Not all the customs of our ancestors have survived to this day, but the tradition of baking or buying a wedding loaf continues to this day. What is the reason for such popularity of wedding bread and what is hidden behind the braids and roses - we invite you to find out right now!
The team of the Svadebka.ws portal is convinced that the custom associated with the loaf should under no circumstances be deleted from the wedding script. Do not deprive the holiday of the special atmosphere that this gentle tradition gives.
The role of rituals
Each culture has its own individual holidays, but in almost all of them a wedding is celebrated. Marriage traditions began to emerge in every nation even when it was just being formed, so countless variations have survived to this day. Find out more about Russian traditions.
Such customs form the invisible framework of the wedding scenario. Even if the bride and groom do not realize it, many of their actions are also a kind of tradition. A white wedding dress, a ransom, a wedding procession, an exchange of rings, a kiss that seals the marriage - all this has passed through the centuries, only minor details change.
Following traditions does not mean that the wedding will be the same as everyone else's. Now there is a tendency to either hold a wedding in a Western style, or completely abandon any customs in favor of a calm celebration in the family circle. Those couples who observe the long-standing traditions of their people at their wedding always look more original and natural.
Interesting!
Loaf at home
Today there are many different flavoring types of loaf. Loaves are baked with lemon zest, poppy seeds, jam and even mastic, which is popular today.
Next we will tell you how you can bake a traditional wedding loaf at home. In order to make a classic kalach, you first need to prepare all the ingredients. We need yeast, eggs, butter, salt, flour, sugar, and favorite spices.
In order to diversify the taste of the loaf, you can put some dried fruits in the dough. Dried apricots, raisins, or nuts will go very well with baked sweet bread.
In order for the loaf to turn out good and tasty, you must bake it in a good mood. All the emotions that a person experiences while doing such work are then passed on to those who will certainly try the bread.
Signs associated with the loaf
According to traditions and customs, not only legends, but also signs were formed around the loaf. It was believed that just by one product it was possible to determine how happy the life of the young spouses would be.
- The mother tried to bake the most luxurious baked goods, then it was believed that the life of the young would be better and happier.
- A burst loaf could not be served to the bride and groom.
- Only the groom's godparents cut the loaf.
- The loaf was always passed on to neighbors who were unable to come to the wedding banquet.
- Many did not eat the baked goods right away, but dried them.
- A small dried piece of bread was considered a talisman that could protect children from damage and the evil eye.
Preparing the dough
Pour a glass of milk (you can also use water) into a container. The liquid does not need to be heated too much; it should be at normal room temperature, not boiling water.
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Next, you need to dissolve 20 grams of yeast in a container with liquid. This substance must be stirred well so that there are no lumps left. Add a spoonful of white sugar and continue stirring.
Next you need to add flour to the container. If you have a sieve, you need to use it and sift a glass of flour. The dough should not be liquid. In order for the dough to brew well, you need to leave it to “rest.” An hour is enough time to continue working with the dough.
After an hour, the dough needs to be taken out; by this time it should have risen. Now we need to slightly heat the dough in a bowl of warm water.
Toastmaster's speech
If the toastmaster will be present at the wedding, then he needs to accompany with comments every stage of the celebration, including the meeting of the newlyweds at the door of a cafe or restaurant.
A professional toastmaster knows how to greet young people with a loaf of bread and what to say. After the registry office, the bride and groom usually go to a photo shoot, and guests wait for them at the banquet hall. The presenter makes sure that everyone stands in their place and knows what to do and say when the young people meet with the loaf. The words of the toastmaster during the performance of this tradition may be the following:
“Dear newlyweds (names of the bride and groom)! At this solemn hour, you are greeted by the people dearest to you - your parents. The groom’s mother has a delicious loaf of bread on her lovingly embroidered towel, baked as a symbol of love and prosperity, with the warmest feelings.
Newlyweds! Looking into each other's eyes, break off a piece of this wedding bread, salt it well and feed each other. You have a unique opportunity to annoy each other for the last time, and to the cheers of friends and relatives. And whoever gets the bigger piece will be the head and breadwinner of the family! Well done, groom (or bride), so you will have a difficult burden.”
Decorating the loaf
A traditional loaf definitely needs to be decorated. This way the appearance of the loaf will be more festive and elegant.
Today you can find many different ways to decorate and photograph a wedding loaf with different decor. But there are traditional designs and patterns for decoration, which we will describe below.
It should also be said that there are two ways to decorate a wedding loaf. We have described a method in which all decorations are attached to the loaf before baking in the oven.
You can also attach all the decorations when the loaf is ready. In order for the figures to hold well, you need to attach them about 15 minutes before the product is completely ready. This way the decorations will have clear shapes.
Good durable decorations can also be made from more pliable shortbread or unleavened dough.
Recipes for a wedding loaf can be very different; you can choose a recipe for baking that will include several types of dough. You can decorate the loaf with various dough designs.
A symbol of fertility, ears of wheat are made from a piece of dough that is rolled into a tight rope. We make one end wide - this will be a spikelet, and the other thin - this will form a stem. This decor is laid in a circle, and then the grains are drawn on the wide part of the piece of dough using scissors.
The traditional decor for loaves is braided braids. A braid of dough is placed along the edge of the loaf, giving it a frame. In order to make a braid, a piece of dough is divided into three strands, braided, and then secured to a loaf.
To make leaves from the dough, which symbolize youth and prosperity, you need to cut out diamonds from the rolled out sheet, and cut the edges of the figures into a herringbone pattern.
You can also place bunches of viburnum on the loaf. These berries, as a symbol of abundance, would look very appropriate on wedding bread. We make thick small balls from the dough, lay them out in clusters and attach them to the surface of the product.
You can also make roses from the dough. To do this, several circles need to be wrapped one inside the other and the edges turned outward. A rosy flower decoration will bring beauty and prosperity.
You can also make swans from the dough. To do this, as for a spikelet, divide the dough into two parts - the thin one will be the neck, and the thick one will be the body of the bird. From the narrow part of the dough you need to form a beak and head, and lay out the wide part and cut through the feathers with scissors, making small grooves on the edges of the dough.
If you decorate a loaf with swans, there must be two birds. This will symbolize the newlyweds' long life together.
Even if you do not plan to bake a loaf of bread with your own hands, in order to pay tribute to old traditions, think in advance where you can order a wedding loaf. A beautiful and lush loaf will be a wonderful decoration for a wedding table.
The role of baking at the holiday
Nowadays it is customary to treat wedding guests to a large and richly decorated cake, but in the past homemade cakes of all shapes and sizes were popular. The newlyweds themselves were also treated to a culinary masterpiece from the oven - a round, large loaf of bread, shining in the light, with patterns in the form of an ethnic ornament. Each element of such a design was carefully thought out and had a symbolic meaning:
- braids and weaving - sealing the destinies of the newlyweds and their future children into one common one;
- viburnum and roses - a wish for mutual love and respect;
- two swans - a symbol of the newlyweds themselves, who swore eternal fidelity to each other;
- grapes are a symbol of fertility, a wish for quick, strong and healthy offspring.
The loaf itself is unsweetened white bread, most often round in shape, since it symbolizes the sun. This wedding pastry represents the unity of two hearts, as well as fertility, prosperity and prosperity . It was with the loaf that the wedding feast began, and the salt served with it symbolized a comfortable life.
The wedding celebration begins with the meeting of the newlyweds with a loaf and the words of the parents. The newlyweds, after the official wedding ceremony, must break off or bite off a piece of this traditional wedding pastry. It is believed that the one who has more will be the head of the family. You can do with the rest of the loaf at your discretion: give it to guests, take it home with you to eat whole or dry.
In another variation of this tradition, the bride and groom break off a piece of baked goods, sprinkle it with salt and feed it to each other. It is believed that at this moment they can “annoy” each other for the last time, and after that they should live in harmony and peace. After this, the salt can be poured into a fabric bag to keep as a keepsake.
Photo of the wedding loaf
DIY salt dough loaf
In order to prepare salted dough for modeling, you need to prepare:
- 1 tbsp. fine salt;
- 2 tbsp. flour;
- 8 tbsp. l. sunflower oil;
- 250 ml water;
It is necessary to first stir all the dry ingredients in a deep container, then pour in the sunflower oil and water. If you want the dough to acquire a certain color, then carefully stir in carrot or beet juice. The dough will be soft and pliable!
Photo of salted dough for making a loaf
To decorate a loaf with your own hands, remember that a braid or ornate strand around the edge is a mandatory element . This decor looks elegant, symbolizes happiness and wealth, and prevents the baked goods from blurring. Weave it from separate strands and place it along the edge. The surface of the upper part of the loaf is filled with dough figures.
When decorating a loaf with modeling, in addition to traditional symbols, the following are used:
- stars;
- flowers;
- birds in the nest;
- rings;
- cones;
- blades of grass;
- bunches of grapes;
- viburnum berries;
- thin braids;
- flagella;
- stripes.
An elegant loaf for a wedding is a symbol of a new family, joy and prosperity, giving the newlyweds unforgettable moments that will be remembered for a lifetime. Be sure to decorate such a special event with it.
