Georgian wedding: unique traditions and interesting facts

A traditional Georgian wedding is an unforgettable event not only for the bride and groom, but also for all the numerous guests present at it. They prepare for a wedding in Georgia for a long time and thoroughly, so that the ceremony turns out luxurious and rich, the tables are full of treats, and the guests do not get bored for a minute, watching the bright and spectacular entertainment.

Customs before the wedding

A traditional Georgian wedding includes several stages, and all of them together take more than one day. This process consists of the following points:

Machankloba (matchmaking).
Engagement.
Bride ransom.
Meeting of the groom's relatives with his chosen one.
Official part.

The main feature of the Georgian celebration is the large number of guests .
A hundred guests is not considered such a large number here. Rather, this is the minimum bar. The reason lies not only in the hospitable mentality, but also in the corresponding tradition, according to which all relatives from both newlyweds must be invited to the wedding. Violation of this custom by uninvited people can be regarded as rudeness and serve as a reason for a quarrel. For many centuries, a Georgian wedding could not be imagined without the kidnapping of the bride. This custom is familiar to many generations of Georgians, and we will tell you more about it a little later.

Matchmaking

Although the tradition of matchmaking in Georgia has a special name - Machankloba , it is not much different from the Russian ritual. At this stage, the newlyweds must obtain the approval of their future union from their parents, and if the elders are against it, then the whole wedding ends. Therefore, young people approach the preparation process very carefully. For example, they hire a professional matchmaker.

A man, along with his family, and sometimes a matchmaker, comes to the house of his future wife to obtain permission to marry. This visit is necessarily accompanied by a large number of gifts from him. The bride's relatives, in turn, arrange a magnificent feast. There should be a lot of wine on the table so that there is enough for all participants. Therefore, they stock up on alcohol in advance.

Engagement also requires special preparation from both the newlyweds and the guests.

According to national custom, the newlyweds are presented with a large number of gifts, which usually include flowers, alcoholic drinks and Georgian sweets.

Before sitting down to the table, according to custom, guests talk to each other. At the same time, men usually communicate with men, and women with women. Future spouses are sure to sit next to each other. The beginning of the feast is marked by a toast from the groom's father, who should express the joy of the union.

Engagement

When parental blessing has been received, the couple can be considered newlyweds. The newlyweds get engaged at home with the girl's parents. The bride accepts gifts from her betrothed's loved ones in the form of precious jewelry and new clothes. These items are carefully kept throughout the married life and are often passed on by inheritance. According to tradition, the purchase of rings is the responsibility of both lovers: the girl buys the wedding jewelry for the guy, the guy buys the wedding jewelry for the girl. But buying outfits for the celebration is the task of the chosen one’s family. At the same time, men's suit is also their responsibility.

At this stage, they also plan further celebrations: from choosing a date and place, to sharing expenses, for which there are no clear traditional regulations. In the old days, most often all remaining financial issues fell on the shoulders of the young man’s family. Now relatives are trying to divide the costs equally. This is understandable, because previously the amount did not include restaurant rent.

Different regions of this Caucasian country keep their own unique wedding traditions. The differences are mainly in the details, but the principles described above remain unchanged. But even among these nuances you can find something interesting.

Matchmaking

The Machankloba ritual involves obtaining permission from parents for marriage. If they do not approve, the wedding will not take place. Matchmaking among Georgians takes place almost the same as in Russia.

The groom's relatives come with him to the bride's parents to receive their blessing. They are often accompanied by a professional matchmaker. The welcoming party sets a rich table, to which everyone is invited to take part in the ritual.

During the feast, the groom's friends and matchmaker extol his good qualities, "selling" him to the bride's parents. Afterwards, the girl herself comes out to the guests and is required to voice her response to the marriage proposal. If the answer is positive, the feast continues in the groom’s house, where a similar table is set.

Betrothal, as well as matchmaking, is prepared in advance. The customs and traditions of a Georgian wedding require the presentation of a large number of gifts to the future newlyweds, including:

bouquets of flowers;
strong alcoholic drinks;
traditional Georgian sweets.

The groom, accompanied by his parents and an impressive amount of luggage with gifts, goes to the bride’s house. Georgian traditions require that those who come be greeted by a table with national dishes and wine. A prerequisite is that there must be a lot of wine so that all the matchmakers have enough of it until the end of the ceremony, and in no case should the wine run out before the guests leave. For this reason, the bride's family stocks up on alcohol in advance.

Before the feast, it is customary for Georgians to discuss various topics in two separate groups, one of which is formed exclusively by women, the other is composed of the male part of those present.

At the table, the matched young man and girl sit next to each other. The betrothal ceremony begins with a toast, which is pronounced by the groom's father. The toast must necessarily indicate the joy of the upcoming unification of two families.

The next stage of nishnoba is presenting the bride with an engagement ring, which is often a family heirloom that is passed down from generation to generation. Then the young people are presented with numerous gifts and a discussion of the financial side and organizational issues begins. Usually the young man’s relatives pay for all festive events.

Another important point that distinguishes a Georgian wedding from a Russian one: matchmakers are not sent away empty-handed; they are required to be given khachapuri and sweets popular in Georgia.

Interesting Facts

And among the Mingrelians, and among the Kakhetians, and among other Georgian peoples, the procedure for concluding a marriage union is almost the same. But the differences in the intervals between these stages are sometimes impressive! This is especially true when comparing flat and mountainous Georgia. If among the former, according to custom, some 2-3 weeks , then among representatives of the second group, for example, Adjarians or Svans, married spouses wait from 3 to 5 or more years before the wedding.

And in Imereti there is a custom according to which a girl after the wedding lives with her parents for another year. Such a long time was given so that the future wife could say goodbye to her father’s house. Now this period is increasingly being shortened.

There are differences in other components of the marriage ritual. Among mountain peoples, for example, it is customary for a future married couple to stay in separate rooms, with the man keeping the guests company. In these same areas there is a custom of small betrothal. The idea is that a special cape is put on the bride’s head, without which she then cannot leave the house. The action takes place with the participation of relatives on the male side, while the groom himself does not participate in this procedure. He connects only to the second part - the big engagement party, and makes sure to take his friends to it.

The wedding date was not chosen by chance ; traditional culture also has its own regulations on this matter. According to local superstitions, it is better to choose the time for this holiday in late autumn or winter. Among the days of the week Saturday , and among the lunar phases, the full moon is preferable. It is believed that choosing such a date promises the newlyweds a happy and long life together. But here, too, there are differences in different regions: for example, among the Mingrelians, Sunday is considered the most suitable day.

Of course, not all traditions have been preserved, and those that have passed through the centuries have been largely transformed to suit modern culture. Thus, no one anymore gives bulls and horses as a dowry and does not celebrate marriage all week. The trend is towards practicality - the celebration is held within a couple of days, the wait for it is shortened after the couple is married, and the young wife no longer has to cover her face with a veil. At the same time, people continue to honor key national customs in this matter and it is unlikely that anything will change in the near future. Therefore, now Georgian weddings are a mixture of the cultural heritage of their ancestors and its modern interpretation.

Old national customs and traditions

Nowadays, a Georgian wedding is preceded by the acquaintance of the future spouses. It used to be a custom for the groom to steal his future wife. It may not have disappeared even now and is still practiced in distant mountain villages.

The girl almost never returned to her parents, since her honor was violated. In order not to cause discontent among neighbors and numerous relatives, parents had to take this step. Often women committed suicide due to their reluctance to marry someone they didn’t love. Of course, there are many cases when a strong and friendly family developed.

Georgians are very hospitable people. It is still customary to invite all the relatives of the bride and groom to such a great holiday. It is not acceptable to refuse. This causes resentment, and they may even put in a special book the names of people who did not share the joy of the family. That is why, observing traditions, a Georgian wedding attracts a huge number of people.

After the first wedding night, the mother-in-law would take the sheet out of the newlyweds' bed to prove the daughter-in-law's chastity. If a girl was not a virgin, she was kicked out in shame.

Only sweets were placed on the wedding table for the newlyweds, so that none of the guests would see the wife eat.

Previously, the holiday when a new family was formed was celebrated only in the house of the bride or groom. Despite the fact that now a lot of European things have been gleaned from the celebration, many rituals remain. But about them in order.

Traditional outfits

A woman's wedding dress should consist of several layers. The first step is to put on a high-necked shirt, symbolizing feminine modesty. On top, her dress is luxurious, with rich embroidery and slits on the sleeves. And the last layer is outerwear, which should be either white or black. Important details of the image are a belt and a headdress with a veil. The neck is also decorated. It is customary for friends to do their hair. Traditionally these are two braids. But their photographs will tell you better about the beauty of Georgian brides.

The men's suit has its own name - chokha. Her choice should be made by the chosen one. Chokha consists of several elements:

white shirt with a stand-up collar;
outerwear with luxurious embroidery and satin lining;
patterned belt;
leather boots.

Wedding preparations

When we were choosing an agency, we realized how difficult it is to find your person. The only more difficult thing was the choice of presenter. At some point it seemed to us that we had met almost all the presenters in Moscow.

We abandoned printed invitations, since Sasha is well versed in websites. For the convenience of all guests, we created a clear, informative website with sections about us, our love story, short timings of the day and driving directions, and a description of the team.

Initially, we decided to abandon the generally accepted banquet feast. We wanted guests to move freely around the areas and not sit at tables. Thematic food stations awaited guests at all stages of the celebration.

We wanted to have a symbolic ceremony, but add something interesting to it. This is how the idea of a ceremony with a laconic arch appeared. The upper part of the structure resembled mountain ranges that stretch towards the autumn sky. At the bottom of the arch we added bright autumn floristry.

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We decided that friends would perform the ceremony. First, the groom's friend came out and told a story about Sasha: what he was like before meeting the bride, how meeting her changed him. Then the bride's friend remembered the dear and touching moments associated with the bride and the moment she met the groom.

During my entrance at the ceremony, the duduk sounded. It was unforgettable.

We were very worried that we would not be able to utter a word due to the surge of emotions. So we wrote down our vows in advance so we could include them at the right time. But that wasn't necessary. We held hands, looked into each other's eyes and did not notice anyone around.

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Kidnapping

This custom has especially declined with the passage of time and the development of culture. If before the bride was actually kidnapped , and her appearance became a surprise for the groom at the wedding ceremony itself (he had not seen her before), now marriage is always a matter of mutual consent. The latter, indeed, took place in traditional Georgian society, but it was concluded only between older relatives, and not the spouses themselves.

In defense of tradition, it is worth saying that the bride was kidnapped not only as a tribute to the foundations, but also for pragmatic reasons. When a daughter disappeared from home, her parents could not organize a magnificent holiday and save a lot on it. For poor families, this was the only available option to marry off their daughter. In modern times, kidnapping is now very rarely part of a marriage.

Georgian traditional wedding

Currently, a Georgian wedding, like any other wedding, takes place in a restaurant.
Previously, all wedding expenses were borne by the groom's family; now it happens that each party pays for their guests. Regardless of whether the newlyweds already live together or not, a day or two before the wedding the bride goes to her parents’ house.

On the wedding day, in the morning, the bride goes to the stylist and makeup artist (the bridesmaids pay for this service, as well as the bouquet). “Girlfriends” in the plural is not a typo. If previously the bride and groom each had only one witness, now it has become fashionable for the bride to have several bridesmaids.

After completing the process of styling her hair into a beautiful hairstyle, the bride and her bridesmaids go to her home, dress up in a wedding dress and wait for the groom to appear.

In the room where the bride awaits the groom, a small “sweet” table is set. On the table, in addition to sweets, there are fruits, champagne and glasses.

The groom arrives with friends. New arrivals are greeted by the parents and relatives of the bride. The bride and groom meet, kiss each other chastely on the cheeks and begin to accept congratulations, including from the bride’s parents.

Wedding ceremony

Georgia has a rich religious culture, as this country was one of the first to adopt Christianity back in the 4th century. For comparison, the spread of this religion on the territory of Rus' occurred in the 11th-12th centuries. That is why the wedding here is an obligatory component of the marriage. After him, the newlyweds pass through an arch that the husband’s friends made from daggers. This represents a ritual that gives protection to the family nest of lovers.

Civil marriage

Afterwards, the couple goes to the registry office , where they will officially be made husband and wife. The celebration will continue with a photo shoot, and then the bride will get to know her new home.

Approaching the house, the newly-made wife must break several plates - to family happiness. Afterwards, her new husband must launch a white bird from the roof of the house. When all the signs are met, you can begin to celebrate the event with wine.

While the girl is getting acquainted with her new home, grains are scattered - another custom that should attract happiness under the roof of the new family. In addition to all the wedding signs listed, there are many others:

during the inspection of the home, the bride must touch the cauldron, symbolizing the family hearth;
she also makes 3 circles around the pot of oil;
relatives give spouses wooden jewelry, because wood is a symbol of life;
before the kiss, the girl smears her lips with honey - this gesture should make her speech “sweet” throughout the marriage.

Another national feature of marriage is the way the engagement ring is given to the bride. Before being placed on the ring finger, the jewelry is placed in a glass of wine .
The couple takes turns drinking the drink until a ring appears at the bottom.

Celebration

First, the newlyweds undergo a mandatory ceremony - wedding. Previously, it was considered even more important than the stamp in the passport.

It is from this moment that the Georgian wedding begins. Georgia has very beautiful churches, and on wedding days it’s impossible to squeeze through there. At the exit, the newlyweds will be greeted by a kind of arch made from daggers by the groom's friends. So they give protection to a new unit of society.

Next, everyone goes to the registry office to legitimize their relationship. Nowadays it is common to separate two events into two days.

Next, it is customary for the entire cortege to drive through the streets, waving their arms. The sound of the horns can be heard for several kilometers. This is how husband and wife share their happiness.

Festive feast

Although the wedding cultures of Georgia and Russia have more in common than differences, a mandatory attribute of Russian weddings - shouting “bitter” - will not be heard here. But in this country there is an equally soulful table tradition - everyone must make a toast to the happy future of the married couple. Before the banquet they are greeted with flowers and sweets. The spouses' place is located separately from the common table and slightly rises above the guests' places.

The toastmaster at a feast is not a random person: as a rule, he is a good friend or relative of one of the families.

When the first toasts have been announced, the dance of the newlyweds is announced. Usually this is the traditional “Kartuli”. The couple carefully prepares for the dance part, taking choreography lessons from masters. But not only is there no Georgian wedding without a cheerful dance - songs are also an integral part of it. Both professional musicians and the guests themselves sing.

If we had to highlight 3 main features of the Caucasian festival, then to the 2 previous points - cheerful dances and songs, we must definitely add a generously laid table. It is not customary to skimp here on anything, but on treating guests - there are few places where you can see such an abundance of food at an ordinary wedding banquet.

Returning to customs, they manifest themselves even in the process of cutting a birthday cake. The newlyweds divide it into pieces together, and the first portion is given by the husband to the most dear guest.

Nowadays, the celebration is usually held in a restaurant. The main dishes on the table, in addition to the special wedding soup, are ajapsandal, meat, khachapuri, kebabs, dolma, cheeses, fruits, national sweets and other delicacies. Of course, there is no holiday without wine, which is paired with cognac.

A real Georgian wedding is always a magnificent and cheerful celebration, which, once you have attended, you are unlikely to forget. The country deeply respects family values and the cultural heritage of their ancestors. That is why they treat the wedding celebration with all seriousness and soul.

Traditional wedding entertainment

Georgian toast is a separate phenomenon in the diverse and rich culture of this country. They are wise, witty and instructive stories about the main things in life - peace, faith, health, friendship, family. Be sure to remember the deceased, who are spoken of as living. Not a single feast is complete without toasts, not a single friendly get-together even for a group of 2-3 people, so at grandiose Georgian weddings toasts acquire special significance.

The toastmaster leads the feast - as a rule, this honorable mission is entrusted to one of the most respected family members or close friends. The toastmaster makes the toast himself, and also gives each guest the opportunity to speak.

At a wedding it is not customary to shout “bitterly”, young people do not kiss in public, but the first dance of the bride and groom is obligatory. Georgian dancing is an incredible, mesmerizing spectacle. The best dancers are invited to the wedding, who entertain the guests during the feast, pleasing the eye with luxurious embroidered costumes and graceful movements, swift and smooth at the same time.

In addition, the guests themselves often dance no worse than professionals, since most Georgians attended national dance classes in childhood. Therefore, videos from Georgian weddings are very popular on the Internet, because dance is not only an opportunity for guests to demonstrate themselves and their skills, but also an excellent way to get the hot blood flowing after a lot of food and drink.

Another integral part of the wedding feast are songs. Without exaggeration, this is a unique phenomenon in world culture. UNESCO recognized local polyphony as a masterpiece of world polyphony. Georgian songs at weddings are performed in a special way and exclusively by men.

Often the size of the ensemble reaches 15 or more people, while the voices of the singers sound very powerful and harmonious, penetrating into the very heart of the listeners. The sound lines of each voice are woven into amazing patterns, creating the feeling that the sound is continuous, as if the singers are not breathing.

A wedding in Georgia lasts several days, although the next morning there are usually significantly fewer guests than on the first day. In addition to traditional dishes, they serve hot, rich khash, which helps to cope with a hangover and restore strength. Guests continue to drink wine, have fun and communicate in a warm, friendly atmosphere.

Georgian toasts for a wedding

As we have already noted, toasts play an important role in the celebration. Let's give an example of some beautiful congratulations.

“Georgia has a wonderful way to live a long life. It is believed that time spent with guests does not count towards age. Therefore, let’s drink to our guests, who extended the lives of everyone present at the wedding!”
“In the Caucasus they say: if you want to live in one place for a month, plant a cornfield there, if for a year, build a house, and if you want to live your whole life, raise a child. So let the young people sow more than one cornfield, build a wonderful house and raise more than one child!”
“A man from the East is a heat-loving man. He vitally needs the sun's rays. But we are not only talking about the sun. He can easily be replaced by his beloved woman, who will envelop him in affection and warmth even during terrible bad weather. Let's raise a glass to the bride who was able to warm up our groom. Let her love and tenderness continue to warm him and serve as support in any adversity.”

How is a wedding in Georgia?

A wedding celebration in Georgia takes place over 2-6 days. It consists of performing certain rituals that promised the young couple happiness, wealth and success in the family. This allows you to protect the bride and groom from the evil eye and damage.

How does the bride ransom work?

Before registering a marriage, the groom's relatives need to buy the bride. The guy and his witness come to the girl who is waiting in the house with her friends.

It also happened when close relatives of the groom gave livestock for the bride. In the modern world, such an event is only entertaining.

After the ransom, the young people sign at the registry office. A prerequisite is a wedding. Then the newlyweds go home, where the husband lives. At the entrance, the newlyweds break a plate. Then a ritual is performed for the young couple to get to know the groom’s home. The ritual may differ slightly depending on the region of Georgia. For example, in order for a wife to treat her husband kindly, they take honey and smear it on her lips.

There is another ritual where the newlywed is given raw eggs. She needs to break them on the threshold, then take oil and honey, and lubricate the door with the resulting substance. When the wife is in the house, her husband climbs onto the roof and releases a snow-white dove, then showers his beloved's head with wheat and rice. The mother-in-law shows her daughter-in-law the house, and her girlfriends scatter grain at their feet. This symbolizes wealth and fertility.

Then the time comes for an important ceremony. The newlyweds exchange rings. The spouse is given a glass of wine. He takes a sip and then drops the ring into the glass. He gives it to his wife. The wife also takes a sip of wine and throws in her ring. Gives it to her husband. He takes another sip and takes the ring out of the glass.

Often, engagement rings are passed down from generation to generation. During the ceremony, the newlyweds make a promise to remain faithful to each other for the rest of their lives.

After the official events are over, it is time for a festive feast. First, the guests are seated at the tables, and then the newlyweds and their parents.

Solemn feast

The customs of a Georgian wedding are unusual, but at the same time interesting. National dishes are placed on the wedding table, which are prepared from beef, lamb and poultry. The festive feast is accompanied by chanakha, chikhirtma and barbecue.

First, the guests are pampered with “Wedding Soup”, which is prepared from noodles and spices. Saucers with onions, mint, pepper, basil and cilantro are placed on the table. Not a single Georgian table can do without cheeses.

The main decoration of the table is considered to be aged cognac and wine. They are specially stored for the holiday. During the feast, guests do not shout “Bitter!” to the young people, as is customary among other nations. They are entertained with songs, toasts and dances.

The bride and groom behave modestly. Their menu is limited to fruits and sweets. Invitees should not see how the newlywed eats. The first day of the holiday ends with the cutting of the cake. The newlyweds cut the cake with one knife. Then the newlyweds leave.

The second day begins with the consumption of broth, which is prepared from beef leg and garlic. This remedy is great for hangovers. It allows the body to recover faster. After this, the young couple and guests are ready to continue the fun.

Georgian toast

Georgian wedding toasts are the only opportunity to say pleasant words to the newlyweds. Wishes are conveyed in allegorical form. The intrigue should remain until the end of the toast. Guests do not understand what is being said until the last word.

One by one, the horn is handed over, from which, at the end of the toast, you must drink every last drop. It is recommended to think about the content of the text in advance. The toast should be memorable and unusual.

Examples of Georgian toasts.

One Georgian woman comes home and indignantly says to her husband: “Valiko, can you imagine, our neighbor exchanged his wife for a thoroughbred horse!” Surely you would never do that, dear? “Well,” Valiko answers, “at the very least, a foreign car and a bottle of old Georgian wine.” So let's drink to our beloved wives, who are more valuable than any thoroughbred horse, more beautiful than any foreign car and sweeter than any old wine!
My son is returning from school. Father looks through his diary and sees: Mathematics - 2, Geography - 2, physical education - 2, singing - 5. Father happily says: - Well, thank God, you can sing. The Caucasian who cannot sing Caucasian songs is bad, let’s drink to our son to sing like a nightingale!
As you know, men in the Caucasus are very fond of blondes. However, they are also partial to brunettes. It also cannot be said that they do not like brown-haired women. But they really treat bald women with prejudice. Friends, let's drink to love without prejudice!
A real man is one who remembers exactly a woman’s birthday and never knows how old she is. So let's drink to the fact that only real men will meet on the path of women's lives!
One ardent Caucasian man was very fond of pretty girls. But each of them wanted to be the only one, so one day he was left alone. Then a friend advised him to advertise in the newspaper. This is what they wrote: “A passionate Georgian man will meet a beautiful girl who will understand and forgive him.” So let’s drink to a woman’s love, patient and understanding of everything!
In the Caucasus, three qualities are valued more than others in a woman: love, tenderness and modesty. So let's drink so that no woman hides these qualities!
The newlyweds live joyfully, without knowing grief. But the horseman was haunted by the thought of where his wife went every year. He decided to follow her. The day came when the wife began to get ready for the journey. Dzhigit went unnoticed to fetch his wife. High in the mountains, the husband saw how the woman turned into a snake and began to hiss. Let us raise our glasses filled with the best wine to the beautiful ladies who hiss like a snake once a year and unnoticed by their husbands.”

Music and dancing at a Georgian wedding

One of the components of the wedding celebration is Georgian dancing. Music plays as the young couple and guests perform traditional dance moves. If the newlyweds do not know how to dance, they need to contact a choreographer in advance and take several lessons.

According to tradition, the bride must dance a single dance, during which the men give her money. She can give them to musicians or keep them for herself to replenish the family budget. Many children always gather around the bride, thereby delighting the guests.

As at any wedding, the newlyweds are presented with gifts. They definitely sign up. After the wedding, the couple keeps a list. This is necessary so that when you come to the celebration to the gifting guests, you do not give items of lesser value. The most generous of the guests are entered into the family register and occupy a place of honor.