Meeting with a loaf at a golden wedding. Wedding loaf: traditions and modernity. The ritual of treating guests with a wedding loaf

When planning a wedding program, there are many things to think about. It is very important to prepare in advance the words of the meeting of the young with the loaf at the wedding. After all, when the guests gather, there will not be an extra minute to think everything over. In addition, the fuss can make its own adjustments, because it is difficult to concentrate and say really important and beautiful words. There are many options for what congratulatory speeches you can prepare and it all depends on your own preferences.

Secrets of Tradition

All wedding traditions have their own history, and have come to our time from the distant past. Of course, some of the traditions were lost, and some were transformed into modern way. So the tradition with a loaf is an obligatory ritual, and without its participation it is impossible to start a celebration. It is traditionally baked from wheat flour, the day of the week is also important, it is customary to cook on Thursday or Friday. Also Special attention is given to the decoration of the product, most often, spikelets and cones are present at the top, which symbolizes fertility and wealth. But if there are pigeons on it, they will, speaks of devotion and love.

How is the meeting going?

When the wedding procession arrived after the wedding and painting, on the threshold of the hall where the celebration of the young will take place, the parents meet.

Loaf at the wedding

The mother of the groom is given a responsible task, to present the loaf to the young on a towel. At the same time, along with the loaf, there should be salt, this tradition has two meanings. First - such a product symbolizes harmony and wealth in the future. family life. The second will be discussed a little further.

Icon of the Mother of God

The groom's father must hold the icon of the Mother of God in his hands. But sometimes this icon can be replaced by the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant. This will talk about the spirituality of the future family.

Champagne glasses

The task of the mother and father of the bride is the presentation of glasses of champagne and honey, which speaks of honeymoon and sweet life.

Words of advice from parents

So, when the young people arrived, they should hear words of parting words from their parents in future life. What can I say, the parents themselves know best. But it's better to choose small congratulations. Firstly, during the celebration, each of the parents will have the opportunity to say everything important words, and secondly, the guests are waiting for their turn to congratulate the newlyweds.

Salt for the last time

After that, the young break off a piece of loaf, dipped in salt and let each other eat. Thus, they say that they are ready to take care of each other, and salt symbolizes what it is. last time when they annoyed. There is also a tradition not to break off the loaf, but to bite off and whoever has a larger piece will be the head of the family.

We break dishes for a happy life

Then the young should drink champagne to the bottom, but break the glasses themselves, it is customary to determine the sex of the unborn child from the fragments, large pieces of glass will talk about a boy, and small ones about a girl.

Thanksgiving speech for parents

In conclusion, the newlyweds should make a speech of gratitude to their parents, while bowing low. It must be warm and tender words, you should think in advance what you want to thank your parents for, love, care, support, experiences. On this day, they also experience a lot of emotions and deserve the most sincere and reverent words. Also, according to tradition, they must kiss their parents three times.

What to do with the caravan?

You can’t hide or remove the loaf, it should be put on the table of the newlyweds, where it should be until the end of the celebration. But at the end of the evening it needs to be divided, the top remains young, and everything else is divided between parents and guests. According to tradition, everyone who receives a piece of loaf should give gifts to the young in return. Therefore, a dish or a tray is prepared in advance, on which guests put their gifts.

What to say?

Regardless of which congratulation is chosen, a prerequisite is the exclusion of a two-valued meaning.

The words should refer to both newlyweds, as they have become one family. The words of the mother-in-law should concern not only the son, but also the daughter-in-law, and the mother-in-law should address the daughter and son-in-law.

It is better if the speech concerns not just your own children, but both of them as a whole. Appropriate words: new family, our children, dear, beloved, etc.

It excludes the use of phrases of regret, reproaches, jokes, dissatisfaction or advice. This is a holiday of love and unity, they are happy and nothing should overshadow this day.

It is better if parents stick to a certain plan. A well-thought-out scenario will not allow awkward moments.
Despite the fact that the congratulations should be short, do not skimp on the words. The bride will be pleased to hear tender, good words approval and support.

For young people, the wedding day is very responsible, they experience a lot of emotions. The task of parents is to help, support and be there. Well-chosen words evoke pleasant and tender feelings they remain in memory for many years.

In Christian families, the blessing of parents for a happy family life for children is a long-standing and carefully observed tradition. It is believed that it will help the young couple in the future and will protect them from the evil eye and adversity. Therefore, today this ritual is strictly observed at most weddings. The Svadbagolik.ru portal will tell you how to meet the newlyweds.

Blessing daughter before marriage

It is believed that parting words mothers of their daughter before marriage have a special protective power. This ceremony is an integral part of our culture. Despite this, it remains one of the most touching and exciting wedding traditions. A blessing from her daughter's mother means that she fully accepts her choice, and on her wedding day wishes the young only happiness. But at the same time, one should not forget that the words are addressed not only to the bride, but also to the groom, because on this day they become one.

According to custom, on the day of the wedding, the groom must come for the bride, go through a series of tests and pay a ransom for her. Only after that he is admitted to his betrothed, and it is here that the moment of blessing comes. If several days of celebration are planned, then this ritual is performed only on the first day, because the features of the second day of the wedding imply more relaxedness, fun and entertainment.

In our culture, there are two ways of this blessing:

In the first case, the ritual is carried out only with the participation of young people, parents and godparents in a separate room. The mother of the bride should hold the icon with the towel facing the young. At the same time, she should not worry about what should be said at the moment when she begins to bless the newlyweds with an icon. There are no special formulations for pronunciation, it all depends on the sincerity of the parents and their eloquence. But it will be obligatory for the mother to baptize her daughter three times, then the future son-in-law, then both, recognizing them as a couple. The father may do the same in this case. After that, young people should also cross themselves and kiss the icon.

The second blessing Orthodox tradition takes place after the registry office in the banquet hall. They are met by the groom's parents with icons and a loaf and keep their word. According to wedding ceremony, the mother-in-law pronounces a blessing to her daughter-in-law already as own daughter. After such a speech, the young people kiss the icons and take bread and salt.

Icons for the blessing of the newlyweds

The portal site notes that in order to comply with all the rules, you need to know which icon and how the newlyweds bless. For such a ceremony, two icons are selected:

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Saved by the Almighty.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - the most famous and canonical image of the Virgin. She is considered the protector of the Russian people, it was this image that protected Russia during the war with the Polish army. It is to her that the mother blesses her daughter before the wedding, uttering beautiful words.

Icon "Savior Almighty"- also a traditional image, but this time of Christ. On it, the Son of God holds the Gospel in one hand, indicating the path of salvation, and with the other hand blesses the beholder. With this icon on the wedding day, the future mother-in-law blesses the groom as her own. own son so that she guides the head of the family and protects the family.

In our time, icons are used both individually and in the format of a folding - the so-called wedding couple. It represents both images connected together and which can be added.

In addition, some icons can be presented as a wedding gift to newlyweds from guests. Wedding traditions and customs say that the icon of Peter and Fevronia of Murom, symbolizing family happiness and love. She is considered miraculous, she can be prayed for well-being. The design of the image in this case does not matter and depends on the imagination and financial opportunities giving.

about the tradition, the groom’s mother meets the newlyweds on the threshold of the restaurant with a loaf on a towel, the rest of the parents are nearby, the bride’s mother or father can hold glasses of drink (champagne or just clean water) on a tray.

The words of the mother of the groom at the meeting of the newlyweds

(Several variants):

My dear children! I sincerely congratulate you on the beginning of a new path in your life.

main character

Our cute kids! Today is your wedding day.
My warm congratulations

For mother of the bride

(mother of the bride is not required to speak welcome words newlyweds, but if there is a desire, then, of course, you can):

Our dear children!

wonderful holiday

real girlfriend

good father

I want to congratulate you on your marriage.

I want to throw flowers at your feet,

Young people break off a piece, dip this piece in salt, feed each other, drink a drink and break glasses for happiness, throwing them at the same time right hand over the left shoulder. The guests form a living corridor through which the young people pass to their places of honor.

If you choose poems, then try to memorize them. Reading from a sheet with excitement means stuttering and stammering, riveting your gaze to the leaflet, and at this moment it is important to look at the young, and speech should be gentle and friendly.

The tradition of greeting newlyweds with bread and salt came to us from ancient times, when salt was still a sign of wealth, and bread was baked differently in every house: where it was rich, where it was rich. The mother-in-law, meeting her daughter-in-law on the threshold of the house, offered her to try THAT BREAD, which she now had to eat all her life in her husband's family. And if she presented the most precious thing - bread and salt, which used to be worth its weight in gold, then she gave the go-ahead for marriage!

IF YOU WANT TO BAKE A LOAF YOURSELF, THEN YOU WILL BE USEFUL
RECIPE OF A REAL WEDDING LOAF!

Another point of contention that I would like to mention: should the loaf be given to guests or only young people can eat it?

The answer must also be sought in the roots of the tradition. The fact is that earlier, and even now, Ukrainian holiday loaves were baked in three tiers, decorated with sugar icing and dough flowers. Doesn't it immediately come to mind the analogy with a wedding cake?

So, the young people left the upper tier for themselves and their parents. Moreover, the part was supposed to be wrapped in a clean rag and kept forever. Close relatives were treated to the middle tier. And the bottom one, the biggest one, was handed out to the guests. Leaving the wedding without a piece of loaf - offending the newlyweds.
Now decide for yourself what to do with the loaf.

Variants of the script for the meeting of the newlyweds with and without a loaf.

old tradition meet the newlyweds after the wedding and (or) solemn registration marriage has survived to this day. Of course, the ceremony of meeting itself has been significantly transformed, somewhat simplified, but has not lost its mysterious charm and beauty, and most importantly, its symbolic significance: for the first time, parents meet the young already in a new status, like husband and wife.

Toastmaster's advice: Dear newlyweds, a wedding is your holiday - how to spend it is up to you. Traditions - traditions, but variants of scenarios nice meeting great multitude. Traditionally, parents meet newlyweds with a loaf, but if for some reason you are not satisfied with the "meeting with a loaf" or you are holding a European-style wedding, do not be puzzled, a bright and memorable meeting can be arranged without it.

In our time, most often, the style and scenario of the wedding is determined by the newlyweds themselves, and it would never occur to anyone to condemn them for "non-compliance with tradition." Next, we will talk about various options holding a meeting, both with and without a loaf.

A bit of history.
The tradition of welcoming newlyweds with bread more likely thousand years of history, this is evidenced by the commonality of this tradition among Slavic peoples:

Wedding bread among the Slavic peoples was necessarily shared at the end of the wedding dinner. This honorable duty was performed by the elder friend or “headman”. The "older" part was given to the newlyweds. Parents and relatives received the next pieces, the sole of the loaf, in which coins were often baked, was handed over to the musicians, and the rest was distributed to the “Cossacks” - children and adolescents who remained “outside the threshold” during the wedding. Most often, the division of the loaf was combined with gifting the young. Having received a piece of loaf, the guest put money, linen on a plate, or promised a heifer, a sheep, a piglet. The Slavic principle of "reflection" has always worked - "Give and you will be given", therefore, the newlyweds tried to distribute the loaf to the maximum number of guests.

But the meeting of the newlyweds with the loaf became widespread in Russia only in the 19th century, before that, each locality used its own versions of wedding bread, which, however, are still alive.

But back to our time.
Now, according to tradition, parents meet the newlyweds with parting words and wishes. The groom's mother (mother-in-law) has a loaf in her hands on a tray covered with an elegant painted towel. The bride's mother (mother-in-law) blesses the young with a family icon. This may be the image of the Virgin, Nicholas the Wonderworker. or the patron saint of the family. The bride's father (father-in-law) holds a tray with two glasses, and the groom's father (father-in-law) can solemnly present the bride with a letter stating that she has been happily accepted into the family. But first, the guests stand on both sides of the path leading to the threshold of the house (restaurant), where the parents are waiting for the young. The newlyweds, getting out of the car, pass through a row of guests who, with words of congratulations and wishes, arrange an extraordinary “rain” of rose petals. By the way, rain on the wedding day is considered a lucky omen life together, family well-being.

Here, example script, ( we discuss and agree on specific scenario options with the newlyweds individually):

Toastmaster or presenter wedding celebration meets the newlyweds, addresses them:

"Dear newlyweds! By tradition, the people dearest to you - your parents - meet you here. Mom has a wedding loaf in her hands as a symbol of well-being and prosperity.
Newlyweds! Break off a piece of bread and season with salt! You have the opportunity to annoy each other for the last time. Yes, salt more ... And now exchange slices of bread. Look at each other with tenderness and feed each other."

To the approving exclamations of the guests, the newlyweds "feed" each other.

Presenter:

“Well, we found out who in the family will be the breadwinner. Well done, the groom! And now the parting words of the parents before family life."

The groom's parents say parting words to the newlyweds.

Toastmaster's advice ("What to say when meeting newlyweds?"): Dear parents, to meet the newlyweds with a loaf, you do not need to prepare long parting speeches - save them for the banquet, because the newlyweds and guests are returning from their wedding walk and, most likely, they are already tired of the road and probably hungry. It is not worth keeping them on the doorstep for a long time.
I’ll say from experience that it’s also not worth memorizing speech in advance, it’s best to say a few words from the heart and from the heart. If you are afraid that prepared nice words they can forget from excitement, write them down on a piece of paper and keep it with you - it will be calmer.
And last, possible question: "What to talk about?" Once again, I want to make a reservation, not a single blank sounds as sincere and touching as the words spoken impromptu and from the heart, but I still think it’s worth giving examples here:

"I want to keep that warmth in your hearts,
which keeps this loaf in itself.
May your house be filled with it warmth,
welcome guests and children.
Advice to you and love!"

You can also say that in the person of your daughter-in-law you acquired a daughter, respectively, in the person of a son-in-law - a son.

(example for mother-in-law)
We had one son (only sons), and now we are doubly happy,
having such a beautiful daughter.
Your union is just a great happiness for us.

And also, just in case, have the following words in reserve:

"Dear children!
We congratulate you, bless your marriage, wish you happiness.
Advice to you and love!"

After all the parting words have been said, the host, on behalf of the newlyweds, invites everyone to the table:

We invite everyone to the feast,
To the wedding hospitality.

The newlyweds go to banqueting hall and take their place wedding table.

Meeting of the newlyweds without a loaf.

If the newlyweds decide that they will meet them without a loaf, then there is a huge scope for developing scenarios - everything is determined by their own wishes.
You can hold a meeting according to the scenario outlined earlier, excluding the loaf - an experienced host will be able to fill the resulting "scenario gap", in addition, to decorate the rite, you can give multi-colored ribbons to the guests creating the corridor (you can see what happens).
When holding a celebration in the European style - the meeting of the newlyweds takes place, most often, directly in the banquet hall under solemn music, thunderous applause from all those present and words of welcome from the presenter. Young people go to the banquet hall, receive congratulations from the guests, take pictures with them and take a seat at the wedding table (by the way, do not forget - the bride sits to the right of the groom).

ended official ceremony marriage registration. The bride and groom became husband and wife. According to tradition, after the registry office, the newlyweds are met by their parents to give good parting words, wish them a long and happy family life. How to conduct an ancient and beautiful ceremony?

How to meet young people from the registry office

How can parents meet newlyweds if they are believing Christians

In the event that both the heroes of the occasion and their parents strictly adhere to the Christian faith, it is necessary to proceed as follows. At a meeting after the registry office in front of the room where the wedding banquet, the groom's parents bless the newlyweds with icons of Christ and the Virgin. The bride's parents are among the guests, as it is believed that their daughter has moved into the husband's house. The young wife should stand to the right of her husband holding her arm. After the blessing, the mother of the newlywed brings bread and salt to the young spouses on a long embroidered towel (rushnik). The newlyweds must take turns biting off the bread prepared by the mother, while not touching it with their hands. It is believed that whoever bites off a larger piece will be the "leader" in the house. After that, the parents young husband parting words to the newlyweds, wishing them happiness in family life, and inviting all the guests to the table.

It is better to first consult with the priest of the church visited by the newlyweds or their parents. He will tell you which icons should be used to greet the husband and wife, and what words are better to pronounce at this moment

How to meet young people from the registry office

Of course, not all people (even believers) strictly adhere to such ancient customs. For example, all parents, both the groom and the bride, can meet young people from the registry office. You can not bite off pieces from a loaf of bread, but break them off, and at the same time not compete in their size, because the main thing is that love and mutual respect reign in the house of the young, and who will rule there is a secondary question!