Russian-Buryat couple from the Irkutsk region got married at the RUSSIA EXPO
The first interethnic wedding took place at the RUSSIA EXPO. Mark Prasolov and Elena Tumurova, a Russian and a Buryat woman, got married.
The newlyweds from the Irkutsk region held a marriage ceremony on the Day of their region. The newlyweds live in the Angarsk district. Mark works at the factory, he assembles cars. And Elena is a design engineer.
«We mixed two wedding rituals — Russian and Buryat — to demonstrate our culture from both sides here,» Mark said.
Elena added that they were honored to represent the entire Irkutsk region. The couple was going to have a wedding according to national rites. But the newlyweds could not even imagine that the whole country would see it.
At the ceremony the bride was dressed in traditional Buryat jewelry khoolobsho, and the groom’s clothes were decorated with satin braids with coins. Slavic and Buryat traditions were mixed — the groom was escorted by a traditional wedding procession and the bride by a Buryat yokhorn circle. This is an ancient dance based on the connection with ancestors.
On the same day at the International RUSSIA EXPO a wedding according to the traditions of the old-settlers was also held. In total, more than 40 marriage ceremonies are planned.
This significant cultural event will bring together filmmakers from CIS countries and Russian regions.
The discussion took place as part of the "Znanie. Science" educational marathon.
The "Peoples of Russia and the CIS" International Festival will open in Moscow on 31 October 2025.
