Wedding in the Yaroslavl Church of the Epiphany

When two people who truly love each other want to spend their entire lives together, they tie their lives together in holy matrimony. In the Gospel, the wedding is compared to the mysterious union of Christ with the Church. A wedding is a sacred rite of the seven sacraments, the union of two loving souls in the face of the Lord. Previously, church marriage was not given much importance. The main thing was to sign at the registry office. But in recent years, more and more young couples have appeared seeking to unite their lives with sacred bonds. The wedding ceremony has certain canons. Let's look at the rules for getting married in a church.

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Tip 3:Bride's wedding dress

What should a wedding dress be like? The concepts of a wedding dress and a wedding dress are different from each other. Nowadays, brides are not treated as strictly in their appearance as before. But still lovers adhere to the rules. When a bride gets married in a church, her dress should be modest. According to the rules of church traditions, the legs must be completely covered, but a neckline and a beautiful cutout on the back are allowed. The color of the wedding dress should be light tones, preferably white. White color is a symbol of purity and innocence. The bride is prohibited from getting married in dark and bright colors. The head must be covered with a veil or a light scarf. A hat is allowed. A delicate wreath can decorate a beautiful bride’s hairstyle. Before entering the church, the bride's shoulders and arms are covered with a cape. The bride's shoes should be closed. It is believed that wearing sandals to get married is a bad omen. It has long been believed that a wedding dress should have a long train. The longer the train, the happier the family life will be.

Tip 4: Choosing a wedding day

In order to set a date for a wedding in a church, you must first familiarize yourself with the 2014 wedding calendar. In it you will find out which days it is allowed to get married and which days it is not. A favorable day for a wedding is Sunday. Since most couples tend to get married on this day, it is necessary to set a time for the ritual in advance. Wedding ceremonies are also held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Weddings usually do not take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The ritual lasts several hours. Therefore, it is held in the daytime, but not closer to the evening. The Orthodox Church has both favorable and “forbidden” days for weddings. What days are these?

• Christmas time;
• Eve of the Presentation of the Lord;
• Maslenitsa;
• Eve of the Annunciation;
• Lent;
• Easter;
• Day of the Ascension of the Lord;

• Day of the Holy Trinity;
• Petrov post;
• Assumption Fast;
• Nativity;
• Day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross;
• Christmas post.

Wedding

Sacrament of wedding

One of the most important events in the life of every person is approaching - the birth of a new family.
Surely, you have heard that marriages take place not only on earth, but also in heaven. We are talking about Wedding - one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church.

In this section you will receive information about what can interfere with the Wedding, how to prepare for it and how to behave during the ceremony.

Church-canonical obstacles to marriage

The Orthodox Church clearly defines the reasons why the Sacrament of Marriage cannot be performed. They are as follows.

• Marriage is not allowed more than three times.
• It is prohibited for persons who are in close degrees of relationship, up to the fourth degree (that is, with a second cousin) to enter into Marriage.
• A Church Marriage is impossible if one of the spouses (or both) declare themselves atheists and want to get married, guided by extraneous motives.
• A couple is not married if at least one of the future spouses is not baptized and is not ready to be baptized before the wedding.
• A marriage is not celebrated if one of the parties is actually married to another person. If this marriage is civil, then it must be dissolved in accordance with the procedure established by state law. If it is church, then the bishop’s permission is required for its dissolution and blessing for entering into a new Marriage.
• An obstacle to marriage is the spiritual relationship between godfathers who baptized one child and between godparents and godchildren.
• The marriage will not be celebrated if at least one of the spouses professes a non-Christian religion (Muslim, Judaism, Buddhism). But a marriage performed according to a Catholic or Protestant rite, as well as a non-Christian marriage, if even only one of the spouses has joined the Orthodox Church, can be considered valid at their request. When both spouses, whose marriage was concluded according to a non-Christian rite, convert to Christianity, it is not necessary to perform a wedding, since their marriage is sanctified by the grace of Baptism.
• You cannot marry those who have taken monastic vows, as well as priests and deacons after their ordination.

The age of majority, the mental and physical health of the bride and groom, and the voluntariness of their marriage are mandatory conditions for registering a civil marriage. Therefore, the Church does not take part in clarifying these circumstances, but requires from those who come to the Sacrament of Wedding a certificate of state registration of marriage.

The absence of parental blessing for the wedding (especially when they are atheists) in the event of the age of majority of the bride and groom cannot prevent the wedding.

The wedding is not taking place

• during all four multi-day fasts;
• during Cheese Week (Maslenitsa);
• on Bright (Easter) Week;
• during the Christmastide period: from the Nativity of Christ (January 7, according to the current style) to the Epiphany (January 19, according to the current style);
• on the eve of the twelve and great holidays;
• on the eve of fasting days - Wednesday and Friday, as well as on Saturdays throughout the year;
• on the eve and on the day of the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist (September 10 and 11 according to the present day);
• on the eve and on the day of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 26 and 27 according to the present day);
• on the eve of the patronal feast days of the temple in which they plan to perform the Sacrament.

An exception to these rules can be made only with the blessing of the ruling bishop, and then in the presence of emergency circumstances.

Who and where performs the sacrament of marriage?

The sacrament can only be performed by a legally appointed “white” priest who is not under canonical prohibition. The monastic priesthood, according to custom, does not perform weddings. The son or daughter of a priest must be married by another priest, but if this is not possible, the father can do it.

Each couple must be married separately. Canonical regulations do not allow the simultaneous wedding of several couples. Unfortunately, in modern conditions (due to the large number of couples getting married in one church) this rule is often not observed. The marriage is performed by one priest and, if there is a full-time deacon in the church, he will co-serve with the one performing the Sacrament.

The place where the Sacrament is performed is any Orthodox church. A wedding, as a moment of great celebration, is shared with the newlyweds by parents, relatives, friends and, in general, all the people close to them.

What should the bridegroom do before performing the sacrament?

There is no question about a specific wedding venue for people who are regular parishioners of a particular church. Of course, the Sacrament must be performed in “one’s” temple; if for any reason the confessor serves in another church, then the wedding can take place there. Those who do not belong to one or another parish must decide where the wedding will take place. After the choice is made, some organizational issues need to be resolved.

Many temples have pre-registration, and the problem with it must be resolved in advance. Any relative can do this; the presence of the bride and groom is not necessary. If there is a desire for a specific priest to perform the wedding, it is necessary to discuss this issue with him, otherwise the Sacrament will be performed by the priest whose “turn” falls on that day.

Since the separation of the Church and the state, church Marriage has no civil legal force, therefore the Wedding is performed on those who have registered a civil marriage, this means that you need to “sign” before you come to the temple. If there are canonical obstacles to marriage, you must personally contact the office of the ruling bishop or his vicar. If your question is resolved positively, he will put forward a resolution according to which the wedding can be performed in any church in the diocese.

The most important question facing a couple wishing to get married is sharing Communion before the Sacrament of Marriage. This tradition has been preserved since the first centuries of Christianity, when the Sacrament of Marriage was performed during the Divine Liturgy. To prepare for Communion on the wedding day, several conditions must be met.

• Fast (that is, do not eat meat and dairy foods, and if possible, then fish) for three days or at least one day before the wedding.
• Do not eat, drink or smoke anything the day before, from 12 o'clock at night.
• If you have already had an intimate life before the wedding, you must abstain from marital relations for three days or do this at least on the last day before the wedding.
• It is recommended to read the prescribed prayers before Communion: the three canons (to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel) and the Follow-up to Holy Communion.

If fulfilling these conditions for some reason is impossible, you need to go to the priest and take a blessing on how to prepare for the Sacrament in your life circumstances.

Some time before the wedding it is necessary to prepare

• wedding rings, which must be given in advance to the wedding priest or to the candle box;
• the so-called wedding pair of icons;

  with the image of the Savior;

  with the image of the Mother of God;

• wedding candles;
• towel (towel).

On the wedding day, the bride and groom must come to the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, where they will pray, confess and receive Holy Communion. It is advisable for friends and relatives of the newlyweds to be present at the Liturgy, but, as a last resort, they can come at the beginning of the Wedding

It is better for the bride to wear comfortable shoes rather than high-heeled shoes, which are difficult to stand on for a long time. Before the wedding, you need to find out whether this temple allows you to take photographs and film the wedding with a video camera in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Since women must have their heads covered during worship, the bride also needs to have some kind of headdress. In addition, for the duration of the Sacrament, it is better for her to do without makeup (or with a minimum amount of it) and unnecessary jewelry. The wedding couple must have crosses.

The best men, whose presence during the Wedding is explained by tradition, are not persons participating in the Sacrament sacramentally, like, for example, successors at Baptism. Previously, both best men, or, as they were called, “friends of the groom,” were, in accordance with the rules of church practice, of the same gender—male. The fact that the current tradition instructs groomsmen to hold crowns over the bride and groom does not correspond to church practice. This, for the most part, only indicates that the bride or groom is afraid of damaging their hair or headdress with crowns and therefore considers it inconvenient to put them on their heads. It is clear that such motivations of the newly created tradition have nothing to do with the essence of the Sacrament. If, after all, those getting married want groomsmen to hold crowns over their heads, they must at least be of the Orthodox faith

Superstitions associated with the sacrament of weddings

There are many superstitions associated with the Wedding, as well as with the Sacrament of Anointing, but their nature is somewhat different. More precisely, their nature is the same - pagan fables; simply “wedding” prejudices are “more recent,” that is, some of them arose in a not so long ago period.

Such beliefs include the fact that an accidentally dropped ring or an extinguished wedding candle foreshadows misfortune, sorrow in marriage or the early death of one of the spouses. There is a widespread superstition that, from the first steps of a new family, provokes its members to display pride and resist the will of God. It lies in the fact that the one of the couple who first steps on the spread towel will dominate the family all his life. Therefore, sometimes even at weddings of more or less church-going youth you can see the bride’s desire to have her foot there first.

Another fable says: whose candle after the Sacrament turns out to be shorter will die earlier. “Philologists” did not stand aside either: basing their “theological opinion” on the similar sound of the roots of different words, they convince that you cannot get married in May, “then you will suffer all your life.” All these pagan notions expose the lack of faith, disbelief, dense ignorance of their followers, and simply a reluctance to think.

Wedding sequence

The bride and groom, holding lit candles in their hands, solemnly go out into the middle of the temple. They are preceded by a priest with a censer. The choir sings Psalm 127, glorifying marriage blessed by God.

The bride and groom stand on a white or pink cloth spread on the floor in front of the lectern. The cross, Gospel and crowns lie right there on the lectern.

Then the priest asks the groom: “Do you have a sincere and spontaneous desire and firm intention to be the husband of this (name of the bride) whom you see here before you?” Answer: “I have, honest father.”

Question: “Are you bound by a promise to another bride?” Answer: “No, not connected.”

The priest then asks the bride:

“Do you have a sincere and spontaneous desire and firm intention to be the wife of this (name of the groom) whom you see in front of you?” Answer: “I have, honest father.”

Question: “Aren’t you bound by a promise to another groom?” Answer: “No, not connected.”

These questions clarify whether there were formal promises to marry some third party and whether each of the spouses entered into an illegal relationship or dependence that in one way or another obliges him in relation to this person.

After this, with a liturgical exclamation - “Blessed is the Kingdom...” - the Wedding begins.

After a short litany about the mental and physical well-being of the bride and groom, the priest says three prayers: “Most Pure God and Creator of all creation...”, “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God...” and “Holy God, who created man from the dust...”.

After these prayers comes the main moment of the Sacrament.

The priest, taking the crown, marks the groom with a cross and gives him to kiss the image of the Savior. This can be done either once or three times (there are different traditions, since the missal does not clearly indicate how many times this action must be repeated).

When crowning the groom, the priest says: “The servant of God (name) is being married to the servant of God (name), in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Having blessed the bride in the same way and allowing her to venerate the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, the priest crowns her, saying: “The servant of God (name) is married to the servant of God (name), in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Then the priest pronounces the mystical words three times, blessing both with the priestly blessing: “Lord our God, crown (them) with glory and honor!”

The crowns placed on the heads of the bride and groom in the Sacrament of Wedding have three symbolic meanings.

• Royal crowns, the wearing of which proclaims honor and glory to man as the king of creation. The bride and groom become for each other in a real sense - king and queen.
• Martyr's crowns, symbolizing the martyrdom of spouses who crucify their own selfishness every day in marriage.
• The crowns of the Kingdom of God, the path to which is opened by a godly life in marriage.

After pronouncing the secret formula, the prokeimenon is pronounced:

“Thou hast placed crowns on their heads, from honorable stones, asking for life from Thee, and thou hast given them.”

Verse: “Because you have blessed them forever and ever, make (them) glad with Thy countenance.”

Then the 230th conception from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians (Eph. 5: 20-33) is read: giving thanks always for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church, and He is the Savior of the body. But just as the Church submits to Christ, so do wives to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her, in order to sanctify her, cleansing her with the washing of water through the word; that he might present it to himself as a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish. Thus should husbands love their wives as their own bodies: he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and warms it, just as the Lord does the Church, because we are members of His body, from His flesh and from His bones. Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great; I speak in relation to Christ and the Church. So let each of you love his wife as himself; and let the wife be afraid of her husband.

(Note: For a better understanding of the meaning of the Apostolic and Gospel readings, they are given in Russian.)

The last words of the reading: “Let the wife fear her husband” often seduce those getting married, giving rise to thoughts about the “medieval darkness and downtroddenness” of the woman, and therefore some effort is required to understand the meaning of what is being read. Of course, there are no despotic calls in the apostolic reading. There are lofty thoughts here that visit the hearts of spouses when there is true love between them: they are afraid of saddening a loving person and breaking the sacred unity bestowed among themselves in the Sacrament. This applies to both the wife and the husband. Therefore, being members of the Church and particles of the fullness of the Church, they are equal to each other, having one head - the Lord Jesus Christ.

After the Apostle, the Gospel of John is read (John 2: 1-11): On the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the Mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and His disciples were also invited to a wedding. And because there was a shortage of wine, the Mother of Jesus said to Him: They have no wine. Jesus says to Her: What do I and You have, Woman? My hour has not yet come. His mother said to the servants: whatever He tells you, do it. There were six stone waterpots here, standing according to the custom of Jewish purification, containing two or three measures. Jesus says to them: Fill the vessels with water. And they filled them to the top. And he says to them: Now draw some and bring it to the master of the feast. And they carried it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine - and he did not know where this wine came from, only the servants who drew the water knew - then the steward calls the groom and says to him: every person first serves good wine, and when they get drunk, then the worst; and you have saved good wine until now. Thus Jesus began miracles in Cana of Galilee and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

After reading the Gospel, a short petition and prayer is said for the newlyweds: “Lord our God, in salvation...”.

Then the priest proclaims: “And grant us, Master, with boldness, without condemnation, to call on You, Heavenly God the Father, and say…”, and the newlyweds, together with all those present, sing the prayer “Our Father.”

A common cup of wine is brought, over which the priest reads a prayer asking for a blessing “for those joining in the communion of Marriage.”

The priest, having signed the chalice with the sign of the cross, gives it three times, first to the groom, then to the bride. The common cup symbolizes such a union of newlyweds, when all joys and sorrows, without exception, are common.

Then the priest connects the husband’s right hand with the wife’s right hand, covering them with the stole and his own hand, and circles the newlyweds three times around the lectern. At the same time, the solemn troparia “Isaiah, rejoice...”, “Holy Martyrs” and “Glory to Thee, Christ God, praise to the apostles, joy to the martyrs, and their sermon is the Trinity of the Consubstantial” are sung. The circle that the newlyweds make three times around the lectern symbolizes the eternal procession that began for them on this day.

After this, the priest removes the crowns from the spouses, greeting them with the following words: “Be magnified, O bride, like Abraham, and blessed, like Isaac, and multiplied, like Jacob, walk in peace and do the righteousness of the commandments of God.”

“And you, bride, have been magnified like Sarah, and you have rejoiced like Rebecca, and you have multiplied like Rachel, rejoicing over your husband, keeping the limits of the law, for God is so pleased.”

Then follow the prayers: “God, our God...”, “Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit...” and “Prayer for the permission of crowns on the last day”, at the end of which the newlyweds congratulate each other with a kiss.

The Dismissal is pronounced, and the newlyweds are led to the Royal Doors, where the groom kisses the icon of the Savior, and the bride kisses the image of the Mother of God, and vice versa.

Many years are proclaimed to the newlyweds, and all those present congratulate them on their marriage.

Tip 5: Necessary actions before the wedding

Having set a date for the ceremony, the newlyweds will have to choose the church where the ritual will be held. The wedding is carried out by appointment after a conversation with the priest. During the conversation, in addition to discussing the wedding date, important questions will be asked to the bride and groom.

What will the priest ask?

• are you baptized?
• whether you decided to get married in a church voluntarily, out of love;
• are you planning to have children?
• whether you were previously married or not;
• will you sign?

You must answer the priest's questions honestly. The bride and groom can also ask the priest about anything of interest. Discuss the nuances that are necessary during the wedding, clarify approximately how long the wedding will last, and whether photography is allowed in the church. You can decide for yourself whether to receive communion or not. If the bride is pregnant, she must tell her about it. You need to make sure whether a pregnant woman can get married in a church. Some priests do not marry pregnant women, but many, on the contrary, happily perform this ritual.

Second marriage.

The church looks disapprovingly on second marriage. She allows it only as condescension to human weaknesses. In general, the second marriage did not receive a church blessing for a long time. Now the church has begun to allow the blessing of second and even third marriages.

Now the wedding is distinguished by two prayers of repentance. The betrothal is completed, there are no questions about voluntary and unforced marriage, crowns are laid.

According to the rite of a second marriage, a wedding takes place only if both the bride and groom enter into a second (or third) marriage. If one of them marries for the first time, the wedding takes place according to the usual rites.

Tip 6: What you need for a wedding

Preparations for the wedding should take place in love and in a good mood. To perform the ritual you need:

• two icons: Christ the Savior and the Mother of God. With these icons, the bride and groom receive blessings during their wedding.
• wedding rings. These rings are a symbol of the inseparability of marriage bonds and eternal love.
• white towel and wedding candles. Candles should be held in the hands of the bride and groom as a symbol of their love. White towels are intended for the newlyweds to stand on during the ritual. This symbolizes the purity of marriage.

Useful tips for the bride and groom

Many couples on their wedding day in the palace feel some excitement, awkwardness and even fear when officially getting married. Our useful tips will help you avoid such feelings, and surrender completely to the atmosphere of the holiday and enjoy your happy day.

And so that on the wedding day there are no unpleasant nuances when concluding a marriage, it is worth doing several tasks:

• Double-check that you have not forgotten all the essentials for the ceremony - passports, wedding rings, champagne, sweets and other things important to you;
• Often several more couples are scheduled on the same day. And although your time has long been indicated, it is worth arriving 15-20 minutes earlier than the appointed time. It’s better to wait a couple of minutes than not be on time for your own wedding and wait until the next couple signs again;
• Also, you shouldn’t invite all your guests to the Palace. No, of course, that's your right. But when two, sometimes three pairs of newlyweds meet in a room with many guests, then it becomes hot, stuffy, and uncomfortable. You don't have enough space for possible photos in the foyer or hallway. It is better to limit yourself to 20-25 invitees, and invite the rest immediately to the banquet. The festive atmosphere of your day will in no way deteriorate;
• Make sure that your guests' cell phones are turned off or the ringer is muted during the ceremony. It is unlikely that you will like the sound of a telephone that rings at the most crucial moment. Of course, it is better to entrust such a task to parents or witnesses who would warn the guests.

Tip 7: How the ritual works

Many couples do not get married right away. They live together for some time, testing their relationship. And if they come to a mutual decision to get married in church, they set a date for the ceremony after the anniversary of their life together. But the majority of young people decide to sign and get married on the day of the painting. After registering the marriage in the registry office, they arrive at the church in order to legitimize their relationship before God. How is the wedding ceremony going in 2014? Having arrived at the temple, accompanied by guests, the newlyweds await the start of the festive liturgy.

This ritual includes two stages:

• engagement;
• wedding.

The Deacon comes out to the newlyweds, holding a tray with wedding rings in his hand. The priest hands the lit wedding candles into the hands of the bride and groom. He then suggests that the newlyweds exchange wedding rings three times. Before this, the priest must consecrate the rings. Three times the bride and groom move the rings on a tray to each other. This ritual is performed as a sign of unity and mutuality in marriage.

Then the most interesting part begins - the climax of the wedding sacrament. The priest marks the groom in a cross shape with the help of a crown. He brings to him the image of Christ the Savior, attached to his crown, so that he kisses him. The priest then places the crown on the groom's head. The same thing awaits the bride. But attached to her crown is the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Due to the voluminous hairstyle or tiara, the crown is not placed on the bride’s head, so it falls to the witness to hold it. This ritual lasts about 20 minutes. The ritual with crowns is a symbol of the fact that they have forever become king and queen for each other. If one of the newlyweds is getting married for the second time, the crown is not placed on the head, but is held above the shoulder. And if she is getting married for the third time, then the ceremony is performed without crowns at all. After the ceremony of laying crowns, the newlyweds are presented with a cup of wine. The priest says a prayer and illuminates this cup with a cross and presents it to the spouses. They gradually drink this cup in three doses. This ritual symbolizes a single destiny. Then the newlyweds become one. Then the priest joins the young people’s right hands and circles them three times around the lectern. This means that they will always go through life hand in hand. The newlyweds are led to the royal doors, where the groom kisses the image of the Savior. And the bride of the Mother of God. Then they must exchange places. Here the groom must kiss the image of the Mother of God, and the bride must kiss the Savior. Next, after the ceremony in front of the royal doors, the stage of kissing the Cross begins. At this stage, the groom is presented with an icon of the Savior, and the bride is given the Mother of God. Upon arrival at their home, they will have to hang them over the marriage bed.

At the end of the ceremony, many years are pronounced for the newlyweds and everyone congratulates the newlyweds. Guests can give gifts directly to the church. After the completion of the wedding sacrament, the newlyweds, together with their family and friends, go on a wedding walk.

Video: “Wedding in the Cathedral of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul”

Important little things

This category includes items that newlyweds usually do not pay attention to until the last day, and then in a hurry choose the first thing that catches their eye. It is their acquisition that should be taken care of first. First of all, we’ll make a list, and we’ll move through it sequentially to calculate the total cost. List of important little things :

1. Candles for weddings.
2. Shawls.
3. Cushion for rings.
4. Icons of the Savior and the Virgin Mary.
5. Pectoral crosses that newlyweds should have.
6. A piece of white linen or towel.
7. Headdress for the bride.
8. Church wine.

Candles

This is a necessary attribute of a wedding. For a long time, while the priest is performing the ceremony, the newlyweds will hold lit candles in their hands. They are quite large and beautifully decorated. Later, during various family holidays, many consider it necessary to relight this wedding fire. The choice of specific candles is purely a matter of taste. Their cost can fluctuate greatly. Here everything depends on the shape and quality of the candles themselves, because they can be made from natural wax, which is somewhat more expensive than artificial paraffin. In addition, the decorations used for decoration also play a role. So, depending on all these factors, newlyweds will pay from 200 to 2,000 rubles per couple for wedding candles.

Find out all the rules for getting married in the Orthodox Church from our article. In this review, we will tell you which hand the wedding ring is worn on. Here: https://banquettes.ru/prazdniki/religioznyie/drevnerusskie/krestinyi/osnovnyie-pravila-rebenka.html - you can read the rules for baptizing a child.

Handkerchiefs

The tradition that requires covering the hands of young people during a wedding is quite old. Its meaning is purely practical. Scarves are used so that the newlyweds can hold candles without fear of getting burned or dirty. In addition, the witnesses will hold special crowns over the heads of the newlyweds. In most cases, this should not be done with open hands, so handkerchiefs are useful here too. Therefore, four of them need to be prepared. Almost always these are thin fabric rectangles decorated with embroidery and lace. Their cost may vary depending on the fabric and decorations. You can also purchase special potholders designed specifically for this purpose in church shops and specialized stores. The cost of one handkerchief can start from 100 rubles. The average price for a set of two pieces is about 350–400 rubles. Special potholders are much more convenient. Their cost is higher - about 800–900 rubles per pair.

Ring pad

It is used to make the wedding ceremony even more beautiful. This pillow is usually small - its edge is about 15-17 cm. In terms of design style, it is desirable that it matches the candles and handkerchiefs for them. The average price is approximately 350 rubles, and it depends directly on the materials and the quality of the work itself. So, for example, a handmade pillow will be much more expensive – from 1000 rubles.

Icons

Not a single wedding can take place without icons of the Mother of God and the Savior. After all, they symbolize that the bride and groom become king and queen for each other. It is advisable that these icons be pre-consecrated. Both of them are made in the same style and usually come in two classic sizes - 31 by 27 cm or 24 by 20 cm. The materials used are also different. The cost depends on many factors, most of them have already been mentioned - size, materials, quality and type of work. The average price for a “small” set ranges from 15–20 thousand rubles . Larger icons will cost more - about 24-30 thousand rubles. More expensive options reach 100 and even 200 thousand.

Pectoral crosses

At the wedding ceremony you must only wear a cross. Usually baptized Orthodox Christians have this thing. But if the cross is lost, then you definitely need to buy and consecrate a new one. In many cases, these objects are made of wood or silver, less often - of gold. Depending on the complexity of the work and materials, the price will vary greatly. Wooden crosses made of valuable wood can be equal in price to silver ones. Sometimes they are even more expensive – from 3–3.5 thousand rubles. Gold and platinum – from 5–6 thousand.

Wedding towels

You definitely need two of them. The newlyweds will stand on the first towel. The second is necessary so that the young people’s hands are tied together. This tradition is necessarily included in the ritual. It is precisely because towels have different purposes that they will differ from each other. The second should be more subtle and gentle, so that the bride and groom feel comfortable. However, it is still advisable to maintain a uniform design style. The cost of such towels ranges from 2–3 thousand rubles per piece. However, hand embroidery, lace and hemstitching can significantly increase this amount.

Bride's headdress

The bride's head must be covered, since the entire ceremony is performed in the temple. This can be an ordinary veil, just not too long and fluffy so as not to set it on fire with candles. Even a regular light-colored headscarf or headscarf will do. However, more often brides prefer more sophisticated and comfortable special bonnets or capes for weddings. They are made of thin translucent fabric and decorated with lace. There are options entirely lace. The average cost of a bonnet or cape is about 3–3.5 thousand. However, simpler scarves and scarves will be much cheaper - from 500–600 rubles.

Wine

For a wedding, wine is also required, which is used for a ceremony called the “cup of fellowship.” Wine is a symbol of a strong, wonderful drink into which the water of the relationship between spouses will turn year after year. The most common and classic option is “Cahors”. “Sherry” is also often used, which, like the previous variety, belongs to red fortified wines. The cost of wine directly depends on the producer and aging. The minimum price for a bottle of a good drink is about 700–800 rubles.
More expensive wines can cost newlyweds 7–10 thousand.

Tip 8: In what cases is a wedding impossible?

There are certain wedding rules. If they are violated, the wedding becomes impossible.

In what cases does a wedding become impossible?

• if one of the spouses has been married three times before;
• if the newlyweds are relatives (up to the fourth degree);
• if one of the young people adheres to atheism; - if one of the spouses is not baptized and does not intend to be baptized;
• if one of the spouses belongs to a different religion and does not intend to perform baptism;
• if one of the spouses is already married;
• if the newlyweds have not yet registered their relationship with the state.

We invite you to watch a video from which you will receive a lot of useful information about the sacrament of wedding and how to prepare for it.

Tip 8: How much does a wedding cost?

The cost of a wedding in a church depends on the temple in which the newlyweds decided to hold the ceremony. Temples set prices differently. There are churches where the price is set indefinitely, that is, how much money the newlyweds can contribute to donate to the temple. In other cases, wedding prices vary from 500 to 2000 rubles.

Tell us in the comments about how your wedding ceremony went. What emotions did you experience during this wonderful ritual? Did you follow all the wedding rules?