Love as a universe of possibilities: a large-scale programme awaits guests and participants of the wedding festival at the National Centre RUSSIA

---

The highlight of the week at the National Centre RUSSIA is the II All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts." The large-scale three-day programme will begin on July 8, the Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity, and will include not only wedding ceremonies but also festive parades, themed lectures and public talks, workshops, meetings with celebrities, and much more.

July 8. Ceremonial wedding parade

At 14:00, accompanied by circus artists and drummers setting the festive rhythm, the couples taking part in the festival will walk through a live corridor of their family and friends. At the entrance to the National Centre RUSSIA, children will greet the newlyweds, showering them with grain as a symbol of wishes for a long and happy family life. Also taking part in the parade will be long-married couples, resettled families and the newlyweds from the I All-Russian Wedding Festival.

Official opening of the festival and wedding ceremony

At 15:00, the official opening of the festival will take place, along with the first and most large-scale wedding ceremony. The newlyweds will receive a congratulatory message from the President of the Russian Federation, delivered by the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Sergei Kiriyenko.

Performance by NILETTO and transfer of the family hearth flame

The first day of the festival will conclude with a performance by pop artist NILETTO at 16:30. At 17:00, the symbolic flame of the family hearth will be passed from the couples of the I All-Russian Wedding Festival to the new couples, ensuring the continuity of the traditions of the Wedding Festival.

Exposition of exclusive wedding costumes by leading designers

The exposition will be open in the space of the National Centre RUSSIA throughout all three festival days from 10:00 to 20:00. Visitors will see exclusive wedding costumes by leading Russian designers: Valentin Yudashkin, Alexander Arutyunov, Measure, GAPANOVICH, Edem Couture, and others. The exposition is divided into three thematic sections, tracing the evolution of wedding fashion in Russia: historical wedding attire, Soviet and pre-revolutionary dresses, and modern designer works. Wedding costumes from the new season of Sofia Ernst’s project "Getting Married" will also be on display.

Themed tours of the National Centre RUSSIA for newlyweds

From July 9 to 10, guided tours of the National Centre RUSSIA will be held for guests and newlyweds. During the tour of the architectural exposition "The Birth of Scale," participants will see an exposition of children’s works titled "House of Happiness for Lovers," created both by students of architectural studios and young visitors as part of workshops. Meanwhile, during the "Journey Across Russia" exposition tour, visitors will learn about families and entire dynasties that left a remarkable mark in Russian history, as well as about the traditions and wedding rituals of various regions.

July 9. 5th All-Russian Forum of Large Families "Large Family’s Russia"

The second day of the festival programme will begin on July 9 at 11:00 with the plenary session "Demography" of the V All-Russian Forum of Large Families "Large Family’s Russia." This annual event brings together active NGO leaders, representatives of public authorities, experts, business communities and large families from all across the country. Among the invited speakers are Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Inna Svyatenko, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Family, Fatherhood, Motherhood and Childhood Tatyana Butskaya, State Duma Deputy Nikolai Valuyev, and others.

Public talk "The origin of the symbol of love and fidelity — wedding rings. Russia’swedding jewellery tradition"

Participants will discuss how the main symbol of marriage has evolved throughout Russian history and which wedding traditions have become firmly rooted in public consciousness. The event begins at 11:30.

Gastronomic performance "The culinary art"

The event will start at 12:00 at the gastronomy stalls and will introduce guests to the traditions of wedding feasts from different regions of Russia. The festival newlyweds will break bread together — a symbol of happiness, health and a long life — followed by the opportunity to bake skantsy, traditional pies for the son-in-law. These ceremonial "Matchmaking" pies were served to the groom and his matchmakers when visiting the bride and her family. The event will also include the bride’s tea ceremony: the preparation of the traditional Buryat drink, sai, which is an essential part of the nomadic Buryat wedding tradition.

Public talk "Retrospective. Russian wedding: from origins to the present"

This event will focus on wedding traditions in Russian culture — peasant, noble and modern. Participants will discuss how the Russian wedding has changed over the centuries, which rituals have survived to this day, how culture shapes our idea of celebration, and which traditional elements have become trends in contemporary ceremonies. Starts at 14:30.

Public talk "How to build strong long-term partnerships"

At 17:00, a psychologist will share practical tools and techniques that help form stable and harmonious relationships. The knowledge gained can be applied not only within the family but also in business, public engagement, and other areas of life.

Public talk "Raising the future: how to manage time and teach discipline in the digital age"

The discussion will focus on current challenges of parenting in the digital era: effective time management strategies, methods for developing self-discipline in children, ways to establish a healthy balance between the digital and real worlds, and practical advice on using digital tools for planning and organisation. Special attention will be paid to the role of parental example and the importance of open family dialogue. Begins at 17:00.

Workshops "Making the inseparable dolls talisman" and "Wreath of Happiness"

Newlyweds will have the chance to create traditional family talismans with their own hands: the doll will become a unique family charm, while the wreath will serve as a symbol of love, prosperity, and a reminder of ancient Slavic traditions. The workshops will begin at 15:00 and 17:00 respectively.

Wedding ceremony with a performance by the Uma2rman band

The second day’s wedding ceremony will begin at 15:30 and will conclude with a musical gift for the newlyweds from the Uma2rman band, along with the traditional passing of the family hearth. The event will also feature a performance of the musical play "I Love You Always."

July 10. Public talk "Modern weddings: trends, emotions, meaning"

The final day of the festival will begin at 11:00 with a public talk titled "How weddings are organised today: trends, emotions, meaning." Representatives of the wedding industry and beauty professionals will discuss how modern weddings reimagine the visual clichés of the past, draw inspiration from fashion, art, cinema, and even science, and why today the focus has shifted from scale to precision, meaning, and feeling.

Meeting of the literary club "What to Read?!"

At 11:00, speakers will join Alexei Chesnakov, Head of the Scientific Council of the Centre for Political Conjuncture, Professor at the Higher School of Economics, and author of the Telegram channel "Chesnakov. Library," to discuss books about family and fidelity, about great couples in human history, as well as the psychology of family relationships.

Lecture "Pure chemistry: how hormones determine who we fall in love with"

At 11:00, festival guests will delve into the science behind love. Doctor of Biological Sciences, neurobiologist, and Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University Vyacheslav Dubynin will explain how hormones influence partner choice and the development of relationships, debunk popular myths, and offer a scientific understanding of the chemistry of attraction.

Gastronomic presentation "The culinary art"

At 12:00 in the gastronomic area of the National Centre RUSSIA, newlyweds will prepare traditional ceremonial dishes, one of which is the bannik — a wedding bread sewn into a tablecloth. The "bannik bread" is the first food with which the bride's mother blesses the couple before the wedding, and it is to be eaten by the couple together in the bathhouse.

Public talk "Creating a family as a creative process"

At 13:00, guests will learn how to build a harmonious long-term partnership, what foundations support a happy family life, and how to preserve love and intimacy over the years. The event will feature business leaders, cultural figures, and long-married couples.

Closing ceremony of the II All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts"

The final event of the festival will take place on July 10 at 17:00. Newlyweds will receive heartfelt wishes and parting words from government representatives, public figures, popular artists, and bloggers. Festival couples will be honoured in various categories, including "Big Family – Great Love," "Creative Union," "Timeless Love," "Professional Pride," "Two Hearts – One Goal," "In Love with Each Other and Their Work," "First Love: A Dream Come True," and others.

Festive classical music concert

The three-day celebration of family, love, and fidelity will conclude with a vibrant musical evening at 19:30. Soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre and winner of international competitions Diana Kazanlieva, together with international competition laureate and artistic director of the "Overtone" project Yakub Suvorov, accompanied by principal accompanist of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Natalia Dudik, will perform songs that have become symbols of love for generations — "Echo of Love," "Dark Eyes," "The Wedding," and others.