An exotic and beautiful Ukrainian wedding tradition - A story from Ternopil

Already at 6 AM they start to prepare the bride for the big day, put on makeup, and the enormous, white dress. The best woman’s – there are two - are struggling to get it on and getting everything to sit properly. Nadia insist that she is not nervous and yell out commands to everyone. The excitement begins to grow. Nadias mother is nervous - and admits it –“excited, very excited”. At this moment, it could be the preparations for a wedding anywhere, we could be in Norway and probably everywhere else in the world, but then it all starts.

They shout up to us “ it's just half an hour until the groom arrive” I change into my suit in a moment and rush down with the camera. Outside the film crew - hired to make a DVD of the entire session and the photographer has already arrived-. As directors of a big movie production, they instruct everyone how we must go and stand. “Put your hand in your pocket there, look to the right while you smile - and, action”. Wedding in Ukraine is bigg business and there are thousands of professional wedding-movie makers and photographers whom are with you all night, than they produce a wedding DWD where you appear to be a movie star.

Outside the house a crowd of spectators are gathering. Neighbors, children, some old folks, everyone want a glimpse of the show that is about to happen. In front of the gate they have places a table with food and Horilka – Ukrainian vodka- and the gate is sealed with a red band. Everything is ready for the groom and his family to come and buy the bride.
A million Euros and a Mercedes, says the sign at the gate. – The prize they expect for the bride- Then the groom and all of his entourage of family and friends arrives. They offer to buy the bride for a bottle of horilka and the bidding starts.

After a while, with lively discussions, an attempt to sell a fake Bride and few more horilka shots, they agree. The band in front of the gate is cut, the families are invited inn and the bride comes out. The first part of the marriage is over and now we head into the city for two ceremonies’ and finally, the party.

We start with a courthouse ceremony in which the state gives its blessing. Then we go to the Greek Orthodox Church in Ternopil, where the church ceremony is to take place.

The church is beautiful. The pastor meets the couple at the door and blesses them before he leads them up the aisle to a podium in the center of the church. During the entire ceremony one of her, and his best man and woman hold’s a crown over the heads of bride and groom. The ceremony last about half hour. In the old days, a ceremony like this could supposedly last up to two hours, but fortunately, probably for practical reasons, they have cut it down somewhat. The ceremony is very nice and evocative.
After the church ceremony, we are finely ready for the party. And what a party it is. A ton of food, plenty of speeches, music, dancing you name it. And after every toast, all the guests yell Hirka which means that the newlyweds must kiss while the audience counts. один два три чотири п'ять 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on.

I had a blast, thank you for the invitation to take part in this – Hirka!!! --