55 couples from all over the country took part in a simultaneous marriage registration on the second day of the All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting hearts"

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The program of the second day of the All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" took place at several venues of the National Centre RUSSIA. The key event was the simultaneous marriage registration of 55 couples from all over the country. The newlyweds were congratulated by the star couples. The cultural program of day 2 suggested to the visitors public talks which covered topics from fashion history to family psychology, and master classes showing the intricacies of national cooking and ancient traditions.  

All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" fully justifies its name: on July 9, in the festive atmosphere of the National Centre RUSSIA, 55 couples in love said "yes" to each other, and officially became a family. The ceremony was preceded by a romantic yacht trip along the Moskva River, and a colorful procession along the picturesque embankment. The procession consisted not only of sweethearts and their guests, but also of circus performers and drummers.

A musical performance "I love you always", dedicated to one of the strongest couples of the Soviet stage, Alexandra Pakhmutova and Nikolai Dobronravov, became a kind of instruction words for the young people. A long-married couple of two-time Olympic champion, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Fetisov, and Chairman of Board of Trustees of "Sport Republic" Children's Social Fund Ladlena Fetisova, sent warm congratulations to the newlyweds.

"It is a great honor and joy for us to be with you on the most significant day of your life. I would like to wish you family happiness, well-being, patience and love for each other and for your children. Remember the President's words that a Russian family should have many children. Next to me on the stage is my first love, love at first sight. We have been together for 43 years. From the height of my experience, I can say: guys, give the "controlling stake" of the family to your loved ones, and you will immediately have so much less headaches on any occasions. And you girls, try your best. Take care of each other, look up to us and be happy," Vyacheslav Fetisov told the newlyweds.

"Dear newlyweds, I want to congratulate you and say that the most important thing in a family is the ability to feel each other, hear each other, and trust each other. Never go to bed if you are angry, try to find at least the smallest reason to talk, some little laugh, so that it unites you again," said Ladlena Fetisova.

The ceremony ended with the transfer of a piece of the "Heart of Russia" family hearth. The Fetisovs gave the symbol of family harmony to the couples who got married at the festival last year, and they, in turn, presented the piece of family hearth to new families. This tradition reflects the continuity of family values and a commitment to the future: the newlyweds of this year will return to the festival as experienced families next year in order to pass on a piece of hearth to the newlyweds of 2026.

The rock band Uma2rman and the family music duo NANSI & SIDOROV supported the festive atmosphere with their performances.

A cultural and educational program was held at the festival grounds throughout the whole day. It included thematic public talks: "The history of symbol of love and fidelity — wedding rings. How did they appear? Wedding jewelry art of Russia", "Retrospective. Russian wedding: from the origins to the present", "Education of the future: how to allocate time and bring up discipline in the digital age", "How to build a reliable long-term partnership". Fashion historians, designers, film directors, psychologists and long-lived couples acted as experts on them. A public talk about family partnership was held with participation of the star family Vyacheslav and Ladlena Fetisov.

Master classes and cooking shows revealed the wealth of Russian wedding traditions. Under the guidance of experts,  guests prepared Karelian pies named "skantsy" for co-parents-in-law, and the Buryat wedding drink sai, made charms "Nerazluchnik" dolls, and wove "Wreaths of Happiness" from meadow grasses, thus immersing themselves in the ancient history of the Slavs.

The evolution of wedding fashion could be seen at the exposition of exclusive wedding clothes. Historical wedding dresses, pre-revolutionary and Soviet dresses, as well as modern author's works were presented in one of the pavilions of the National Centre RUSSIA. Participating brands included Valentin Yudashkin, Alexander Arutyunov, Measure, GAPANOVICH, Edem Couture and others. Also, "The Russian Style" fashion show was held as part of the festival, and it was dedicated to the work of modern designers with many children.

Guided tours of the expositions "The Birth of Scale" and "Journey Across Russia" were organized especially for the guests of the festival. The visitors saw children's creative thematic works "House of Happiness for the Sweethearts", which were made by students of architectural studios and young visitors of the exposition. Also, they got familiar with family dynasties which have left a vivid mark in the history of Russia, and also learned about traditions and wedding ceremonies of different regions of the country.

The 5th All-Russian Forum of Large Families "Large Family’s Russia" and the plenary session "Demography" were held as part of the business program. The events brought together active NGO leaders, government officials, experts, entrepreneurs and, of course, large families from all over the country. A significant part of the business program was the special section "Fatherhood and fertility: demographic aspects". The program also included awarding the winners of the social practice contest "The Future is Us."

The festival is being held from July 8 to July 10, and will combine a variety of cultural and educational events: public talks, master classes, thematic excursions and a meeting of the literature club "What would you like to read?!". The project is being implemented with support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives. The full program of the festival is available on the official website of the National Centre RUSSIA in the "Events" section.