Pre Wedding Phase
Wedding Day Phase
Post Wedding Phase

At the end of the 19th century, the custom of pre-arranging marriages is still popular. A series of steps are taken to initiate the wedding process. They begin with the groom's parents, who choose a prospective bride considering her family's social and economic status: a hardworking, modest, honourable girl is usually preferred. The appropriate age of marriage is 15-17 years for females and 18-20 years for males. The most popular time of the year for weddings is in late winter or early spring, roughly between Christmas and the start of Lent before Easter. A second "wedding season" takes place after harvest time and before the Christmas fast.

Inquiries [dopyty]
After the prospective bride is selected, preliminary representatives of the groom and his family, usually the groom's female relatives, are chosen to travel to the bride's home to determine whether she and her parents are likely to accept their marriage proposal. The groom's representatives bring bread, salt, and spirits with them. Once they arrive at the bride's home, they subtly inquire about the willingness of the bride's parents to marry their daughter to the proposed suitor. If they sense that the match is not agreeable to the girl's parents, they may terminate the inquiries by changing the topic of conversation. If they receive indications that the girl's parents, and perhaps the girl herself, approve of the proposed suitor, they sit down and pursue the matter further. After offering toasts, the two sides exchange ritual bread as a sign that both parties agree to the match.

Matchmaking [svatannia]
Before matchmaking can begin, the families of the bride and groom must choose the matchmaker [starosta] and his assistant [pidstarosta]. Although each family chooses matchmakers [starosty], the groom's matchmakers play a more dominant role. The groom and his matchmakers visit the bride's home with bread, salt, and spirits. Upon their arrival at the bride's home, they knock at the window or door three times. The matchmakers enter the prospective bride's home, present bread and salt, and begin the prescribed matchmaking dialogue. The most popular form of the dialogue begins with the pretense that the matchmakers are hunters who have traveled throughout the world in the company of their prince. Once the matchmakers have finished their dialogue, it is up to the parents to reply to the proposal. If the parents intend to refuse the proposal, the maiden brings out glasses, an alcoholic beverage, and a pumpkin on a plate to present to the matchmakers. However, if the maiden's parents accept their proposal, the maiden brings out two embroidered ritual cloths on a plate. The ritual cloths are tied over the shoulders of the matchmakers. She also brings an embroidered kerchief to place in the prospective bridegroom's belt. Then the maiden's parents signal their formal agreement to the match by ceremonially exchanging bread with the visitors. In turn, they offer liquor to the householders and make arrangements with them for the day of the betrothal.

Inspection [ohliadyny / rozhliadyny]
Inspection provides the bride's family with an opportunity to verify the groom's family's economic situation, which will have a direct effect on the bride's future. Conducted by the bride's parents and relatives, the inspection takes place without the bride being present. If the bride's relatives are satisfied, then the day for betrothal is set. If the family is not satisfied with the economic situation, then the bread exchanged at the matchmaking is returned, and the prospective match dissolved.

Betrothal [zaruchyny]
With the future bride and groom's relatives all present in the house of the young woman's family, the betrothal takes place. The principal elements of matchmaking are repeated. The betrothed couple is blessed with bread. The starosta binds the couple's hands to each other and leads them to the wedding seat [posad] in the place of honour at the table. After the festivities in the future bride's home, another celebration takes place in the home of the prospective groom: it is called zapoiny.

Floor plan of a traditional Ukrainian house

1. Entrance hall (siny)
2. Small living space(mala khata)
3. Storage room (komora)
4. Oven (pich)
5. Bed (lizhko)
6. Larger living space used for festive occasions (svitla khata)
7. Posad under icons
8. Table (stil')

Marriage banns [zapovidi]
In the 19th century, the church is the core institution authorized to contract and register marriages. The young couple has to inform the local priest of their forthcoming marriage a few weeks before the ceremony. The priest tests their basic knowledge of religion. In the course of three Sunday services, he announces the decision of the couple to enter into marriage. In times of serfdom up to the mid 1800s, the young people might also need to get permission from the landlord for their marriage.

Dowry [vino]
After the betrothal, the parents of both sides arrange more details about the dowry and the wedding. The dowry contains property for the new household contributed by the bride and her family. The families decide where the couple will live, often in the home of the groom's family at first. They also negotiate what fields, implements, animals and other necessities will be given to the couple if the new family is to set up its own household and farm.

Invitations [zaprosyny]
On Saturday, the day before the wedding, the bride, wearing a wreath of periwinkle [barvinok] and accompanied by her bridesmaids [druzhky], invites the guests to her wedding. First, the bridesmaids gather at the bride's home where the bride's mother blesses them with holy water. The "invitation party" then proceeds on its rounds. When it enters a house, the bride bows to each resident, and one of the bridesmaids puts a loaf of ritual bread on the table. Then the bride and her bridesmaids recite their invitation three times: "My father and mother invite you, and I invite you for bread, salt, and to the wedding." Once the invitation has been offered, gifts such as bread, chickens, or money are given to the bride. In the same way, the groom and his best man invite his family's guests to the wedding celebrations that will take place at his family's home.

Wedding tree [hil'tse or derevtse]
The hil'tse is a decorated conifer branch inserted into a ritual loaf of bread. The bride and groom each have their own hil'tse. The groom's best men make his hil'tse, whereas the bride's hil'tse is made by her bridesmaids. Tiny bouquets comprised of periwinkle, cranberries, oats, feathers, herbs, garlic, and coins are made for it. These items are bound together with colored wool, silk, or ribbons. When the bouquet-decorations are ready, they are attached to the branch. The mother, father, or brother places the first bouquet on the top. Then everyone joins in to decorate the hil'tse in order of their social rank in relation to the bride or groom. People sing special songs as the hil'tse is being decorated.

Wedding breads [korovai]
Made of flour contributed by all the kin, the wedding breads are symbolically significant. In order to bake a good korovai, the korovainytsi, the women who prepare it, must be selected from among those who are respectable, happily married young or middle-aged wives. The korovainytsi, singing solemn festive songs, decorate the top of the wedding bread with figures of pine-cones, doves, geese and other forms, shaped out of dough. Branches may also be used to decorate the korovai.

Maiden's evening [divych vechir]
The divych vechir  takes place on the eve of the wedding. At this time the bride-to-be bids farewell to her maiden friends. Only the bride's girlfriends are present. Unmarried women in 19th century Ukrainian villages generally wear their hair in long braids, and the bride's hair is unbraided symbolically. Throughout the night the girls sing sad songs which make reference to the separation of the bride from her family and from maidenhood, and to her potentially difficult future life with the in-laws.

Wreath-weaving [vinkopletennia]
The vinkopletennia is a ceremony in which wreaths are woven, to be worn by the couple on the wedding day. The bridesmaids and older women [svakhy] usually conduct this ceremony. First of all, they gather periwinkle [barvinok] and other plants from the garden. Then svakhy first spread the periwinkle on the table and place a loaf of bread [kolach] nearby. Once the weaving begins, the svakhy sing, asking God to bless the couple's future. Sometimes garlic is attached to the wreath to protect the wearer against evil. Coins can also be attached to bring the couple good luck. Finally, the completed wreaths are placed on the kolach and blessed by the bride's parents.