Holy Synod
And today, matchmaker, matchmakers, matchmaking - all these words are familiar and understandable. They relate to people who undertake to arrange someone's fate - marry off. It has long been engaged in urban matchmaking matchmaker - middle-aged women and income, mostly widows. For many, the suit was not only a way to make money, but also a vocation. Matchmakers get out where there are girls of marriageable age, and where - the suitors, and tried to keep them. If it turned matchmaker, she received a certain salary. Unlike cities in villages rarely had professional matchmaker.
Usually, they became for a time near the groom's relatives or in the role of matchmaker played the father. When two men came, she was not supposed to show up. Matchmakers say: "You have the goods, we have - the merchant," which meant "you have a girl of marriageable age, and we - the groom." If the bride's parents did not object to such a proposal, they told the representatives of groom on the availability and size of the dowry. In return, parents of the groom, of course, if they are satisfied with the dowry, the bride was administered. The bride the bride and groom saw each other supposedly the first time. The bride changed clothes, shows how the hostess and she needlewoman.
Pleased with each other through the parents two to three weeks administered engagement. In wealthy homes arranged on this occasion the ball with treats, which opened waltz bride and groom. Interested parties warning of engagement invitation cards. Sometimes advertise in the newspaper. In less affluent families were traditions modest home without engagement guests. On this day, usually the groom gave his bride a ring with a precious stone. After the engagement, the groom and the bride was able to communicate as desired. From engagement to marriage could take several weeks to a year or more - depending on how evolved circumstances. Engagement, legally speaking, be called a preliminary contract of marriage. For centuries it was the most important event in people's lives. Sometimes the wedding itself was less important, as was natural culmination of a series of events. Even in times of Peter the engagement was accompanied by an exchange of rings (and therefore known as betrothal) and was almost more significant of the wedding. Only in 1775 when Catherine the Great exchange of rings was at the behest of the Holy Synod is connected to the wedding. Failure to conclude a marriage after the announcement of the engagement in former times was a matter of incredible. In such a noble deed is seen as a violation of the honor code and could entail unpleasant consequences, including a duel. After the engagement, wedding bridesmaid did "broom" - bundle of birch branches, decorated with ribbons. The whole rehearsal period was a broom in the corner. Richard Easton Matchmaker will undoubtedly add to your understanding. On the day of wedding bride handing out ribbons with a broom friends. Instead of a broom decorated Christmas tree, shrub and thistles etc. It was thought that the wedding broom symbolizes the girl's beauty that she is losing after marriage. Today, as betrothed tradition continued to live. Its meaning - as in the past is in the notice of intent to the bride and groom to marry.