How the wedding attire of a Russian bride appeared

When a Russian bride enters a salon, and especially when she is not alone, there is often a discussion: is it obligatory for a Russian bride to buy a white dress, or the color might be different. You can often hear that white dress symbolizes purity and modesty of a Russian bride and that this is a traditional dress, which is wrong.

The tradition to dress a Russian bride into a white wedding dress appeared in the XIX century only, and became wide-spread only in the middle of the next century. Before it, the Russian bride was dressed into folk attire. The difference between the wedding dresses of Russian brides of noble families and peasants was in the price, as the rich Russian bride could afford gems, jewels and expensive fabrics.

During the performance of the whole wedding rite, a Russian bride changed the wedding attire several times. Russian bride wore different dresses at the hen party, at the church wedding, at the wedding feast at the groom's house and on the second wedding day. And every time it was a posh dress that a Russian bride sewed with her own hands during several years.

For the hen party the Russian bride chose her best maiden dress. Depending on the locality, it could be a blouse with a skirt or a bright sarafan (red, crimson, pink, green). The attire was accomplished by the fillets of different colors that were streaming down the back of the Russian bride, and blowing about her at every movement.

At the church wedding day the Russian bride was wearing special attire, usually red. In some places a Russian bride was to put on two shirts, one of which was meant for the deathbed.

On receiving the groom's present, an aunt or the godmother dressed the Russian bride for the marriage. The wedding shoes were sent by the groom. This way he stressed the fact of moving the Russian bride from the parents' home to the home of her husband, to be there with him all the rest of his life. The younger brother or some other male relative put the shoes on the feet of the Russian bride.

According to some omens, the lower edge of the dress of the Russian bride had several pins pricked into it - to keep an evil eye away. The shoes of the newlyweds had coins inside, or some grains of wheat, rye, oats or barley to bring wealth to the house of the young couple.

The second wedding day showed the Russian bride to the guests in the new wedding attire. That was her best woman dress. It could be a puffed skirt of a dark color, richly ornamented. Southwards from Moscow it was covered with the embroidery reminding flame tongues. The Russian bride put a married woman's headwear, and tied her waist with a wide woven belt.

Dear Russian bride! As you see there are no strict rules as for the color oа the dress for the Russian bride. They didn't exist before, and neither do they now. If you like white wedding dresses, and you want to impress your guests like Queen Victoria, buy the white dress. But if you believe that the color of your skin will look especially nice with the warmer hues, like champagne’, choose it.

If you want to strike everyone with the unexpected color of the dress, for example red, you should remember that these dresses were popular in older times, and so they are now.

After the wedding dress is chosen, the Russian bride often has a question if she should get a fop or she can do without it. There is no exact answer to this question as well.

Not so long ago the word fop’ meant kerchief’, a real thick kerchief to cover the head of the Russian bride. This fop also covers the head and the face of the Russian bride now to protect her from evil eye and wish.

Russian wedding was full of songs, mostly sad ones. The thick fop of a Russian bride gradually grew soaked with the sincere tears, even if the Russian bride married a beloved man. And the thing is not in the difficulties of the married life. Russian bride left her kin and went to the different one. Russian bride was crying, listening to plaintive songs, as she tried her best to show her devotion to the parental home.

Later not only the meaning of fop changed, but also the object itself. It became light and transparent, and now it means the chastity of the Russian bride.

A modern Russian bride can choose if she will wear a fop, or will just decorate her hair with the flowers. The main is that the Russian bride on her wedding day looked as she wants it.

Dear Russian bride! Very soon you will enter one of the happiest days of your life. Try to be merry this day, seized with the anticipation of the happy beginning of the married life. It will help you to become the most beautiful and irresistible Russian bride. And the wedding dress you chose, no matter what color it has, will look incomparable on you. Your coiffure with the fop or without it will only stress your marvelous beauty.

Be happy!