Matchmaking is a national tradition of Russian society, which has not been completely eradicated to this day. Until now, there are such concepts as "matchmaker", "matchmaker", "matchmaker", although the true meaning of tradition in most cases has been lost.
It is necessary
Rings, application to the registry office
Instructions
Step 1
Pay attention to the rules of matchmaking. Today they are irrelevant in most cases, but in some families they still strictly adhere to the customs and traditions regarding the marriage of children. Previously, only professional matchmakers were involved in the selection of the bride and groom, therefore such an option as marriage by acquaintance and mutual love was a rare and exceptional case. In addition, the wedding could be canceled for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the feelings of the bride and groom for each other. The reason for canceling the wedding was most often the lack of a dowry for the bride, word of mouth, belonging to different social strata, the financial condition of the groom, the reputation of the bride. If these problems did not exist, the groom's parents began to prepare for the official matchmaking ritual.
Step 2
The first stage of this ritual was the bride. The prospective bride went out into the middle of the room and followed all the instructions given to her by the groom's parents: she showed her skills in housework, walked around, joked, etc. To make a decision, matchmakers with the groom went out on the porch, where they discussed whether the bride was suitable for them. If, upon returning to the house, the groom drank a cup of intoxicated honey offered by the bride's mother, this meant consent to the wedding. After that, standard ceremonies began with the participation of the phrase "you have goods, we have a merchant", to which the bride's parents had to answer: "A matchmaker is not a disgrace to a girl." If the groom did not touch the honey and put the cup full on the table, the celebration was canceled.
Step 3
Learn the "language" of the rite. The words inherent in the rite of matchmaking did not appear for a reason. The fact is that before the final decision on the wedding was made, the attempt to marry the children was kept secret in order to avoid unwanted conversations in the event of publicity. Therefore, the parents of the bride and groom tried to use encrypted phrases that later became standard for this custom. Among them are “red goods”, “young merchant”, “cockerels”, “chickens”, etc. This also includes symbols of consent and refusal. If in Russia it was a goblet with intoxicated honey, then, for example, in Spain a pumpkin or a watermelon served as a sign of refusal of the bride, which was taken out on the threshold to the bridegroom.
Step 4
Do not forget about the rules of our time. If today the traditional matchmaking is practically a thing of the past, the echoes of tradition in preparation for the celebration still remain. Wedding details, guest list, restaurant, etc. to this day, mostly discussed by the parents of the bride and groom. The financial side is also taken over by the parents. The groom, as a rule, seeks to obtain the blessing or consent of the bride's father - the tradition of asking the daughter's “hand” is still very popular. Many mothers to this day collect a dowry for their daughters - towels, bed linen, dishes and other items that the newlyweds will need to create home comfort. The main difference between modern matchmaking and traditional matchmaking is that the bride and groom, as a rule, choose their own candidates, without resorting to the help of parents and professional matchmakers.
