A magnificent wedding, beautiful outfits, a beloved spouse, a multi-tiered cake, enthusiastic cries of relatives and a large number of guests... Isn't this the dream of every young girl and woman? But, in addition to all this, they dream of a successful marriage, fidelity, a happy family life and prosperity. To do this, according to some symbolic rituals, it is necessary to purchase, sign and jointly lock a wedding lock. We will talk about this wonderful wedding attribute today.
A short excursion into the history of origin
The history of the origin of this symbolic little thing goes back to the heyday of Ancient Rus'. During this period, the tradition of using a wedding castle arose as a kind of guarantor of strong family relationships. During the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds locked the barn with a key, which was later thrown away. The castle itself was placed under the threshold of their house. It was believed that in this way the future family would gain happiness, prosperity and fidelity of both spouses.
Top 10 most accurate wedding signs
These signs were relevant back in the days of our grandparents. And they work exactly the same way today:
- Someone crossed the path of the newlyweds, which means they can’t be together.
- If the bride or groom stumbles on the threshold, then they are not sure of their choice.
- The groom stepped in a puddle - he will be a drinker.
- The bride pricked her finger during the wedding, which means she will often quarrel with her husband.
- A couple wipes themselves with one towel - this means a fragile marriage.
- An even number of guests at a wedding celebration means a quick split in the family union.
- Cutlery is a bad gift for newlyweds. They will spend their whole lives in quarrels and swearing.
- Spending the night at the groom's house after the wedding means a long life together. In the bride's house - for divorce.
- To have a wedding with borrowed money means to spend your whole life in poverty and quarrels.
- Guests sneezing at a wedding - according to popular belief, a prosperous family life for the newlyweds.
European stories about the origins of the castle
This ancient tradition was first restored by the Italians about 15 years ago, showing their superstition and romanticism. This ritual quickly spread throughout the world and began to be actively used by European countries, reaching glorious Russia.
The ritual of attaching a lock to a bridge was once mentioned by the Italian writer Federico Moccia in his book, which he wrote in 1962. The heroes of the novel, as a sign of their eternal devotion, wrapped a lamppost on one of the city bridges. Then they closed the lock and threw the key into the Tiber River.
The romantic act of the fictional heroes of the novel became the beginning of a long-forgotten old thing. This ritual was liked not only by Italians, but also by other Europeans. Later, these established European traditions smoothly migrated to the territory of the former CIS countries.
Is it necessary to use it?
A wedding castle at a modern wedding is considered a mandatory attribute, without which a wedding cannot take place. Today it is not just the observance of a tradition that has been carried over from the distant past, but also a romantic event that is remembered for a lifetime.
After the wedding ceremony, before visiting the establishment where the wedding celebration will take place, the newlyweds must visit the bridge, where they will leave their castle for life. But since it will be seen by everyone who is going to walk across this bridge, it is better to order an engraved wedding lock. Thus, it will become a symbol that the young people love each other.
Wedding signs and rituals
There are a huge number of signs about a wedding celebration. We offer you only the most interesting and common ones for your reference.
8 signs associated with clothing for a wedding
Every girl is very careful about choosing a festive dress. After all, the future fate of the couple depends on what outfit the bride chooses. Therefore, so many signs and traditions are associated with this important attribute of a wedding celebration:
Signs associated with newlyweds' shoes
According to popular belief, shoes are associated with the path that young people will have to go through. Therefore, quite strict requirements were imposed on the comfort of shoes and their style.
- Worn-out comfortable shoes on the bride's feet will bring a happy life to family life. On the eve of the wedding ceremony, the newlywed needs to walk at least a little in new shoes.
- Shoes with a closed back represent well-being, which will not “leak” from the house.
- A broken heel on a young wedding shoe is a bad omen. It means that the whole life of a married couple will be “lame”.
Protective rites associated with clothing and shoes for newlyweds
If the newlyweds did not follow the signs at the registry office or encountered bad events, then it is advisable to carry out several simple rituals. They help protect a young couple from possible negativity:
Why is there an inscription on the lock?
The belief of hanging locks on bridges and fences, for example, in a recreation park, botanical garden or just a picturesque place, dictates its own rules. And on the Luzhkov Bridge in Moscow, special cast iron trees were allocated for this purpose. At the same time, there are so many people who want to hang their “garland of love” on them that park rangers had to dig up and move the trees already overcrowded with castles closer to the center. They almost immediately “planted” new ones in their place. However, in their opinion, they will very soon have to be “transplanted” deeper into the park.
As you can see, many lovers liked the ancient custom. And everyone dreams that their treasured lock will be the best and stand out from others. To do this, most newlyweds use wedding love locks - products with specific engravings, symbols, drawings, different names, catchphrases and wishes. Such locks with inscriptions are a kind of proof that the young family will pass all the trials of life, and despite everything, will carry their strong love through the years.
How to make a wedding castle with your own hands? Hanging area for creativity
Making a wedding castle is a task for a blacksmith or lock factory workers. But the newlyweds can decorate the castle for the wedding themselves. It all depends on personal tastes, skills and preferences.
The easiest way is to sign the wedding castle with acrylic paints and fix the inscription with a special varnish so that the rain does not quickly wash it away. The scope of the inscription depends on the size of the castle. On small closures, as a rule, these are the first letters of names and the wedding date. Something like: “A+K” 04/12/2018. The shutters are larger and the phrases can be wider. Newlyweds write declarations of love, wishes for family life and oaths of fidelity on locks.
However, this is the main goal of the “barn” accessory - to lock the love and happiness of the wedding day not only in the mechanism, but also in the hearts of the newlyweds
Unfortunately, an inscription made by yourself will be erased over time, no matter how good the paint it is painted on. Therefore, it is better to add a little personality to the castle.
A master class on decorating a lock with ribbons and beads will make the task easier:
- At a craft store, buy your favorite beads, fabric flowers and other interesting decor. And also good glue and satin ribbons to decorate the handle.
- Prepare a tube of acrylic paints, a brush and clear varnish to fix the inscription.
- Prepare the lock for use: wash with soap and water, dry, degrease the surface with alcohol or cologne.
- Write names and wedding date on the lock using acrylic paint. Let the lettering dry. Apply clear varnish on top. Let dry again.
- Carefully glue the decor around the inscription and wrap the tape around the lock handle. It is also better to fix it with small portions of glue.
Photo of a DIY wedding castle - a variety of decor options.
Undoubtedly, castles decorated using the decoupage technique are beautiful and original. Clay elements and oil paintings look extravagant. tied with a beautiful pattern using a hook, caught my eye A nautical themed wedding can be complemented with a castle decorated with shells and sand, and a boho themed wedding can be complemented with a castle decoration made of burlap, twigs and lace. In short, who is good at what. If only inspiration came on time.
Painted castle of newlyweds
Beautiful and romantic traditions
According to tradition, after their official ceremony, the newlyweds are required to cross three bridges. At each of them, they should sip a little champagne from a previously prepared glass. But on the third bridge, the husband must take his beloved in his arms and symbolically carry her across it in his arms. It's so romantic and beautiful. Women especially like these traditions.
However, if there are not such a number of bridges in your city, one similar structure is quite enough. It is he who will symbolically become the embodiment of such a pleasant and romantic tradition. A wedding lock hung on the railing or fence of this bridge will in this case symbolize the seriousness of your intentions.
Where to hang and where to put the keys to the wedding castle?
In almost every city where there is a more or less decent body of water and a bridge across it , the city government suffers from the problem of wedding castles. Of course, one or two shutters will not cause significant harm. But in really popular places the number of these accessories is in the hundreds, or even thousands. And this creates additional load, which can lead to premature deformation of structures.
Even the provinces complain about the abundance of lovers’ castles, and what can we say about cities like Venice or Paris, where newlyweds from all over the world come?
Of course, in the original, the newlyweds’ castle should be hung on the bridge. But other interesting places are also suitable for this ritual:
- Iron trees . City authorities are installing metal structures in parks and squares where brides and grooms like to stroll. They are often shaped like trees so couples can hang their love padlock on one of the many branches.
- A memorable place for newlyweds . Surely the couple has their own favorite places in the city that they remember for events or meetings. This is a wonderful occasion to immortalize the fence of the monument where the first date took place. Or the fence of the nightclub parking lot where the bride and groom met.
- Secret place . To prevent the lovers' castle from suffering the fate of all foreign (from the point of view of utilities) objects, it is worth choosing a place where not everyone will be able to see the accessory. Show ingenuity and dexterity, but do not forget about safety. A railing on the roof of the house or an inconspicuous bench will do just fine.
Trees of love with leaf locks in Moscow
Traditionally, the keys to a lover's castle are thrown into a pond. So that no one would think to open that is closed for happiness and fidelity . But if there is no reservoir at hand (although an ordinary well will do), the young people can give the key to a reliable person for safekeeping, bury it in the ground or recycle it.
What should a castle be like?
Modern locks used by newlyweds can vary in size, shape, weight and material. It all depends on imagination and taste preferences. However, metal products are still the most popular. Sometimes they can be round or heart-shaped. Therefore, everyone chooses for themselves exactly the option that suits them best.
