"Lyubo!" — a wedding according to the old Cossack customs was held at the RUSSIA EXPO
Bright, rowdy, musical and temperamental — this is the only way a wedding according to Cossack traditions can be celebrated. The newlyweds — Viktor Kulnev and Natalia Dubitskaya — come from the old Cossack village of Rasshevatskaya. The bride is the great-granddaughter of the famous Cossack captain — esaul Alexei Garbuzov, and the groom is from the lineage of ataman Fedosov.
Governor of the Stavropol region Vladimir Vladimirov congratulated the newlyweds:
"I really want you, young people, to respect and appreciate your parents, and your children — to respect and appreciate you. And our Stavropol region will give everyone the strength to develop and celebrate new Cossack weddings. I wish the newlyweds the traditional 'peace and love'!".
The ataman of the district Cossack society esaul Alexander Kulikov presented the newlyweds with a traditional Cossack chest filled with symbolic gifts, such as a whip — nagayka and a rolling pin.
"I add my voice to the beautiful words that have already been said today. On my own behalf, I wish you to live in harmony, to have coziness and warmth in the house, to make love grow stronger", — the project manager of the ANO «Directorate of the Exhibition of Achievements "Russia" said in the congratulatory message Yulia Stoyanova, who herself belongs to the Cossack family.
All the traditional wedding rituals of Terek Cossacks were performed at the wedding — matchmaking, bride price, parental blessing. The groom had to guess the bride-to-be, with her face covered with lace, in the mirror. But the Cossacks who hosted the wedding festivities would not accept his answer until the groom kissed the bride three times: "Now you have guessed the bride-to-be!".
An important element of the wedding was the offering of felt cloak - burka to the newlyweds, one piece for the two of them. And, of course, there was a wedding dance - the Terek lezginka of the Stavropol Cossacks. And the traditional shouts of "Lyubo!" — "Lovely!".
The International RUSSIA EXPO is the most important achievements of the country gathered in one place. During the whole period of the Exposition, guests are welcomed with cultural and entertainment events, a rich business and educational program. The expositions of 89 Russian regions, leading federal departments, corporations and public organizations are presented to the visitors. The International RUSSIA EXPO is held at VDNH in Moscow from November 4, 2023 to April 12, 2024.
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