The Pre-Wedding Phase
The Wedding Day

Dressing
The bride's wedding dress was a plain white one. It was made by her friend in the evening of Thursday with no special patterns and forms. The bride said that she was the first one who wore a white wedding dress in the area. The groom bought himself a new suit.

Since the entire wedding was rushed, the ceremonial dressing of the bride took place on the evening of Thursday, just after the buying of the bride's wreath. The bride sat in a chair near the centre of the room. The wreath [vinochok] was placed on a wedding bread [kolach], which was held by the starosta. The mother of the bride took the wreath and blessed her daughter. The wreath was placed upon the bride's head. The bride and her mother kissed each other three times and her father repeated the blessing. After the brothers and sisters of the bride and other people came to bless her, a veil was placed on the bride's head, accompanied with ritual songs. When the people finished singing, the musicians played. Food was served. People danced and ate and entertained themselves.

Blessing [blahoslovennia] and Wedding procession [pokhid]
Typically, before the bride and groom went to church, they both knelt and bowed three times in front of the bride's parents to get their blessing. The musicians played violin and dulcimer music at the time. After the blessing, the bride and groom rode in a wagon pulled by horses to church together with their two attendants.
There were no priests stationed near Swan Plain, so the wedding couple, the best man and the groom's brother left early in the morning in a horse and buggy for the nearest larger town, 18 miles away. They met several people from both extended families there, but had to travel still further for a priest. They rented the only car in the region to continue their journey.

Church marriage ceremony [vinchannia]
It was dark by the time they found a priest and started the church service. The priest read a very short service in English. The couple was asked to say only two words, "I will." The wedding ceremony ended after one of groom's friends signed the wedding certificate as the witness.

Photographs
Because of the long and difficult journey to the church, the groom had not put on his new suit and the bride was still wearing a large sheepskin coat [kozhukh] in the unheated church. Therefore, the couple refused the offer to have a picture taken after the ceremony. It was becoming popular to take wedding photographs by that time.

Wedding train [poizd]
After the bride and groom returned to Swan Plain, they each went directly to their respective parents' home. After a while, the groom and his entourage travelled to the vesillia at the bride's house.

Celebrations in the bride's house [vesillia u molodoi]
The vesillia at the bride's home started on Saturday, where people had gathered even before the bride had returned. The celebration of the vesillia in general lasted for several days. Wedding meals typically consisted of many courses, including chicken soup, boiled chicken meat, pork, meatballs, cabbage rolls, cider, homebrew and home made beer.

The presentation of gifts [darovannia]
Typically, a ceremonial presentation of gifts took place late in the evening. A dish was put out for presentation and people gave change and dollar bills. Some gave small gifts like towels, cups and dishes. The bride and groom received some $ 40 in cash in total.

Celebrations in the groom's house [vesillia u molodoho]
Many of the guests that were at the bride's wedding joined the bridal couple as the bride and groom left for the groom's home. They were welcomed into the new reception with music and applause. It was already sunrise on Monday morning when the married couple and their guests arrived. They hid the bride from future in-laws and dressed up an old man. The in-laws said that they did not want the bride as she was too ugly but the bride' parents kept insisting that their daughter was beautiful. There was joking and singing all this time. Finally, the true bride was allowed forth, knelt before her new parents and was then invited to come into the home. More celebrating and eating followed.

* The description of this part is based on the following case studies:
1. Nahachewsky, Andriy. "The Ukrainian Wedding: A Case Study." U of A (April 1983). 20 pp. 1983.004.
2. Procyshyn, Mary. "A Comparative Study of Three Ukrainian Weddings." U of Manitoba (1983). 17 pp. 1983.046
These materials are deposited in the Ukrainian Folklore Archives at the University of Alberta.