All love stories lead to the National Centre RUSSIA!
On 18 December, the country marks Civil Registry Office
Workers’ Day. For the team at the National Centre RUSSIA, this date carries
special meaning — for the second year in a row, its venues have been bringing
together couples in love from all corners of the country.
The history of the civil registry offices in Russia began on
18 December 1917. On that day, the decree "On Civil Marriage, on Children,
and on the Keeping of Civil Status Records" was signed. The document
established the principles of voluntary marriage, equality between spouses, and
equal rights for children regardless of whether they were born in or out of
wedlock. Although 18 December is not officially recognised in the national calendar,
for many years civil registry office workers across the country have considered
it their professional day.
In 2024, the International RUSSIA EXPO hosted the federal
wedding festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" for the first time. A total
of 221 couples from different regions of the country travelled there. In a
ceremonial setting and an exceptionally romantic atmosphere, all of them
officially registered their marriages.
The event proved so popular with Russians that it was
decided to hold it for a second time in the summer of 2025.
The II All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts" began on the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity and lasted three
days. The welcoming spaces of the National Centre RUSSIA hosted 206 couples
from Saint Petersburg and Sevastopol, the Kamchatka, Perm and Khabarovsk
regions, the Republics of Karelia, Sakha (Yakutia), Tatarstan, Udmurtia, and
other regions of the country. The newlyweds exchanged rings in a unique and
solemn setting and were congratulated by the country’s top officials.
For three full days, the festival featured public talks,
masterclasses, gastronomic showcases and literary discussions. Guests learned
about Russian wedding traditions, modern wedding trends, and the secrets of
building strong family relationships. Specially for the newlyweds, guided tours
were organised at the expositions "The Birth of Scale" and
"Journey Across Russia".
By decision of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian
Federation, Tatyana Golikova, and the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the
Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Sergei Kiriyenko, the festival was
made an annual event. It will be held for the third time in the summer of 2026.
Months after the wedding festival, the spaces of the
National Centre RUSSIA continue to resonate with the echoes of happy love
stories. For example, the life of Artyom and Yelizaveta Zulkarneyev after their
wedding is filled with romance, harmony and pleasant plans. Recently, the
couple fulfilled a shared dream by getting a dog and are now preparing for a
trip.
Another beautiful love story – that of Ariel Eldarov and Viktoria Shaulova — also began at the National Centre RUSSIA. The couple were married in December 2024 during the first-ever wedding ceremony held at the National Centre RUSSIA, continuing the tradition of the RUSSIA EXPO. Recently, the newlyweds returned to the place where their family happiness began to share wonderful news: they are expecting their first child.
As preparations for the third wedding festival continue,
moments of magic keep unfolding at the National Centre RUSSIA and its branches.
During various events and on stage, men in love propose to their chosen ones.
Many of these couples have already decided to exchange rings during the third
All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts".
It was a key discussion held as part of the programme of the International Forum of Technical Textiles 2025.
The evening’s programme became a vivid illustration of the life and creative journey of Mikhail Matusovsky.
The event formed part of the programme of the International Forum of Technical Textiles 2025.
