Buying the bride's shoe: traditions, scenarios, competitions

Competition options

Buying the bride's shoes at a wedding should not take too much time; the best option is no more than half an hour.
Competitions should be fun and funny; many presenters prefer a script in verse. You can arrange tests only for the groom's friends, usually most of the burden falls on the witness. Although the newlywed himself, who committed theft, deserves a comic punishment. In any case, the tasks should not be too difficult for the groom or groomsmen. Possible competitions for the groom:

The groom's petition to the guests. The toastmaster must prepare the props in advance: a scroll with text in verse and a hat. The newlywed turns to those around him with repentance: he could not keep track of the bride and committed theft. A humorous text should evoke not only laughter, but also sympathy. After all, the groom’s goal is to collect the ransom, that is, to fill his hat to the brim with coins and sweets. A friend must help his friend in any way possible. He can accompany the groom's speech with pantomime, sing, and dance.
Fashionable sentence. The groom is blindfolded and the bridesmaids' shoes are placed in front of him. He must not only be able to find the right shoe, but also describe it in detail. If the groom made the wrong choice, the owner of the shoe can give him any task.
Magic kisses. The groom must console the bride, and the best way to cheer her up is with kisses. Moreover, the number of kisses should correspond to the size of the newlywed’s shoes.

Competitions for groomsmen:

Path of money. The easiest way to return shoes to the rightful owner is to collect an impressive amount of money. The bride is seated at the other end of the hall and the groom's friends must lay out a path of banknotes towards her. Guests can prevent them from achieving their goal. The role of the guests: bend the path by any means.
Bath dance. The groom's friends are given washcloths, and they must depict the bathing process as funny as possible. It is better if these are synchronized movements. The musical accompaniment should match the mood of the dance: a cheerful melody.
Alphabet. For this competition you will need props: cards with letters. Each card should be attached to the part of the body whose name begins with the indicated letter. Dropping props is strictly prohibited; if the cards do fall, there will be a fine.
Striptease or cancan. The groom's friends should perform a fiery dance. As a replacement, you can offer a dance of little swans, but for this competition you will need tulle tutu skirts.

We also suggest watching the video for a version of the dance competition:

Buying the bride's shoes at a wedding is an important part of the festive scenario. Do not neglect the long-standing tradition and refuse to perform this ritual. The ransom is accompanied by fun competitions, costumed skits, songs and dances. This colorful event will add another note of positivity and joy to the overall atmosphere of the holiday.

The tradition of buying the bride's shoes.

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Not a single wedding of our ancestors was complete without the romantic custom of losing and ransoming the bride’s shoe. Grooms paid for a shoe according to the thickness of their wallet: sweets, fruits, wine, money, and sometimes precious jewelry.

The good thing about the tradition of buying a shoe is that it does not require any special preparation, but it is always fun and interesting.

You can steal a shoe either with the effect of surprise, secretly sneaking under the table to the bride’s feet, or by prior agreement with the newlyweds.

Redemption of the shoe: who is in the main roles?

Alcohol from a shoe

At the weddings of our ancestors, the main character in buying the bride's shoe was the groom. Thus, he proved his worth and reliability as the head of the family. Today, the groom is not often involved in performing this ritual, since during the holiday the chosen one herself can be secretly taken away, so there is work for the hero of the evening. During celebrations these days, the main roles are played by witnesses. Although this is not important: guests who wish can also participate.

Alcohol from a shoe

This is a task for a witness. But don't think that alcohol will be poured directly into shoes. Usually, a filled glass is simply placed in the shoe. You can diversify the process by adding pieces of fruit into the drink, which must be eaten in a certain order.

Striptease at a wedding

Witnesses , of course, do not have to undress, but they will have to twirl with forms. For example, write down the wedding date or the names of the newlyweds with “fifth dots”. Vulgarity is not something that should be present at a wedding.

Stealing the groom's shoes

Witnesses can offer an exchange: the groom's shoes for the bride's shoe. Nobody expected such a turn. And the exchange can be made, for example, after the newlyweds dance on one leg.

Bride's shoes

Bride kidnapping by wedding guests

It is very popular and traditional when it is the invited persons who kidnap the bride, then the event is fun and active, and most importantly, it will be remembered for a long time.

You need to think through the entire scenario and props in advance so that everything planned goes smoothly and unforgettably.

Abduction by gypsies

This type of theft will look very good, since the gypsies add zest to the celebration with their atmosphere, colorful dances and unique speech.

To make everything look beautiful and natural at the celebration, you should:

Order actors who will act out any scenario; it is thanks to colorful costumes and professional acting that the desired atmosphere of the event will be achieved.
You should also order another hero who will conduct direct negotiations with the young man and his relatives.
You can choose a more economical option, but no less boring - you should agree in advance with the bride’s friends, who will find costumes and play the role of gypsies.

The most important thing is not the costumes, but the right moment. A company of cheerful and perky gypsies should burst into the hall, who with their singing and ditties will distract not only the groom, but also the guests

And thanks to their magnificent costumes, the gypsies dance around the bride and take her out of the hall so that no one notices.

Demands that can be put forward to the husband.

Dance a gypsy dance, of course.
Sing a serenade.
Play a song on any instrument.

After the buildings are completed, the man is given a friend dressed in women's clothing, and in order to receive a wife, he must pay an agreed amount of money.

In the style of a Caucasian captive

To carry out a stylized theft, inspired by the cult film “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, you will need:

prepared remarks;
2 sleeping bags and one blanket;
white rope;
shoes;
flesh-colored stockings;
cotton wool;
pillows.

You need to make the base of the “body” from pillows and ropes, stuff the stockings with cotton wool, and then insert them into the shoes.

At the right moment, the thieves must approach the newlyweds, take the bride, and plant a silhouette of the body in her place.

While the girl is being taken away, you need to convince your husband that this is a ritual that is constantly performed at weddings.

Afterwards, the girl is wrapped in a blanket and taken away, while the husband is left alone. Only after this do three guys in disguise come into the hall and convince the young man that he needs to do a courage test.

After the test has been passed, the stuffed animal must be brought again, as if the captive had been returned. Before anyone notices, you should run away, but slowly, so that the groom and his boyfriend can catch up with the kidnappers, pay off and take the bride.

Armed attack

To pull off a theft like this, you need quality props and people who will play their roles flawlessly.

In this case, the spouse is taken a short distance, after which they begin to demand money from the husband and to pass tests. At least 5 people must pick up the bride.

Tests that can be proposed to be completed.

Peel the potatoes for a while.
Hit the target.
Squats or other types of physical activity.

If you are playing out a raider takeover scenario, you need to demand a ransom; if the groom does not have money, then he is given a bag and sent to collect money from the guests; if there is little money, you can offer to take part in a quiz.

Competition with the participation of a witness and a witness

There is another interesting task. But in addition to the groom, the witness and witness take part in it. The young girlfriend is laid on chairs or a bench. The hero of the event places banknotes of different denominations on her body.

Photos of witnesses at the wedding

After this, the young witness comes into play. He is blindfolded and asked to collect all the banknotes from the girl with his mouth without using his hands. Whatever amount he manages to collect, such amount will return back to the betrothed’s pocket.

During this time, almost all the banknotes are removed from the witness, leaving a maximum of three pieces. And here comes the fun part. It's incredibly funny to watch the witness explore the bridesmaid's body with his own mouth. Often the audience explodes with laughter.

Whatever competitions you decide to organize, it is recommended to carefully prepare for them. Otherwise, everything may be uninteresting, boring, even “crumpled.”

Bride price process

The kidnappers appear in the hall and say that they have stolen the bride. As proof, they show the shoe from the bride's foot and ask for a ransom for its return. The witness with a tray goes around all those gathered, taking a ransom from everyone. But the thieves refuse to take the amount received - it is too small.

“Why have you collected so little money! That means he asked badly!” The groom and the witness are given a task.

This could be a task like this:

sing a song in a duet;
dance a funny dance;
drink a plate of champagne or wine hands-free;
striptease performed by a witness - watches, socks and other small items are removed.

The toastmaster can also come up with a task for the groom and witness. The funnier the task, the more interesting it will be for guests to watch.

KNOWLEDGE BASE: How to make children the highlight of your parents' wedding

After completing the task, the witness again goes around the guests and collects money. This time the kidnappers agree and go after the bride, leaving the shoe to the groom.

Since the groom has the shoe, the girl cannot walk on her own. A very touching and beautiful wedding moment is coming. One of the kidnappers carries the bride in his arms.

Rhymed lines are a real decoration of the ritual

Pushkins are not born every day, but it is not at all difficult to hold competitions for bride price in verse. Moreover, both the main character and the receiving party can act as a poet. If you want, but the problems with adding lines are global, then ordering a full-fledged script or individual quatrains from a professional is not a problem.

Rhyming miniatures for any stage

An excellent solution is quatrains-eyeliners. They are easy to remember, sound original, and you can start almost any test with them.

Do not hesitate, clear falcon, On a solemnly beautiful day, Prowess, falcon, show, Feelings, falcon, prove!
A task awaits you, cowboy: If you overcome, good luck, No, then don’t blame me, Be ready to pay.
Your princess is waiting for you, Like a gourmet delicacy, But you can continue on your way, If you give me something!
Come on, well done, wait, Honor us with attention - Let the attention ring and make your pocket heavier.

Mini-tests for the groom's intelligence

Creative riddles for bride price in verse are another ritual feature. It is advisable to prepare truly ambiguous puzzles that require maximum intelligence from the candidate for the role of husband.

Small rhyming problems can be dedicated to the future responsibilities of the spouses, the profession of the chosen one, her favorite movie, dish, or pop group. It’s useful to mention the mother-in-law’s hobby, the team the father-in-law supports, or a significant event for the whole family. Also suitable for poetic riddles are questions about appearance: height, manicure color, shoe size, number of moles on the body.

The groom's trials set the tone for the entire celebration, so a positive attitude with a great attitude is important. And the newlywed’s team must support their friend at all stages without options, otherwise even the brightest show will lose its entertainment value

Competition for the groom and friends “Nesmeyan’s Groom!”

About the wife or nothing or seriously!

Every man should be able to compliment his wife. With an absolutely honest and tender face. But we will make it difficult for him. Down with listing the bride's virtues on flights of stairs! Let the groom praise his chosen one, looking in the mirror at his serious, solemn face. But at the same time you can’t laugh or even smile at him.

All the participants of the celebration will be reflected in the mirror, who, of course, will have fun watching the groom. Experience shows that only a few people can avoid laughing in this situation.

If the groom even smiles while uttering words of praise, he gives the fee.

Bride ransom competitions.

In the distant past, the tradition of buying a bride made it clear to parents how smart and financially secure their future son-in-law was. Nowadays, this custom has turned into a gambling and fun game. Below are options for fun gaming competitions that will set a cheerful atmosphere for the entire holiday.

Most often, bridesmaids are engaged in searching for tasks for ransom. Here are some ideas for funny tasks:

It is carried out in front of the entrance to the entrance. The groom and his support group are given musical instruments: old pots, children's toys, empty cans (most importantly, more noise). To the accompaniment of the resulting orchestra, the lover must sing a serenade. If his beloved likes it, she throws a bouquet (onions or radishes) out of the window;
Declaration of love. A kind fellow with the help of gestures (silently) shows how much he loves his chosen one. If everyone understands that his love is limitless, then they let him pass on;

From a variety of pictures depicting parts of the face (noses, lips, eyebrows and everything else), the betrothed makes a portrait, in his opinion, similar to his beloved;
The newlywed is asked to quickly draw an image of the one he came for.

Witness competitions

The witness is the second important guest of the bride price, so the bridesmaids, as a rule, also prepare interesting funny competitions and games for him. The witness can perform both a supporting role - for example, in the "Reason to Marry" competition - and undergo an independent strength test. Let the organizers decide for themselves how the ransom for the witness will take place.

With balls

Multi-colored balls are great props for competitions. There are several options for a competition for a witness with these fun ransom attributes:

"Thick veil." The competition is held at the door of the future wife's room. Props – 10 or more balloons, darts. To pass this ransom competition, the witness will have to hit the balls with a dart, and with each hit, say a good quality of the groom. If the witness doesn't get caught, he pays the girlfriends a ransom. The competition is considered passed when the entire veil “falls”, that is, bursts.

"The bride's bouquet". The witness takes part together with the groom or only the witness. Props – round air balloons on long strings, modeling balls. In the middle of the ransom, the girlfriends invite the participants to build a flower from the proposed props that will look good in the bouquet of the future wife. Based on the results of the competition, the presenters decide whether the flower turned out good, whether they let it pass or ask for a ransom.

"Chamomile"

The props are a large painted daisy with tear-off petals, each with a word written on it, invented by the presenters: it could be “sock”, “earring”, “lid”, “lamp”. The witness will have to tell how the future spouse will behave during family life, tearing off the petals and using these words. For example, the following duties: “will wash his socks himself,” “buy diamond earrings,” “close the toilet lid,” “will fix the lamp if it breaks.”

Bride's shoes competition

A competition to find or guess the bride's shoe is a classic ransom test, which is often held when the hero of the occasion has almost reached his goal and is about to meet his beloved. The props of the competition are the bride's shoes, a huge old man's shoe, a children's sandal. When it comes to this test, the presenters say that the bride has lost the second shoe from the new set in which she was going to get married, and will not go to the registry office without them.

The girls offer the betrothed to choose from three boxes: one contains the shoes he is looking for. For each mistake, the girlfriends come up with accompanying words, spoken in prose or poetry, where they express doubts about the choice of the groom and offer to try again for money. When the hero of the occasion chooses the desired option, the betrothed is congratulated, and the lovers go to registration.

How to steal a bride's shoe or the bride herself?

Among the brightest, funniest and most interesting wedding traditions, one of the first places is occupied by the theft of the bride's shoe or the bride herself. You understand that the guests will not rest until they steal this or that.

It is important that guests who decide to steal a shoe or a bride do not turn the fun prank into a “headache” for the groom, witnesses and toastmaster by overstepping some boundaries.

Professional presenters recommend listening to several tips so that no problems arise with bride theft. For example, it is better to discuss a plan to steal a bride in advance with the toastmaster in order to avoid misunderstandings. You shouldn’t hide the bride too far, otherwise the guests who stole her will also start looking for her. Of course, everyone should understand that under no circumstances should the bride be hidden in a closet, pantry, basement, kitchen or attic. We assure you that dirt, cobwebs and food debris that usually accumulate in these places will not decorate either the bride’s dress or her face. As for the shoe, if it is stolen, you should not pour alcohol into it and force the witnesses to drink everything poured into the shoe, since the witnesses must remain the most sober after the bride and groom throughout the wedding.

Competition options

The classic beginning of many modern bridesmaids is proof that the groom has come to the right place. To do this, he is asked not only to say the name of his bride, but to depict it with banknotes on a tray. This is a kind of payment for the start of the ransom, that is, after this, the actual tests will begin, which you can pass without money, armed only with your ingenuity.

The next step is for the bridesmaids to invite her lover to feel like a prince from the fairy tale about Cinderella. There are sheets of sheets with the feet of different girls outlined on the ground or area in the entrance; if you wish, you can also add the outlines of men’s feet for a comical touch. The groom has to guess which print belongs to his beloved, and this competition can be accompanied by the phrase “Guess which foot you will have to kiss for the rest of your life.”

At the next stage, childhood photographs of several girls, including his bride, hang in front of the young man. The groom is invited to guess his betrothed; for this it is advisable to use at least 20 different pictures. In some cases, this competition is held for a witness, because it is assumed that he should know the bride of his best friend only a little worse than the hero of the occasion himself.

When the photos are left behind, a dartboard appears in front of the groom, with the usual fields replaced by the following phrases:

boredom;
the demon beguiled;
lost a bet;
I want my father-in-law's car;
I like my mother-in-law;
no place to live;
parents forced;
friends laugh;
for love (in the very center).

The young man is given one dart and asked to show the real reason why he decided to marry. In some cases, the groom is given several attempts: the first two to shoot, the third to show what he said to his friends, the fourth - what he said to his parents, the fifth - what he said to the bride, and the sixth - how things really are. If the groom does not hit the bull's eye with the last shot, he pays a fine.

After checking his accuracy, the groom is asked to demonstrate his ingenuity and readiness for family life. For the competition, sheets are prepared with written abbreviations indicating the responsibilities of the husband in married life. They are either glued to each step of the stairs, or laid out on his way to a private house as footprints. Abbreviations may be as follows:

MP - wash dishes;
HRV – greet you from work;
MZ – earn a lot;
PS – buy fur coats;
VZ – to carry on vacation;
DC – give flowers;
NZPG – don’t forget about the anniversary.

The groom can come up with other abbreviations, the main thing is that the answer fits the realities of married life. If the ransom organizers still don’t like him, the young man pays a fine.

Following the ingenuity, the groom's memory is tested

Since men rarely pay attention to seemingly insignificant things, you can catch a young man being inattentive to his wife. In the hands of the hosts is a paper flower with separate petals, each of which has a number written on it, and the groom needs to guess what it means

You can choose from the following options:

the number of kilometers from the bride’s house to the registry office;
the length of the heel on the bride's wedding shoes;
bride's waist circumference;
mother-in-law's age;
number of bride's pets;
the number of cars that the father-in-law had.

When the groom is very close to the bride, you can organize a “Traces” competition. To do this, footprints are cut out of white paper and pasted on the steps, walls and railings at a large distance. The groom's task is to follow these tracks without stepping on the surrounding space. To do this, he needs to think of asking his friends to carry it, applying it to the prints.

You can place a basin in front of the bride’s door, and above it attach the inscription “Put here the most valuable gift for the bride.” At first, the groom will put wedding rings, flowers, money, telephone and other things there, but in the end he must realize that he himself needs to stand in the basin.

If desired, modern bride price competitions can be continued with the condition that friends must carry the hero of the occasion to his beloved in this very basin.

The main idea of all youth cool bride price scenarios in a modern style is fun and ease, so you should focus not on the monetary component of the event, but on competitions and surroundings. Modern tasks differ only in that they are presented under one topic, and the presenters skillfully accompany them with their comments. If you approach the matter with soul and imagination, the ransom will turn out stylish and bright.

Original competitions for bride price

Original competitions for a fun bride price will surprise the guests and the groom and create an interesting atmosphere. Examples of original competitions for the groom:

"False betrothed."

The props for a cool competition are the groom’s outfit, a bouquet, and you also need to invite a person who is unfamiliar with your future spouse. When the hero of the occasion arrives at the bride’s house, the bridesmaids stand at the entrance, and opposite them is a man with a bouquet, dressed as the groom. The hero of the occasion approaches the girls, whose fake groom is at that moment trying to find out the bride’s apartment number, calling her name. The organizing friends notice the newcomer, ask his name, and the real betrothed answers.

Then the girls say:

- Well, how is it possible that there will be two suitors?! One of you is not real! Well, we know how to solve this issue. Whoever knows more about our beautiful bride will go on.

The hosts ask both participants questions about their beloved, the fake contestant keeps getting out of it, the real one answers. After the last question, the fake groom is sent away.

"Caught the Moment"

Props: printed photos. On the street, the groom is met by his girlfriends holding a stack of photographs. The girls say that he must amaze them with interesting stories in order to get to the bride. Each photo captures the moments of meetings between the future spouse and the betrothed: acquaintance, a joint vacation or a trip to the zoo. The contestant talks about each in detail, this allows him to go first to the entrance, then to the next flight of stairs. For every mistake, the betrothed must pay a ransom.

Time of theft

The bride is kidnapped in the middle of a banquet. It is best to do it before serving hot food.

One of the guests shouts: “Unknown people stole the bride!” After this, all the guests, together with the groom, begin to look for the girl. At the same time, they collect ransom for the kidnappers. At this moment, the waiters collect the dirty dishes and bring hot food to the table. And the guests leave the table and participate in the search for the bride.

KNOWLEDGE BASE: Beautiful poems about a wedding

Be sure to warn the toastmaster about the theft.

Competitions with pictures or photographs

A few more competition options:

"Rules of family life." For the competition you will need a traffic police officer's uniform and pictures with images of road signs, glued to the wall in the bride's entrance. One of the presenters puts on the uniform of a traffic police inspector and, having met the groom, explains the terms of the competition: when a “traffic police officer” points to a picture with a certain sign, the future spouse must name what duty in the family this road sign represents. For example: “Water tap” - washing dishes, “Christmas tree” - participating in decorating the New Year’s tree, etc.
"Identikit". The test requires several fragments of photographs of different girls. From these elements the groom will have to assemble a portrait of his chosen one.

"Portrait of the Bride." For this competition, which is usually held at the entrance, you will need whatman paper, pencils, and a blindfold. The presenters tell the groom that they know about his artistic talent and want to check how well he remembers his chosen one. The man is blindfolded and given a pencil, with which he must draw a bride on a piece of whatman paper.
"Old photographs." For this challenge, presenters will need printed photographs of young children, including the bride as a child. The groom is trying to figure out which of the pictures shows his future wife. Every mistake must be paid with a fine.
"Seize the moment." Printed photographs will be required for this competition. In front of the bride's house, the hosts are waiting for the groom with a stack of photographs in their hands. The girls explain to him that he can only go to the bride if he amazes them with fascinating stories. Each photo depicts moments of the newlyweds dating. This could be the day of acquaintance, going to the cinema, traveling together, etc. The groom must tell in detail about each event, which allows him to go to the entrance, and then gradually climb the stairs. Having made a mistake, the man pays a fine.
"A couple is not a couple." His friends can also take part in this test along with the groom: they are allowed to give advice). To conduct the competition, you will need a sheet of whatman paper with photographs attached to it: in the center - the bride, and around - photos of different men (and the groom too), face down. It's better if the images are very different. For example: a little boy, a decrepit old man, a dwarf, a giant, a politician, etc. The hero of the occasion will have to alternately turn over the photographs and announce three indisputable facts why this candidate is not suitable for his future wife. When the groom chooses his photo, he must explain why their union will be the happiest.

Without a doubt, original and fun wedding competitions for bride ransom will help set the necessary positive mood for the festive event and will be a great start to the first important day for a young family. This part of the festive program will not only lift the spirits of the heroes of the occasion and their guests, but will also become a pleasant memory for a long time

Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for the bride price with special care, having thought through every minute of this interesting and traditional wedding ceremony for many years.

Bride ransom - advice to the groom

In the previous article, we talked about how to do without victims when conducting a bride price, but we looked at the situation from the bride’s side. But what if you find yourself “on the other side of the barricades”? You are the groom, and you have been warned in advance that you will not be able to easily get to your beloved. There are many options for the development of events when carrying out a bride ransom, but we will highlight a few basic tips, following which will allow you to “not lose face.”

Tip one: don't be late!

Think about your morning schedule in advance. If the path to the bride’s house is not close, allow more time for the road (in case of traffic jams). Warn your friends and witness not to be late. Remember that in the head of your chosen one there is already a clear plan for how this day should go, everything is planned down to the smallest detail, including the time, everything down to the minute.

Tip two: alcohol can wait until the banquet!

You and your friends shouldn’t start the morning with a “bravery trick.” And even more so to show up for ransom in a very drunken state. This can ruin your reputation in the eyes of future relatives. If one of your friends has not calculated his strength, and you know that he is not entirely adequate in this state, it is better to exclude his participation in the wedding ransom. Drunk brawling in the morning will not improve anyone's mood.

Tip three: have bills of different denominations with you, and don’t forget about coins!

The day before, you yourself, or a witness, prepare the required amount of money (it’s better to discuss how much to take with the bride in advance). In any case, no matter how much you take, it should be bills of different denominations. You should not take only big money, or, on the contrary, only small money. Don’t forget about the little things, there are competitions in which this is what you will need. The use of joke money has recently become acceptable, but it should not be abused.

Tip four: forewarned is forearmed!

Try to remember the important dates for you from your favorite date (when you met, when you kissed for the first time, when you proposed, maybe you have some memorable days of your own); the bridesmaids will probably use them in competitions. Remember what your significant other likes (favorite color, dish, movie, song) - they will ask you this too. It is possible to test your knowledge of the different sizes of the bride (foot size, chest size, waist size, finger size for a ring). Be prepared for a competition like: “describe your beloved with ten adjectives,” or “name the five best qualities of a bride,” or something like that. It’s better to prepare some kind of serenade song in advance, because... They ask to perform a song at almost all ransoms; sometimes the song is replaced with a poem about love. If you don’t rely on your memory, have the witness print out the text of a poem or the words of a song on a piece of paper and keep it in his pocket. And most importantly, be sure to find out when your future mother-in-law’s birthday is (required! - editor’s note).

Tip five: calm and only calm!

Whatever happens, follow the words of the famous cartoon character. And most importantly, remember, everything needs to be done with a smile and kindly! There should be no harsh comments from you or your friends. They ask you to sing - sing, dance - dance, this is just a game, the purpose of which is to amuse the guests, including you. Treat what is happening this way, and then this day will remain in your memory as one of the most fun.

Traditions of buying the bride's shoe

Even in Ancient Rus', there was a tradition of bridesmaids taking a shoe from the bride to try on. If the shoe fit, the girlfriend kept the shoe and could demand the groom pay a ransom. This is how the young man passed the test, because independent and wealthy men would never beg to return a shoe for free. On the contrary, they will make every effort to ensure that the bride’s shoes are returned - such an important detail of the wedding look. And as a reward, the groom offered the witness not only money, but also other pleasant gifts, such as sweets, flowers, fruits.

The modern custom of ransom has changed somewhat and has become more like a fun competition than a auction. When the celebration is in full swing, the host announces the time for dancing, but suddenly the bride discovers that her shoe is missing. The girl will not be able to dance in this form, so the loss must be quickly found. At this time, thieves appear (often the bride's friends or the groom's witness with friends) who ask for a ransom for the shoe. “Criminals” may demand currency, but more often they offer the young man several tasks to complete.

Buying the bride's shoe

Competitions for the groom's team

The arriving thieves begin to frantically bargain and demand ransom for such an important detail of the bride’s wedding dress.

The groom is offered various tests, for example:

you need to depict a pantomime based on Pushkin’s poem “There is a green oak at the seaside” (or something similar, with many images and semantic dynamics) without prior preparation. 1 minute is given to assign roles. The voice-over text is read by one of the thieves, and “with feeling, sensibly, with precision”;
dance the cancan with the whole team - the groom's friends;
agree to drink as much champagne from the bride’s shoe as will be poured into it;
men usually do not have a very good memory when it comes to women’s outfits, hairstyles, and shoes. You can play on this. The groom is offered 5-6 white shoes (prepared in advance) and is invited to recognize the bride. Moreover, during the competition the groom should not see the second shoe. Paradoxically, few people recognize their bride’s shoe.
the most commonplace way is to simply pay, but the mummers must agree to the payment after conducting a series of tests. Otherwise it won't be interesting.

Competitions for the bride's team

The point is that, also in the midst of the dance program, it is discovered that the stylish groom is standing in one sock and announces that the shoe has disappeared in an unknown direction.

The bride is in panic, the guests are terrified, and thieves appear in the wedding arena.
We mentioned the appearance of thieves above. The bride is offered the following tests:

dance without shoes with the oldest guest;
dance without shoes with the youngest guest;
pull in and tie the laces on men's shoes for a while (for example, 1 minute);
recognize the blindfolded groom's shoe among many men's shoes;
“give out”, again, a fiery cancan together with his team.
after all the tests - pay, you can offer a kiss to each thief as a ransom.

Competitions for the bride and groom

You can simultaneously organize a shoe purchase for both the bride and groom.
Payment for the shoes can be any joint action of the bride and groom, symbolizing joint overcoming of difficulties in family life. This could be sawing logs, picking up broken dishes for good luck, feeding pets, etc.

In the process of buying a shoe, special attention should be paid to the photo shoot: what could be more interesting for future children than your wedding photos in the company of fairy-tale characters, all kinds of kikimoras, witches, goblin, devils, cowboys, pirates? A professional photographer will take excellent staged photographs that will turn your wedding album into a real masterpiece!

Remember: the more rituals and traditions presented at the wedding, the brighter and more interesting the celebration will be. The main thing is not to overdo it and harmoniously integrate traditions into the wedding scenario.

Shoes to buy back

Another good wedding tradition is buying the bride’s shoes. It would seem that the groom has passed all the tests and can take his beloved from his parents’ house, but that’s not the case! The girlfriends steal the shoe and again force the groom to fight for his happiness.

Previously, the purpose of the ransom was to check the candidate husband for generosity and prosperity. The girls from the bridesmaids' retinue took turns trying on the shoe. The one who needed the shoes at the right time had the right to keep them and then ask for a generous payment for the item of wedding clothing. Now this tradition is a tribute to the past and one of the ways to bring fun noise to the wedding.

Note! Don't delay purchasing your shoes. A 10-15 minute script will be enough to pay attention to the tradition, but not tire the guests

Path-path

In the room where the ransom is supposed to be held, it is necessary to lay out a path of previously prepared white and red daisies. The groom must walk along an improvised carpet, while fulfilling the condition: if you step on a red daisy - confess your love to the bride, if you step on a white daisy - say how you will scold your wife after the wedding. And if the groom refuses to reproach his beloved, he is charged a fee.

Rich guests

As a ransom for the shoe, the groom and his friends are asked to write the bride's name on the floor using paper bills.

Another variation of this competition is to ask the groom and his retinue to fill three vessels with something that rings, rustles and flows.

Alphabet

For this funny competition, you need to prepare A4 sheets with printed letters of the alphabet in advance. Impromptu cards are distributed to the groom and his friends. After this, the owners of various letters apply the sheets to the part of the body that begins with the indicated letter. It is necessary to attach all the cards on hand at once, and dropping the props is strictly prohibited.

Sponges

The bride and her bridesmaids leave imprints of their lips on the Whatman paper, having previously put on bright lipstick. The groom's task is to find which of the many kisses the bride left. For each "miss" a fee is charged.

Striptease

Several people from among the groom's guests can participate in this competition. For the props you need a clothesline. Measure out a length that can be loosely wrapped around the waist of a clothed adult man, then sew the ends together.

The one who takes part in the competition must sexually put on a rope (over the head) and then remove it (through the legs). At the same time, you cannot finish before the music stops.

Find the shoe

Shoe boxes are used to hide a variety of shoes. It is best to use funny and inappropriate props: skates, felt boots, men's boots. And only one box contains the bride's shoe. The groom must guess the box correctly, paying for each incorrect choice with a song or money.

Remember! Competitions should be fun and relaxed. If one of the subjects cannot cope with the task or does not want to continue participating in the competition, it is better not to insist so as not to spoil the holiday. You should also not complicate the competitions, because if they drag on, the guests will quickly start to get bored.

Subtleties of kidnapping

It is better to kidnap the bride together with a friend so that she is not bored;
It is better to hide on the street, and not inside a restaurant. Vigilant workers can arrange their own kidnapping and the ransom will have to be paid to them.
You should not hide the bride too far, otherwise you will have to look for the kidnappers along with the bride.
You should not hide the bride in dirty places - attic, basement, etc. Her beautiful attire will come to an end.
Do not force witnesses to drink from the bride's shoe. They need to keep a level head.

KNOWLEDGE BASE: Second wedding day - indoor competitions with and without toastmaster