Russian Language Blog

Let’s talk some more about Russian weddings. I left off on the part where новобрачные (the newlyweds) leave the ЗАГС (registry office). In case you missed the first part, it is here. Somehow I completely forgot to mention обмен кольцами (exchanging the rings) that happens during the ceremony. Wedding bands in Russia are called обручальные кольца and are worn on безымянный палец правой руки (ring finger on the right hand, lit: the no-name finger).

This fact is not nearly as interesting, in my opinion, as the fact that the word окольцованный (ringed) describes both a married man (for a married woman it’s окольцованная) and a banded bird or animal. Note that this word uses страдательный залог (passive voice) and implies that the subject gets marked and kept track of.

But back to the ЗАГС! As молодые (newlyweds; lit: the young ones) return to their кортеж (motorcade) they are whisked away for прогулка (a walk). This is a well-established tradition and is a way to на людей посмотреть и себя показать (to see and be seen). Every town has a place or several that are traditional for such walks.

In my hometown of Volgograd, for example, it’s the Great Patriotic War memorial on the Mamayev Hill. If this strikes you as a strange choice of venue, I hasten to add that many couples visit such memorials not just for the obligatory свадебные фотографии (wedding pictures) or for showing off, but to pay their genuine respects and возложить цветы (lay flowers) honoring the war sacrifices. Besides, since Soviet times, there were very few beautiful and well-kept public spaces in Russia other than the memorials.

Other destinations for свадебная прогулка (wedding walk) include park with scenic views, historic buildings, or places that are meaningful to the couple, for example фонтан, возле которого было назначено первое свидание (a fountain near which the couple met for their first date).

If you are visiting Russia and want to see a Russian wedding, head over to a park or a memorial in the city center and, chances are, you will see not one, but several wedding parties. This is true even if it’s cold and snowy outside. The bride will still be in her lacy dress and dainty shoes and her maids will be in (usually very short and open) dresses and high heels walking gingerly over обледенелый тротуар (ice-covered sidewalk), posing for pictures.

And then it’s time for свадебное застолье also known as свадебный банкет (wedding feast or banquet). It used to be done at home and all the dishes were cooked at home as well. Since Soviet apartments were quite small and the number of приглашённые гости (invited guests) quite large, the merriment would oftentimes spill into лестничная площадка (a landing between the floors in apartment buildings) or into the courtyards. Then it became truly a communal affair as neighbors joined in, frequently bringing food and drinks to the table.

Nowadays celebrating in one’s house is a lot less common. Instead, a banquet usually takes place at a restaurant or a café. In some cases, a river cruise is booked, conveniently combining прогулка (a walk) and застолье (a feast). Either way, such застолье, with lots of food and plenty of alcohol, can go on for hours. If it’s held at a private house, it can go on for a whole day or longer.

And yes, Russians have the tradition of shouting Горько! (Bitter!) at a wedding banquet. When guests chant горько! the bride and the groom have to stand up and kiss. Where does this tradition originate? Nobody knows for sure. The version that I like the most explains that while vodka that is customarily drunk at weddings is bitter, the newlyweds sweeten its taste with their поцелуй (kiss).

Two other must haves at a wedding are музыка (music) and тамада (toast-master). Russians have a nice saying that sums up the importance of music at a wedding: что за свадьба без баяна – пьянка да и всё (a wedding without an accordion is just a drinking binge). Not to say that there is an accordion at every wedding…

A тамада (toast-master), however, is present at every wedding. Sometimes it is a professional, hired for the occasion. Sometimes it is a relative or a guest who is particularly knowledgeable in all things toast-making and keeping the banquet fun going until the wee hours and given the newlyweds the proper send-off for their свадебное путешествие (wedding trip) or медовый месяц (honeymoon).

Doesn’t look like much, does it? Yet this fairly unassuming doorway, with a four-letter acronym ЗАГС, leads to a life of (hopefully) married bliss. This particular door is for the ЗАГС is in my hometown of Volgograd. I walked by it countless times as a child and was inside the office only twice, at a friend’s wedding and at my grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary.

I am going shopping for a set of two фаянсовые чашки (earthenware tea cups) today. It is a gift for a friend who is celebrating девятая годовщина свадьбы (ninth wedding anniversary). In Russia, the ninth is known as фаянсовая свадьба (earthenware wedding). So let’s talk weddings today.

Have you ever had a chance to be a guest at a Russian wedding? If not, you can still observe some of the traditions while vacationing in Russia and touring the sights. So what exactly is свадьба по-русски (Russian-style wedding).

To begin with, it’s a really big deal. Most weddings are celebrated с размахом (in a big way). This doesn’t necessarily mean шикарная церемония (lavish ceremony). The emphasis is on число гостей (the number of guests) as well as on celebrating от души (from the heart).

Let’s start by learning Russian words for the most important participants in a wedding ceremony:

Жених – a groom

Невеста – a bride

Свидетельница – a maid of honor (lit: a witness since she will be witnessing the registration of the marriage record)

Свидетель, also known as шафер or дружка – a best man (lit: a witness, for the same reason)

Nowadays many Russian couples венчаются в церкви (have a church wedding ceremony). Венчание literally means crowning. During the ceremony свидетели (see above свидетель and свидетельница) hold венки (wedding crowns or wreaths) over the couple’s heads.

The official paperwork is not handled by the church, but instead the happy couple goes to расписаться (register the union, lit: sign) to a local отдел записей гражданского состояния (registry office), ЗАГС for short.

But before that happens, a groom must go through an ordeal known as выкуп невесты (paying ransom for the bride). It is a game in which the groom and his friends are met at the entrance into bride’s house or apartment building by bride’s friends and guests.

To advance, a groom must pass through a series of tests, such as come up with as many ласковые имена (tender names) for his суженая (bride, lit: the intended one) as there are steps to the door. He might be challenged to remember meaningful dates and numbers – date of первое свидание (first date), date when he сделал предложение (proposed), the bride’s clothing sizes, etc. Or he might have to dance or sing or pass other tests. If he doesn’t pass a test, he can buy his way to the bride’s door by giving away candy, chocolates, Champaign, vodka, or money.

Once the groom gets to the bride, they make their way outside to свадебный кортеж (a wedding train or cavalcade). It is easy to tell the bride-and-groom’s car in the procession.

Not only will it be the front car, but also the fanciest looking one and the most decorated. Some of the most popular decorations include large golden обручальные кольца (wedding bands), цветы (flowers), ленты (ribbons), куклы-невесты (dolls dressed up in wedding dresses), воздушные шары (balloons), and колокольчики (bells).

At this point, the bride and groom are driven to ЗАГС (registry office) where they will go through a short церемония бракосочетания (marriage ceremony):

The bride and the groom enter под звуки свадебной музыки (accompanied by the wedding music). Traditionally, it’s Свадебный марш Мендельсона (Mendelson’s Wedding March). Регистратор (registering official) greets everyone and addresses the couple with a pretty standard spiel.

She  reminds everyone that this is самое прекрасное и незабываемое событие в жизни (the most beautiful and unforgettable event in life). She mentions the importance of family and великий долг друг перед другом и перед будущим детей (great obligation to each other and to the future of children).

Then брачащиеся or брачующиеся (entering into the marriage; an official and infrequently used word) confirm that their decision to create a family is искреннее (sincere), взаимное (mutual) and свободное (here: of free will). Once the bride and the groom both answer да, they sign the registry.

And that’s when the words объявляю вас мужем и женой (I declare you a husband and a wife) are finally said and the newlyweds целуются (kiss each other). The official then says a few напутственные слова (parting words), congratulates the couple and the guests and everyone gets to raise the first Champaign toast to the new family.

Now that the official part is over with, the semi-official поездка по городу (city tour) begins followed by a reception. More on that later. Now I have to go buy my чайный сервиз (tea set or tea service) or I risk turning up at the friend’s party с пустыми руками (empty-handed).

What are your plans for tomorrow, Saturday the 14^th of January? Better cancel them and instead celebrate старый Новый год (the old New Year).

Today, January the 13^th is yet another the New Year’s Eve. Yes, it’s another chance to finish last year’s unfinished business, to set goals and make promises, and to start afresh. Yes, lucky Russians get to celebrate the New Year not once, but twice.

Russia was 300-odd years late switching to Gregorian calendar. Страна перешла на новый стиль лишь в 1918 году (the country moved to the new style calendar only in 1918). Before then it was using two calendars. For all matters external, such as diplomatic relations and international trade, григорианский календарь (Gregorian calendar) had to be used since that’s what the rest of Europe was using. Internally, however, юлианский календарь (Julian calendar) was used.

It sure was odd and inconvenient, but not without some excitement, I imagine. Crossing the Russian border was a real time-travel experience. The 9-hour time difference between New York and Moscow nowadays is nothing compared to a 14-day difference less than a hundred years ago.

Interestingly, the Russian Orthodox Church still uses Julian calendar. Which is why Russian Christmas is celebrated on January 7^th aka December 25^th по старому стилю (according to the old style calendar).

The old New Year is celebrated, but in a muted way. It is not an official holiday and, unless it falls on выходной (weekend), it remains рабочий день (a work day). It is not a holiday for raucous parties, fireworks or Presidential addresses to the masses. Instead, it is celebrated with the family and close friends.

For TV stations this is another chance to air старые добрые фильмы (good old movies), such as Карнавальная ночь (Carnival Night, with English subtitles), Чародеи (Wizards, no English subtitles), Ирония судьбы (Irony of Fate) and Старый Новый год (Old New Year, no English subtitles).

In fact, if you are comfortable watching Irony of Fate without English subtitles and you like this movie, you will really like the Old New Year one. Filmed in 1980, it has wonderful actors playing out a story that, as strange as it might sound, is immediately recognizable to Russian viewers (much like the Irony of Fate):

Two families that, it seems, can’t be more different from each other, have something unexpected in common. Their meeting and bonding is both accidental and inevitable as they celebrate the old New Year each in their own way.

The movie has too many крылатые фразы (catch phrases) to list them all, but some of the more memorable ones include:

Веди себя прилично. Ты не в школе. (Behave properly. You are not at school)

Проблема – ТВ и дети. Да, проблема – телевизоров всё больше, а детей всё меньше. (A problem of children and TV. Yes, it’s a problem – there are ever more TVs and ever fewer children.)

Одного «хорошо» на всех не хватит. (A single “ok” is not enough for everyone)

Он завсегда с народом (he is always with the people).

Хватит агитировать. Мы линию тоже чувствуем, по обстоятельствам. (Enough campaigning. We too understand the directive, according to circumstances.)

Если ребёнок плохо учится, то пусть хоть одевается хорошо. (If a child’s grades are bad, then let him at least dress well).

The most memorable philosophical ramblings of progressively drunker neighbor: Мне особо ничего не надо, окромя что есть. А у меня всё есть, что надо. (I don’t need anything other than what I have. And I have everything that I need.)

If you prefer a lighter entertainment, then I recommend watching one of the old новогодний голубой огонёк (New Year “blue light”), a traditional New Year pop-star studded program. The “blue light” refers to the flicker of blue TV screens. Watch it if you want to see all the biggest stars of Russian pop singing oldies, but goodies (sometimes with updated lyrics).

So watch up over some more Olivier salad and clink glasses full of Champaign over a yet another toast to the new beginnings. Счастливого старого Нового Года! (Happy Old New Year!)