents or married couples from among the same age of the newlyweds are invited to play the role of nahauls. After that, an application for registration of marriage is submitted to the registry office, a banquet hall is selected and booked if the wedding is planned to be held in a restaurant, and the scenario of the holiday is specified.

Traditional attire and modern attire

The national wedding costumes of Moldovans are masterpieces embroidered by hand with amazing patterns. It takes a lot of time and effort to make them, but it's worth it - no purchased dress can be compared with the exquisite simplicity and amazing patterns of folk wedding vestments. Silk, dyed cotton threads, beads, beads are used for embroidery. The basis - White color, on which red, black and blue patterns are sewn. Shirts, sashes and trousers are sewn for the groom, the dress for the bride must be embroidered along the hem, collar and sleeves, an embroidered apron and belt are tied.

Modern newlyweds can also order outfits in the atelier, but there the embroidery will be machine-made. Also, the classic outfits of the bride and groom are quite popular among urban youth.

Moldavian wedding customs

The traditional celebration began with a visit to the home of the Nashauls. A festively dressed groom, bowing, respectfully held out a freshly baked muffin on an embroidered towel, asking to become planted parents. In the meantime, relatives and friends looked into every house, calling all the neighbors to the wedding. After that, the groom, accompanied by nashauls and witnesses, went for the bride.

In the girl's house, they were met by a gate locked with bolts and very resolute men of the family. The groom and best man stepped forward and reverently told the old legend about the king and the beautiful forest fairy. And they said that a long and difficult road led the young prince to the house where his beloved lives. The gates were opened, but the trials of the groom did not end there.

Rite of Vestment

Before the wedding, the bride was dressed by her friends in an outfit brought by the groom. Ritual songs of farewell to the girl's life, to parents and stepfather's house were sung. When ready, she went out to the groom and guests, presenting her gifts on an embroidered towel - a shirt and belt, completely made by her.

Bride ransom ritual

Before seeing the bride, the groom had to go through difficult trials prepared for him. A sharp knife must have wove into the joint. If the bride agreed to the wedding, her witness removed the blade, and the groom got the right to lead her down the aisle. The bridesmaid and his best man, with the feasible help of the nahauls, arranged various tests and competitions, where the groom appeared as a skilled hunter, an excellent worker and a good owner, and the bride acted as a quivering hunted doe and a beautiful fairy fairy.

The house greeted the guests with a parade decorated with embroidered towels, garlands and wreaths of flowers, ribbons, canopies of richly embroidered fabrics, carpets and paths. On the tables there were always sweet muffins - kalachi, bagels, gingerbread.

Now ancient traditions are diluted with modern inclusions. Questionnaire posters are drawn, poems suitable for the occasion, comic songs and quizzes are composed. Competitions are taken as those with whom even great-grandparents married, as well as modern ones.

All the undertakings in the bride's house depend entirely on the bridesmaids, it is they who set the tone for the holiday.

Wedding ceremonies and modern marriage registration

The wedding in the temple was necessarily preceded by confession and Holy Communion the day before. Also, preliminary discussions were held on the value and sanctity of family ties. The bride entered the temple only with her head covered; for this, a shawl or veil of the finest workmanship was prepared. Never entered the temple drunk or even sipped wine.

Before the marriage ritual, the young people broke rolls and treated all the single guests. As the wedding train left the gate, the mother of the bride threw wheat grains and small sweets after them to ensure well-being and harmony.

Solemn feast and folk dances

Moldova is famous for its hospitable, generous people. Weddings walked with all their hearts, with tables that were bursting with a wide variety of dishes. Both cold and hot dishes of national cuisine, young wine, fruits and berries were sure to be present.

Stuffed peppers, mashed beans, entrecote and zrazy were traditional dishes. Vegetable soups with meat or fish broth, broth with vegetables and eggs were also served. A huge amount of sweet pastries rose on flat dishes. These are various kalachi, pies with fillings, fried cakes and rolls.

An obligatory attribute of a Moldavian wedding is songs and dances. Not a single identity can do without them. Live music, beautiful staged voices, melodic national songs and incendiary round dances - well, how can you sit still here? To this day, ritual dances remain obligatory for performance: “Veils”, “Shirts” and “Masks”.

Interesting customs and signs of the Moldavian wedding

Moldovans attach great importance to various signs and zealously observe them so that the life of the newlyweds is cloudless and happy.

• If during the period of “thinking” after the matchmaking, the groom’s parents or he himself abandoned their intentions, the bride could conduct a special ceremony “on the stove” and marry the guy to herself against all odds. For his part, the rejected groom could simply steal his beloved.
• In the south of Moldova, the bride could live in the groom's house after the engagement, but in the north - only after the wedding.
• Each guest had to not only present a gift to the young, but also to explain in detail to everyone what exactly his gift was. This custom contributed to the creation of a strong, indestructible bond between the newlyweds and relatives.
• On the eve of the wedding, on Thursday, a little boy and girl sifted flour through a sieve with a couple of coins. They took coins as a payment, and kneaded dough for rich rolls from flour.
• The ritual of sewing a dress shirt for the mother-in-law was necessarily carried out. Measurements were taken, and the girl had to sew and embroider a gift before the wedding day.
• With the blessing of their parents, the young must necessarily kneel on a sheepskin - this promised wealth and happiness.
• The ransom of the bride was carried out and is still carried out not only with money, but also with sweets, pastries, symbolic little surprises.
• Following the birth of a child, a christening was always scheduled with carefully chosen godparents. And all godfathers who came to congratulate the newborn on baptism, there could be up to fifty.

The final chord wedding ceremony was the undressing of the bride. Women filmed already married woman wedding veil and handed it over to the girl. The groom, meanwhile, passed the boutonniere to a single friend. In return, a veil or scarf was thrown over the head of the young wife, which henceforth showed her married status. And those young man and girl who received gifts from the newlyweds had to dance a joint dance.

After the wedding: the beginning of a new life

day after the first wedding night dedicated to parents. It started at lunchtime and continued until evening. Guests gathered in modest, almost casual clothes. Parents and nahauls collected old, unnecessary things that needed to be flogged with nettle rods or smeared well in mud. Chicken broth with noodles was served on the table. On this day, they rode all over the neighborhood in carts, held outdoor games, sang and danced.

Moldovan wedding is brightest illustration ancient culture of this people. Original, full of charm and ancient wisdom, it captivates with its beauty and overflowing fun.

Newlyweds who live in big cities are increasingly celebrating their wedding celebration according to European canons. But in the outback, in small towns and villages, they still live national traditions, they are revered, so they try to spend all the holidays according to beautiful rites.

Moldovan wedding traditions

The Moldovan wedding is distinguished by fun, humor and many ancient customs. Preparation for it begins a year before the appointed date. The wedding date is chosen in accordance with the church calendar, bypassing the time of fasting. Young people and parents determine the amount of expenses for the upcoming holiday, make a list of guests and witnesses, choose ours. Nanashi at the Moldovan wedding are significant figures. They are a symbol of happiness family hearth. These should be middle-aged people, from a strong and prosperous family. Nanashi should help new family advice, to support her in difficult times.

When the appointed date arrives, the groom, dressed for the upcoming celebration, goes for nanashi. According to a long tradition, on a long towel embroidered with a national ornament, he gives the spouses a fresh fragrant kalach. If the bread is favorably accepted, it means the consent to be ours. Although everything is decided in advance, but such is the tradition, and no one breaks it. There are several other important figures at the Moldovan wedding: witnesses from the side of the bride and groom. They are called vornichel and buddy. Gathered together, they go for the bride.

Bride dressing and ransom at a Moldovan wedding

A beautiful and important ritual at a Moldovan wedding is the dressing of the bride. Her friends help her in this, and the ceremony itself is accompanied by a song in which the girl says goodbye to her stepfather's house, sisters and brothers, young friends, games.

When the groom, accompanied by witnesses and our wife, arrives at the bride's house, there, according to tradition, she is ransomed. On the eve of the door jamb was stuck a knife, which symbolizes the gate. If the bride agrees to marry young man, then the friend takes out a knife and lets the groom go forward. Parents bless the young and all together go to church or the registry office. Many couples visit places of military glory and lay flowers at the monument. After that, the guests gather for a banquet.

The wedding starts...

The theater begins with a hanger, and the wedding - from the threshold to the banquet hall. At the entrance to the hall, a young couple is met by their parents. They hold kalachi, from which the newlyweds break off pieces, dip them in salt and treat each other. Thus, they are trying to “annoy” each other in advance so that this does not happen in family life. Guests are greeted at the entrance by nanash and witnesses. Guests come in pairs. With a glass of homemade wine, congratulations are pronounced to the young, they are wished health and a strong family. In response, the young couple thanked everyone and invited them to the table. The holiday is gaining momentum. Music is playing, everyone is dancing, participating in competitions, eating. A prerequisite for a Moldovan wedding is folk music performed live.

Around midnight, guests begin to give gifts to the newlyweds. Young people with nanash go around all the guests, and they give money. For each guest, a national melody is performed, and he, in turn, congratulates the couple on such a significant event. The fun with dancing and singing resumes again. When the money is counted, the amount is loudly announced to everyone.

Interesting rituals of the Moldovan wedding

This is followed by another ritual - undressing the bride. The girls take off her veil and other wedding paraphernalia. A wedding bouquet is also removed from the young spouse and given to a friend. Those who got a veil and a bouquet dance together to a lyrical melody.

Another interesting rite, symbolizing the girl's readiness to become a wife and mistress: the young man sits on a chair, a pillow is placed on his knees. A young wife sits on a pillow, and her friends tie her a scarf and an apron. The guests again present the couple with household items and bed linen, towels. At the end of the celebration, the newlyweds cut a wedding cake, and each guest receives a delicious piece from the hands of the new hostess.

The holiday continues on the second day. It is attended only by relatives and closest people. By old tradition, a young wife meets guests, dressed in a headscarf and an apron. Before the feast, everyone is necessarily treated to a national dish - chicken broth, which is called deputy.

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CHISINAU, September 16 - Sputnik, Elena Komolova. The wedding, it seems, has already ceased to be a holiday for the young, but has become a kind of strength test for future family. A Moldovan wedding is not just a magnificent celebration with beautiful customs, a rich table and festivities, smoothly stretching for several days, to some extent this ritual has grown into an "arms race". In their competition for the title of "my wedding will be better and richer than kumetru" many couples make the same mistakes...

Not a wedding, but a relay race ...

The Moldavian wedding is known for its luxury and abundance of customs. Young people often try to fit everything in one day - shooting, painting, wedding, a trip for nanash, and a restaurant with festivities until the morning. During the day, the young simply do not have time to enjoy the holiday in their honor, have fun and chat with the guests, and by the end of the celebration, the young are squeezed like a lemon.

© Sputnik / Miroslav Rotar

Memorial Complex "Eternity"

In Moldova, the timing of wedding events is not particularly developed, and young people most often take matters into their own hands, distributing time as they see fit. As a result, there is a confusion with delays and deviations from the schedule, nerves and a spoiled mood.

Advice: it is better to start the wedding day early, and not postpone it in the hope that, having slept, it will good mood and everything can be done. As they say, the earlier the day starts, the more time for the distribution of all activities. Some stretch official events for several days.

Fathers and sons, or the struggle of generations

The views of young people, as a rule, diverge quite strongly from the proposals of their parents. Often not just disputes arise, but serious conflicts on this basis - up to the cancellation of the wedding. For example, one side believes that there should be as many guests as possible, others are sure that the wedding should be more modest - only for loved ones. Misunderstanding may appear due to rituals, in which young people begin to lose interest. In addition, in each family, these traditions may differ from each other. Contests can also be a subject of dispute.

Advice: it is better for young people to gather at a large table with their parents and the leader of the wedding and try to come to compromises about traditions, competition and the number of guests.

Wedding loan and greedy guests

In order for the wedding to be better than that of a neighbor, in our country, some resort to taking a bank loan to organize the celebration. But the question is whether the holiday will pay off. Times are still crisis ... It is worth remembering that there are simply greedy people. Therefore, it is not entirely correct to expect that by inviting more guests, you can recoup the money invested in the wedding.

Advice: it is better to start a family life without debts, to plan a wedding competently, to find opportunities to save on trifles, which, in principle, can be abandoned. After all, the money saved will not be superfluous for the newlyweds.

Children's dreams and adult requests

A childhood dream - a fabulous dress and a prince on a white horse has mutated somewhat. The need of modern young ladies for a prince remains, but now the horse has not given up to them for nothing.

Now the brides are waiting under their windows for the faithful in a luxurious limousine. Yes, only in pursuit of a dream do young people forget about common sense and prudence. After all, a limousine is not only an expensive means of transportation, but also very cumbersome - you can’t drive it everywhere along the Chisinau roads and streets. Many couples do not even think about how much money they lose by ordering such a car for a day, but in fact they can ride it for a maximum of an hour and a half.

Advice: it is better to plan your expenses correctly, and if it is still impossible to refuse a limousine, then you should order it a couple of hours before arriving at the restaurant, and not in the morning. Thus, you can save a lot and effectively appear in front of the guests.

fashion is my profession

When choosing a wedding attire, you need to remember that the bride/groom will have to be in it all day - at the registry office, and in the church, and at the photo shoot, and in the restaurant, and dance, and even cut the cake. Although it is beautiful on a hairpin, it is unlikely that the bride will be able to walk the entire distance on them without batting an eyelid.

Advice: suit, dress, shoes should be comfortable. If the "victims of beauty" cannot be avoided, then it is better to get a change - a second dress, a spare shirt for the groom and spacious shoes so that you can light up on the dance floor and feel comfortable after all the official events and photo shoots.

Photo for memory

The first family photos of the young begin with the wedding, and it is better to devote some time to filming with your soulmate, and not drag the entire detachment of guests and relatives with you. After all, young people will have to take care of transport for transporting those close to the location for filming and make sure that the guests do not get bored on the spot. Moreover, selfie lovers and "advisers" will only prevent young people from focusing on each other. In addition, shooting with a large number of people takes a lot of time and you can simply be late for the next stage of your holiday.

Advice: photos with family and friends can be taken in the hall where the main celebrations will take place by organizing a beautiful photo zone. Thus, the young will have pictures with all the guests of their holiday. And for wedding photo shoot a bridesmaid will be enough, who, in which case, will help to fix the dress, veil or makeup.

The moral of this story is...

In Moldova, weddings are really treated in a special way. The holiday must not be the same for everyone. However, in their desire to make the wedding "better than the neighbour's" young people with my own hands this beautiful rite is almost turned into an "arms race".

Moldovan wedding is one of many national weddings peace. Having absorbed a special character and southern flavor, it has become one of the most enchanting and colorful. None of the weddings are planned in a hurry.

Young people need at least a year to plan and prepare all the details of the future celebration. Be sure to select a date church calendar, without fail, bypassing the post, invite nashauls (the second main couple at the wedding, advisers to the young family), bake bread, prepare homemade wine, etc. Let's talk about all the details right now.

Moldovans start the first official conversation about the upcoming wedding at the matchmaking of the bride.

Matchmakers are sent to the young house. Their duties include detailed description all the advantages of the future groom and the formulation of the main question.

Matchmakers must anticipate the answer in advance, having found out about the intentions of the parents to marry off their daughter. The obligatory days for matchmaking were: Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, if the big church holidays did not fall on them. They were considered successful. Traditionally, there are several appeals of matchmakers when:

• the bride is presented as prey, and the groom as a hunter;
• bargaining is carried out between the groom and parents for the bride as a commodity;
• the fact that there is a bride and groom is stated.

In all these cases, the participants clearly communicate the intentions of the parties by performing certain actions prescribed by custom. According to faith, this helps to protect the future family from misfortunes. A positive response to the matchmakers is the transfer of any thing of the bride into the hands of the groom. His presence, by the way, is not required.

But most young people do not miss the opportunity to participate in this rite.

At the end of the matchmaking, the day of the engagement and the day of the final answer are set. The time difference between them can be a week. The total time for reflection and change of decision is two weeks or more.

On the day of the engagement, the bride's parents came to the groom's house, checking the veracity of the words of the matchmakers about his condition and ability to manage the household. At the laid table, the details of the future marriage, the day, the number of invited guests, etc. were discussed.

Be sure to discuss the dowry of the bride. If for due date the groom or his parents abandoned their intentions, the bride, if desired, could perform a special ceremony “On the stove”. He gave her the right to annul the refusal herself and marry her fiance, even against the will of his parents.

If the refusal came from the bride's parents, she could simply be "stealed".

Wedding preparations

The most crucial moment in the preparation of a wedding celebration in Moldova is the choice of nahauls. This is the second couple, whose presence is as obligatory as the presence of the young. Without them, the wedding simply cannot take place.

It is not easy to make a choice, there are special criteria. So, a married couple can become nahauls, which:

• necessarily older than the young, but younger than their parents;
• has family ties with the young;
• wealthy enough;
• ready to become a patron and mentor of a young family.

Gingerbread, kalachi or other sweet pastries act as an invitation letter in this role. Rejection is considered a sign of disrespect, so basically the couple accepts the gifts and agrees. The duties of nahauls include assistance in organizing a wedding, supporting the young during the celebration and helping them during their future family life. In fact, they become the second parents for the young. Today, familiar married couples, friends of parents or newlyweds can also play the role of nahauls.

The next stage of preparation is submitting an application to the registry office, booking a restaurant, final collection of dowry, clarification of the moments of the scenario of the celebration itself, etc.

Holding a celebration

The morning of the wedding day begins with the ransom of the bride. This custom is very similar to Russian, the only difference is the name of the witnesses.

From the side of the bride, a friend acts, the groom is represented by a vornichel. They are the main ringleaders at the ransom. Competition program and questions to the groom are always developed by a friend, if desired, nashaula can also help her.

Redemption must be fun. The introduction of roles as on the day of matchmaking is welcome. The bride is a “goods”, “doe”, “forest fairy”, the groom is a “merchant” or “hunter”.

Much attention is paid to the props and decoration of the bride's house.

The required attributes are:

• embroidered towels;
• ribbons and fabrics;
• flower wreaths;
• kalachi.

Modern posters, questionnaires, poems, jokes and much more are woven into the traditional ransom. It all depends on the imagination of the bridesmaids, because she has nothing to do with the preparation of the ransom.

A feature of the Moldovan ransom is that it is accepted not only with money, but also with sweets, pastries, symbolic gifts. The next step is the official registration in the registry office. Further, if everything was carefully planned, a wedding ceremony takes place in a church or temple. This is an important point.

The day before, the young must confess and take communion. This is a prerequisite for a wedding.

Some temples also hold preliminary discourses on the values ​​of seed life, which are encouraged and encouraged to attend.

The bride must enter the temple with a covered head, so you should put on a veil or shawl in advance. wedding wreath does not count. It will have to be changed. Also, one cannot enter the temple after drinking wine. So young until graduation official ceremony do not serve alcohol.

After the official part, it's time for a festive banquet. Usually it is held in a restaurant or in the groom's house, because. after the marriage is registered, the bride goes to live with him. According to tradition, on the way to the restaurant, at the feet of the bride and groom, children suddenly pour out a bucket of water, which means an obstacle in their lives.

It is important to go through it with a smile. From this moment begins the solemn part.

She is always full of fun and enthusiasm. Traditional competitions and ceremonies are held. There are toasts and various music. Everyone must dance and sing.

Particular attention deserves the romantic wedding music of the first dance of the young - the "hora". It is chosen a few months before the wedding and is performed with special trepidation, becoming a symbol of the family.

After the dance, there are toasts to the new family, parents and children. Choir singing is a must. The Moldovan wedding drinking song adds a special flavor to the celebration. It not only wishes young people happiness and love, but also talks about the difficulties of family life.

Moldovan wedding walks until the morning. And it is celebrated for three days.

After the wedding

The second day after the wedding is considered parental. It starts at two o'clock in the afternoon and lasts until the evening.

In this video you will be told everything about the traditions of the Moldovan wedding:

On this day, it is customary to come in more modest clothes, and parents and nahauls choose very old things, as, according to tradition, they can be beaten with nettles or smeared with mud. If they don't want it, they'll have to pay off. On the table of the second day they put a strong chicken soup-broth with homemade noodles - "zamu".

On this day, they ride carts and hold fun outdoor contests and, of course, dance, dance, dance.

Here is such a Moldovan wedding. Loose, cheerful, with a bow to tradition and faith. Would you like to participate in such a wedding?

In any country wedding is a significant and responsible event. Preparations for the wedding begin long before the scheduled day. Weddings can be luxurious, on a grand scale and modest, cheerful and not very, in modern style or traditional.

First, the newlyweds are determined with the date of the wedding. It is desirable that the date does not coincide with religious fasting otherwise they may have problems getting married in a church. Having decided on the date, the lovers choose "nanashek". Nanashki in Moldova is called a married couple, usually older than those who get married, so that in the future they can help young people with advice, raising children, perhaps even financially. They should be an example to the newlyweds. The bride and groom also choose witnesses for their wedding. The bride chooses a friend or sister, and the groom chooses a friend or brother. In Moldova they are called vornichika and vornichel. On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom should not see each other. And even if they lived together before, they dress separately, each at home. The vornichel helps the groom to dress, and the vornichika and other girlfriends help the bride.

When groom already ready, he and his friends are going to “buy out” bride. ransom- This is a kind of test of the groom. Bridesmaids prepare special funny contests, for example, they ask questions from the life of the bride, to which the groom must answer correctly, or they ask him to sing his favorite song. If desired, friends help the groom. If the groom passes all the prepared tests, the bride comes out to him.

After the ransom, the bride and groom and the youth go for nanashki. But the bride rides in one car and the groom in another. Nanashki are waiting for them with appetizers and wine or champagne. Together they go to MARRIAGE REGISTRY. After the newlyweds have officially become husband and wife, they are already in the same car going to church to get married.

At the entrance to the Hall of Celebrations, the newlyweds are waiting for their parents with large rolls (loaves) in their hands. The newlyweds must break off a piece of kalach and, dipping it in salt, treat each other. The essence of this custom is that all the salt young eat up to their life together and then live soul to soul.

When the guests start entering the hall and congratulate the newlyweds, a traditional Moldavian wedding march sounds. Music at the wedding must be live.

Guests can donate money immediately upon arrival. Near bride and groom usually worth a beautiful basket for money. But often the money is collected by the middle of the wedding. Young people, together with witnesses, go around the guests, who say toasts and wishes to the bride and groom and throw money into a basket. If desired, the guest can order a melody for congratulations.

What else is different Moldovan wedding so it's an abundance of dancing. It is impossible to stand still to the sounds of the Moldovan choir. Everyone starts dancing - both old and young. There is a favorite traditional dance - "Pelenitsa" or "Besmalutsa" - a handkerchief. The essence of the dance is that people dance in a large circle, holding hands, and one person (let's say a man) with a handkerchief in his hands dances inside the circle. Then he chooses a girl to pair with, dances with her for a short time. After that, the man lays a handkerchief on the floor, gets on one knee and kisses his companion, thus, as if passing the baton to her. And already the girl, dancing, chooses her partner, and so on. The dance lasts about 15 minutes.

And of course, not a single Moldovan wedding takes place without theft. The bride is stolen. But do not rush to be horrified ... Naturally, the theft is also a joke. The brothers or friends of the bride imperceptibly take the bride away, hide her somewhere nearby and announce this to the groom. As a ransom, they may demand money, but most often, in order to cheer everyone up, the “thieves” ask the groom, for example, to eat a lemon, dance a dance for their beloved, or come up with other entertainment. But it happens that the groom can be stolen, so the bride should not relax either.

At the end of the wedding, the traditional ritual of undressing the bride begins. The groom sits on a chair, a pillow is placed on his knees. The bride sits on a pillow. To the sad national music, the nanashka removes the veil from the bride and puts it on the witness. She is believed to be the next to be married. A scarf is put on the head of the newly-made wife, an apron is tied. Now she is a young mistress. The guests, at will, approach the young people, give gifts, and put money in the bride's scarf, as much as they can.

After this ritual, a wedding cake is brought into the hall, and the bride and groom cut it and distribute it to the guests.

On the second day of the wedding, the closest relatives and friends are traditionally invited to “zama”. Zama is a traditional, insanely delicious soup with homemade noodles and chicken. The fun continues.