On the eve of the wedding, the parents of the young have many questions spinning in their heads. Including how to greet newlyweds with a loaf of bread, what to say in this situation. It is recommended to prepare at least minimally for such a meeting in advance so that you can be found at the right time.
Despite the fact that the meeting of the newlyweds with a loaf of bread has little in common with modern traditions, it is important to pay respect to the old traditions and Slavic wedding rituals. The feast begins only after the young people have cut the loaf, they are the first to enter the festive hall and sit down at their table, and only after that the active seating of the guests begins.
Features of the tradition
Once upon a time in Rus', the loaf was the main bread product, which symbolized the satiety and well-being of the family. Therefore, the festive feast on the wedding day symbolically began with a loaf of bread. As a rule, they baked it themselves a few days before the wedding. Wheat flour was taken as a basis, cones and spikelets of dough were made as decorations - this symbolized wealth and fertility. The top of the loaf was decorated with doves, which personified love.
How to greet young people with a loaf of bread, what should you say to parents on this day in modern times? To be honest, the traditions here have changed little. Already before the arrival of the wedding procession from the registry office, parents should stand at the entrance to the restaurant with a tray on which there will be a loaf. As a rule, the groom's mother should present the newlyweds with a towel with a loaf of bread and salt - this is a symbol of prosperity and harmony in their future life together.
There are no special rules about what to say when a young couple meets a loaf of bread. It’s just that every parent should express wishes, parting words and blessings.
Advice! What you should definitely avoid as part of this ritual is long speeches. Parents should save their big toasts for the festive feast.
After all the parting words for a happy and long life together have been said, the newlyweds should break off a piece on each side of the loaf, dip the bread in salt and treat each other. This sweet tradition is a symbol and personification of how young people should take care of each other in marriage.
It is believed that whoever breaks off or bites off a larger piece of the loaf will be the head of the family. Salt in this case means that the last time the young people annoyed each other and in the future they promise to live only in peace, harmony, and not quarrel. As for the father of the groom, during the ceremony he holds in his hands either the icon of St. Nicholas the Pleasant or the icon of the Mother of God. This is a symbol of spirituality, that the family will adhere to family traditions and Christian values.
It is clear that the mother and father of the bride are not standing empty-handed. They present the newlyweds with honey and champagne after the ritual with a loaf of bread. This is a symbol of the sweet life and the beginning of a wonderful period - the honeymoon. Having drunk the champagne to the bottom, the newlyweds must break the glasses.
Options that have everything.
Interesting! People used the fragments of glasses to figure out who would be the first-born in the family. If the fragments are large, then the young couple will have a boy first; small fragments are a symbol of the birth of a girl.
At the end of the loaf ceremony, the newlyweds must bow to the ground with their parents three times and kiss each parent three times on the cheeks. In the video you can find a lot of interesting things, how to greet young people with a loaf of bread, what to say. After the ritual is over, the loaf is placed on the table with the newlyweds, where it remains until the end of the wedding day. It was customary among the people to leave the top part of the loaf for the young people, and give the rest to the guests in return for gifts and good wishes.
Sample words from the groom’s mother on the loaf (it is she who holds the towel with the loaf and salt and is the first to greet the newlyweds):
*Kids! Congratulations on your wedding day and the birth of a new family. I want to bless you for a long and happy life by presenting this loaf as a symbol of prosperity. Advice and love to you!
*Our dear children! Please accept my sincere congratulations on your wedding day. Let this salt be the last in your life, and from this moment the honeymoon begins for the rest of your married life.
*Children, we are incredibly glad that in this huge world you found each other and were able to create a new family. Take care of your feelings and your love, appreciate everything that exists between you and trust each other. We hope that your home will be a full cup, and that grievances and adversity will always bypass it.
about tradition, the groom’s mother meets the newlyweds on the threshold of the restaurant with a loaf on a towel, the rest of the parents are nearby, the bride’s mother or father can hold glasses with a drink (champagne or just clean water) on a tray.
Words from the groom's mother when the newlyweds meet
(Several variants):- My dear children! I sincerely congratulate you on the beginning of a new path in your life. And on the threshold of this happy beginning, I present you with the main symbol of prosperity and well-being in all things earthly - a wedding loaf. I want your hearts to retain the warmth that this loaf has preserved for you. Let your house always be full of guests and let everyone get at least a small piece of food. Advice and love to you!
- Our dear children! Today is your wedding day. We would like to sincerely congratulate you on this event. We had a son, and now we are doubly happy to have such a beautiful daughter. Your union is simply a great happiness for us. First of all, we, of course, are happy for our son, who has found such a lifelong friend. But his girlfriend has become our daughter today, and her happiness is just as important to us. We ask you to keep your hearts as warm until the end. Advice and love to you!
- Warmest congratulations Take it in the shower now.
Advice and guidance
Listen to us.
May your home always sparkle
Comfort and warmth.
Let joy warm you
With your holy soul!
Have a good trip!
Advice and love to you!
For mother of the bride
(the mother of the bride is not obliged to say welcoming words to the newlyweds, but if there is a desire, then, of course, you can):- Our dear children! At this exciting hour, we sincerely congratulate you on this wonderful holiday! As we guide you into family life, we wish you to always love each other, keep love, and strengthen love. Our dear daughter, protect your family hearth like the apple of your eye, let there be comfort and order in your home, let the pies smell delicious in your kitchen, be a true friend and life partner to your spouse! Our dear son-in-law (son), be a real master in your home, take care of the well-being of your family, be a good father to your children, respect and honor your wife! Happiness and love to you, dear children!
- I want to congratulate you on your marriage. Keep the warmth you have acquired.
- I want to throw flowers at your feet, So that the road is paved with them.
And do your best,
So as not to waste everything you found.
Live peacefully, amicably, fairly,
So that trouble cannot sneak up on you.
May life be fun and beautiful.
Never part, children.
So that your secret dreams come true,
You ask God for blessings.
I'll shower the family with congratulations,
Which is a little over an hour old.
I'll sprinkle you with holy water,
I will bless you, so that with a reserve.
I hasten to congratulate you with all my heart,
After all, the marriage took place.
All congratulations in the world are good,
I give them to you with all my efforts.
The young people break off a piece, dip this piece in salt, feed each other, wash it down with a drink and break glasses for good luck, throwing them at the same time with their right hand over their left shoulder. The guests form a living corridor through which the newlyweds pass to their places of honor.
If you choose poems, try to memorize them. Reading from a sheet when nervous means stuttering and stuttering, fixing your gaze on the piece of paper, and at this moment it is important to look at the young people, and the speech should be gentle and friendly.
The tradition of greeting newlyweds with bread and salt came to us from ancient times, when salt was still a sign of wealth, and bread was baked differently in each house: some from sieve, some from zhizn. The mother-in-law, meeting her daughter-in-law on the threshold of the house, offered her to try THAT BREAD that she would now have to eat all her life in her husband’s family. And if she presented the most precious things - bread and salt, which used to be worth its weight in gold, then she gave the go-ahead for the marriage!
IF YOU WANT TO BAKE A LOAF YOURSELF, THIS WILL BE USEFUL FOR YOU
RECIPE FOR A REAL WEDDING LOAF!
Another controversial point that I would like to mention: Should the loaf be distributed to guests or can only young people eat it?
The answer must also be sought in the roots of tradition. The fact is that before, and even now, Ukrainian holiday loaves were baked three-tiered, decorated with sugar icing and dough flowers. Isn't it true that the analogy with a wedding cake immediately comes to mind?
So, the young people left the upper tier for themselves and their parents. Moreover, part of it was supposed to be wrapped in a clean rag and kept forever. Close relatives were treated to the middle tier. And the bottom one, the largest one, was distributed to the guests. To leave a wedding without a piece of loaf is to offend the newlyweds.
Now decide for yourself what to do with the loaf.
Each culture is famous for its holidays, which are unusual, but almost all celebrate a wedding. Every nation has its own marriage traditions, since they arose a long time ago, even at the birth of the nation itself. Today there are quite a lot of variations of holidays. Our article examines the ritual of meeting newlyweds with a loaf at a wedding and what they say at the same time.
History of tradition
No wedding is complete without food. Sweets deserve special attention. Today, a wedding must have a beautiful and large cake, but previously the treat was sweet pastries, regardless of size and shape. Since ancient times, it has been customary for those getting married to be treated to a large and beautiful loaf of bread. It is often decorated with exquisite patterns that resemble ethnic patterns. It should be noted that all elements of the picture have a certain meaning:
- various braids and weavings represent the unification of two destinies, as well as the continuation of these destinies in a single and strong family;
- roses and viburnum fruits symbolize mutual love, mutual respect and warmth;
- swans in baked goods are a symbol of the couple themselves, who have declared their love for each other;
- The vine is a symbol of fertility, so it can also often be found on wedding bread - it represents the wish for healthy children for the young couple.
Loaf is a white, round-shaped bread that is usually unsweetened. The round shape represents the sun. Therefore, it is accepted that the loaf symbolizes the formation of a new family, their wealth, well-being and fertility. Usually, it is customary to start a wedding feast with a loaf of bread, and salt is often served with it, which personifies prosperity.
When parents meet the newlyweds, they come out with a loaf of bread and wish them a strong family. After the official part of the wedding, the newlyweds must bite or break off a piece of the loaf. Whichever of the newlyweds has the largest piece will be the head of the new family. After this, you can treat your friends and guests who came to the celebration with a loaf of bread. If desired, the newlyweds can take it home. Sometimes a couple dries it as a keepsake.
There is another tradition associated with the wedding loaf. According to it, the bride and groom should break off a piece of a loaf, and then take turns salting it and treating it to each other. This ritual symbolizes that the newlyweds should live in peace and harmony, and now they are given the last opportunity to “annoy” each other. To leave this ritual in memory, the remaining salt should be poured into a cloth bag; it will become an excellent souvenir.
Previously, they followed a tradition according to which the wedding loaf should be baked by the groom's family. Usually this important cooking process was entrusted to a relative who was happily married and had children. If the groom’s mother met these requirements, then she prepared the loaf. It was strictly forbidden to prepare a loaf for a wedding for widows, unmarried or childless girls and women. According to legend, an unlucky woman could pass on her troubles to the newlyweds in the process of preparing a wedding loaf.
The technology for preparing a loaf is not very complicated, but according to tradition, it requires a special approach. So, the woman had to sing catchy songs about pure and true love while kneading the dough. When the loaf went into the oven, she began to read prayers.
An interesting fact is that even men from the groom’s family could participate in the preparation of this wedding symbol. If a man has lived in a happy marriage for many years and has many healthy children, then after kneading the dough he gets the opportunity to place the loaf in the oven. After this action, his participation ends, and again the main baker is a woman.
During ancient Rus', bread was the main product. He was associated with the well-being of the family. For this reason, the festive feast could not be opened without a loaf. Usually it was baked several days in advance. The dough was kneaded with wheat flour, and to decorate this bread, various moldings were made from the dough to decorate it, for example, spikelets or cones. And pigeons usually admired the top of the loaf, symbolizing eternal love.
How to meet?
According to traditions, after the official part of the marriage, newlyweds must be greeted with a loaf of bread, and it must be in the hands of the groom’s parents. Usually it was held by the groom's mother, and the loaf was placed on a special towel, which was decorated with hand embroidery. It was customary that the bride would embroider a wedding towel while preparing for the celebration, and she had the opportunity to choose the embroidery pattern she liked. Quite often this accessory was decorated with doves or cockerels, as symbols of the birth of a new family.
Initially, parents met the newlyweds with a loaf of bread near the home of the groom's parents, since it was customary that the newlyweds began to live and build a family there. Another reason for choosing this meeting place is the fact that it was the groom's family who were responsible for preparing the loaf for the wedding. Modern weddings, of course, differ from previous ones, and some traditions have already been forgotten or have been embodied in a new interpretation. Today, after official registration, the bride and groom go to a banquet; often they begin to live separately from their parents. Therefore, quite often young people are greeted with a loaf of bread in their hands already at the entrance to a restaurant or cafe.
Don’t forget about the guests, because they are also active participants in this tradition. It is the guests who organize the “living” corridor. When the newlyweds walk along it, the guests shower them with coins, oats, rice, millet, flower petals or candies. Thus, friends and acquaintances wish wealth and joy to the new family.
Special attention should be paid to the words of the mother-in-law. Her speech should be solemn, so it should be prepared in advance so as not to get confused at the main moment. Preliminary preparation will allow you to highlight the main aspects, and will also come from the heart. Of course, it is better to speak the text without prompts, but if necessary, you can read the speech. When the mother-in-law meets the newlyweds with a loaf of bread in her hands, her appeal should first of all be directed to her son, since this is very important for him. Initially, she should express her joy for her son’s choice, and also wish all the best to his new family.
Although the mother-in-law holds the loaf, we should not forget about the bride’s mother, the mother-in-law, since she also plays her role in this tradition. She should hold in her hands two glasses filled with a soft drink or champagne. When the young people bite off a piece of loaf, they must drink from the glasses to the bottom and then break them, while throwing the glasses over their left shoulder. This will mean that happiness comes to their family.
When the mother-in-law invites the bride and groom to drink from glasses, she should also express her joy, congratulate the children on the formation of a new family and wish them all the best. Fathers of newlyweds also take part in this tradition. Usually the groom's father holds a tray in his hands with apples on it. After the champagne, the heroes of the occasion can immediately have a snack. The bride's father holds the icon in his hands, because it is with its help that he blesses the newlyweds.
What should I say?
Quite often, a toastmaster is invited to a wedding and acts as the host. If the toastmaster is invited to the wedding, then it is he who comments on all the actions with the loaf ritual, while giving the floor to each participant in this action. A professional in his field knows perfectly well how to behave and what to say when meeting newlyweds. After the wedding palace, usually the bride and grooms go to a photo shoot, in addition, close relatives can go with them, and all the other guests go to wait for the heroes of the occasion in the banquet hall. It is the toastmaster who must ensure that all participants in the ritual with the loaf are in their places, and he also gives everyone the floor, directing the development of this action.
In preparation for a wedding, the topic is often raised by the newlyweds, helping their parents prepare a solemn speech for blessing and congratulations.
It's the parents see off their children V MARRIAGE REGISTRY or church and say parting words parental blessings for a happy marriage.
It is usually pronounced on the threshold of the bride's house after the ransom ceremony, since the threshold, according to the old tradition, symbolizes the beginning of the road - a new road into family life. For it to be successful, you must wish goodness and happiness at the very beginning.
An example of a parting word at home with an icon:
Dear ___________ (name of the groom) and _____________ (name of the bride), on this solemn day before God and people we bless you for a happy marriage and a long family life. And we give you our parental order: live, live, and make good money! Peace and joy to you!
An example of a parting word at home with icon No. 2:
Dear children, as we bid you farewell to your new life, we wish you love, happiness, and family well-being.
Live in the name of goodness and love.
We bless you for a happy marriage and a strong family!
Live cheerfully and amicably,
Have everything you need in life!
Congratulations moms at the meeting with a loaf
Dear children! On this happy day you stand on the threshold of a new life. Before starting your family life, please accept our parental instructions and congratulations!
Live together
Peaceful, okay!
Take care of love,
Strengthen your family
Give birth to children
Keep it good!
I wish you great happiness, great love, considerable prosperity. Prosperity and joy to your family!
Congratulations to the mother upon meeting a loaf of bread:
Our dear ____________________________________ (the mother calls the children by name), I also want to congratulate you on your marriage. Be happy in your union that you have created today. Cherish the warmth of this day for the rest of your life. Save your happiness and increase it many, many times.
Congratulations to father upon meeting a loaf of bread:
Dear children, ___________ (name of the groom) and _____________ (name of the bride)!
We bless you for a strong marriage, for a friendly family.
Live in peace and friendship, love and harmony, for your own happiness and for the joy of people!
Let the children in your family laugh, let there be peace and prosperity in your home!
Congratulations to the father in prose:
Our dear birds, you have become a young husband and wife. Now a long and happy road of family life lies before you. I want to congratulate you on completing the first step in your new life. How many more such first steps will you take! The birth of your first child, his first word, his first step - you have to experience all this. In the meantime, you are the happiest couple on this planet. I want to wish you only happy days, so that you, like two swans, float through life side by side, warming each other with your warmth. Be happy!
Congratulations from father and mother in verse:
I want to congratulate you on your marriage.
Keep the warmth that you have acquired,
And do your best,
So as not to waste everything you found.
Live peacefully, amicably, fairly,
So that trouble cannot sneak up on you.
May life be fun and beautiful.
Never part, children.
I want to wish you happiness
And congratulations on your responsible step.
So that you don’t see bad weather in your life,
So that you are close to each other.
My heartfelt congratulations
I can’t put it into words.
I will hug you, my hearts,
I will wrap my arms around you.
There is simply no strength to speak,
Yes, and what to express in words.
You are so beautiful today.
You are warmed by the rays of love.
I would like to briefly congratulate you,
Wish you many years without separation.
And direct you to the true path,
And fasten your hands between you.
Let happiness be endless,
I wish you without any doubts,
So that your love and cordiality
Preserved until the last days.
You are our golden children!
Please accept congratulations from us,
We don't need gratitude
Just always live in peace.
Combining in a worldly union,
You took the oath of allegiance.
And don't be a burden to each other,
As you promised today.
Congratulations from the Witnesses:
Congratulatory speech from a witness:
My dear friends! I was present at your wedding from the very beginning to this moment and have not seen a happier expression on your faces than now.
I congratulate you on your solemn marriage.
I had the great honor of not only being present at your wedding, but also performing role of honorary witness.
I cannot describe all the feelings that are now boiling in my soul.
I am infinitely happy for my best friend, who has finally found such a wonderful soul mate.
Today you look simply magnificent, I wish you to stay at this level for another hundred years.
And at the same time, during these hundred years, increase not only your family capital, but also the number of members of your family.
Congratulations from the witness:
I will not repeat everything that has already been said before me.
I just want to once again sincerely congratulate you on your wedding day.
I saw how worried my friend was this morning, I saw how timidly she stepped on the carpet in the registry office, and I see how happy her face is now.
So let all the good things in your future life continue to grow, as today.
REPLY WORD NEWLY MARRIED:
Dear guests! Today, on this joyful and memorable day for us, many wishes were addressed to us, both serious and humorous, and most importantly, sincere.
If all of them come true, neither envy, nor jealousy, nor quarrels, nor anger will ever creep into our family life, but peace, harmony, trust and love will reign.
Thank you so much for your good wishes to us, for the fact that by coming to our first family holiday today, you shared our joy.
Let us raise a glass to the health, happiness and longevity of our dear guests.