Newlyweds of the III All-Russian Wedding Festival congratulated across Siberia, the North and the Russian Far East
On the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, the regional branches of the National Centre RUSSIA in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Primorye Territory, and Yugra hosted the III All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts". For the first time, the annual celebration extended beyond Moscow. This year's central theme, "United in Love," celebrated the unity of hearts, cultures, traditions, and values.
The regional branches of the National Centre RUSSIA welcomed 36 newly married couples. In the Primorye Territory, couples from Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Chuguyevka, the Nadezhdinsky District, Rostov-On-Don, and Tyumen exchanged vows. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, newlyweds came from Krasnoyarsk, Zheleznogorsk, Zelenogorsk, Minusinsk, and Sosnovoborsk. In Yugra, the participating couples represented Khanty-Mansiysk, Yugorsk, Nizhnevartovsk, Nyagan, and the Surgutsky District.
Governor of the Primorye Territory Oleg Kozhemyako congratulated the couples in Vladivostok: "Congratulations on this most important day of your lives, the one you will remember forever. Every year, on 8 July, you will celebrate this special occasion — your tenth anniversary, your twentieth, your twenty-fifth — and continue bringing one another joy and smiles," the Governor said.
The brides and grooms in Primorye took part in an ancient Russian ritual,
famous as the blacksmith's wedding, during which the hearts of the bride and
groom are symbolically "forged" together, as well as in a festive
wedding procession through the city. Many also showed what they can do at
masterclasses on making kokoshniks and key rings, visited the "Steel
Power" blacksmith workshop, took part in activities organised by the
Movement of the First, joined fun sporting events hosted by the Dynamo and
Admiral sports clubs, and used AI-powered interactive photo booths to make
group photos and generate images of what their future children might look like.
The festival also featured a food village serving traditional Russian cuisine. Congratulations from popular performers became a nice highlight of the celebrations. Singer Lyusya Alekseenko (LyuSEA) and the "More Solntsa" band added to the festive atmosphere.
Each couple had its own unique love story and journey to the altar. Alexander Ovsov, for example, moved to Vladivostok from Khabarovsk, and later his fiancée Zhanna Danilenko transferred there to join him.
"When we decided to get married on the Day of Saints Peter and Fevronia, we went to the Civil Registry Office. And they invited us to join this wonderful celebration. We are overwhelmed by the emotions, the gifts, and the number of people who took part in the event, who supported and helped us. Organising a festival like this is an enormous undertaking, and we are truly grateful," said Zhanna and Alexander.
Nadezhda and Yevgeny Terentyev had been together for several years before officially registering their marriage at the All-Russian Wedding Festival on 8 July.
"We are definitely a little tired, but the emotions we have experienced are beyond words. We never expected to react like this. A huge thank you to the organisers for such an incredible event. We hope our family will continue to grow in the future. We believe everything ahead will be bright, sunny, and joyful," the newlyweds shared.
At the National Centre RUSSIA branch in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the wedding celebrations began with a romantic cruise along the Yenisei River and a festive wedding procession before the marriage ceremony. Afterwards, the newlyweds received commemorative gifts, enjoyed congratulations from well-known performers, and took part in a photo session.
Governor of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Mikhail Kotyukov addressed the couples: "For each of us, family is a source of inner strength and emotional support. It is where the most important traditions, values, and moral principles are passed down from generation to generation, and where love for the Motherland begins. The prosperity of our region and our country starts with the family. Dear friends, may harmony and mutual understanding always fill your homes. I wish you and your loved ones good health, happiness, and every success."
In the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra, the celebrations began with a festive wedding motorcade through the streets of Khanty-Mansiysk. The couples then travelled to the Archaeopark, where they took part in an ancient smoke-cleansing ritual, symbolising purification and blessings for a happy married life.
At the official marriage ceremony, Governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra Ruslan Kukharuk congratulated the couples.
"The family has always been, and remains, a source of strength and the foundation of the state. It is within the family that moral values are formed, traditions are carefully passed down through generations, and a sense of responsibility for the future of one's home and country is nurtured. Today, as part of the Wedding Festival, 12 couples will take part in a collective marriage ceremony. Each has followed a different path to this day, but all share the same desire — to build a strong family, grow together, support one another, and overcome every challenge side by side. Dear fellow residents, on the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, I wish you good health, peace, and harmony. May warmth and mutual understanding always reign in your families."
The celebration left a lasting impression on the participants. Bride Irina Pankiv shared her emotions: "Receiving an invitation to the III All-Russian Wedding Festival was incredibly exciting. Of course, I am nervous — my heart is pounding as if I were about to sit an exam. But then you realise this is not an exam at all. It is a beautiful and deeply moving ceremony that gives you goosebumps."
One of the biggest surprises for many newlyweds and their guests was the choreographed performance "Khorovod. Uniting Hearts." It was based on the legend of the Great Khorovod (Round Dance) of the Peoples, stretching from the Urals to the Volga and from Siberia to the eastern seas, where people joined hands to weave the threads of destiny into a pattern of peace and unity. The performance featured newlyweds Yury Osovin and Viktoria Khmyrova from Nyagan, together with 14 students from their dance studio, who travelled to Khanty-Mansiysk to support their teachers on one of the most important days of their lives.
"It means so much to us that we could take part in this performance on our wedding day, especially together with our dance company and our students. Sharing such an important family milestone with them is incredibly touching. After all, it was through dance and our ensemble named Divertissement that our love story began," said Yury and Viktoria.
The celebration also featured a performance by the Chili cover band from Surgut.
In total, the III All-Russian Wedding Festival united 186 new families: 150 couples were married at the National Centre RUSSIA in Moscow, while 36 couples exchanged vows at its regional branches.
The first All-Russian Wedding Festival took place in 2024 as part of the
International RUSSIA EXPO, where 221 couples were married. In 2025, the event
was held at the National Centre RUSSIA, bringing together another 206 couples
in marriage. The festival has since become an annual event, held each year on
the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity.
Starting a family, having children and raising them remain among the most important life goals for modern Russians.
These and other topics were discussed during the open dialogue "Family as a Union: What Brings Generations Closer and Helps Them Grow Together".
The musical and choreographic parable "Khorovod. Wedding" became the culmination of the III All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts".
