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During both of my visits to St Petersburg, Russia,I observed
wedding couples celebrating near all the key monuments and buildings including
The Bronze Horseman in Senate Square, The Church of the Saviour on Spilled
Blood, and The Rostral Columns
Here is an article describing this Russian wedding
tradition.:
What
Russian Brides and Grooms Do on Their Wedding Day
 |
| Senate Square near Bronze Horseman August 30, 2012 |
Russian brides and grooms celebrate their
wedding day much like romantic couples the world over although they do have
certain traditions unique to their country.
Russian
brides seek out the fanciest dress their budget can afford (usually an
elaborate white confection) while Russian grooms arrange for an appointment at
a civil office where the ceremony and marriage registration can take place. The
cost is approximately 60 Euros.
Traditions
Among Russian Brides and Grooms
Before
the wedding, it’s tradition for Russian grooms to accomplish a few tasks. For
instance, when he comes to pick up his bride, the groom may be handed a napkin
with lipstick prints of the bride and her attendants on it. If he can’t pick
out his bride’s kiss, he must pay a tribute. Grooms who guess wrong may have to
cover a shawl with rubles.
Once
the Russian bride and groom exit the civil marriage registration office, it’s
time for picture taking to commemorate the occasion. Friends and family members
toss flower petals, coins, and sometimes release butterflies to wish the couple
good luck.
And
before they leave, it’s tradition for the groom to sweep the bride up in his
arms and kiss her in front of all assembled.
A
City Wedding Tour for Russian Brides and Grooms
It’s
also tradition for Russian brides and grooms in St. Petersburg to visit three
to five places around the city that hold special meaning for citizens. There
they have post-wedding photos snapped.
To
transport themselves and their guests to the locations in style, Russian brides
and grooms hire a limousine bedecked with gold rings and flowers. Sometimes the
couple’s names are painted on a side window. If the couple cannot afford a
limo, any car suitably tricked out will do.
For
Russian brides and grooms it’s not only a matter of showing up in a specific
and often scenic location, it’s also a matter of performing a simple act to
symbolically assure a long and happy marriage.
St.
Petersburg Wedding Picture Locales
Out
of tradition, Russian brides and grooms in St. Petersburg typically pay a visit
to three to five of the following places:
·
The eternal flame of the
heroes of World War II and the Bronze Horseman statue and monument to Peter the
Great dominating Senate Square.
·
To the sphinx embankment
on Peter Vassilevsky Island to pet the 4,000-year-old Egyptian statues and
stone griffons for luck.
·
To the Rostrum Column,
decorated with ship prows and surrounded by an iron-link railing. Side by side,
couples pose for photos with their hands fitted inside the links to symbolize
their new bond.
·
A few steps away,
fountains gush in the shadow of the Peter and Paul Cathedral. And it’s
tradition for couples to toast with champagne then smash their glasses against
a large concrete sphere.
·
To the New Hermitage
Portico along the city’s Millionaires’ Row, where giant marble Atlanti statues
act as columns. Here Russian brides rub the huge marble toes for luck and pose
between the statues.
·
To emphasize the purity
of their love, Russian brides and grooms sometimes simultaneously release white
doves beside the waterfront.
·
Couples have themselves
photographed beside spectacularly beautiful and religiously meaningful
structures such as the onion-domed Church of Spilled Blood.
