From wedding formula to the chemistry of love: a series of public talks and workshops held as part of the All-Russian Wedding Festival

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On the third day of the All-Russian Wedding Festival, a large-scale cultural and educational programme unfolded at the National Centre RUSSIA. Experts discussed wedding trends and family partnership during public talks, visitors tried their hand at traditional crafts and national cuisine in workshops, and explored Russian history through the lens of family dynasties on themed tours.

The cultural and educational programme of the II All-Russian Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" covered a wide range of topics and areas. Participants of the public talk "How weddings work today: trends, emotions, meanings" explored how modern wedding planners are reinterpreting visual clichés of the past and drawing inspiration from fashion, art, cinema, and even science. The speakers concluded that today the focus is not on scale, but on precision, meaning, and emotions. The discussion featured Anastasia Isayeva, Executive Director of the For Two wedding agency, DD-CLUB Private Events; Mikhail Braslavsky, founder of the wedding agency Bonweddings; Irina Volkova, decorator, art director, expert in global trends and neural networks, brand strategist, and founder of Trendstorm Game; and Ksenia Bodyagina, wedding stylist and author of workshops for beauty professionals. The moderator was presenter and TOP15MOSCOW member Vladislav Sapunov.

"Trends usually emerge simultaneously across several industries, so we look to cinema, music, theatre, and show business. For example, immersive performances from theatres have found their way into wedding planning. Today we see very diverse formats in our country. If in 2023–2024 people were looking to American and European weddings, now everyone is looking to Russian weddings because they are the most stylish and creative, and our wedding industry is the most versatile. Moreover, the level of the wedding industry is high not only in major cities, but also in the regions. Almost every region of Russia offers its own unique natural locations for weddings, and this approach can be considered one of the most prominent wedding trends," noted Irina Volkova.

"Truly remarkable, self-sufficient projects emerge when wedding organisers don’t just pick something superficial, but dig deeper – immerse themselves in history, study the work of artists and filmmakers, and explore the original meanings behind it all, only then interpreting those meanings in their own way. Fashion is an inexhaustible source of wedding inspiration. But fashion shows can feel intimidating – everything is overly exaggerated. The stylist’s task is to break the proposed image down into components and choose the most suitable stylistic techniques. And we mustn’t forget that people are at the heart of any event. When the bride and groom arrive in their chosen looks, with their own vibe, wearing something that makes them feel good and comfortable, they radiate real energy — and it’s through that energy that the event is created," shared Ksenia Bodyagina.

Doctor of Biological Sciences, neuroscientist and professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University Vyacheslav Dubynin, together with Denis Reshetov, Head of the Academy of Business Communication, lecturer and bestselling author of "Tune into Conversation," invited the audience to look at love from a chemical perspective in their lecture – and to find out what role hormones and other molecules play in choosing a partner.

"At first glance, it may seem that the chemistry of love is all about hormones. But in reality, it’s far more complex. Our brain isn’t just a hormonal system or a set of emotions – it’s also our memory, our personal experience, our desire to connect with others, what we call empathy. The subtle chemistry of love lies in attuning yourself to someone you care about. At that moment, neurons begin to change their synaptic connections through chemical processes. This ability of nerve cells is known as neuroplasticity. It is neuroplasticity that forms the basis of long-term relationships – when it’s not just a fleeting emotion but genuine closeness, when you live together for many happy years, create things side by side, and bring wonderful creatures into the world called children. And if this miracle hasn’t happened to you yet, I wish you a flight to the planet called Love," said Vyacheslav Dubynin.

The public talk "Making a family as a creative process" focused on building harmonious partnerships within a couple. Composer and leader of the Kvatro band Leonid Ovrutsky, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and partner of the business conference "Growth Points in Business" Yulianna Viner, long-married couple Sergei and Irina Shirokikh, participants of the first All-Russian Wedding Festival Timur and Elizabeth Badmayev, large family of Maksim and Irina Moisenko, and celebrity couple Yekaterina and Eduard Shapovalov all shared their views on what makes a strong family.

"In a couple, there is never true equality: one is the poem, the other is the guitar, as the song goes. And I’m very grateful to my husband for keeping me grounded. If it weren’t for him, I would have floated away long ago with my endless creativity. In most couples it’s clear who flies and who stays on the ground — but the important thing is to be honest about it. It doesn’t happen right away, so you need to talk a lot. Creative people often have this annoying trait: they think they’ve said something aloud, but it was all just in their head. I don’t give advice to young couples, but this definitely works – talk to each other, say everything out loud. Even if you’ve spent the entire family budget on yet another creative project, it’s better to be upfront about it. And if the person loves you, they’ll say: ‘Alright, darling. Let’s sell your car and keep going,’" said Yekaterina Shapovalova.

At the public talk "How to combine current wedding trends and traditions," participants discussed how to organise a harmonious wedding that respects tradition without falling into cliches. The speakers included Yelena Buryakova, publisher of Wedding magazine and co-organiser of Wedding Awards Russia; Inna Snizhko, Development Director of Wedding and co-organiser of Wedding Awards Russia; Yelena Shirshova, co-founder of the wedding agency Wedding People and winner of Wedding Awards 2024; and Yuliya Dubova, founder of the wedding agency Dubova Event and also a 2024 Wedding Awards winner. The event was moderated by Dmitry Sokratilin, named Best Host in Russia by the Wedding Awards.

Guests were invited to explore their creativity through a series of workshops. Guided by experienced mentors, they made traditional protective dolls called "Nerazluchniki" ("Inseparable") and charms for the home hearth. Meanwhile, author and methodologist, and Head of the federal project "Gastronomic Map of Russia," Yekaterina Shapovalova, together with RBC channel commentator Denis Gorshkov, hosted a gastro-performance titled "The Culinary Art." Together with couples who had married in the previous days of the festival, they prepared the traditional Russian wedding bread "bannik" and yufakhash – miniature meat dumplings from Crimean Tatar cuisine, which brides used to make on the second day of the wedding by cutting out the dough circles with a wedding ring.

The literary club "What to Read" brought together everyone interested in literature and family psychology. Together with the Editor-in-Chief of Psychologies.ru, journalist and co-author of the podcast "Vulnerable Human" Alexander Akulinichev, Head of Trendwatching at VCIOM Natalia Ignatieva, and philologist, cultural expert, and Editor-in-Chief and host of the Punk Monk project Nikolai Zharinov, guests selected the best books about family, great couples in human history, and the psychology of family relationships. The discussion was moderated by 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.

Participants of the themed tours of the expositions "The Birth of Scale" and "Journey Across Russia" discovered many new and interesting things. They explored a unique display of children’s works on the theme "A Home of Happiness for Lovers," created by students of architecture studios and young visitors to the exposition. They also learned about the role of famous families in Russian history and culture. Another highlight was the wedding costume exposition in one of the pavilions of the National Centre RUSSIA. Historic wedding dresses, outfits from the Soviet era, and contemporary designer creations illustrated the evolution of wedding fashion and showcased the artistry of embroidery and lace. Renowned Russian brands such as Valentin Yudashkin, Alexander Arutyunov, Measure, GAPANOVICH, Edem Couture, and others presented their models.

Representatives of government bodies, public organisations, media and the cultural sector took part in the formal closing ceremony. The highlight of the event was the awarding of participating couples in various categories celebrating the achievements of those in love.

The programme concluded on a high note with a concert that immersed the audience in the world of music and love. Some of the most popular lyrical compositions of the 20th century were performed by soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre and laureate of international competitions Diana Kazanlieva, and laureate of international competitions and Artistic Director of "Overtone" Yakub Suvorov, accompanied by Natalia Dudik, principal accompanist of the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

The project is implemented with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. The full programme of the festival is available on the official website of the National Centre RUSSIA in the "Events" section.