We won't stand behind the price. Who organizes the bride ransom and how? How much for brides? Or how the ransom goes at a wedding...

Wedding custom The “ransom” with which a wedding often begins has its historical roots dating back to the time of the adoption of Christianity. Prince Vladimir the Great, having married Princess Anna “for a ransom, for the princess,” gave Crimea and Korsun to the Greeks. Old tradition For many centuries, bride price has not lost its relevance.

The groom must pay for his bride. This one is funny wedding ceremony on modern wedding only funny game, which is played with great pleasure by both the bridesmaids and relatives of the bride and groom. How to conduct a bride ransom?

Almost every witness asks this question, since the responsibilities for the bride price and the competitions that accompany it are assigned to the witness and her girlfriends; they are the ones who think about how to conduct the ransom so that it is filled with fun and dynamism.

How to conduct bride ransom?

So, on the day of the celebration, guests from the groom’s side and, of course, he himself go to his beloved’s house or a previously agreed upon place, where the bride’s family and guests are already waiting for them. Along the way they encounter many obstacles, the girlfriends have already taken care of them in advance, for whom the more creative challenges, the more fun the guests have.

The groom's wedding cortege will have to show wit, resourcefulness, ingenuity, demonstrate a lot of skills in order to get to the bride's house, besides, she may not be there - this is another one of wedding traditions. There are cases when relatives or neighbors are not present at the celebration itself, but they are happy to see how the ransom is going, what kind of outfit the bride is wearing, because this contemplation will give a huge positive feeling for the whole day.

Bride ransom is exciting competitions, funny tasks, riddles for the groom and his friends according to a pre-thought-out scenario. It can be delayed, so the groom should not be late for his wedding, so that he does not have to adjust anything planned in a hurry. It is usually customary to redeem your beloved with sweets, alcohol and a symbolic amount of money.

The spoils go to the bridesmaids and the bridesmaid. For bride price competitions are needed not to mock or torment the groom, but to laugh a little, to prepare yourself and your guests for a fun, happy, festive day!

Carry out a ransom in an original way? Easily!

Everyone wants their wedding to be unforgettable and exclusive. It is the style that will distinguish her from others. Therefore, it is very important to conduct the bride’s ransom in an original way, so that it fits clearly into the theme of the wedding. The bride and groom, witnesses, parents, guests, love, recognition, praise - all this is present in all weddings and will not go anywhere. And the atmosphere, the decoration of the process, you need to come up with and go where your imagination takes you.

And if he takes you away, it will be spectacular! Every stage of a significant event is important: the bride’s outfit, the gathering of the groom (his parents also gather and bless), the ransom, the wedding, the wedding, the celebration, the wedding night. It is not necessary to come up with all new actions, because you can perfectly use what you have already come up with before and, if possible, consult with specialists from wedding agencies.

They will point you in the right direction, provide their options, and advise you on various little things, because this is not the first time for them to plan one of the most important events in a person’s life.

If you decide to organize a wedding yourself without the participation of wedding agencies, and there is a desire to carry out such a holiday custom as bride ransom, the competitions that are described below and are one of the most common ransom competitions for your beloved will help you continue the tradition in an interesting way with laughter and a kind smile.

Examples of bride price competitions.

We wish happy wedding and magical memories of this wonderful day!

Would you like to organize gorgeous wedding, so that, as they say, “a feast for the whole world,” or perhaps you would prefer a modest one, with a very limited circle of people? Or maybe you’ll decide that you absolutely don’t need all these trips around the city, a banquet, because it’s all somehow boring and uninteresting, and immediately after the registry office you’ll go to the airport with your suitcases to fly to a distant, warm country. But regardless of your preferences, it seems to me that you simply must organize such an event as “Bride Ransom”. After all, this is not only an ancient relic of the customs of our ancestors, as many may think. Today, it is the bride price that gives you the opportunity to somehow diversify wedding celebration, to make it even more vivid and memorable, not only for you, but also for all honest people who will participate in this action or simply watch you from the sidelines. The bride's ransom, as it were, sets the tone and mood of the entire wedding, determining the course of development of the celebration, from the very beginning involving everyone around in the atmosphere of the holiday. In fact, this is the starting point of the entire wedding. If you are organizing a wedding yourself, then the advice from the article will help you “How to organize a wedding yourself”.

The bride price scenario is essentially reminiscent of a game in which almost all the visiting guests, and sometimes neighbors, take part in one way or another. And the mood of the entire celebration and of each guest individually will largely depend on how this wonderful event takes place.

In addition to fun, the bride price has more deep meaning. After all, this is not only beautiful tradition, dating back centuries. Its meaning, as before, boils down to proving that the groom is worthy of the bride, that for her sake he is ready to overcome all difficulties, pay a ransom, and show his strength and intelligence.

Now this ransom is of a very symbolic nature, and usually the bride is given away with joy, they say, take it with your hands and feet. Previously, no one wanted to give the girl away just like that, since after the wedding she went to another family, and her family thus lost an extra pair of hands. In this regard, the groom was simply obliged to pay a bride price; by modern standards it was something like compensation, and often considerable. Nowadays, the bride will be given to the groom even if he does not remember the date of birth of the mother-in-law, although in fact, as practice shows, they remember this date by heart, and problems arise, no matter how surprising, precisely with the sizes and the volume of the bride.

Of course, the main character of the unfolding action is always the bride. Although, if you look from a practical point of view, the bride’s efforts directly at the ransom are minimal. In fact actor, the “acting” ones are the groom and his friend (who is also usually the witness), who actually bear many of the trials. We can say that the bride price is the “finest hour” of all grooms, since in a short period of time they must show themselves in all their glory.

However, unfortunately, many grooms do not think so, considering the ransom to be some kind of relic of the past, and sometimes even a duty and bondage, into which he is harnessed without specifically asking, but confronting him with a fact. This is due to the fact that among the current young generation there is a widespread opinion that the most important thing in a ransom on the part of the girlfriends, headed by the bride and the witness (a sort of mafia), is to promote the groom with money, sweets and wine and vodka products. The task of the groom and the witness is to fight and get to the bride with minimal losses. In general, it’s not a holiday, but military operations.

Both actually take place, and not so rarely, but they are far from the wrong position on both sides, as a result of which very often we see conflict between young people over this component of the wedding. I'll explain why.

Often the groom is dissatisfied with the bride ransom procedure itself, not because he really believes that this is some kind of incomprehensible custom by modern standards, but because he imagines in advance and vividly what the sophisticated female brain is capable of in “constructing all sorts of intrigues and complex scenarios.” ransom." And a completely natural defensive action on his part is to refuse this action, because none of us wants to look like “simps” in front of so many gathered people, to whom grooms are often presented. The bride, in turn, does not want to reveal her plans to the groom, since it turns out that he will get everything too easily and deliberately draws up a ransom scenario so that he will “suffer.” That, in fact, is the whole problem.

Your future together should not begin with such things, because if you do not agree today on such a seemingly insignificant moment as a bride price, then the question arises of how you will agree on really problematic issues in the future family life? On the topic of happy family relations I recommend reading books and articles by Anastasia Gai in the section "Relationships between a man and a woman".

Therefore, if you want all your plans and wishes to come true, and family life to begin with mutual understanding, then before you begin to form a ransom, you should discuss all your wishes and questions that arise for each other together. The future husband does not need to be told what kind of competitions there will be, but the topic of the ransom and its focus should definitely be discussed. The bride just needs to assure the groom that they will not force him to jump above his head and no one is going to mock him. On the contrary, to say that you intend to expose him to better light and nothing else. And then the panic in the eyes of the groom will be replaced by relative calm, against the background of which he will not even think of objecting to this event, but rather will even become interested in it.

Advice for the groom.

In fact, a bride price is a wonderful opportunity to show oneself in all its glory, and only with the best side, to all relatives, friends on both sides, so that they Once again noted for yourself how wonderful you are. Don't forget about this and be sure to take advantage of this opportunity.

Think of bride price as a way to unwind and remove nervous tension before registration. Remember that this is not an exam where an incorrect answer will lead to retaking it and ruining your mood. It is better to imagine this process as a theatrical action in which you take part. Yes, it's exciting, yes, it's unusual, but ultimately, it's just a game. Here you can blurt out something, laugh, do something weird, yell at the whole street, and no one will say anything to you, but on the contrary, all this will most likely cause a storm among those around you positive emotions. In addition, according to the majority of grooms, after the ransom has been completed, it no longer seems so tragic to many of them to put their signature on the marriage registration document in the registry office, since they have already relieved all the nervous tension, having passed all the tests.

Limit the number of assistants, because most ransoms take place on narrow flights of stairs, and this creates certain difficulties in the movement of the main characters; do not forget about the photographer or cameraman, because they are the ones who provide your beloved with documentary evidence of what kind of person you are brave, resourceful, etc.

The main thing here is not to guess the answer correctly, but to amuse the guests. And don’t forget to have fun yourself. Friends ask you a question, and in response you ask them a question about the bride, so that everyone understands that you, too, are “not cut out for it.”

Prepare, surf the Internet in advance, read the redemption scripts, because in most cases many competitions are repeated, only in in different order. And you can prepare for most of them in advance. For example, prepare cheat sheets for the bride price, but not small ones like in school, but deliberately huge ones, and even so that reverse side“Crib Sheet” was written in large letters. Write in it affectionate words, the bride’s sizes, dates. If the bridesmaids ask you to recite poems, you can also amaze those around you by taking out from your bosom a volume with a collection of poems, with a bookmark laid in advance, and reading some small, unbroken and at the same time beautiful verse, but not a poem!

In order not to shout “I love you!!” under the window, find a megaphone among your friends, this will amuse those around you and save your ligaments. I already observed this phenomenon once at a ransom. At first, the groom conscientiously screamed at the top of his lungs under the window, but the inexorable bridesmaids still did not stop and asked for louder voices. Then, unexpectedly for everyone, the groom’s friend went to the car, brought a megaphone and the groom shouted into it cherished words. The girlfriends had no choice but to let the resourceful groom pass, because the deafening sound and universal laughter simply left them no other choice.

You can draw the same phrase under the bride’s windows, or even better, order a banner with a photo of the bride and the corresponding words, as one of my friends did for his bride. Together with the witness, under the cover of darkness, in pain, they pulled it between two trees so that in the morning the bride would see it from her window. Naturally, he didn’t have to strain himself too much, shouting the cherished words “I love you.”

Smile more so that in the pictures you appear with the face of a joyful, albeit very nervous person, rather than a serious, tense person expecting a trick on any side. In this situation, in the photographs you will appear as a pale, languishing martyr for a just cause, with a running line in his eyes saying, “Why do I need all this?”

Do not skimp on the means of repayment, because all the goods given away are returned back to the young. And it immediately goes to waste: money for current wedding expenses, sweets at the registry office, alcohol at the buffet table after the bride price.

To finally bewitch your future “mother-in-law”, if in your case this is at all possible, at the end of the ransom
The bride can be presented with a small bouquet of flowers.

Do not try to “bypass” the ransom, break through, or take the elevator to the treasured door. From the outside, this kind of action does not look very nice, and your task, as I already said, is to show yourself exclusively from the best side.

One more thing, before ransoming the bride, try not to overdo it with the “sedative”, otherwise if the bride sees you in this state, then both of you will become nervous.

Groom's outfit for ransoming the bride.

- Fake money, real money, small change. To show off, you can exchange rubles for dollars, of course, one dollar at a time, so that the wad of dollars in your hands looks more impressive. So, in the case of a ransom, you will have to pay in hundredth bills, and in the case of dollars, it will be enough to give out 3 “pieces of paper” to fully satisfy the greed of the “tax collector”.

— Alcohol, of course, is a classic set of a bottle of vodka, champagne, cognac and a bottle of white and red wine.

- Sweets. Buy several chocolates, any candies by weight, about 1.5 kg, and a couple of small boxes of candies. Place all this wealth in a large basket, having previously lined it with colored cellophane for flowers, so that the volume of candies looks maximum. Your relatives will definitely help you with this.

From the outside, the grooms with their “groomsmen” do not look very nice when the ransom in their hands are ordinary plastic bags with gifts; it is much more impressive if the entire ransom is placed in baskets, except for the money, of course.

- You should either learn a couple of poems, or prepare cheat sheets with them, but you don’t need to take well-known poems; an unknown poem, even read from a piece of paper, will be of much greater interest. From the outside it will be clear that you really prepared. You can prepare a couple funny ditties, and sing them at the appropriate moment together with your assistants.

Tips for the bride.

To begin with, you should choose a ransom scenario, or at least roughly decide on the topic. So that it is not tiring, you should not drag it out; 20-30 minutes is the ideal solution.

Of course, when carrying out the ransom of the bride, you should not forget about time and its reserve, so that even in case of any delays you do not rush and quite calmly and, most importantly, arrive at the doors of the registry office on time.

As a rule, the bride and her friend (witness) use ready-made ransom scenarios. By processing them, combining them with each other, they create their own, so to speak, with a certain set of competitions and style they like. This is not bad, however, when collecting competitions “from around the world,” you should be more careful and not load the ransom with the same type of competitions, mainly for strength, or for money, or for poetry and songs. First, evaluate the capabilities and abilities of the groom and his friends.

Remember, on the wedding day and in particular at the ransom, the groom is more nervous than the bride, make an allowance for this and do not include it in the ransom complex issues or actions. It is in your best interests that your fiance does not fall face down and looks like a “prince on a white horse” and not a “beggar dunno.” After all, everyone should envy the bride, and not regret that she got such a “unlucky” one.

There is another variation when brides, in a creative impulse, come up with competitions themselves; in this case, I would also advise not to go too far, since moderation is needed in everything. You should not come up with something that the groom, in his completely normal state, could not figure out or do. If you really want to test your future husband, then do it without witnesses.

The groom is already scared to death that he will have to figure out something and get to the bride in some unimaginable way. Dripping with sweat, at the same time thinking that maybe “screw this wedding,” he realizes that he cannot do it. As a result, the groom doesn’t look like he deserves it, and the guests don’t get the pleasure they deserve. And the entire ransom takes place in tension and without much joy.

Take care of filming so that later you can sit with the groom and laugh at how the ransom took place, and believe me, the groom will watch it as if for the first time. It seems like this didn’t happen to him, because when he went through this test, he still didn’t remember half of it.

You should not include alcoholic elements in the bride price scenario, because you will need to at least get to the registry office a little later, not to mention other planned events.

It is also not in your interests to include competitions related to heavy physical activity so that the groom doesn’t end up sweating and looking like a wet frog. I think the groom smells like perfume, not... O Tom, this is much better, because in the end you will spend the whole day with him practically without leaving each other.

When collecting “tribute” from the groom, in most cases the question arises of where to put it, and then the transfer of gifts from hand to hand begins. To prevent this from happening, take care of some kind of “container”. I propose to use a box for money to pay off money, which will later be used at the banquet, for wine, sweets, prepare a basket, designate those responsible for their carrying and safety. In this case, it will look very beautiful and festive, rather than some kind of fuss with stuffing gifts into “pockets”.

Before you start drawing up a buyout scenario, discuss your wishes with your groom. This is especially true if you want to make a purchase in a specific style. This should be done to ensure that the groom prepares in advance for a specific theme that will be present throughout the ransom. Perhaps the bride will want the groom to be a prince, and she to be a princess, so that you can come and, having passed all the tests, save her from the hands of some witch or sorcerer. Accordingly, the entire ransom will take place with the proper entourage of competitions, costumes, and the groom himself, knowing in advance that he is, after all, a “Prince,” will mentally prepare for this role in advance, and immediately at the ransom he will not be bewildered or frightened by the assigned he is responsible.

Mostly all bride price scenarios are written in verse. But using them completely is not entirely appropriate, since rarely does anyone manage to learn everything by heart, and in addition, attempts to “build” their own ransom from pieces of different poetic scenarios will be problematic due to their different stylistics. It is best to express yourself in prose and in your own words if possible. Because even if you get confused, it will be easier for you to find other words than to come up with new rhyme. In addition, sometimes the suitors take the initiative, and the entire poetic program fails.

I will not offer you ready-made ransom scenarios with options for competitions and riddles; I think this is unnecessary. The Internet and bookstores are replete with a wealth of information of this kind. I would like to suggest the “topics” themselves
bride ransom scenarios, so to speak, styles for holding such an event, I will try to set the direction. So that you can then choose the one that’s right for you, and the “redemption” will be as interesting and fun as possible and become one of highlights wedding celebration.

I will give one such example. On the basis of which you will be able to create your own celebration scenario.

Bride ransom, script in the style of “Russians” folk tales» . It might look something like this. The groom drives up to the bride's house not in a limousine or some other car, but in a cart with an accordion player, accompanied by some ditties or songs. The groom himself should look appropriate: in a shirt, trousers, boots. The suit in which the groom will go to the registry office can be brought to the bride’s house in advance and after the bride’s ransom can be calmly changed. Although some, I’m sure, will prefer not to change the costume, but to go straight away, and on a cart and still with the same accordion player.

Greeting girlfriends should wear wreaths with ribbons and, if possible, sundresses, in this case You don’t have to rent real suits; all you have to do is dig through your wardrobe and find your usual one. summer sundress or a dress.

The words of greeting in the ransom should be something like “Hello, hero!”, or “Hello, good fellow!” Buyout tenders should be divided accordingly, for example:

- Now let’s test you “for Bogatyrskaya’s ingenuity.” — Poster with kisses, where you need to choose the kiss of the bride herself, or recognize her by children's photo. Put the puzzles together.

- “Riddles from Baba Yaga and Koshchei the Immortal.” — All kinds of questions about the bride, mother-in-law. Just children's riddles.

- “Heroic strength.” — In competitions with this name, it is possible for the groom to first buy the treasure sword or win (I think one of the children of relatives or invitees has such a beautiful and plastic one). With this sword you can defeat the Gorynych Snake (a structure made of rags and basins) in order to find the key under it. Or hang the “gorynych” (of course, from other materials) over the door so that his groom can eyes closed won. There is also an option when the groom is first asked to tie the wet towel as tightly as possible, and then, after all his efforts, untie it.

- “Heroic dexterity.” – For example, a game of darts, where under all the numbers it is guessed which of the young people will do what in the house.

- “Heroic talkativeness.” — You can include a transfer here kind words, story poetry.

- “Heroic economy.” Peel the potatoes, sew on a button, hammer in a nail.

Of course, this whole process must be accompanied catchphrases from fairy tales: “Soon the deed is done, but not soon the tale is told,” “how long, how short,” “in the distant kingdom, in the thirtieth state.”

The decorations should also correspond to the theme; accordingly, there should be a “signpost stone” with the well-known inscriptions “you will go right.., left...”, which can be built in front of the bride’s house. In the entrance you can hang something like a cobweb (intertwined threads through which the groom will have to break through without using his body, but only using his cunning). If any posters are to be used, they should be "turned into ancient scrolls", using scissors, tea, and a lighter to add antiquity. Questions from Baba Yaga and Koshchei the Immortal should be asked by assistants dressed accordingly. And other elements that you consider appropriate and possible in your case.

The only thing I would like to say is that if your plans are truly grandiose and you have the opportunity to arrange such an action on wide leg, then do not apply to inform your friends who are going to visit your ransom. This should be done for reasons so that they do not look at all this with open mouth, and if possible participated in this holiday.

The above, of course, should not be taken as ready-made option, these are just sketches on the basis of which you, with a little or maybe a lot of effort and imagination, will create your own masterpiece on any topic inspired by your imagination.

For example, today the most popular are:
themes and ransom scenarios, such as: “Prince and Princess”, “Japanese Ransom”, “ Gangster Ransom", "Gypsy ransom". In the end, there can be a huge number of options, it all depends only on your wishes and capabilities, as well as the flight of your imagination.

Whether or not to conduct a bride ransom is, ultimately, a purely personal matter. But before you refuse, you should think carefully. However, if you still decide to organize this kind of mini-holiday, it is worth remembering that it should be carried out on the basis of reasonable and completely realizable ideas and plans and with mutual consent the bride and groom, and nothing else.

And to the lovely ladies I would like to say the following, dear brides and witnesses, if you want to really surprise your guests and have a lot of fun, then approach the development and planning of the “Ransom” creatively. Don’t be afraid of your own plans, don’t put in the foreground the words: “Why bother,” or “I don’t have enough time for such nonsense,” “I want to, but who would do it,” and so on. By putting such options at the forefront, you lose your own plans, ideas, your dreams, which can be realized right here and now.

Remember that this ritual is important precisely because of its unforgettableness, unusualness and beauty, which you can create yourself, thereby filling your holiday with the maximum amount of positive emotions in all respects. Try to organize it so that it is not similar to others, because you must not forget that a wedding is one of the most beautiful ceremonies in life, and everything in it should be fun, interesting and beautiful.

Create, accomplish, implement! Irina Kravchuk.

At today's weddings, bride price is a comic act, part of the script, which, if desired, can be completely abandoned. However, in Slavic tradition a potential groom who was not ready to pay a ransom for his betrothed should not have counted on the consent of the bride herself, much less her relatives. And the point here is not at all the greed of the future mother-in-law and father-in-law, but the fact that ransom from ancient times had a special symbolism.

Ancient chronicles mention the term “veno”, which was endowed with several meanings at once: this is a ransom paid to the community, and the so-called table money (that which the groom literally put on the table of the bride’s father, asking for her hand), and the girl’s dowry. In a word, commodity-money relations in those days were complex, confusing, and figuring out who owed what to whom was not so easy.

The fact, however, remains: wedding ransom in Rus' since ancient times it has been an integral part of the entire ceremony. Later, however, this procedure lost its seriousness and acquired playful features: a matchmaker or friends began to be involved in the ransom, and it itself became largely symbolic. True, with the mercantile component of the ransom fading into the background, it turned into a real test of the groom’s resistance to stress, resourcefulness and ingenuity.

The bride had to be bought everywhere. The first obstacle met the future husband at the entrance to the bride's house, and if he was from another village, then even earlier - at the entrance to the village, where the good villagers were impatiently waiting for the main character of the day, having prepared many tests for him (as a rule, these were riddles mixed with demands to sing and dance). The second obstacle was in the bride's house: the girlfriends who helped the girl get ready for the wedding had to be generously given gifts.

The matter did not end there: the bride had to be found among several young ladies covered with identical scarves. It was not so easy to get to the church: the road for the wedding train was blocked with ribbons, and more often with a log, which future husband had to cut, demonstrating his strength. I also had to pay for the opportunity to invite my young wife to the first dance, for a place next to her for festive table, for the first wedding night. Moreover, the “fee” was imposed not only on the bride herself, but also on some of her, let’s say, components - for example, a braid or a wreath as symbols of girlhood.

If Slavic grooms had to suffer mainly morally, then residents of Islamic countries paid (and often still pay) dowry - a completely material ransom, considered both a gift from the groom to his future wife (the so-called mahr), and compensation to her family for the loss of a worker. In a word, grooms have always had a hard time from the very beginning of family life.

Modern traditions

Today, bride price is a ceremony that is valuable not so much for the opportunity to receive some kind of material payment from the groom (which, as a rule, is symbolic), but for its very existence, observance of traditions and the fact that it is one of the most fun episodes of the holiday. From time immemorial, the main participant in the ceremony was not even the groom himself, but the groom (the prototype of a modern witness): it was he who gave the ransom and helped the groom pass through the trials with honor. In fact, this tradition has survived to this day. Just as a hundred years ago, today, the ransom is impossible without the active help of both the witness and the groom’s friends, who must be prepared for the fact that they will have to be “on hand” throughout the entire event, because the future husband may lose his eloquence from excitement.

Well, the main part of the work on preparing and conducting the ransom falls on the shoulders of the witness and bridesmaids, who come up with and conduct tests for the groom at the stage of “approaching” his beloved’s house. Among the obstacles there may be quite harmless ones - say, he must recognize the chosen one from childhood photographs, come up with affectionate epithets for her (for example, by the number of steps of a flight of stairs), choose the key to her room (options - the imprint of her lips) from several proposed ones, and other similar ones . The tests can also be a test of the ingenuity and intelligence of the future husband - say, in three glasses he must put something that rings, splashes and rustles, or he must create a “photo sketch” of his chosen one from images individual parts faces.

The listed competitions are the most standard ones, used at almost every holiday. Of course, they are not mandatory, but imagination and creativity welcome. For example, a variant of the “guessing game” could be for the groom to recognize a silk ribbon, the length of which corresponds to the height of the bride or the size of her waist. Well, the path to the betrothed’s house can be turned into a mini-quest, when the groom overcomes the route, at the end of which his beloved awaits him.

However, there are options for real extreme sports enthusiasts. For example, the groom may be asked to storm the bride’s balcony (if she lives on the first floor or in own home) or become a “prince on a white horse” by getting to her house on a non-standard vehicle for a wedding (say, a bicycle, scooter or rollerblades). However, the appearance of the real white horse(of course, with the main character sitting astride him) - also very unexpected idea, which will certainly be met with a storm of enthusiasm.

Do you want the ransom to be not so much fun as romantic and touching? Let the groom take the bride not from her father’s house, but from some specific place that means a lot to both of them: for example, from the park where they like to walk or where their first date took place. Well, instead of competitions, let him, in the presence of guests, once again propose his hand and heart to the girl.

By the way, in our time, marked by the stamp of emancipation, “reverse ransom” is gaining popularity: “macho qualities” are demonstrated by the bride, who in this way probably establishes herself as the head of the family and the future breadwinner. This topic (who is the boss of the house), of course, is original, but, frankly speaking, it is quite sensitive, it can become humiliating for the groom and incomprehensible for the guests. Therefore, in the case of such a scenario, all the details must be thought out with special care and attention, so that all those present (including people of the older generation, supporters of patriarchal traditions) understand that this is just a joke, but not a demonstration of a change in gender roles.

Thematic redemption

If the entire wedding is dedicated to a specific theme, then the ransom, of course, should be non-standard. As an example, let's name the possible elements of some such scenarios:
- Wedding in Russian style: the groom arrives at the bride’s house in a troika with bells (in winter - on a sleigh); "live music" performed by a harmonica player; decorating the entrance with towels; folk costumes bridesmaids; fortune telling with chamomile; tests to verify " heroic strength"groom.
- Gangster wedding. The theme of the ransom is the liberation of the bride from the hands of the mafia; as competitions - card games (we are, of course, not talking about preference or poker, but, for example, about completing tasks depending on the suit or value of a card pulled from a deck), solving a safe code; as payment - dollars (printed on a printer).
- Pirate wedding. The theme of the ransom is the search for treasure or sea pearl; competitions using a rope, a pirate hat, a “black mark”, or an old map as props; ransom - gold coins (toy or chocolate medals in gold foil).
- Wedding in the style of "Alice in Wonderland". The theme of the ransom is a game of chess, the groom walking through black and white cells; as competitions - tests offered by the March Hare and the Hatter, the battle of the groom (White Knight) with the Black Knight; as payment - chess pieces made of black and white chocolate.
- Knight's wedding. The theme of the ransom is a knight's tournament for the hand and heart of a beautiful princess. Competitions include demonstration of artistic and poetic talents, declaration of love, archery (or darts), playing musical instruments(including toys), performing a serenade.

How much does a bride cost

Most often, the groom gives money to the restless girlfriends and relatives of the bride (unless otherwise provided by the script) - the amount is generally small, symbolic, in small bills and coins. Who gets them is a question that should be discussed with young people in advance. Perhaps the “cash box” will be taken by the girlfriends, who, in fact, are torturing the groom for this reason. However, it is possible that the money will return to the young; the bridesmaids will receive not a material reward, but something more valuable - pleasure, the joy of the bride, good mood everyone present.

In addition, the amount of the ransom is discussed “on the shore”, so as not to put the groom in an awkward position due to the lack of money in his pockets Money. Of course, you should always keep in mind the possibility of impromptu, so you can announce to your future husband not a specific number, but a range (from minimum to maximum).

The money may not be real, but made specifically for the holiday; It is not difficult to purchase wedding souvenir banknotes today. In addition, bridesmaids can present to the newlyweds a pleasant surprise, ordering the production of registered money - for example, issued by the Bank family happiness", what the inscriptions on them will say, and decorated with portraits of the groom.

Another common option is “liquid currency” (champagne, wine or stronger drinks) along with a light snack - candy, cakes, cookies, fruit. In this case, the answer to the question of who gets these goodies is probably obvious - they are taken by those who conduct the ceremony, so that after the wedding in a warm company they can remember its most interesting and successful moments.

Useful tips

Do not forget that bride price is a comic procedure that lifts the mood of the guests and sets the tone for the holiday. In order for it to bring pleasure to both the newlyweds and everyone who is present at their wedding, we recommend that you remember some subtleties.

For those who organize and conduct the ransom (bride's side):
- Traditionally, the bride price is prepared by the witness, but if for some reason (for example, due to natural modesty) she is not ready to perform the ceremony, there is nothing wrong with entrusting it to another girlfriend.
- There is no need to delay the ceremony, because the main celebration is still ahead. 15-20 minutes is perhaps the optimal duration.
- If you use ready script ransom written in poetic form, it is better to paraphrase it into prose. It may not be so original, but the witness will not have to memorize long text or read it from a piece of paper (which looks more than unnatural).
- When thinking through the scenario, remember that the groom is the main character of the event, but not the only one. Don't forget about the others present; pay attention to them, offering to take part in competitions in one way or another.
- Obstacles for the groom can be different; the main thing is that they do not put him in an awkward position: for example, if he cannot sing, exclude tests that involve performing a serenade. Moreover, it is better to discuss competitions in advance (of course, only in general terms, so as not to lose the charm of improvisation), if not with the groom himself, but with his friends, in order to give him the opportunity to show his best qualities with the help of a well-thought-out script.
- The spoiled mood of the future husband is not the only one unpleasant consequence poorly thought out and organized buyout. Tasks should not be hazardous to health, or to the suit, shoes, hairstyle and in general appearance groom
- Warn the groom and witness in advance what kind of ransom is expected in the scenario - money, candy, wine, flowers, some thematic game “payment units” (which we wrote about above) and so on.
- Whatever the plot is chosen, it is worth thinking about the variety of competitions: intellectual tasks should alternate with physical ones so that guests do not get bored.
- If competitions require “handout material” (for example, numbers and letters made of paper, pictures, etc.), make it large - so large that everyone present can see the props without effort.

For those who accept the ransom direct participation(groom's side):
- Take the ceremony not as a difficult test, but as a game and an opportunity to relax and have fun before the wedding ceremony.
- Try to smile more - it always puts you in a positive mood, even if not all tasks can be completed with dignity.
- “Assign” not so much your closest friend, but rather your most cheerful and witty friend, who can come to the rescue in case of any hiccup, to be responsible for assistance during the redemption procedure.
- Prepare for the ceremony in advance: remember important dates (including the birthdays of future relatives), try drinking salty and sweet water.
- If the scenario involves a cash ransom, it is worth changing the bills to smaller ones in advance; if “natural” - prepare wine, sweets, fruits.

For those who believe in omens

You can believe in omens or not, follow them or ignore them; be that as it may, know numerous folk signs accompanying each an important event in a person’s life, at least, it’s interesting. For example, it is believed that if the bride, after the ransom, slightly pulls the tablecloth spread on the table, then her sister will soon get married. Another wedding in the family (though this time it is not known exactly whose) will take place if the groom, stepping over the threshold of the bride’s house, stumbles.

The bride should also pay attention to the shoes that she will wear during the ceremony. Shoes with closed nose and the heel promise prosperity to the young family, and the absence of fasteners guarantees an easy birth. Moreover, during the redemption period, you need to put coins (preferably copper) in your shoes; this is again considered an omen rich life. Signs also advise the groom to think through the details of his appearance. So, if during the ransom process he has a handkerchief with him, then taking it to the registration ceremony is strictly prohibited, so that the life of the young family is not filled with tears.

The moment when the groom, having passed all the tests, receives the right to see the bride is also considered special. From this moment until the marriage is registered, no one should adjust the clothes of the newlyweds, especially strangers. Moreover, when leaving the house with the bride, the groom should not look back, so that after marriage there will be no desire to return to a free single life. Well, the parents and girlfriends of the bride are forbidden to wash the threshold of the house after the newlyweds have gone to the registry office - so that the bride does not return here again. But secretly from others (if this is possible, of course), it is not forbidden to eat one chocolate bar for two - this delicacy serves as a guarantee of a sweet life.

More details this question discussed in the article "Wedding signs and superstitions - should they be given importance?"

Alternative to buyout

Bride ransom is a traditional and generally accepted action, but it is not at all obligatory. If a couple wants to be original; if the very fact of paying a certain fee for the bride (even in in a comic form) seems unacceptable; if there is not enough space in the apartment, and the entrance can hardly be called festive and elegant, you can completely refuse the ransom, replacing it with pleasant and romantic ceremonies.

For example, the groom can meet the bride at the door of her house, laying out a path of rose petals. Or, by sending a letter by messenger, make an appointment with your beloved in romantic place, from where the couple will go to register their marriage. Climb to the bride's window on the boom fire truck- the solution is quite extreme, but the effect will be unforgettable (in large cities a similar technique with necessary equipment For Rent).

Be that as it may, a wedding is a holiday primarily for the bride and groom. And if the ransom does not fit into their concept of an ideal holiday or it does not correspond to the theme of the celebration, feel free to refuse it or use your imagination, coming up with beautiful, romantic surprises for your chosen ones.

One of the oldest Russian rituals, which exists and flourishes to this day, is Read other rituals in the Wedding Rituals section.

In the vast majority of Russian weddings, it is considered mandatory and begins the wedding ceremony, in which the bride and groom are present.

Naturally, many young couples who are about to get married want to know how to properly and how to conduct such a ceremonial ceremony as the “Bride ransom”.

We tried to make it as simple as possible, and at the same time describe in as much detail as possible what this procedure consists of and what it contains. Our videos are also at your service.

What is bride price?

At its core, the whole mystery of this ritual lies in the fact that the bride’s family says goodbye to their daughter. The groom and his relatives (friends) come to the house of the bride's parents and make a symbolic ransom for the bride.

On the day of the ransom, the bride's family sees off and bids farewell to her as she leaves her home. Often leaving forever for another family.
Naturally, when the groom takes away the most precious thing in the family, he must give at least something in return.

Since this custom in Rus' existed mainly in rural areas, where people always lived not very richly, it was customary to pay whatever the bride price could.

To make the ransom more fun, and no one would be offended if the groom was not rich, the ransom ceremony was made as playful and fun as possible. Custom for a long time existed only among peasants, but then came to the taste of city dwellers.

The second name for the “bride ransom” ritual is the Old Church Slavonic word “Brannye.” From the word take, take away. Today, the word “abuse” is no longer used in the city, as well as in villages.

Who does the bride price?

IN modern times The bride price is accepted by her close relatives or, more often, just her friends. In some places, a witness or other persons take part in the ransom.
On the part of the groom, the bridegroom himself, the witness and his friends handle the ransom.

How is the bride ransom carried out?

Modern ransom The bride's wedding consists of small task competitions that are arranged for the groom or his representatives, and if they do not pass them (fail the competition or task), they must pay with some goods (gifts) brought with them.

Both the bride’s neighbors and her friends or even relatives take part in the bride price. The bride herself can take part, but according to tradition, her participation is preferably closer to the finale, however, she can completely observe her groom and even help him unnoticed by everyone, for which she can be removed from the battlefield.

The goods (gifts to be farmed out) are carried in a wicker basket, closed from view, or, alternatively, in a bag by one of the groom’s assistants. For example, it could be chocolate, candy, soft toy, a bottle of wine or, at worst, small money (preferably in small packs).

There are also various redemption scenarios, so that the competition itself is held in the same vein and as fun as possible. Sometimes the bride's relatives and friends come up with something of their own to take the groom by surprise.

To overcome the difficulties of bride price competitions, the groom is helped by a witness or his friends. The groom's relatives usually do not participate in the ransom, but sometimes they can.

Where does the ransom take place?

Usually the ransom is carried out along the way of the groom to the apartment or to the bride's house. It all depends on the situation and environment. It can also take place inside the apartment, if a long corridor allows.

Or, as an option, the groom can be chased through all the rooms where the bride is not in and at the end of the ransom, he will find her, for example, in the bathtub or with the neighbors.

More often, the Redemption ceremony goes up the landing, where there is more space for curious spectators, and ends near the bride’s apartment.

In private homes and in the summer, the redemption ceremony can be held outside around the house or along the path in front of the house.

What competitions are there for bride price?

If there is no specific scenario, then the most popular competitions that are arranged for the groom when ransoming his bride are simple, but fun tasks in style:

To complicate the Bride Price competitions, they are diluted with tasks in which the groom can only be helped by his luck. Eg:

• Guess which box contains the bride's shoe (for each mistake, the groom must pay tribute.)
• Guess which of the bridesmaids is holding a scarf behind her back (or, for example, an element underwear) brides.
• Guess some riddle, for example, what the bride was doing (or where she was) on such and such a day and at such and such a time (you can offer answer options: in the bath, in the store, slept, was with her lover, did the laundry, and so on and let him guess.)
• At the end of the path, select the desired key to the bride’s door.

How to complete Ransom tasks?

As you complete the tasks, the groom and his friends are allowed to cheat a little.

They can spy, or bargain for something, and also solve problems in a completely different way than the bride’s friends expected from them.

Usually the groom is not interfered with and is given the opportunity to joke. For example, in the past, the groom often immediately offered the sum of 100 (10) thousand for solving a complex problem, and if the bride’s friends agreed, they were given a piece of paper with this inscription.

And they responded to surprised glances with a saying: “We offered - you agreed. And if you don’t like our money, it’s not our fault!”

How does the bride price ceremony end?

How to end the ceremony is up to everyone to decide for themselves. But usually the last tribute is paid in mandatory mother-in-law, mother of the bride or her father. The groom gives away everything he managed to save on his way to the bride and some other exclusive gift.

The final ransom is paid for the last action after which the bride finds herself next to the groom in his arms.

This could be buying a key to the room with the bride. Or permission to get down from the chair, from the bed, to remove the veil or other obstacle from the face that prevents the groom from hugging and kissing the bride.

As soon as the bride is in the arms of the groom and he kisses her, the ceremony wedding ceremony– The bride price is considered completed.

All. The groom takes the bride away from home down the aisle!

I wish you happiness in your life and the most successful ransom in the direction of the bride. Good luck!

A wedding without a bride price is becoming more and more popular among newlyweds every year. The ransom has long lost its relevance and carries only symbolic overtones. Moreover, not every groom likes to complete tasks and participate in competitions. Serious grooms prefer to have a wedding without all the unnecessary things. If you decide to hold a wedding without a bride price, you should think through the scenario in advance wedding day so that your celebration turns out warm, beautiful and harmonious. You should think about what you can replace the ransom with to make your first meeting romantic and memorable.

On the wedding portal site you will learn how grooms take brides from home without a ransom, as well as what can replace the traditional ransom.

What is bride price?

Most often, newlyweds have a good idea of ​​what a ransom is, because almost no celebration is complete without it. This tradition goes back to Ancient Rus', where the groom actually had to pay a rather large sum of money for the chosen one, and also pay in cattle: bulls and sheep. IN modern world The meaning of ransom has long been lost, but this tradition is so rooted in wedding celebrations that not all newlyweds are ready to give it up. As a rule, bridesmaids try to come up with a new ransom scenario or use some ideas from the Internet. Modern bride price consists of numerous competitions, tasks and tests that bridesmaids prepare for the groom and his friends. For incorrect answers, the groom has to pay - the amount of payment is not specified, it all depends on the generosity of the groom. As a rule, the organization and conduct of this ceremony is carried out by the witness, who comes up with all the competitions for ransoming the bride and then takes the money collection for herself in return. After the future spouse has overcome all the obstacles on the way to his beloved, the long-awaited meeting the bride and groom, where they see each other for the first time wedding dresses- beautiful and happy. If classic version scenario seems boring to you, you should think through several options for replacing the bride price.

What can replace a bride price at a wedding?

It's hard to imagine that the wedding will take place without ransom and how to carry it out without this traditional rite. However, the tradition of ransoming is a little outdated, and many couples are coming up with alternatives that are no less interesting and unusual. What can be done instead of bride price, so as not to waste time on competitions?