When thinking about what to give to the newlyweds on their wedding day, you should know that this sacrament is somewhat different from the traditional registration of marriage. The latter refers to social events that seal the new family union with signatures and register it in a special book.
During a church ceremony, the union is sealed before the Lord and receives blessing and sanctification. Until March 1917, it was precisely this kind of marriage that was considered valid and nothing more. Only from the beginning of the 19th century did witnesses begin to be present at weddings.
Modern wedding
The revival of weddings as a beautiful church sacrament began in the 90s. His beauty attracts many people to marry. Often, after signing at the registry office, the spouses pronounce words of love and oaths of fidelity in front of the altar. Today, to get married, you need a marriage certificate.
In this case, a mistake is often made: both events, registration with a government agency and the wedding, are combined and held on the wedding day.
There is no need to rush into getting married . It is fundamentally different from a trip to the registry office and a wedding celebration. Young people must be spiritually prepared, and only the closest and friendliest people are invited . This should be a separate celebration , with different clothes, which remain in the family forever and are stored along with church candles directly from the wedding.
get married , but also older spouses who have tested their feelings and created a strong family.
In this regard, the question of wedding gifts is not so simple, given the seriousness and traditional nature of the church sacrament.
Video: Wedding ceremony
Flowers as a gift
Before choosing this option, it is worth asking the bride if flowers are needed at the ceremony.
However, if the bride does not mind, it is better to choose bouquets in white shades. An alternative to classic bouquets can be a basket of flowers, an oasis or a composition of flowers in a flask.
Also, flowers should not emit strong odors. It is best to choose as a gift odorless or with a barely perceptible odor. So, it is better to choose the following bouquets with the following flowers:
Flowers as a wedding gift
- lilies of the valley;
- tulips;
- peonies;
- jasmine;
- peonies;
- dahlias;
- white chrysanthemums;
- white callas;
- buttercups.
Bouquets should be light, without bright flowers. It is not customary to give red roses; this is considered a bad omen by common people.
There is also no need to bring bouquets of lilies to the ceremony. Although it was considered a wedding flower, in the Middle Ages this flower began to be burned on the shoulders of harlots and sinners. Therefore, if the bride is extremely superstitious, then lilies will not be the best gift.
It is especially worth refusing to buy orchids. These flowers have a deep scent and not everyone will like them.
What not to give for a wedding
When choosing a wedding gift, it is better to immediately identify for yourself that group of things and objects that are not accepted to be presented at a church ceremony of marriage and are considered bad form .
- Sharp and prickly objects: sets of knives, forks, etc.
- Hours (considered to be parting).
- Red roses, orchids and chrysanthemums. The latter are more appropriate for a funeral.
- Electronics and household appliances.
- Money.
- Weapon.
- Items symbolizing the gods and traditions of another faith.
- Cool stuff.
- Clothes, linen.
The Orthodox Church itself gives the right to decide whether or not to give anything for a wedding to the guests themselves, and does not place any restrictions on this.
When to give?
Many people are concerned about the question of when to give wedding gifts. This should not be done before the ceremony. Presents are presented after the ceremony. However, you must wait until the couple leaves the church. The walls of the temple are not the place for giving gifts.
Advice! It is important to accompany the presentation of a gift with warm words and congratulations. It’s better to think through your speech in advance.
You can please the heroes of the occasion with a surprise during the banquet. If there are no lavish celebrations with laid tables, gifts are handed over after leaving the church.
Choosing gifts for young people
Most wedding gifts for a young couple can be of a religious nature :
- Icons , usually the Mother of God or the Savior, Peter and Fevronia of Murom.
Most often, such gifts are given by parents to their children , and in the future such an icon is passed on to the next generations of the family . - Paired sets of medallions with guardian angels of those getting married .
They can be made of gold or silver. They can be not only from mom and dad, but also from witnesses. - A trip to Jerusalem to the holy places .
It is better to purchase a certificate with an open date so as not to create inconvenience for young people. - Bible bound in copper or silver.
You can present both the Gospel and the Lives of the Saints . The main thing is that the book must be beautiful. gift editions for such purposes . - Candlesticks .
Of course, they will rarely be used for their intended purpose, but this unusual gift will be a good reminder of the wedding ceremony. - Tour of Orthodox holy places of Russia .
Presented if the couple is devout and would really be interested in visiting Russian Orthodox shrines. - Valuable coin with the faces of saints .
In any case, such a gift is a winner. This is both a memory of the wedding day and a value that will be treasured for years and passed on to children.
In addition to gifts related to religion, you can give others:
- Genealogical book . There are excellent publications in which all the best events in family history will be recorded with pleasure.
- Wedding cups with a memorable engraving of the celebration.
- Figurines made of crystal, bronze or porcelain, symbolizing family well-being and love.
- Boxes and souvenirs in the form of bells, horseshoes, birds.
In any case, the wedding gift to the newlyweds should be memorable and desirable.
Inappropriate gifts
On the day of the conclusion of the Union, according to popular wisdom, you cannot give forks, knives, or scissors. In a word, sharp, cutting and piercing objects. If such items were presented, it is necessary to hand over the coin to the spouses and then the trouble will bypass the spouses.
A married couple cannot be given weapons and attributes related to another faith.
When people get married, they announce to everyone around them their love and their intention to spend their whole lives together. When a married couple undergoes a wedding ceremony, they enter into an alliance with the Almighty. Only the greatest love and faith lead a married couple to God. And it doesn’t matter how long the husband and wife lived under the same roof. I just want to wish such bright people love and happiness for many years to come, and there will be many more.
What to give an older couple for a wedding?
Many adult married people take years to take such a serious step as deciding to get married . If you have to choose a wedding gift just for them, then this process must be approached with great responsibility .
You should immediately forget about such things as cheap souvenirs, household items or bed linen. All this is inappropriate in this case.
The most commonly selected classic gifts are:
- Icon .
She can be anyone. If the gift is from your daughter, then you can embroider the icon of the Mother of God with your own hands. A huge number of special embroidery kits allow you to create real masterpieces decorated with beads and stones. - Service .
Beautifully finished dishes will always adequately decorate the family table and will be a pleasant memory of the event. - Bracelets and pendants with the faces of saints .
Such a wedding gift would be appropriate if it is presented by witnesses . - Panels or paintings with pleasant views of nature or temples.
- Palekh boxes for storing family treasures.
- Silver engraved glasses or goblets .
The engraving can remind you of the date of the event, contain the names of the married couple, or simply words of congratulations. Closer people can give such a gift. - A bottle of Cahors with a pair of crystal glasses can be presented by a not very close friend or distant relative.
What can you give for your Wedding Day? An amazing gift - a carriage ride - such a gift will be remembered for a long time!
Bride ransom from a mental hospital - a fun scenario!
When choosing a gift for an older couple, do not forget some rules:
- Down with formality and frivolity!
- The gift is intended for both spouses.
- The present should be memorable.
- The offering should be accompanied by sincere warm congratulations.
Original gifts
If you want to give a non-standard, but at the same time memorable gift, then there are many interesting options. For example, you can order a portrait of the newlyweds in their wedding dresses. Such a portrait can be obtained without involving the recipients of the gift in posing. It will be enough to provide the artist with a high-quality photo of the heroes of the occasion.
Another unusual gift is a genealogy book. Its production should be ordered in advance, since collecting information will require a lot of time. The main part of the book, prepared by specialists, will contain information about the ancestors - their names, occupation, participation in military companies, etc. In addition, from the book you will learn about the history of the places where the ancestors lived.
Such books, as a rule, have a luxurious leather binding with inlay. Blank pages will be left in the book so that you can enter information about new members who appear in the family.
If it is not possible to order the production of a genealogy book from specialized companies, then you can create this thing yourself. In this case, most likely, there will be information only about three or four generations of the family, but this version of the book will most likely become a real family heirloom.
Wedding gifts from parents
Every parent dreams of the family well-being of their child and always tries to put special meaning into a gift for such an important event as a wedding.
What should you choose?
First of all, this is a family amulet ; its role can be played by:
- Wedding pair of icons or the icon of the Mother of God “Leaping of the Child”.
- Gold and silver personalized pendant icons.
- Save and Preserve rings (pair).
- Souvenirs based on biblical scenes: figurines, paintings, embroidered panels.
- In addition to the above, a good gift from parents would be a collection of the Explanatory Bible or one Gospel. You can also give a Bible for children, with the prospect of future grandchildren.
What do young people exchange?
On the wedding day, not only guests give gifts. And young people want to do something nice for each other. Social gifts such as jewelry, cufflinks, watches and wardrobe items are best left for another occasion. To celebrate a match made in heaven, it is important to give something special.
A good gift is a small amulet icon that your significant other will always carry with them. This could be a pendant for your neck or a small icon for your car.
If traditional jewelry is not given for a wedding, then religious accessories are quite suitable for this occasion. You can give your loved one a ring or bracelet with the engraving “save and preserve.”
Important! Gold is considered the “devilish” metal. Silver items are given as gifts for weddings.
Spouses know each other's tastes and preferences well and can purchase a book by their favorite author or a whole series of works for a loved one. This gift will add to the family library and will appeal to reading lovers.
An interesting gift option is a portrait from a photograph. You don't need to pose for hours in front of an artist. All you have to do is select a suitable photo and give it to the master. This type of work does not require much time and is quite affordable.
Gifts from Family and Friends
All those invited to the ceremony are, as a rule, people they know well, so wedding gifts from family and friends can be very different. If we divide them into groups, they can be secular and religious .
Religious gifts presented by family and friends at weddings:
- Lamp.
- Shelf for icons.
- Travel icons - folding.
- Candlesticks.
- Personally embroidered icons and paintings.
- Secular gifts.
These include - family albums , which can be updated with new photos and records.
- Desirable gifts include sets of dishes made of porcelain, cupronickel or silver.
- Don't forget about flowers . The bouquet should not be bright and flashy; it is better if it is lilies of the valley, tulips or white roses .
You can order a wedding or wedding portrait and present it to them on their wedding day.
Flowers that are customary to give to spouses at a wedding
It is customary to give white flowers to married couples at their wedding ceremony. Traditionally, the wedding flower is a white lily. In addition, flower arrangements arranged in a neat basket without unnecessary or too pretentious details will look good.
Flowers that are presented to the bride and groom should not have a strong and intrusive smell. In addition to lilies, the following options are popular:
- white rose, which is a symbol of love and beauty;
- a small bouquet of lilies of the valley, symbolizing purity and spiritual closeness between spouses;
- jasmine is a symbol of romance and devotion;
- lilac and honeysuckle, symbolizing love, tenderness and beauty;
- peonies are a symbol of love, optimism and love of life;
- tulips - according to legend, this flower is able to protect spouses from quarrels and disagreements;
- violets, symbolizing tenderness, warm feelings, good intentions and purity of thoughts (however, you should not give preference to purple violets, as they are often brought to funerals).
Violets Peonies Tulips
Interesting gift ideas
I don’t think there is any need to limit ourselves to gifts from the church store. What else to give? I'll share some ideas:
- a tour to the Holy Land will be a pleasant surprise for those getting married, a source of vivid emotions. A more budget-friendly option could be a tour of holy places. Such a gift will not only be remembered for a lifetime, but will also help the newlyweds strengthen in their Faith;
- A gift made with your own hands will be a sign of special attention to the wedding party on your part. You can give embroidery or a family album made yourself using the popular scrapbooking technique;
- flowers bring an atmosphere of solemnity and celebration to the ceremony. There is a belief that says you should not give cut flowers. Perhaps it is worth listening to folk wisdom when composing a gift flower arrangement;
- Children's books or things would be a good gift. The sacred meaning of the sacrament of wedding is in the divine sanctification of procreation. This kind of offering will be a symbolic blessing of the fruit of love.
The decision to undergo a wedding ceremony is a serious step. Often, young people and their parents decide to combine the official registration of the relationship in the registry office with the wedding ceremony.
It will not be possible to get married before the official registration of the relationship.
The fact is that the Russian Orthodox Church generally requires a state certificate to conduct a ceremony. After all, being an institution separated from the state, she has no other way to establish that this marriage is the only one.
In my practice, most young families choose this combined option. In this case, I recommend taking this nuance into account both when choosing gifts and when planning special events.
Gifts for young spouses
What do young couples get as a wedding gift? In addition to everything I wrote about, you can add the following. If you are going to combine a wedding ceremony at the registry office with a wedding ceremony, then when choosing a gift you should definitely not limit yourself to goods from the church shop. A stack of icons or a dozen icon lamps are unlikely to please even the most deeply religious young people.
You can give the newlyweds everything that is given at social wedding events. It can be:
- money,
- bed and table linen,
- dishes,
- equipment, etc.
Everything a married couple starting their life together needs.
In recent years, gift certificates have become an increasingly popular type of gift. When choosing such a gift, pay attention to the fact that it will be useful to both spouses.
Don't forget about beautiful packaging. It will add intrigue to the presentation stage, decorate the ceremony, and rid it of an overly everyday connotation.
Wedding gifts for an adult couple
Many couples do not immediately come to the realization of the need for a church blessing for their life together. If such a decision is made by a mature couple, then this indicates a deep spiritual understanding of the relationship, the desire of the couple to give a deeper sacred meaning to their life together.
What to give to an adult couple for a wedding? I do not advise giving money or household gifts, because the life of a mature family has already developed. Most likely, only the closest people will be invited to such a ceremony.
A romantic trip purchased on a sociable basis will be a pleasant surprise for those getting married. It doesn't have to be a religious pilgrimage. Probably, the married couple had already visited holy places before deciding to get married.
When choosing a gift for an adult couple, focus on memorable gifts with a spiritual orientation. It would also be appropriate:
- antiques,
- gold and silver jewelry,
- porcelain,
- glass.
Don’t forget to express your feelings and bright wishes to those getting married. After all, only your love and warm attitude will create a festive atmosphere.
At least once in their life, every person has come across the topic of wedding and engagement. Moreover, this concerned his friends, relatives or acquaintances. Of course, because of such situations, a completely reasonable question immediately arises: what do they give to newlyweds for a wedding?
First of all, you need to figure out what a wedding is and “what it’s eaten with.” A wedding is a church ceremony that involves consolidating the union of the bride and groom before God, during which the marriage of the young is illuminated and blessed. So, having dealt with this issue, you can understand what is worth giving so as not to offend and surprise those getting married. It is worth choosing from the Orthodox assortment. It is worth delving deeper into the analysis of this issue.
Well, how can you choose from the many variations of a present exactly the one that will be appropriate? There are several options available for solving this problem. First you need to understand which category you belong to. That is, you are a parent witness or friends. You also need to take into account the age of the newlyweds - whether this couple is elderly or the opposite.
Basic rules for choosing a gift
How to choose the right wedding gift?
If the wedding day coincides with the wedding day, they get by with one gift; in addition, it is not necessary to give something very expensive and valuable.
A wedding is a sacrament, therefore, any gifts with a hint of a joke, a joke or some kind of vulgar hints will be inappropriate.
The gift must be shared - it cannot be given only to the groom or only to the bride. The gift must be presented to both of them together.
The present should be memorable. It is not necessary to give a very expensive thing, the most important thing is that it remains as a keepsake and reminds you of the person who gave it.
Most wedding gifts are of a religious nature, since the event itself is a great sacrament; an icon is an ideal option; besides, it will help create coziness in the home.
The present should not be chosen carelessly or be a mere formality. It is also bad if it is decorated inappropriately - the gift should be packed in a beautiful package, an elegant paper wrapper.
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Gifts for a 5 year wedding anniversary
Gifts for wife
Honey with gold
A husband can surprise his wife with an unusual gift. This is a prestigious and expensive gift. Edible gold is a well-known food additive. It heals many diseases. Golden honey is a combination of the beneficial properties of two products.
Wood decorations
A ring, bracelet, beads, earrings are things that a woman will happily accept as gifts.
Gifts for husband
Photobook
Collect happy moments captured in photographs in one album. You can look through them together and remember how wonderful it was.
Tools with wooden handles
Wooden wedding gift for husband
A family man cannot do without a set of tools. There is always something that needs fixing at home. Symbolic wooden handles will be a reminder that the instruments were given as a gift for a wooden wedding.
Wooden safe “stash”
A hint that the husband has his own space, which he can dispose of as he wishes.
Gifts for friends
Don't know what to present to your friend? See the options!
Coffee in bed table
They will add romance to the life of the newlyweds. Who hasn’t dreamed that even five years after marriage, your significant other continues to bring you coffee in bed?
Hanging chair
An excellent option for a summer residence. It's nice to sunbathe in this or spend time reading a book.
Wooden puzzles with family photo
The assembled version can be hung on the wall in the form of a portrait.
Gifts for children from parents
Money
It is customary for parents to help their children financially. It would be rational to present an envelope with money that you can spend on your own needs.
Gift Certificate
Children will also be able to dispose of it at their own discretion. A wooden wedding is a family holiday. Therefore, it would be a great idea to give a certificate for joint trips to the movies, theaters, museums, exhibitions, and so on.
Portrait burned into wood
You can order it or make it yourself. Such a thing will long last as a memory of the five-year anniversary.
Gifts for spouses
Gym membership
It can be hard to start looking after your physical fitness. But if you do it together and periodically motivate each other, the task will become easier.
Going to the spa
Joint relaxation will benefit the spouses. Sometimes you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and have a good rest.
Journey
A tour for two will diversify the life of the spouses. You can even repeat the honeymoon trip where the newlyweds went during their honeymoon.
Church wedding
Most Russians are Orthodox, so it is in the Orthodox Church that the wedding will most likely take place. Nowadays, the church union does not have any force from the point of view of law, but as a tribute to tradition, such ceremonies are still held.
In the modern world, the wedding ceremony has undergone some changes:
- Newlyweds usually come to church after registering their union in the registry office. Only the closest friends and relatives are allowed inside;
- the sacrament can be performed without parental blessing if those getting married have already reached 18 years of age;
- The most important change is that the ritual is not mandatory. If in Rus' such a step would entail all sorts of curses and superstitions, then in a modern state you can simply refuse the wedding. However, keep in mind that many old-school people may not understand such an act;
- The church can refuse a wedding without official registration. However, there were cases when this rule was violated, this happened in emergency situations: before serious surgical operations of one of the spouses, in the event of the husband leaving for war.
Mandatory rules:
- the bride must look decent, namely, comply with the church rules of appearance: her head is covered with a veil or scarf, the dress covers the body almost completely. If the dress has a neckline, it must be covered with a white veil or stole. Open arms are covered with long gloves, but with legs it is more difficult - when purchasing, consider that the dress should be below the knees;
- the color of the wife's dress is white (tone variations are possible), the groom's suit is dark;
- Weddings are held on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; they are prohibited during major church holidays, as well as during Lent.
How is it going?
The wedding of newlyweds is a very serious and responsible step, and therefore not every couple is ready to take it. Only those who are confident in their intentions to live with this particular person for the rest of their lives are ready to get married. Indeed, unlike the painting in the Civil Registry Office, a wedding has a deeper meaning, which is closely related to the religion of people. Therefore, many fear the consequences of horrific behavior in marriage if it is witnessed before the Lord.
Before the wedding ceremony itself, the newlyweds need to go through the preparatory stages. For example, in many churches, clergy hold conversations with people who are thinking about getting married. These conversations are intended to convey to people the meaning of the sacrament of marriage and how great a sin adultery is considered after a wedding. Thanks to such precautions, people once again weigh the purity of their intentions and whether they are really ready to take such a significant step as getting married.
If the couple is ready for the wedding ceremony, then they need to go through the second stage of preparation - purification. People should get married with pure thoughts, having become engaged, confessing and undergoing a short fast. This helps to forgive all the grievances that torment them, to be able to understand and accept their companion. After all, this ritual is the creation of a holy union, consolidating the desire to be together before the Lord. The betrothal ritual, according to beliefs, can bring holiness into the family life of a young couple and bless them with the birth of children.
Directly during the wedding in the church, the clergyman says several prayers, after which the newlyweds exchange rings. He blesses the created union for a happy life together, for raising children, for well-being and prosperity. The wedding ceremony in a church is somewhat different from a folk wedding. Here many elements have been replaced. For example, instead of a table, priests use an altar or lectern; instead of blessing the parents on a casing or belt, they place a wedding towel.
In church, as a rule, at the wedding of young people, their parents, relatives and close friends are present, who came to rejoice for them and share with them this important moment of their lives.
Unnecessary gifts
Everyone is familiar with gifts that do not evoke pleasant emotions at any holiday.
But the guests confidently try to give the youngsters such trinkets that they wouldn’t even dare to throw away, but they are absolutely unnecessary in the house.
Outdated household appliances
They resort to this move in order to somehow save on gifts or when they already have several identical things at home.
But such gifts are disrespectful to young people, who probably understand the functionality of modern technology and simply will not understand the cunning step.
Duty souvenirs
Probably, on every birthday, March 8, February 23, and even on New Year’s, we always receive from someone a box or a photo frame, a figurine or a symbolic figurine, a piggy bank or an aroma lamp. Remember your emotions when you receive such vulgar, inexpressive souvenirs.
So why give them as a wedding gift? The fact that symbolic wedding decor appears on such trinkets does not make them desirable.
In this case, even the most heartfelt wishes will not save the situation. By the way, young people should also take into account common mistakes when choosing prizes for guests for competitions.
Religious gifts
Since a wedding is a spiritual event that has a special meaning, it is customary to give things of a religious nature.
- Icons. Such a gift is completely appropriate for the event and is usually presented by parents to a young couple. There are icons that are most suitable for a married couple - this is the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, the face of the Mother of God, the images of Saints Peter and Fevronia. Most often, the Feodorovskaya icon is presented, because it is from it that they ask for happiness in marriage or the birth of children. The images of Peter and Fevronia are also suitable; these two saints are considered the patrons of marriage, personifying the spiritual connection between lovers, fidelity and mutual respect.
- Spiritual literature. This is the Gospel, the Bible, the lives of the Saints, the Works of the Holy Fathers, works on the basics of Christian marriage. There is also artistic Orthodox literature that can be presented as a gift on such a bright day.
- Travel to holy places. Impression gifts are also appropriate for such an elevated occasion. If the spouses are deeply religious and dream of a pilgrimage to one of the holy places, give them such a tour. This gift is usually presented from several guests. The duration of the trip and the place of pilgrimage can be chosen depending on the available funds. Pechory, Valaam, Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, other monasteries and churches in Russia and abroad, and, of course, a pilgrimage tour to Israel. There are many options for such trips, all you have to do is choose.
- A shelf for icons, a lamp for a family iconostasis, a towel on a biblical theme and other beautiful attributes that you will find in church shops, stores and exhibitions of Orthodox goods.
If you cannot decide on a religious gift, then seek advice from a church store or clergyman. They may advise you to choose some spiritual literature dedicated to marriage, or a certain icon.
