Marriage, wedding, creation of a new family is one of the most important moments in a person’s life. For centuries in different countries wedding rituals appeared and were passed on for generations, which reflected the national mentality and culture of the peoples. Shu Wedding agency reveals for you the secrets of Georgian wedding. In Georgia folk traditions regarding marriage have been preserved and honored since ancient times. Based on our long-term observations, we have collected for you the most interesting Georgian wedding rituals.
Unique features of a Georgian wedding
All relatives from the bride and groom’s side participate in the celebration. The newlyweds with the help of parents make a list of invitees. Usually it consists of more than a hundred guests. For the marriage ceremony are prepared long and carefully. Treats should be rich, abundantly flavored with cognac and homemade wine, and the holiday – cheerful. A Georgian wedding lasts from two or three days to a week. To form a new family, traditionally, the bride and groom go through several basic rituals: matchmaking, viewing, betrothal, marriage registration ceremony and wedding feast. Our team studied the peculiarities of each stage.
Matchmaking process in Georgian culture
The matchmaking rite in Georgia has been unchanged for several centuries. First, the groom sends experienced matchmakers to the bride’s house. They praise the potential husband candidate in front of the girl’s parents. They talk about his personal qualities, successful financial affairs. If the parents agree, the word is given to the bride. If she agrees, the groom comes to the house of the future wife and asks for parental blessing for the marriage. According to Georgian tradition it is necessary for the wedding to take place. Also the young man must get the approval of the chosen one from his parents. In case of their consent the preparation for the celebration begins. All negotiations and preparations for the rituals are conducted by matchmakers.
The tradition of matrimony: how does it happen in Georgia?
In some regions of the country, the matchmaking was held, following the consent of both parties. They were held secretly, at night, so that none of the neighbors found out. The groom with his parents, brother, maternal uncle went to the bride’s house. The girl put on a festive outfit and sat in a corner of the room. The guy’s relatives considered her appearance, listened to how she spoke, watched how she walked. With mutual consent the table for guests was set and questions about the dowry were solved, the day for betrothal was appointed. They discussed the amount of money to be given by the bride’s parents to the groom along with the dowry at the wedding. The party of the future spouse bears all the financial costs of the event.
Betrothal in Georgian wedding tradition
On the agreed day, the groom and his relatives come to the bride’s house, bringing gifts, flowers, jewelry and sweets. The parents of the girl need to set a rich table and make sure that the wine does not run out. Future spouses sit at the table next to each other. According to Georgian tradition, the first word is taken by the father of the groom, who makes a speech. He reminds his son that it is time to make a gift to the bride. The young man puts a wedding ring on the finger of the future wife. There is an old Georgian ritual, according to which the groom gives his chosen one a wedding necklace – a priceless family heirloom, passed down through generations.
Ritual of bride kidnapping
In some Georgian regions in the olden days, children were betrothed from diapers, and a girl saw her betrothed for the first time during the wedding. The groom kidnapped the bride if the parents did not agree to the marriage. It also gave his family the opportunity to save on wedding expenses, because a crowded wedding in the case of a missing girl was canceled. Nowadays young people marry by consent, so the original tradition is found only in some Georgian villages.
The course of the wedding celebration in Georgia
According to the traditions of the Georgian people, the bride and groom are necessarily married in the church. They recite vows of loyalty in front of the face of God. Witnesses of the wedding are chosen worthy of such an honor close people. Leaving the church, the young couple must pass under the arch, which friends of the groom create from daggers.
It is a symbol of protection and a promise of men to always help their friend’s family. Then the bride and groom go to the marriage ceremony in the registry office and receive a marriage certificate.
After the photo session – a festive feast. Interesting is the Georgian rite when the bride and groom give each other rings at the wedding. The husband takes a sip of wine from a glass and throws a ring into it. He gives it to his wife, who, after drinking a little, also leaves the ring. The husband, having received back the glass, drinks another sip – and takes out the wedding symbols.
Bride price: a traditional rite in Georgian weddings
Before the marriage registration ceremony, the groom’s relatives buy out the future spouse. In the past, even livestock could be demanded as payment for the bride. Now such rites are purely symbolic. They allow the groom to once again prove his love for the chosen one, the desire to live with her all his life. Most often the requirements of redemption set bridesmaids.
A festive feast at a Georgian wedding:
- beef, lamb, poultry are used to prepare festive food;
- national dishes – chanakha, chikhirtma, kebab, dolma, various cheeses;
- all guests and newlyweds must eat “Wedding Soup” (noodles with spices);
- onions, mint, pepper, basil, cilantro on the tables in saucers;
- alcohol at the wedding – aged Georgian brandy and wine;
- the bride and groom are served only fruit and sweets;
- there are no cries of “Bitter”;
- at the end of the first day of the wedding the newlyweds cut the cake with one knife, the first piece, according to Georgian tradition, is for the most important guest;
- the next morning the invitees start the feast with beef broth with garlic, which revitalizes the body.
Music and dancing at a wedding in Georgia
A professional toastmaster at a Georgian wedding is not necessary. It is enough to find among relatives or friends of the newlyweds a person with talents for organizing feasts and entertainment. An important component of the wedding ceremony is Georgian folk dancing. The young couple dances together with the guests to traditional music. If the bride and groom do not know the movements of the dances, they need to study with a choreographer a few weeks before the wedding. There is a Georgian tradition where the bride dances alone and the men gift her with money during the dance.
Traditional outfits of the bride and groom in Georgia
The newlyweds at a Georgian wedding attract attention by the beauty of their clothes. The bride’s outfit is purchased by the groom. The decoration, according to tradition, consists of two parts – in contrasting black and white colors. First, the bride puts on a snow-white shirt with a collar, which is a symbol of maiden modesty and chastity. On top – a beautiful dress with embroidered patterns and wide slit sleeves. The waist of the bride is necessarily tied with a red belt. Of jewelry preference is given to a necklace or pearl thread. Hairstyle, most often – braid, make bridesmaids. The outfit for the celebration is necessarily complemented by a headdress with a veil.
The groom is also dressed in the national Georgian wedding clothes – chokha. The bride personally chooses the outfit for the groom. The groom wears a traditional richly decorated cloak lined with satin fabric over a white shirt with a high collar. The belt is necessarily decorated. The groom’s outfit is complemented by leather boots.
Among the holidays of the Georgian people wedding is the brightest, cheerful and noisy celebration. The newlyweds and guests are celebrating from the heart, not forgetting to observe many traditions and rituals, which are sure to bring happiness, prosperity and well-being to the young family.
If you want to surprise your guests and make your wedding unforgettable, the team of Shu Wedding agency is ready to organize for you a real Georgian celebration with an original ceremony. We will prepare and hold a bright, unique and enchanting celebration in honor of your marriage.
