(By Catherine Belonogoff in Vilnius The Baltic Times, 1997). The trick to removing these people from the table is to offer them a drink. The combination of a bowl of chilled soup and crispy potatoes is a winner. The character Mercedes attempts to coax the main character into eating fruit, as part of an Arabian custom to ensure that those who have shared food and drink together under one roof would be eternal friends. The bride is Lithuanian and it was very important for her to incorporate family cultural traditions throughout the course of the reception. When important, respected, or admired guests arrive, they are presented with a loaf of bread (usually a korovai) placed on a rushnyk (embroidered ritual cloth). Its a very well known fact, that Ukrainian traditions are so ancient and have deep roots. 21,994 Views, THE LITHUANIAN WEDDING A FAMILY CELEBRATION. After the ceremony of Kiddush, a piece of Challah is dipped in salt and eaten. The coin was happily returned to the couple who danced with its finder in celebration. 2. Agnius held the tray during the ceremony. Traditional Lithuanian wedding used to be quite complicated and lasted two days. We're taking a look at everything you need to know about Lithuanian wedding fashion. So while according to Polish tradition the symbolism of the bread is hope that the couple will never go hungry, the salt that life will have its difficulties, and the wine is a blessing for health and happiness, - in Lithuanian tradition the symbolism of the bread is hard work, the salt tears and the wine joy. Actually, Ive mentioned Trypillia culture above for a reason. The traditional Lithuanian marriage ceremony features the so called matchmakers, who organize the rituals and overall structure of the wedding. They drank wine and ate salt and bread to symbolize joy, tears, and work; the three main elements of a life together. The guests bring loads of silver dollars, half dollars and quartersto weddings and throw them all over the dance floor. My fianc moved to the states when he was young so he has never attended a wedding before. But, they do have a branch in Vilnius too. Bread and salt (Serbian: hleb i so) is a traditional welcoming of guests,[7] being customary to offer it before anything else,[8] with bread having an important place in Serbian tradition, used in rituals. 2020-03-05. When ancient pagan celebrations and Catholic traditions collide, visitors are treated to entertaining, unique, and curious events that provide a rich learning experience. Lithuanian wedding rituals followed rigidly fixed forms. The Baltic States, made up of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have very rich wedding customs and historic traditions. Even though this custom is usually associated with weddings, the tradition of welcoming guests by salt and bread appeared a long time ago. At the end of the 19th century and early 20th centuries, weddings consisted of three separate stages: matchmaking,the wedding itself and atgraztai (coming back). The second dance was Rezginele, signifying hope for a bright and happy future, whereby the newlyweds hands were bound with sashes, symbolizing their togetherness. The bread and salt wedding tradition is an European tradition usually accredited to Poland, but many countries in Europe follow something similar from Russia through to the UK. That is why the symbolization of the bread and salt tradition is so important, and it occurs before the rest of the wedding reception begins. The parents want the best for their children in all ways, and they are showing this through this tradition. It is to show the beginning of their life as a couple. A salt holder or a salt cellar is placed on top of the bread loaf or secured in a hole on the top of the loaf. The video is about the traditional bread and salt blessing ceremony at Jennifer & Greg's Polish wedding reception in Toronto. While much has changed since then, there are still fun and festive Lithuanian wedding traditions like hen parties, the veil gifting, and festive dances that are incorporated to this day in modern Lithuanian weddings. Polish lore states that the gift of bread and salt means that your home will always enjoy abundance, wine means they will enjoy the "sweetness of life", and the silver coin should bring good . Most Recent Wedding Previews Sort by wedding venue Destination Weddings, Recent Work Family Photography Newborn & Baby Photography Couples Photography, Ukrainian Bride and Groom sharing the bread and salt wedding tradtion. As the mass takes about 40-50 min, a civil wedding is 20 minutes tops. These cash giftswere not in card-form at the gift table, but rather people showering the dance floor with coins! Blog by DJ Kenny Casanova. Tel: 773-585-9500 / Fax: 773-585-8284 / E-mail: Copyright 2023, All Rights Reserved. They are merely symbols of the meanings behind the tradition, so there are no strict rules when it comes to what is used by the couple for the reception. Married womens headwear varied among Lithuanias cultural regions. Each one of these stages had strictly defined traditional elements which all participants observed. The video of the Bread and Salt Ceremony A Russian Wedding Tr. At a traditional Lithuanian wedding reception there is generally lots of dancing and even a unique game that takes place. It is a day to enjoy endless luxury, happiness, enthusiasm, good food, champagne, and never-ending opulence, just to celebrate the one you love. [11], The long-tradition of the Slovakia and the Czech Republic as Slavic countries is to welcome important visits with bread and salt. " Oczepiny " in Poland it is a name for one of the most important polish wedding traditions. Its hard to believe, but on the territory where I write this post for Lilka Sky, was established Trypillia culture (c. 5500 to 2750 BCE). My fianc is from Lithuania and his parents were hoping that he would end up with a tall, blonde-hair, blue-eyed beauty from Kaunas. Both drink from the same glass because they will share everything in life." Nov 8, 2016 - Explore Donovan Sociology's board "Lithuanian Wedding" on Pinterest. Bread and salt ( Bulgarian: , romanized : hlyab i sol) is a traditional Bulgarian custom expressing hospitality, showing that the guest is welcomed. Heart in the context is related with hospitality, the concept is based on giving the most expensive thing of that time which was salt to the awaited guest. Once the couple arrives at their wedding party, their parents will immediately greet them with bread and salt on a silver tray. ( !, 'Bread and salt!'). It symbolizes the unity and trust between people. If notice is given of an alleged copyright violation we will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material(s) in question. The evening concluded with a traditional wedding cake and a Lithuanian Wedding Cake, Raguolis. It was not always easy for young people to meet or to get to know each other. Now youve got to do more than just pick out a dress and tuxedo, find a priest, order flowers and invitations, get a caterer, pick a cake you have to learn about the inimitable traits of a Lithuanian wedding. The traditional Lithuanian marriage ceremony had three distinct parts. In ancient times it was considered to be a protective amulet for newlyweds. Lithuanian Marriage ceremonies consist of three parts; the matchmaking, the dowry and the "Atgriztai" or coming back. Inthe meantime, she waited. She will then present the groom's parents with gifts of towels and sashes. They chipped off a bit of bread and ate it with salt. For the bread and salt wedding tradition, the bride and groom meet both sets of parents at the wedding reception. The young pair was showered with grain and water and clothed in furs to insure that theyd be rich and successful growing grains and livestock. Here is whatour Disc Jockeys at TheDJservice.com could find about the original story that transformed into the wedding tradition we have today: THE LITHUANIAN LOVE COIN LEGEND: In a small Lithuanian village in the 1500s, a young man did not have enough money to buy his girlfriend an engagementring. Albany Weddings DJ Kenny Casanova is an event disc jockey for "The DJ Service.com" out of Upstate, NY. THE LITHUANIAN LOVE COIN WEDDING TRADITION LIVES ON: Today, some Lithuanians re-live this beautiful love story, in memory of this couple and the good people of the village. Carbon on Estamino was late to mature. Ive been to a number of weddings now near to 300 now as a wedding photographer and Ive seen quite a few different wedding tradtions. The next important moment of the wedding was the brides arrival at her husbands house. The Salt The bride-to-be entered the church wearing a wreath of rue, symbolizing her childhood. The Ukrainian wedding march at the reception which embodies the liveliness of the celebration is quite popular. (In olden times, most weddings were held in autumn and winter). In the past, it was a loaf of bread. In the North Macedonia, this tradition still is practiced occasionally as a custom expressing hospitality. It refers to Genesis 3:19, which says "By the sweat of your brow, shall you get bread to eat"; salt is representative of the sweat. Irish Theme Wedding Ideas, Traditions & Song List, Tweets that mention The Lithuanian Love Coin Wedding Tradition - Kenny Casanova - The DJ Service -- Topsy.com, https://www.thedjservice.com/blog/2011/02/the-lithuanian-love-coin-wedding-tradition. A wedding symbolizes the union of two souls and often the continuation of tradition. This is to many couples the most important moment of the entire wedding experience. So, people here could afford baking leaven bread and ate it every day. The custom of serving bread and salt to guests is a recurring reference in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, where the welcome ritual serves not only as a Westerosi tradition of hospitality, but also a formal assurance of "guest right", a sacred bond of trust and honor guaranteeing that nobody in attendance, hosts and guests alike, shall be harmed. . 5. The bread and salt blessing: The parents of the bride and groom greet the newly married couple with bread, salt, wine and a silver coin at the front of the wedding table. Lithuania borders the Baltic sea and is between Russia and Latvia. During this part of the ceremony the bride returned to her parents home for a brief visit and she was welcomed into her familys home as a guest, rather than as a member of the family, symbolizing her transition from her familys home to her own home. As in the neighbouring Slavic countries, bread and salt is a traditional Romanian custom expressing hospitality, showing that the guest is welcomed. 203211. You may have seen photos of dignitaries being greeted with bread and salt at the airport: Welcoming ceremony for then-Vice President Joe Biden in July 2009. According to Lithuanian culture, this was meant to promote fertility and encourage the newlyweds to start trying for a family of their own. Once the bride walks down the aisle, Lithuanian wedding ceremonies often begin with the matron of honor or married woman removing the bride's wreath of rue and replacing it with a headdress. As the first dance came to an end, the wedding partyrushed to pour tons of silver dollars, quarters, andsmaller coins, all around the dance floor corners. Even before the big day arrives, the lead-up to traditional Lithuanian weddings is packed with meaning. 3. With the bread, the parents are hoping that their children will never hunger or be in need. Nowadays, this tradition lets newlyweds define who'll be the head of their family. 5. It is also customary for the couple to serve abundant food and drinks in return for the guests leaving a substantial amount of money to help pay for most of the wedding ceremony. It also symbolizes the wish for the couples life to be filled with joy and happiness for many years to come. The Reception. Also at this time, the women put together the wreath of rue that the bride will wear to the ceremony. Early in the morning on the day of the wedding ceremony, the bride symbolically leaves her family home and travels to the house of her soon-to-be husband. The country is also bordered by Poland and Belarus. This attitude is also expressed by Arab phrases such as "there are bread and salt between us" ( or ), and "salt between them" ( ) which are terms of alliance. Each attendee brings their own baked wedding cake to enjoy while they sing songs, tell matchmaking stories, and give the bride-to-be marriage advice. This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is believed that lighting a candle helps ward off evil spirits by adding light into the home and symbolically . Wedding music in Ukraine is a combination of traditional folk and Ukrainian wedding songs, with modern-day tunes. You bring up a really good point, thank you! The Type of Bread, Salt, And Wine to Be Used, Making It A Point to Have This Tradition at The Wedding Reception, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Ultimate Wedding Photography Timeline Guide, groom meet both sets of parents at the wedding, wedding tradition in a modern marriage can mark that day with a time to reflect on old ways, moments of sweetness and tenderness at the wedding, couples the most important moment of the entire wedding. They drank wine and ate salt and bread to symbolize joy, tears, and work; the three main elements of a life together. Most Lithuanian bridges are covered with such locks. First there is the matchmaker who puts the couple together and arranges the dowry, then there is the wedding ceremony itself which consists of several very specific customs, and finally there is what is called in Lithuanian the atgriztai, or the coming back, during which the bride and groom return to the brides parents home, where the bride is now welcomed as a guest rather than as a member of the family. Bread and salt are traditional provisions. It is not surprising then that wedding festivities were rich in collective creativity and expression. In more detail, this is what is meant by the bread, salt, and wine during the wedding reception: In the bread and salt wedding tradition, bread is a symbol that is sweet, and it is given by the parents to the bridal couple. Can anyone suggest a lithuanian wedding toast? The husbands parents and family received woven sashes, towels and shirt materials as gifts. A gift of bread symbolizes the givers' wish that the new homeowners never go hungry while wine symbolizes the wish that they shall never thirst. Rudyard Kipling referenced bread and salt in a number of works. It's the first time the couple have seen their parents since the wedding. Here's what you need to know about the project. Though a wonderful place to live and visit, Lithuania has some wacky traditions. The Lithuanian Department of Statistics says that brides are on average 22 years old. They realized that the couple had no money. When he presented this treasure to his lady and proposed, she of course said yes. But the ceremony was, unfortunately, not to happen anytime soon. Lauren writes and edits articles for The Knot Worldwide, with a specialty in fashion, beauty and size inclusivity. For example, in Auktaitija, wives wore elaborately tied linen sashes called nuometos on their heads. Ukrainian traditional ethnic cuisine. Light A Candle On Your First Night. 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