A traditional Georgian wedding is an unforgettable event not only for the bride and groom, but also for all the numerous guests present at it. They prepare for a wedding in Georgia for a long time and thoroughly, so that the ceremony turns out luxurious and rich, the tables are full of treats, and the guests do not get bored for a minute, watching the bright and spectacular entertainment.
Customs before the wedding
A traditional Georgian wedding includes several stages, and all of them together take more than one day. This process consists of the following points:
- Machankloba (matchmaking).
- Engagement.
- Bride ransom.
- Meeting of the groom's relatives with his chosen one.
- Official part.
The main feature of the Georgian celebration is the large number of guests .
A hundred guests is not considered such a large number here. Rather, this is the minimum bar. The reason lies not only in the hospitable mentality, but also in the corresponding tradition, according to which all relatives from both newlyweds must be invited to the wedding. Violation of this custom by uninvited people can be regarded as rudeness and serve as a reason for a quarrel. For many centuries, a Georgian wedding could not be imagined without the kidnapping of the bride. This custom is familiar to many generations of Georgians, and we will tell you more about it a little later.
Matchmaking
Although the tradition of matchmaking in Georgia has a special name - Machankloba , it is not much different from the Russian ritual. At this stage, the newlyweds must obtain the approval of their future union from their parents, and if the elders are against it, then the whole wedding ends. Therefore, young people approach the preparation process very carefully. For example, they hire a professional matchmaker.
A man, along with his family, and sometimes a matchmaker, comes to the house of his future wife to obtain permission to marry. This visit is necessarily accompanied by a large number of gifts from him. The bride's relatives, in turn, arrange a magnificent feast. There should be a lot of wine on the table so that there is enough for all participants. Therefore, they stock up on alcohol in advance.
Engagement also requires special preparation from both the newlyweds and the guests.
According to national custom, the newlyweds are presented with a large number of gifts, which usually include flowers, alcoholic drinks and Georgian sweets.
Before sitting down to the table, according to custom, guests talk to each other. At the same time, men usually communicate with men, and women with women. Future spouses are sure to sit next to each other. The beginning of the feast is marked by a toast from the groom's father, who should express the joy of the union.
Engagement
When parental blessing has been received, the couple can be considered newlyweds. The newlyweds get engaged at home with the girl's parents. The bride accepts gifts from her betrothed's loved ones in the form of precious jewelry and new clothes. These items are carefully kept throughout the married life and are often passed on by inheritance. According to tradition, the purchase of rings is the responsibility of both lovers: the girl buys the wedding jewelry for the guy, the guy buys the wedding jewelry for the girl. But buying outfits for the celebration is the task of the chosen one’s family. At the same time, men's suit is also their responsibility.
At this stage, they also plan further celebrations: from choosing a date and place, to sharing expenses, for which there are no clear traditional regulations. In the old days, most often all remaining financial issues fell on the shoulders of the young man’s family. Now relatives are trying to divide the costs equally. This is understandable, because previously the amount did not include restaurant rent.
Different regions of this Caucasian country keep their own unique wedding traditions. The differences are mainly in the details, but the principles described above remain unchanged. But even among these nuances you can find something interesting.
Engagement
After matchmaking, according to tradition, it is time for engagement. On the appointed day, the relatives of the hero of the occasion and he himself come to the girl’s house. They do not appear empty-handed, but with gifts. It could be flowers, a cake, a bottle of good cognac or other gifts.
The chosen one's parents greet their dear guests with a laid table with traditional Georgian dishes. Traditions do not allow the wine on the table to run out before the guests leave the house. Therefore, there should be sufficient quantities of this drink on the table.
The guests are having a casual conversation in anticipation of the upcoming feast. The men discuss sports and can play chess. Women talk about beauty and fashion. At the festively laid table, the guy traditionally sits next to his future wife.
At the table, the young man’s father dedicates his toast to the newlywed’s family. He expresses his joy that the families will become related. He then reminds the guy that he was going to give the girl a gift. The newlywed presents a ring, which he places on the hand of his future wife. At this time, the groom's relatives present gifts to the girl's family. During the event, gifts are also presented to guests. They are given sweets and khachapuri on the way.
Interesting Facts
And among the Mingrelians, and among the Kakhetians, and among other Georgian peoples, the procedure for concluding a marriage union is almost the same. But the differences in the intervals between these stages are sometimes impressive! This is especially true when comparing flat and mountainous Georgia. If among the former, according to custom, some 2-3 weeks , then among representatives of the second group, for example, Adjarians or Svans, married spouses wait from 3 to 5 or more years before the wedding.
And in Imereti there is a custom according to which a girl after the wedding lives with her parents for another year. Such a long time was given so that the future wife could say goodbye to her father’s house. Now this period is increasingly being shortened.
There are differences in other components of the marriage ritual. Among mountain peoples, for example, it is customary for a future married couple to stay in separate rooms, with the man keeping the guests company. In these same areas there is a custom of small betrothal. The idea is that a special cape is put on the bride’s head, without which she then cannot leave the house. The action takes place with the participation of relatives on the male side, while the groom himself does not participate in this procedure. He connects only to the second part - the big engagement party, and makes sure to take his friends to it.
The wedding date was not chosen by chance ; traditional culture also has its own regulations on this matter. According to local superstitions, it is better to choose the time for this holiday in late autumn or winter. Among the days of the week Saturday , and among the lunar phases, the full moon is preferable. It is believed that choosing such a date promises the newlyweds a happy and long life together. But here, too, there are differences in different regions: for example, among the Mingrelians, Sunday is considered the most suitable day.
Of course, not all traditions have been preserved, and those that have passed through the centuries have been largely transformed to suit modern culture. Thus, no one anymore gives bulls and horses as a dowry and does not celebrate marriage all week. The trend is towards practicality - the celebration is held within a couple of days, the wait for it is shortened after the couple is married, and the young wife no longer has to cover her face with a veil. At the same time, people continue to honor key national customs in this matter and it is unlikely that anything will change in the near future. Therefore, now Georgian weddings are a mixture of the cultural heritage of their ancestors and its modern interpretation.
Home inspection
After the wedding, the wedding cortege goes to the home of the hero of the occasion. The newlyweds are greeted with a glass of good wine, but before they sip it, the groom, having climbed onto the roof, must traditionally release a white bird into the wild.
The glass of wine prepared for the newlyweds is traditionally taken first by the groom. He takes a sip and then drops his wedding ring into it. After the bride sips the wine, her chosen one takes out the ring and puts it on his girlfriend’s finger. He accompanies this action with words of eternal love.
A Georgian wedding involves the next stage - the bride’s inspection of the house where she will soon settle and become the mistress. Before entering the house, the girl and her future husband break the most beautiful plate (this is done “for luck”). While walking around the home and inspecting it, the girl must touch the boiler, symbolizing the hearth of the house.
Traditional outfits
A woman's wedding dress should consist of several layers. The first step is to put on a high-necked shirt, symbolizing feminine modesty. On top, her dress is luxurious, with rich embroidery and slits on the sleeves. And the last layer is outerwear, which should be either white or black. Important details of the image are a belt and a headdress with a veil. The neck is also decorated. It is customary for friends to do their hair. Traditionally these are two braids. But their photographs will tell you better about the beauty of Georgian brides.
The men's suit has its own name - chokha. Her choice should be made by the chosen one. Chokha consists of several elements:
- white shirt with a stand-up collar;
- outerwear with luxurious embroidery and satin lining;
- patterned belt;
- leather boots.
Kidnapping
This custom has especially declined with the passage of time and the development of culture. If before the bride was actually kidnapped , and her appearance became a surprise for the groom at the wedding ceremony itself (he had not seen her before), now marriage is always a matter of mutual consent. The latter, indeed, took place in traditional Georgian society, but it was concluded only between older relatives, and not the spouses themselves.
In defense of tradition, it is worth saying that the bride was kidnapped not only as a tribute to the foundations, but also for pragmatic reasons. When a daughter disappeared from home, her parents could not organize a magnificent holiday and save a lot on it. For poor families, this was the only available option to marry off their daughter. In modern times, kidnapping is now very rarely part of a marriage.
Wedding ceremony
Georgia has a rich religious culture, as this country was one of the first to adopt Christianity back in the 4th century. For comparison, the spread of this religion on the territory of Rus' occurred in the 11th-12th centuries. That is why the wedding here is an obligatory component of the marriage. After him, the newlyweds pass through an arch that the husband’s friends made from daggers. This represents a ritual that gives protection to the family nest of lovers.
Civil marriage
Afterwards, the couple goes to the registry office , where they will officially be made husband and wife. The celebration will continue with a photo shoot, and then the bride will get to know her new home.
Approaching the house, the newly-made wife must break several plates - to family happiness. Afterwards, her new husband must launch a white bird from the roof of the house. When all the signs are met, you can begin to celebrate the event with wine.
While the girl is getting acquainted with her new home, grains are scattered - another custom that should attract happiness under the roof of the new family. In addition to all the wedding signs listed, there are many others:
- during the inspection of the home, the bride must touch the cauldron, symbolizing the family hearth;
- she also makes 3 circles around the pot of oil;
- relatives give spouses wooden jewelry, because wood is a symbol of life;
- before the kiss, the girl smears her lips with honey - this gesture should make her speech “sweet” throughout the marriage.
Another national feature of marriage is the way the engagement ring is given to the bride. Before being placed on the ring finger, the jewelry is placed in a glass of wine .
The couple takes turns drinking the drink until a ring appears at the bottom.
Matchmaking
A Georgian wedding is not limited to just a festive feast. Wedding events stretch over several days. They include matchmaking, engagement and the wedding itself. Despite the fact that in modern society a guy and a girl meet without the participation of their parents, the marriage must still be approved by them. As soon as the chosen one(s) are approved, the next stage begins - matchmaking.
On the topic of the article: features of an Orthodox wedding
According to tradition, a young man and his relatives visit the house of his chosen one to ask for her hand in marriage. Guests are greeted with a sumptuous feast, during which the matchmakers announce the purpose of their visit. They try in every possible way to praise the young man, to present him in a favorable light to his future relatives. During the event, the bride appears, confirming her consent to the marriage. After her answer, the feast continues. Often neighbors of the receiving party are involved in the process.
After some time, the satisfied matchmakers go to the newlywed’s hut with the good news. A festive table with all kinds of dishes awaits them there.
Festive feast
Although the wedding cultures of Georgia and Russia have more in common than differences, a mandatory attribute of Russian weddings - shouting “bitter” - will not be heard here. But in this country there is an equally soulful table tradition - everyone must make a toast to the happy future of the married couple. Before the banquet they are greeted with flowers and sweets. The spouses' place is located separately from the common table and slightly rises above the guests' places.
The toastmaster at a feast is not a random person: as a rule, he is a good friend or relative of one of the families.
When the first toasts have been announced, the dance of the newlyweds is announced. Usually this is the traditional “Kartuli”. The couple carefully prepares for the dance part, taking choreography lessons from masters. But not only is there no Georgian wedding without a cheerful dance - songs are also an integral part of it. Both professional musicians and the guests themselves sing.
If we had to highlight 3 main features of the Caucasian festival, then to the 2 previous points - cheerful dances and songs, we must definitely add a generously laid table. It is not customary to skimp here on anything, but on treating guests - there are few places where you can see such an abundance of food at an ordinary wedding banquet.
Returning to customs, they manifest themselves even in the process of cutting a birthday cake. The newlyweds divide it into pieces together, and the first portion is given by the husband to the most dear guest.
Nowadays, the celebration is usually held in a restaurant. The main dishes on the table, in addition to the special wedding soup, are ajapsandal, meat, khachapuri, kebabs, dolma, cheeses, fruits, national sweets and other delicacies. Of course, there is no holiday without wine, which is paired with cognac.
A real Georgian wedding is always a magnificent and cheerful celebration, which, once you have attended, you are unlikely to forget. The country deeply respects family values and the cultural heritage of their ancestors. That is why they treat the wedding celebration with all seriousness and soul.
Georgian toasts for a wedding
As we have already noted, toasts play an important role in the celebration. Let's give an example of some beautiful congratulations.
“Georgia has a wonderful way to live a long life. It is believed that time spent with guests does not count towards age. Therefore, let’s drink to our guests, who extended the lives of everyone present at the wedding!”
“In the Caucasus they say: if you want to live in one place for a month, plant a cornfield there, if for a year, build a house, and if you want to live your whole life, raise a child. So let the young people sow more than one cornfield, build a wonderful house and raise more than one child!”
“A man from the East is a heat-loving man. He vitally needs the sun's rays. But we are not only talking about the sun. He can easily be replaced by his beloved woman, who will envelop him in affection and warmth even during terrible bad weather. Let's raise a glass to the bride who was able to warm up our groom. Let her love and tenderness continue to warm him and serve as support in any adversity.”
Georgian traditions
The wedding celebration often begins after the Georgian wedding takes place in the church. The feast is organized by the groom's party, and it can last from two days to a week. In some areas of the country, the tradition of separation of newlyweds after the wedding has been preserved. For a year, the bride and groom must live separately, each with their parents.
In some regions, wedding traditions vary. But the modern ceremony as a whole has many similarities: wedding gifts, the exchange of surnames, a verbal invitation to the wedding, as well as the participation of some of the actors in the ceremony. At a wedding there must be a director and a best man, the latter then becomes the godparent of the newlyweds' first child. The steward can be a single person of the same age as the groom, who is his paternal relative. The best man does not have to be a relative, but must be part of the groom's family.
Also, in all regions of Georgia, the groom must pay the bride price. The ransom ritual today involves the presentation of gifts to the bride's side. The fee may vary depending on the wealth of the groom. In addition, gifts are given on the day of engagement. At the same time, the groom presents the bride with a ring. The groom's side rewards the bride by presenting her with expensive jewelry. When the feast ends, the bride's parents present their gifts to the guests, which most often are some kind of neutral item of clothing. When escorting them out of the house, they give gifts - traditional sweets and khachapuri.
