Where did the tradition of shouting “bitter” at a wedding come from, and not “sweetly”, what does it mean?
No one knows the real reason for the emergence of this tradition; even in one region there may be several versions. There are many options, but there are several main ones, and they are used most often. The reasons vary greatly, it’s easier to sort out the main ones and use the one you like:
- Previously, most weddings were held in late autumn or winter, when there was no work in the fields and it was possible to walk and have fun. They made a mountain in the bride's yard and filled it with water. The bride and her friends were located at the top, and the groom and his friends had to climb up without any equipment, and the people around encouraged them by shouting “Slide!” When this worked out, the future husband and wife kissed.
- The guests warded off evil spirits with loud screams. When “bitter” could be heard from the windows, evil spirits passed by and did not cause trouble for the young family. If you only rejoice, you can attract trouble.
- In many regions, the bride personally approached each guest with a tray on which there was a glass of vodka (this tradition is still preserved in the outback). It was necessary to put a gift on the tray and drink vodka, and so that it would not be so bitter, the young woman would give a symbolic kiss.
- The bride was leaving her parents' home, so the event was tinged with bitterness. But after this, the young couple had many years of marriage ahead of them; such outcries were supposed to be the last unpleasant moment.
Each region has its own versions, they can differ greatly from the generally accepted ones. You can choose the option you like, there is not much difference, and the tradition does not change.
This word expressed respect for the newlyweds
Back in the 19th century, in Russian villages there was the following tradition: the future wife took a tray with glasses of vodka and walked around the guests. And they, in turn, drank and, confirming the quality of the alcohol, loudly shouted “bitter.” This gesture symbolized the respectful respect of the invitee to the owners of the house. It was also customary to throw coins onto the tray at the moment when the bride brought glasses of vodka to the guests. In some villages, guests not only shouted “bitterly,” but also kissed the bride deeply.
As now, relatives of the newlyweds from both sides were present at weddings. They rejoiced at each other, kissed and hugged - and there was nothing wrong with that. Nowadays, a lot of people are present at weddings: colleagues from work, friends, relatives. Since there are too many people, the bride simply will not have time to kiss everyone. Therefore, the tradition was simplified, vodka was poured for everyone, and then they shouted “bitterly” in unison.
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Why do they shout “bitterly” at a wedding, count and then kiss?
If we start from simpler and more understandable reasons, we can also find several, each of which has the right to life. If you don’t really like the versions about the origin of the tradition, you should use other options:
- Parents of newlyweds feel bitterness because their children have grown up and are leaving for independent lives.
- The young people regretted that they would not be able to have fun, since this was the lot of single people. Married people led a measured life and did not participate in many of the amusements of that time.
- It was believed that these were the last bitter minutes before many years of happy family life. Therefore, it was necessary to leave everything bad on this day.
As for the count, originally it meant how many years the bride and groom would live in a happy marriage. It was necessary to kiss as long as possible. Guests count “bitterly” after each one, but previously they did this once.
Initially
They counted up to ten, and then went by tens, and then by hundreds.
Superstitions
A wedding celebration has always been surrounded by many signs and superstitions: the bride cannot even look in the mirror in full dress, and a pin must be pinned against the evil eye, and the bouquet must not be given to anyone.
During the movement of the wedding procession, it is customary to choose the most ornate paths in order to confuse the evil spirits and lead them astray. But even at a festive banquet, evil spirits can ruin the holiday out of envy at the happiness of the young. To prevent this from happening, the guests tried to deceive the devils by shouting “Bitter!”, thereby indicating that the event was already sad, and the evil spirits had nothing to do here.
The guests tried to deceive the devils by shouting “Bitter!”
How the tradition of shouting “bitterly” at a wedding appeared in Rus'
There is no exact information about the time and place where the tradition appeared. It existed already in the 18th century, and the roots most likely go even deeper. Previously, it was not customary to shout out “bitterly” after each toast; nowadays, this exclamation is often abused, so the newlyweds get tired of getting up every 5 minutes. Because of this, this moment is often discussed with the toastmaster; many weddings do without this tradition. As for the versions of the appearance, we can make out some:
- It was believed that after the young couple kissed, sour wine would become sweeter and vodka would not be so bitter.
- In addition to scaring away spirits, this tradition was supposed to take away all the sorrows of the bride and groom and ensure a long and happy marriage.
- Another version is the end of the bitter life of a young couple due to the fact that they lived separately. Now there will be only sweetness.
- The last option is sadness from the loss of the former carefree life. The couple should not feel bitter about this and leave it at the wedding.
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Each region has its own variants of the appearance of the tradition, the interpretation may vary. But the essence is always approximately the same. And if the newlyweds do not want to cry “bitterly,” the guests should respect their decision.
How to organize
First of all, find a pastry chef or a company that specializes in desserts. It is necessary to take into account not only the person’s professionalism, tastes, variety and pricing policy, but also experience in decorating sweet tables. Stylish napkins and textiles, tongs and other sweet utensils, beautiful glassware that matches the style of the container - all this forms the basis of the table.
Pay special attention to personal details: prepare kraft paper bags with your initials for those guests who want to take some sweets with them. If the wedding format involves a buffet, make sure that there are plates and cutlery on the table that will allow you to try desserts. Tubes, skewers, dessert forks and knives are not the entire list of what should be on the table. The pastry chef must tell you exactly what you need and what you need to prepare, if he does not provide the cutlery and utensils himself.
A big plus will be the opportunity to try, paid or free, the sweets that will be on your table. Tasting sets are not uncommon among confectioners, and you should definitely try them!
Why you can’t shout “bitterly” at an Armenian wedding
If you attend a wedding among Armenians, then such a tradition will be out of place there, like among many other peoples. You must follow the rules, after a toast they say “tush!” As for the reasons for this ban, they are:
- It is not customary for Armenians to show their feelings in public, much less kiss in front of everyone. It is believed that the first kiss should only take place on the wedding night.
- The bride should marry innocent. The maximum that is allowed is a kiss on the cheek from the groom at the registry office.
You also need to remember that at such a wedding the bride never throws the bouquet. Because it is not customary for girls to show their desire to get married quickly. They do without this part if the celebration is organized according to Armenian traditions.
The roots of the tradition of shouting “bitterly” at a wedding go back to past centuries and it is truly unknown when and where it first appeared. The main thing to remember is that you should not overuse it, so as not to tire the newlyweds or irritate them. And it’s better to count 1-2 times during a kiss, and not constantly.
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Today the tradition of shouting “Bitter!” continues to exist at many weddings, including themed ones. The first toast, after which it is customary to shout this familiar word to everyone, as a rule, refers to young people and the parents shout it first. This is followed by alternating toasts for parents, for future children, etc. The next cry of “Bitter!” may sound only after the main course has been served. It is this exclamation that can complete the banquet stage of the wedding.
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Semantics “bitter/sweet”
The Kuban ritual of waiting for honey is known, when in the house of the bride’s parents after midnight, guests ask her mother for honey. In Ukrainian villages, a loaf of bread was smeared with honey as a sign of the young woman’s honesty and was treated to the wedding participants and the young woman herself. In Kuban, on the second day, sweets are brought to the newlyweds; among Ukrainians, they bring “malt” (Ukrainian licorice gorilka).
According to E. Tregubova, the semantics of “bitter/sweet” is associated with the concept of “honor/dishonor”. In the Kuban ritual of waiting for honey, it is asked in anticipation of news of the honesty of the young woman. “Sweet, honey!” - the guests said when they received news of the “honesty of the bride.” As a symbol of the “dishonest bride” there was an exclamation “bitter”. The first was shouted in the absence of the newlyweds, the second is shouted in their presence on the first day, when there is no news yet and the expectation of news is an important motive for the wedding. On the second day, the son-in-law, when visiting his mother-in-law, demonstratively emphasized the fidelity/infidelity of his betrothed by bringing his father-in-law or mother-in-law a glass with a specially made hole, while covering the hole with his finger. The mother of the “dishonest” bride was told: “Get a thin glass.”
What affects the acidity of wine
Although bacterial acidification of wine is a sure sign that it is spoiling, acidity itself is not such a sign. Each fermentation product has a certain level of acidity and it depends on the raw materials from which it is made.
Acid is no less important characteristic of the taste of a product than sweetness or aroma. Good taste is achieved through a combination of sweetness and acidity of the wine. Wines that are too sweet and have low levels of acidity seem bland and lack a refreshing note.
Some people prefer a wine with more acidity because it pairs perfectly with many dessert dishes.
Since the acid content directly depends on the degree of ripeness of the raw materials, in warmer countries and regions where fruits and berries ripen well and contain a lot of sugar, there will be less acid in the wine.
In a cooler climate, there are more acids in the raw material and the wine is more acidic. However, in warm climates, sometimes the fruit harvest is deliberately harvested earlier in order to obtain wine with sourness.
If we talk about sweet wine, then its consumption has a beneficial effect on preserving youth and maintaining the immune system. The acidity level of wine can be determined by the acid content in it: - malic; - succinic; - citric; - acetic, etc. Shelf life of wine directly depends on the content of the above acids in it.
Wines, based on the amount of acids they contain, are divided into the following varieties: - low in substances (Chardonnay and Merlot); - medium in substances (Fumeblanc and some types of Chardonnay, as well as cabernet sauvignon); - high in substances (sparkling wines). .
