The history of Bulgarian weddings originated hundreds of years ago. It is centered around interesting traditions and has always played a special role in Bulgarian culture. It is more than a celebration of love and the connection of two souls – it is also a union of two families and the start of a common history.
In modern days, Bulgarians largely consider weddings as their second (and larger) prom night, where they gather with friends and family, sign the wedding contract and unite under the eyes of God in the local church. But it has not always been like that.
The typical Bulgarian wedding is lively, cheerful, loud, and emotional, with a lot of fun and dancing and considerable quantities of alcohol especially homemade rakia, and wine, but at the same time can be very tiresome – with many different locations to attend – sometimes with a total duration of more than 16+ hours!
In this article, we are going to share with you 6 interesting wedding traditions that you might want to revive and honor in your own wedding in Bulgaria. Or just not be surprised, if you hear of a bride being stolen.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №1: The creation of the wedding flag
It might seem a bit far-fetched, but Bulgarian ancestors used to hang flags in their houses when there was a big wedding. It was usually put up high in the groom’s house for everyone to see and was oriented towards the sun – as a sign of good fortune for the wedding couple.
The creation of the wedding flag began in the forest, where the groom cuts off a tree with one single hit as a sign that the couple is not going to remarry. An important thing to look for is the tree itself. It was considered that it should bear fruits (pears, apples, cherries) and should be healthy. If it was becoming dry or dead, it would mean bad fortune.
Then the tree branch was sewn with red or red and white fabric at the groom’s house before being sent over to the bride’s house, where she and her friends would sing songs and repel any negative energy that it might carry.
What is interesting, is that after the wedding the flag was destroyed by the godparents – either broken, hidden, or thrown in water – so that the newlyweds do not see it. In some Bulgarian regions it was so carefully discarded that not a single thread fell off of it in order for people to not be able to make dark magic and bring bad fortune to the newlyweds.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №2: The long walk of the wedding invitation
Hundreds of years ago, through the cohesion of people in Bulgarian villages, the ritual of the wedding invitation was born. The groom, the bride’s siblings, and all their relatives would have to go around the village and invite people.
The groom would put on his most presentable clothes and with a bottle of Bulgarian wine or rakija in his hand, he would go from house to house and offer a sip. When the host took a sip, they accepted the invitation. The bride’s mother would carry apples and offer them to the hosts as another sign of invitation.
In some Bulgarian regions families would even invite dead people, if someone has been recently deceased. They would put apples on their graves and thus invite them to celebrate the wedding along with the living.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №3: Bachelor parties in the past
Today, bachelor parties are one of the best parts of weddings – the friends of the bride or groom gather together over drinks and reminisce about the good times of being single. However, in the past they used to have a different atmosphere.
For the bride’s bachelorette party, the groom would send gifts like wine, rakija, bread, as well as jewelry and wreaths with which she would welcome her guests. She would gather with her friends and they would sing sad songs about her parting from them and from her father’s home. This was the first time she would leave her father’s home. After the big dinner at the bride’s home, the girls would gather up for a horo and dance the night away.
At the groom’s bachelor party, however, the atmosphere used to be quite different. He would sit on a table with his friends, where each of the guests should have brought something to. Then they would joke around, do dares (like squatting with a wine glass on one’s head) and even wear masks and tell riddles. The godfather would also be part of the celebration, but he would be a notable and respectable figure and in some Bulgarian regions, the groom would even have to stay silent in his presence as a sign of respect.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №4: The weaving of the bride and the shaving of the groom
The braiding was one of the most important rituals for the bride. It signifies her transformation from a girl and a maiden to a bride and a wife-to-be. The braiding was usually done before sunrise on the wedding day with the bride sitting with her face towards the sun. This is done to attract fertility.
The bride’s friends gathered around and sang songs about her leaving her home while braiding her hair. The braiding itself was done either by the godmother, or by her friends, but both of their parents had to be alive for good fortune.
The grooming was also a very crucial part of the wedding rituals. It started early in the morning on the wedding day with the groom sitting outside under a tree. First, he was washed with clean water from the nearest spring. Then the godfather, the groom’s brother, or a barber would begin the grooming. It always began from the right side to the left, as it was considered that the right side is connected with good fortune and the left – with bad.
Two girls then would hold a white towel under his chin and collect the fallen hairs which are later to be buried under a tree. It was important that nobody touched the hairs and that they were buried properly, so that no one could make black magic and bring bad fortune to the groom. As
the grooming was taking part, there were songs and music that became louder and louder, signifying that the groom was soon to go over to the bride’s home.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №5: The red veil and the “theft” of the bride
You may have heard of the stealing of the bride, but here is how it used to happen.
After the braiding, the bride was covered with a red veil in front of the fireplace. She then would put on her wedding gown and wait for the groom and his brother to come to take her. They would try to get inside the home but were not allowed by the bride’s family until they pay something. After they did, the groom’s brother entered the house and brought the bride’s shoes full of coins, which he put on her feet, starting with the right. She was then taken away from her home with the red veil still on her face. If anyone were to see her face, that would bring bad fortune to the couple. Then the wedding procession would begin, going through the whole village and ending at the groom’s house.
These are only a few of the many interesting rituals that surround the Bulgarian wedding. If you want to learn more about Bulgarian rituals, stay tuned for some interesting news coming your way. Who knows, maybe some of them might be revived.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №6:The “kumove” in the Bulgarian wedding
The “kumove” or Goodparents in Bulgaria are most often a couple and close friends of the newlyweds.
Normally the „kumove” should be an older family, who will become spiritual “parents” and mentors to the newlyweds.
The role of the “kumove” in the wedding:
- They are the two witnesses required by law at the civil marriage.
- The two have a role at the Orthodox religious ceremony. Most often the “kuma” takes part in a small ritual with the wedding rings and the “kum” with the exchanging of the crowns. It is an absolute requirement for them to be Orthodox Christians.
- The “kum” actively helps the groom during the ritual of “buying or stealing the bride”.
- The “kuma” usually presents the bride with the wedding bouquet and carries out the ritual of “veiling” – she tries to put the bride’s veil on the bride’s head, who by tradition is to turn it down twice and accept it on the third attempt.
- At the reception the “kum” gives the first toast before the beginning of the dances, leads on one or more “horo” dances. Later in the evening the „kum“ and the “kuma” take part in a dancing ritual “kumova rachenitsa” during which they dance with a couple of dancers meanwhile trying to steal from them the special prizes – a ritual bread and a flamboyantly decorated roasted chicken.
Bulgarian wedding traditions №7: Who will be the boss
Another important tradition during the wedding is the one that will define who will be the boss in the family. The bride and the groom stand up, back to back, and hold a big, round loaf of bread over their heads. At a special signal, they both try to divide it into two and get the bigger chunk, which symbolizes who will have the power in the family.
At the end of the ceremony, the couple exchanged rings and a kiss. Then came the custom of “stepping.” Whoever managed to step on the other’s foot first would dominate in the marriage.
As you can see, attending to a Bulgarian wedding will be a long funny day, be prepared and ready for the challenge!
