How to greet young parents of the groom? Meeting the newlyweds with a loaf: traditions, customs

08/09/2020 Zoryan Freidovich Interesting A wedding is a holiday for two young people who decided to unite their destinies. At different times and in different countries, this celebration took place and takes place with its own characteristics, depending on the traditions and rituals that are present in society. In our country, a special place at a wedding belongs to the parents of the groom, because they are the ones who meet the newlyweds after the wedding ceremony. But how to greet the groom’s young parents is determined by each family independently, based on its life experience and existing traditions.

Where and when should the groom's parents meet the newlyweds?

In those days when there were no such institutions as the registry office, the wedding ceremony was held in the church. And after the wedding, the groom’s parents met the newlyweds in their house, since it was customary that the young family would live in the husband’s house.

Today, the meeting of newlyweds after the registry office has become more common. This is due to the fact that not all young couples get married, and sometimes they postpone the wedding ceremony in the church to another day. The newlyweds are still greeted by the groom's parents; more precisely, the main role in holding this event belongs to the mother-in-law.

Another change that modernity has made to the ancient custom is that now parents meet the newlyweds at the entrance not to the groom’s house, but to a restaurant or any other establishment where such an important event is celebrated. After all, previously, weddings were always held at home, but now preference is increasingly given to restaurants, so going home just so as not to violate the ancient custom is not entirely reasonable.

Parents' speech

Not everyone can speak beautiful words. Even if parents prepare, excitement and joy for their children can ruin expectations. For this reason, the toastmaster should have small cheat sheets with simple and warm words addressed to the children. He may suggest using a universal option for both families.

Example text for mother-in-law: “Dear son! Today you have become independent and adult. You brought your wife to our house and put a ring on her finger. This is a joyful moment for us, because we have acquired a daughter who will love us no less than you and take care of us in old age. We are glad to welcome her not only into our home, but also into our hearts. Thanks for the good choice."

An example of a text for a mother-in-law: “Beloved daughter! Today the most significant moment in your life happened - you became a wife. We raised you, cherished you and loved you so that now you show the same feelings towards your husband. Take care of him, take care, and he will always be a stone wall and protection for you. We bless your marriage, may it last long and continue in heaven.”

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You can pronounce original words if the parents want, but it is better to stick to this plan for constructing your speech.

What traditions exist for newlyweds to be welcomed by the groom's parents?

There is no single opinion on how to meet the groom's young parents, so everyone chooses the option that both of them like best

families and their close relatives. The main goal of this event is to bring prosperity to the newlyweds in their future lives.

One of the most common customs is the meeting of the bride and groom with bread and salt. Some parents prefer to greet their children with glasses filled with wine. There are also people who believe that the main attribute of a wedding is the wedding loaf, and it is this that the mother of the groom should hold in her hands when the newlyweds meet. Believing parents prefer to greet young people with icons.

An integral part of the wedding event called “meeting of the newlyweds” is the showering of the bride and groom with grain, sweets, rose petals or confetti. This ceremony is performed by the mother-in-law, sometimes guests join her.

Who greets the newlyweds with a loaf of bread at a wedding?

Before the arrival of the newlyweds, the toastmaster organizes the guests, building a “living” corridor. Packages with wheat, buckwheat, coins and rose petals are distributed . It is worth warning those who meet you that it is better to throw solid objects at the level of the young people’s waist, as if covering their life’s path with wealth, prosperity and wishing for a new addition to the family. Flower petals, on the contrary, are thrown upward over the heads of the newlyweds , creating a rain of light and fragrant leaves.

The newlyweds walk along this corridor and at the end, on the threshold of the building, the groom's parents meet the newlyweds. Previously, the girl came to her husband’s house, where she was met by the boy’s parents and all his relatives.

The bride was accepted into the family and blessed with an icon and a loaf of bread

If families decide to adhere to traditions, then when the newlyweds meet, the groom’s mother holds a loaf of bread at the wedding on a beautiful towel, embroidered in wedding traditions, and the groom’s father holds an icon. In addition, the bride's parents can hold a tray with champagne glasses and apple halves for snacking.

Then the newlyweds drink champagne and break the glasses for good luck. By the fragments you can determine who will be the first-born - a boy or a girl. If there are more large fragments, then a son will be born, if there are more small ones, then a daughter. After this, the young people bow to their parents , thanking them for their care and science, and their parents say parting words and congratulations. The parents' speech should not be too long so as not to tire those present, since there will still be an opportunity to say words of congratulations during the banquet.

What do parents need to prepare to welcome the newlyweds?

It is important for the groom’s parents to think in advance about what rituals they will perform when meeting their son and daughter-in-law, and to prepare all the necessary attributes for this. Moreover, it is better to do this in advance, so that at the most crucial moment it does not turn out that something is missing at hand.

So, first of all, think about what words you will use to greet your children. And if you are afraid of forgetting your speech, write it on a piece of paper. To carry out the rituals you will need icons, bread and salt or a loaf, two towels - one for the bread and the other for the feet of the newlyweds, two new glasses, champagne, as well as grain, candy or rose petals, which you will sprinkle on the newlyweds when entering the restaurant .

Scenario for a meeting

The sequence of remarks and actions may vary. As an example, here is a scenario that is suitable for most newlyweds.

How to present a loaf

After the speech, the mother-in-law invites each of the newlyweds to bite off a loaf or simply break off a piece. At the same time, she must say that the size of the piece will tell about who will be the head of the family. If the bride managed to bite off more, you need to praise her for her thriftiness.

After this, another small competition is held to see who can eat their slice the fastest. When a wife wins, they talk about her efficiency in everyday life. If the groom comes first, his appetite and physical strength are praised. A draw is a sign of agreement and unanimity. The main thing in this case for the mother-in-law and father-in-law is to find creative words that will not offend anyone.

Champagne in glasses

The drink with which the loaf is washed down serves as a symbol of readiness to go through all the tests together and drink more than one liter of tears. Champagne, due to its light color, is more popular than wine, which can stain suits. The father-in-law suggests not drinking it yourself, but giving each other a drink without spilling a drop. If this fails, you can support the zeal of the newlyweds by saying that everyone is ready to shed tears if only the spouse gets less.

How newlyweds should behave when they meet the groom's parents

The newlyweds, approaching the groom's house or the entrance to the restaurant where their parents meet them, and stepping onto the towel laid out for them, must first bow to their parents three times and cross themselves (if they meet with an icon).

Next, if they are greeted with a loaf of bread or bread and salt, break off a piece of it and let each other taste it. At this stage, you can determine who will be the head of the new family - it depends on who broke off a piece of bread or loaf faster. If the spouses managed to do this at the same time, then you can be sure that there will be harmony and order in everything in their home.

After the parents serve the newlyweds glasses filled with champagne, they must mark them with the sign of the cross three times, which will protect them from possible troubles. Next, the bride and groom should sip a little champagne from the glasses, pour the rest behind their backs, and then break the glasses. After the meeting ceremony, the newlyweds can safely head to the hall to continue the celebration.

How is it customary today to greet young people after the registry office?

Upon completion of marriage registration or after the wedding, already being husband and wife, the young couple meets their loved ones for the first time in the status of spouses. This meeting marks the acceptance of the groom's daughter-in-law into the family and includes three stages. The first stage is a rain of grains and petals. The second is a wedding loaf with salt. The third is breaking glasses for good luck.

Initially, the invited guests line up in two lines towards the threshold of the house (now most often it is a restaurant), where the parents stand. With words of wishes and congratulations, the guests arrange an unusual “rain” for the newlyweds. By the way, real rain on a wedding day is a very good omen, foreshadowing happiness and prosperity for the newlyweds. Guests shower the newly-made husband and wife with various grains (rice, buckwheat, millet) so that there are as many children in their house as there are grains in an ear of grain; money - for family security; candies - for the sweet life, rose petals and confetti - so that the newlyweds' life together is romantic and magical. “Rain” must be arranged carefully, otherwise there is a risk that young people and guests will take a long time to shake the grain out of their outfits and hairstyles.

Words from the mother-in-law when the newlyweds meet

According to ancient traditions, the first words of congratulations to the newlyweds on the creation of a new family are pronounced by the mother of the groom. What exactly the first words of the mother-in-law at the wedding will be depends on her wishes. Someone prefers to learn poetry for this purpose, someone prepares a beautiful speech in prose, and someone pronounces the words that came to mind at the moment the newlyweds met, without preparing in advance.

It's up to you to decide what to do! However, it is worth noting that it is better to think in advance about what exactly you will say when the bride and groom meet, so as not to find yourself in an awkward position in front of the newlyweds and guests. Of course, learning poetry, firstly, is not something everyone can do, and secondly, due to excitement, you can easily forget the rhymed lines. Therefore, it is best to prepare a short congratulatory speech in prose.

The words of the mother-in-law at the wedding could be, for example, the following: “Our dear children! I would like to congratulate you on your marriage and wish that the union you have created will be strong and filled with happiness. Remain as beautiful and happy as you are today for many years of your family life!” After the first words, the ceremony of meeting the newlyweds will take place depending on the traditions chosen by the parents and newlyweds.

Congratulations to the mother of the groom in prose

Dear children! We sincerely congratulate you on your first day of legal marriage and the creation of a young family! We are glad to bless you for a long and cloudless life together in love, prosperity and prosperity. Please accept our most heartfelt congratulatory words on this solemn day. We wish you to preserve and carry through the years that feeling of love and respect that today united you into one family. Advice and love to you!
Dear children! We are sincerely glad that one day each of you found your soul mate, who today united into one whole. Appreciate each other, trust, let the home you create be full of prosperity, and let grief and resentment bypass it. Our dear children! We are sincerely glad for your informed decision! Accept your mother's blessing on your marriage and wishes for endless years of love, understanding and respect. Grief divided in half no longer seems so terrible, and joy multiplied by two will seem like an ocean of happiness. Don't forget these signs and everything will work out for you. Congratulations!
My dear and dear children, I sincerely congratulate you on the beginning of your family and the first day together in your life. At the happy start of your life, I present you with a symbol of prosperity and prosperity - a wedding loaf. Break off a piece of it and dip it in salt and feed it to each other. Let this be the last salt with which you will spoil your soulmate in the future, and let the warmth that is invested in this wedding bread remain in your hearts for many years. Let the doors in your home always be open for guests and friends, and the distribution of a loaf of bread will become a symbol of your hospitality. Love and happiness to you!
Our dear ones, today is your important and solemn wedding day. Please accept our most sincere congratulations. We had a son, thanks to whom we now have a daughter, and we are doubly happy for our children. May you have many years of life in harmony and love. May you live happily ever after!

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Blessing of the newlyweds icons

All parents dream that their children’s marriage will be strong and long, so the most exciting moment in the wedding is the blessing. Believing families use icons to carry out this ritual.

In addition to the fact that the bride’s mother blesses her at home with the oldest icon before handing it over to her future husband, and the groom’s mother blesses her son before leaving the house, the newlyweds also meet with an icon or two (depending on the traditions in a particular locality) at the entrance in a restaurant.

In most cases, the newlyweds are greeted at the entrance to the restaurant by the groom's parents with two icons - the mother-in-law holds the icon of the Mother of God, and the father-in-law holds the icon of Jesus Christ.

What is the modern rite of blessing?

Much time has passed since then, and now no one asks their mother and father for permission to choose a life partner.
Young people meet, date, and get married, regardless of whether their parents like their significant other or not. But some of the ancient Russian rituals still remain and are used in our time:

On the wedding day, when the bride is already ready and the groom is about to come for her, the girl receives the first blessing of her daughter from her parents before the wedding.
Then the groom arrives with his retinue, and a noisy and cheerful ransom of the bride takes place. Before the couple leaves home and goes to register their marriage, the bride’s mother has a second blessing of both children.
After the ceremonial registration at the registry office, the newlyweds come to the groom’s house, where his parents must bless the newlyweds with an icon (however, now they increasingly prefer to perform this action at the entrance to the banquet hall in which the wedding celebration will take place).
When the words of blessing have been said to the newlyweds, they and the guests go into the hall for the festive event, and towels with icons are placed on the table of the newlyweds. At the end of the festivities, the icons should be carefully wrapped in towels and taken to the house where the newlyweds will live.

The blessing ceremony can be performed in two ways:

Orthodox. It follows certain rules. In this ritual, if one of the participants (parents or young people) is not baptized, then you must first cross yourself, and only then carry out the blessing. There must also be icons here. We will look at what icons are used for these purposes below. The whole ritual takes place with the help of icons. But still, in order to conduct the ceremony accurately and correctly, you need to clarify all the nuances with the priest the day before.
Modern. This type of blessing is used quite often at modern weddings. It is used by young people who are not ready for a serious ceremony, and it has a purely formal look. It can also be performed by non-baptized people. To carry out the ceremony, it is enough to simply ask the parents to prepare a parting speech in advance.

After the blessing ceremony, parents ask the guests to bless their children for a happy life. After the words “God bless,” all the guests accompany the newlyweds to the wedding procession and, having sat in their cars, go to the registry office.

Where can I get icons to bless newlyweds?

Where exactly to get the icons for blessing is decided in each family. You can use those with which the groom's parents got married or the oldest icons in the house, which, for example, she got from her mother, and she got from her mother or grandmother.

In addition, you can buy new icons; fortunately, today even special sets of them are sold, intended for blessing the newlyweds during the wedding. After the ceremony, the icons are placed next to the loaf, and

At the end of the wedding, the newlyweds bring them into their home as a talisman.

Meeting the newlyweds with bread and salt

Many modern people do not know how to greet the groom's young parents with bread and salt, despite the fact that this ritual is quite ancient. After all, it has its roots back in the days when newlyweds lived in their husband’s house. With bread and salt, the mother-in-law welcomed her daughter-in-law into her house as a new tenant.

Nowadays, this custom has no practical significance, since most newlyweds live separately from their parents after the wedding, but nevertheless, many people like it, and they have every right to have their son and daughter-in-law meet in just such a way. “We welcome the newlyweds with bread and salt...” are the words said by the groom’s mother at the entrance to the house or any establishment where the wedding will be celebrated.

It is important not to forget that the bread is placed on the embroidered towel, and the salt is placed on top of the bread. Under no circumstances should the salt shaker be placed next to the bread, as this symbolizes poverty. And, of course, it is necessary to ensure that the salt does not spill, as this promises quarrels in a young family.

What should guests do during the meeting of young people from the registry office?

How to greet newlyweds after the registry office?

They have to:

Lay out a carpet in front of the newlyweds so that the life path of the young family is smooth.
Come up with obstacles for the groom. Most often, he simply has to carry the bride, stepping over the stretched ribbons.
Sprinkle the newlyweds if this ceremony was not performed at the registry office.
Hold an arch of flowers over the newlyweds.
Eat the loaf with appetite.
Applaud and shout “Bitter!” when the young people drink champagne.

It is up to the young family to decide whether to observe this custom or not. But parents will certainly be happy to give their children wishes of happiness in such a beautiful form.

Meeting the newlyweds with a loaf of bread and glasses of wine

In some localities there is a custom to greet newlyweds with a loaf of bread and glasses filled with champagne. However, until the time comes for this ceremony, few people think about how to greet the groom’s young parents with a loaf of bread and champagne.

So, for this you need to prepare a silver tray, new glasses, champagne, two wedding towels and a loaf of bread. The groom's mother greets the newlyweds with a loaf of bread, which must be placed on the towel. And the father at this time holds a tray with glasses and champagne, symbolizing the sweetness of married life.

A second towel is laid in front of the parents, which the newlyweds step on as they approach their parents. A towel is laid under the feet of the young so that their path will be as beautiful, festive, bright and clean. The meeting of the newlyweds with a loaf of bread promises them a rich and happy future.