Karelian wedding traditions: from ancient rituals to the "Russia. Uniting Hearts" festival

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Participants and guests of the second All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" at the National Centre RUSSIA will explore the distinctive wedding traditions of the peoples of our country, reflected in the national costumes of future newlyweds.

The festival will take place from July 8 to 10 and will be dedicated to the Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity. More than 200 applications have been submitted to the registry office for a mass wedding ceremony on July 8, with couples from various regions of the country taking part in it. The couples will appear in authentic wedding attire from their respective regions and showcase the rich cultural legacy of Russia. Festival guests will also learn about vibrant rituals — from the enchanting Karelian ceremonies to the free-spirited Cossack traditions.

Modern newlyweds are increasingly turning to their roots, finding inspiration in traditions as they build their own families. The Karelian wedding is a vivid example of how ancient customs, imbued with profound meaning, become a living thread connecting generations.

The Karelian wedding

A Karelian wedding is not merely a celebration but a complex rite of passage in which the bride becomes part of a new family and the newlyweds acquire a new status within the community. Traditionally, the wedding was divided into two stages: festivities at the bride's home and the continuation of the celebration at the groom's house.

The wedding cycle began with matchmaking, which most often took place in the summer. Before visiting the bride, a sorcerer known as a pat’vashka performed a purification ritual: he sprinkled the matchmakers with water from a forest lake and walked around them with an axe while reciting incantations. A significant role was played by the shuayannayni — an experienced female relative of the groom who knew the nuances of the rituals and was skilled in negotiations.

The matchmakers would arrive in the evening to the sound of sleigh bells and say the traditional phrase: "Before, we came without purpose, but now we come as matchmakers." If the bride’s family agreed, the guests were invited inside, and the bargaining began. The bride would be brought out with the words: "Here she is — red as a fox, white as a hare, black as a wolf, sweet as honey. If you can shoot her — she’s yours; if not — she’s ours." The groom placed money on a scarf — if the bride accepted the gift, it signified her consent.

Matchmakers were often turned away. If a girl did not want to marry, she would extinguish the candle by the icons or pour water she had used to wash on the matchmakers. To ward off possible evil, the bride’s relatives would sweep the house after the guests left, saying: "Take the tricksters with you!"

If the proposal was accepted, a ritual called the "christening of the eyes" was performed: the bride and groom bowed three times before the icons while standing on a sheepskin blanket. This symbolised their unity before God and the family.

Before the wedding, the bride would go through a series of rituals marking her farewell to her former life. In the "bride’s bathhouse," her braid — a symbol of maiden freedom — was untwined. Her friends would wash her, and then the birch whisk used for steaming was thrown onto the roof to "raise their lembi" (happiness). Special significance was attached to the firewood used for the bath — alder wood or driftwood brought in by the water were considered the best.

During the "showing," the bride, dressed in her finest garments, sat behind a curtain. The groom had to "buy" the right to see her by offering gifts: a mirror, soap, and a length of fabric for a dress. In return, the bride presented him with a shirt she had sewn herself.

On the wedding day, the groom and his party rode to the bride’s home through "fiery gates" — bonfires meant to ward off evil spirits. The bride was brought out to the guests, and two braids were plaited into her hair as she was given the headdress of a married woman. An important moment was the "protection" ritual: a sorcerer stood the couple on a frying pan, circled them with a scythe, and recited a spell against evil eye.

The journey to the groom’s house was accompanied by magical rites: the road was lit with torches, and the groom’s mother met the couple wearing her fur coat inside out, scattering barley over them with the words: "I’m not sowing barley, I’m sowing happiness." The newlyweds spent their first night on the stove — a promise of healthy offsprings.

Preserving traditions

The second All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" will feature a large-scale concert programme with performances by stars of the Russian stage. The Gastronomic Rows will present wedding dishes from different regions of the country, while leading Russian designers will showcase collections of contemporary wedding fashion. The festival programme will also include workshops, expositions, lectures, and public talks. The celebration will culminate in a grand gala concert.

The first All-Russian Wedding Festival was held in 2024 as part of the International RUSSIA EXPO. Some of the families formed at the first festival have already welcomed children.

The second All-Russian Wedding Festival is held with the support of the Moscow Government, the Moscow Civil Registry Office, and the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives (PFCI).