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Wedding traditions and customs in Moldova and Eastern Europe. All about wedding. Funny wedding videos
Monday
How to Choose a Wedding Photographer
Follow these wedding photographer tips and go over them before your wedding day. But before the big day, you're probably wondering how to choose a wedding photographer? Are there certain things you should look for? This article will cover some of the important subject that you should touch on when interviewing with several wedding photographers.
Follow these wedding photographer tips and go over them before your wedding day. But before the big day, you are probably wondering how to choose a wedding photographer? Are there certain things you should look for? This article will cover some of the important subject that you should touch on when interviewing with several wedding photographers. How to Choose a Wedding Photographer To ensure good-quality pictures, it is best to employ a professional photographer. When you are selecting a photographer, study their portfolio; ask if the same person who shot the pictures you are examining will be the one to shoot your wedding; and ask about any package plans he or she offers. The cost of the different packages is controlled by adjusting the quality and sizes of prints, the size of the album, and any extra services. These vary from one photographer to another, so be sure you understand exactly what is being offered. When you have decided on a photographer, discuss any restrictions to be observed during the ceremony, concerning such details as flashbulbs and the photographers being at the altar or otherwise visible to guests.When planning your formal bridal portrait one to two months in advance, have your hair styled and makeup applied the same as it will be on your wedding day. More and more couples are having their formal pictures taken - including the bridal portrait - at the ceremony site before the service. It is a tradition, but one based on superstition, that prevents the bride and groom from seeing each other on their wedding day before the ceremony. By having your portrait taken on your wedding day - you avoid having to transport your gown to a studio and back, running the rish of soiling it. - you will have your own wedding bouquet in the picture. - you will be photographed at your best - a glowing bride. To take pictures before the wedding, you, your groom, your attendants, and families will need to be at the ceremony site approximately three hours before the wedding, allowing thirty to forty-five minutes to dress, up to two hours for photographs, and thirty to forty-five minutes to prepare for the arrival of the wedding guests. By taking all the formal pictures before the wedding, the groom will not have that special moment of first seeing you as you come down the aisle. Therefore, arrange a time for the two of you to be alone immediately before having your pictures taken. This could also be a special time spent with both sets of parents or with your maid of honor and best man. Be creative with this time - the sharing of special music, poetry, scripture, or prayer.If you want to wait until the ceremony for the groom to see you, then schedule only the taking of the separate formals and individual family pictures just prior to the ceremony time. Out of consideration for your guestsHealth Fitness Articles, set a time limit for finishing the formal pictures after the ceremony. You may want to designate a close friend of family member to assist the photographer at the reception by identifying other special people to be photographed. Be aware that viewing your proofs can be an emotion - packed time. Undoubtedly you will need to eliminate some great pictures to maintain your budget.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com author: Robert Reno
Translation and interpretation services in Chisinau and Moldova
Follow these wedding photographer tips and go over them before your wedding day. But before the big day, you are probably wondering how to choose a wedding photographer? Are there certain things you should look for? This article will cover some of the important subject that you should touch on when interviewing with several wedding photographers. How to Choose a Wedding Photographer To ensure good-quality pictures, it is best to employ a professional photographer. When you are selecting a photographer, study their portfolio; ask if the same person who shot the pictures you are examining will be the one to shoot your wedding; and ask about any package plans he or she offers. The cost of the different packages is controlled by adjusting the quality and sizes of prints, the size of the album, and any extra services. These vary from one photographer to another, so be sure you understand exactly what is being offered. When you have decided on a photographer, discuss any restrictions to be observed during the ceremony, concerning such details as flashbulbs and the photographers being at the altar or otherwise visible to guests.When planning your formal bridal portrait one to two months in advance, have your hair styled and makeup applied the same as it will be on your wedding day. More and more couples are having their formal pictures taken - including the bridal portrait - at the ceremony site before the service. It is a tradition, but one based on superstition, that prevents the bride and groom from seeing each other on their wedding day before the ceremony. By having your portrait taken on your wedding day - you avoid having to transport your gown to a studio and back, running the rish of soiling it. - you will have your own wedding bouquet in the picture. - you will be photographed at your best - a glowing bride. To take pictures before the wedding, you, your groom, your attendants, and families will need to be at the ceremony site approximately three hours before the wedding, allowing thirty to forty-five minutes to dress, up to two hours for photographs, and thirty to forty-five minutes to prepare for the arrival of the wedding guests. By taking all the formal pictures before the wedding, the groom will not have that special moment of first seeing you as you come down the aisle. Therefore, arrange a time for the two of you to be alone immediately before having your pictures taken. This could also be a special time spent with both sets of parents or with your maid of honor and best man. Be creative with this time - the sharing of special music, poetry, scripture, or prayer.If you want to wait until the ceremony for the groom to see you, then schedule only the taking of the separate formals and individual family pictures just prior to the ceremony time. Out of consideration for your guestsHealth Fitness Articles, set a time limit for finishing the formal pictures after the ceremony. You may want to designate a close friend of family member to assist the photographer at the reception by identifying other special people to be photographed. Be aware that viewing your proofs can be an emotion - packed time. Undoubtedly you will need to eliminate some great pictures to maintain your budget.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com author: Robert Reno
Translation and interpretation services in Chisinau and Moldova
Wedding Invitations 101: Ideas for the Budget-Minded Bride
Your wedding invitations are the first glimpse your guests will have of your wedding, but if you're not careful, they can they can quickly cut into your budget. Luckily there are many options available that convey your sense of style and set the tone for your wedding - and are also very affordable.
INVITATIONS
Your invitations reflect the tone of your wedding, whether it's black tie or casual chic. More formal weddings may require more formal invitations, which are traditionally white or ecru and engraved with black or charcoal ink. A square of tissue paper is also inserted to protect the type. While classic and understated, the cost of these invitations can quickly add up to the purchase price of a small car, but with slightly better gas mileage. What's a budget-minded bride to do?
More and more couples are veering from standard invitations and choosing papers in unusual sizes and colors, incorporating interesting textures and using graphics, motifs and monograms. Many couples are also doing away with the traditional unsealed inner envelope, which not only reduces costs, but also reduces waste. And besides, how many of your guests are going to remember how many components were included in their invitation? (Hint: if you DO have guests who will notice, seat them all together so they can drive each other crazy)
Another option is to purchase materials to create your own invitations. Thanks to the popularity of scrapbooking and paper stores, it's never been easier to create unique and memorable wedding invitations. Do you and your guy have a favorite color, song, vacation destination or hobby? Don't be afraid to incorporate it into your invitations. Your guests would rather see a heartfelt invitation than have to discard the tissue paper that protects a random printer's work. (Not that there's anything wrong with using a printer. But hey...the cost of those little sheets really adds up!)
At this point, you might be saying, “But traditional IS my style! How can I afford it?” Put those fears to rest, girl! Make some “test” invitations on plain paper, playing with font size and type, then purchase blank cards and matching envelopes (which are available at scrapbooking and hobby stores and mass retailers nationwide) to print the real deal.
No matter what kind of invitation you choose, be sure to mail them 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding so your guests have time to plan...and to shop for a really awesome gift!
WAIT...THERE'S MORE
Remember when you were a little girl and you dreamed about your perfect wedding, right down to the invitations? Why didn't anyone tell us about the reply cards? Or the reception cards? Why are there so many cards?
Response CardsResponse cards are usually sent with your invitations and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. These are used to help determine how many people will be attending and usually include menu options for your guests to choose from. But I'm going to tell you a secret: you can create your own reply cards. Just purchase small cards with matching envelopes, print them yourself and then insert them into the invitations when you are addressing them. Best of all, you can do this whether you're making your own invitations or having them professionally printed.
Reception CardsReception cards are included inside wedding invitations to let guests know when and where the post-wedding festivities will begin. Traditionally, this is a small card that asks guests to join the newlyweds and their families for a celebratory reception, and gives the date, place, and time. But remember the “Response Cards” secret I revealed above? It works here, too! Print them yourself or even (gasp) print the reception information inside the invitation itself. It will give your guests one less thing to keep track of and save you lots of money.
AND EVEN MORE...
Believe it or not, there are still other paper-related items to think about.
Wedding ProgramsSure, wedding programs provide useful information and make charming mementos, but there's no need to break the bank. While some couples choose to do a booklet type program, budget-minded couples are using simple card stock with a vellum overlay, tied together with a ribbon that matches your color scheme. Others are simply printing them at home (or a friend's home) on unique paper that plays up the wedding colors or motif. After all, how many people (besides your closest friends and family) are going to keep it as a memento? They'd rather you use the money you saved on programs to help with your honeymoon expenses, make a car payment or buy a lottery ticket.
Menu CardsThe idea behind menu cards is that no one likes to sit down to a meal when they have no idea what they're about to be served (think school cafeterias). However, this can easily be combined with the Reply Card (see above). And of course if the meal is buffet-style, menu cards are not really necessary, since there is usually something to please everyone.
If you do feel that menu cards are necessary, it's simple to print them yourself...just pick up some good old card stock. If there's a good story behind why you chose a certain dish (you're serving New York Style cheesecake because you met in New York or hot dogs because you met at a ball game), including this story adds a unique element to your menu cards.
One thing that may be very helpful to all involved (you, the caterer, the bartender and your guests) is to create a drink card or two. If you're limiting the open bar to a certain amount or type of drink, a drink card is the perfect place to spell that out. Just get an easel or frame so the card can be posted at the bar.
Place CardsAre you having a buffet-type meal at your reception? If so, skip this section, since place cards are not necessary. For the rest of you, place cards are tent-shaped cards that are placed at each place setting to show people where they should sit. You can easily print them from your home computer, but why not make the place cards for your reception a little unique? Make your wedding favors do double-duty by attaching a name tag to each one and using them as place cards. If you're making your own favors, it only adds one simple step, but saves you money in the long run. You can also use stones with hand-painted names or tie name tags around wrapped silverware. Use your imagination! Place cards don't necessarily have to be one more job for the printer.
Thank You CardsOk, brides. You all know what these are, and there's really no need to have them printed. Simple thank you cards are readily available almost anywhere, and as a bonus, most of them even say “thank you.” Your handwritten message inside is what's important, so invest most of your time there. As a reminder, these should be sent out no later than one month after your honeymoon. If you receive gifts prior to the wedding, those thank you cards should be sent out immediately.
Save the Date CardsWhat? No really...I didn't know what these were. Here's the scoop: save the date cards are sent to guests pretty much the second after the groom pops the question, so that guests can plan ahead. If you send out your announcements 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding, there is probably no need for save the date cards. However, if you have friends or relatives who will be traveling great distances (especially from other countries), a little heads-up would be nice. However, this can be done by greeting card, letter or phone call. That should be sufficient to “save the date.” If you do feel that you need to send save the date cards, you can easily make them yourself.
IN A NUTSHELL
Creating your own invitations and other stationery items can save you lots of money, freeing up your wedding budget for other things. Just keep a couple of things in mind:
• If you are printing pieces yourself, try to use a consistent or complementary font on all of the pieces you create.
• Before addressing invitations, be sure to have complete addresses available. This will help reduce the number of mistakes made during the addressing process. (The less mistakes you make, the fewer invitations you have to use. This saves money!)
• You don't have to do it all yourself. Your family and friends will be more than willing to help create, print and assemble your invitations and other items. After all, isn't that what you keep them around for?
With a little imagination and a lot of determination, your budget-friendly wedding invitations will be just as beautiful as big-budget invitations , but at a fraction of the cost.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com Author: Heather
INVITATIONS
Your invitations reflect the tone of your wedding, whether it's black tie or casual chic. More formal weddings may require more formal invitations, which are traditionally white or ecru and engraved with black or charcoal ink. A square of tissue paper is also inserted to protect the type. While classic and understated, the cost of these invitations can quickly add up to the purchase price of a small car, but with slightly better gas mileage. What's a budget-minded bride to do?
More and more couples are veering from standard invitations and choosing papers in unusual sizes and colors, incorporating interesting textures and using graphics, motifs and monograms. Many couples are also doing away with the traditional unsealed inner envelope, which not only reduces costs, but also reduces waste. And besides, how many of your guests are going to remember how many components were included in their invitation? (Hint: if you DO have guests who will notice, seat them all together so they can drive each other crazy)
Another option is to purchase materials to create your own invitations. Thanks to the popularity of scrapbooking and paper stores, it's never been easier to create unique and memorable wedding invitations. Do you and your guy have a favorite color, song, vacation destination or hobby? Don't be afraid to incorporate it into your invitations. Your guests would rather see a heartfelt invitation than have to discard the tissue paper that protects a random printer's work. (Not that there's anything wrong with using a printer. But hey...the cost of those little sheets really adds up!)
At this point, you might be saying, “But traditional IS my style! How can I afford it?” Put those fears to rest, girl! Make some “test” invitations on plain paper, playing with font size and type, then purchase blank cards and matching envelopes (which are available at scrapbooking and hobby stores and mass retailers nationwide) to print the real deal.
No matter what kind of invitation you choose, be sure to mail them 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding so your guests have time to plan...and to shop for a really awesome gift!
WAIT...THERE'S MORE
Remember when you were a little girl and you dreamed about your perfect wedding, right down to the invitations? Why didn't anyone tell us about the reply cards? Or the reception cards? Why are there so many cards?
Response CardsResponse cards are usually sent with your invitations and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. These are used to help determine how many people will be attending and usually include menu options for your guests to choose from. But I'm going to tell you a secret: you can create your own reply cards. Just purchase small cards with matching envelopes, print them yourself and then insert them into the invitations when you are addressing them. Best of all, you can do this whether you're making your own invitations or having them professionally printed.
Reception CardsReception cards are included inside wedding invitations to let guests know when and where the post-wedding festivities will begin. Traditionally, this is a small card that asks guests to join the newlyweds and their families for a celebratory reception, and gives the date, place, and time. But remember the “Response Cards” secret I revealed above? It works here, too! Print them yourself or even (gasp) print the reception information inside the invitation itself. It will give your guests one less thing to keep track of and save you lots of money.
AND EVEN MORE...
Believe it or not, there are still other paper-related items to think about.
Wedding ProgramsSure, wedding programs provide useful information and make charming mementos, but there's no need to break the bank. While some couples choose to do a booklet type program, budget-minded couples are using simple card stock with a vellum overlay, tied together with a ribbon that matches your color scheme. Others are simply printing them at home (or a friend's home) on unique paper that plays up the wedding colors or motif. After all, how many people (besides your closest friends and family) are going to keep it as a memento? They'd rather you use the money you saved on programs to help with your honeymoon expenses, make a car payment or buy a lottery ticket.
Menu CardsThe idea behind menu cards is that no one likes to sit down to a meal when they have no idea what they're about to be served (think school cafeterias). However, this can easily be combined with the Reply Card (see above). And of course if the meal is buffet-style, menu cards are not really necessary, since there is usually something to please everyone.
If you do feel that menu cards are necessary, it's simple to print them yourself...just pick up some good old card stock. If there's a good story behind why you chose a certain dish (you're serving New York Style cheesecake because you met in New York or hot dogs because you met at a ball game), including this story adds a unique element to your menu cards.
One thing that may be very helpful to all involved (you, the caterer, the bartender and your guests) is to create a drink card or two. If you're limiting the open bar to a certain amount or type of drink, a drink card is the perfect place to spell that out. Just get an easel or frame so the card can be posted at the bar.
Place CardsAre you having a buffet-type meal at your reception? If so, skip this section, since place cards are not necessary. For the rest of you, place cards are tent-shaped cards that are placed at each place setting to show people where they should sit. You can easily print them from your home computer, but why not make the place cards for your reception a little unique? Make your wedding favors do double-duty by attaching a name tag to each one and using them as place cards. If you're making your own favors, it only adds one simple step, but saves you money in the long run. You can also use stones with hand-painted names or tie name tags around wrapped silverware. Use your imagination! Place cards don't necessarily have to be one more job for the printer.
Thank You CardsOk, brides. You all know what these are, and there's really no need to have them printed. Simple thank you cards are readily available almost anywhere, and as a bonus, most of them even say “thank you.” Your handwritten message inside is what's important, so invest most of your time there. As a reminder, these should be sent out no later than one month after your honeymoon. If you receive gifts prior to the wedding, those thank you cards should be sent out immediately.
Save the Date CardsWhat? No really...I didn't know what these were. Here's the scoop: save the date cards are sent to guests pretty much the second after the groom pops the question, so that guests can plan ahead. If you send out your announcements 8-10 weeks prior to your wedding, there is probably no need for save the date cards. However, if you have friends or relatives who will be traveling great distances (especially from other countries), a little heads-up would be nice. However, this can be done by greeting card, letter or phone call. That should be sufficient to “save the date.” If you do feel that you need to send save the date cards, you can easily make them yourself.
IN A NUTSHELL
Creating your own invitations and other stationery items can save you lots of money, freeing up your wedding budget for other things. Just keep a couple of things in mind:
• If you are printing pieces yourself, try to use a consistent or complementary font on all of the pieces you create.
• Before addressing invitations, be sure to have complete addresses available. This will help reduce the number of mistakes made during the addressing process. (The less mistakes you make, the fewer invitations you have to use. This saves money!)
• You don't have to do it all yourself. Your family and friends will be more than willing to help create, print and assemble your invitations and other items. After all, isn't that what you keep them around for?
With a little imagination and a lot of determination, your budget-friendly wedding invitations will be just as beautiful as big-budget invitations , but at a fraction of the cost.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com Author: Heather
Friday
Wedding Planning: A Complete Guide On Wedding Invitation Cards
A wedding invitaion or a card is a simple letter asking the recipient to attend the wedding. These invitations are generally mailed out six to eight weeks before the finalised wedding date. So once you are engaged and the dates are planned for the various occassions, the next big step that follows is to decide upon the wedding invitations.
Everything has to be the perfect, including your wedding cards. They are important part in setting your mood right for your special day.
From invitations that are handcrafted to the formal ones, cards with raised letters on it or the one having engraved styles, there are numerous beautiful wedding invitations available to match the style and theme of your wedding. From the traditional to the contemporary, there are wedding cards to compliment the taste of everyone.
Choosing the right wedding invitation for your guests is not an easy task and can get a run for your money. So if you do not want to work harder on making a choice on that and want to make it simple, you can go for the ready to use wedding invitation that are available in the card stores that are local to you. But this is not the only option. Your wedding cards can be designed to coordinate your wedding theme. So if you are planning to have a vintage-style wedding, you can definitely have an invitation, suiting the mood of the whole celebration.
And if you are bored of seeing those traditionally made cards. Do not worry. There are options for you to give you that funky and modern look that you always desired. Under this category of wedding invitations, you can create your own art by putting the favorite photographs of you and your beloved. This gives a more personal touch to the whole celebration. And if you really want to put some good efforts, you can even purchase some blank cards and then decorate them yourself.
There are many wedding invitations that come with matching envelopes to give them a complete and impeccable look. Invitation cards also include thank you notes. This is necessary to give the wedding card a personal touch.
You can sometimes find calligraphy on the wedding invitations. But this is not just the option. There are also other types of printing that can be beautifully displayed on them. Thermography, engraving, letterpress printing and also sometimes blind embossing. Generally double envelopes are used to mail them. The inner envelope has a lining of a matching color to the card and is not gummed. On the other hand, the outer envelope is used as a sealer.
There are numerous parts of a wedding invitation. Beside the invite, you may also find an ensemble of various cards, that are for the different occasions to be held on different days. Adding a location map or a direction card is also common.
Now once the layout of your wedding card is prepared , the last thing that follows is to decide upon their numbers. And the date and the mode of their dispatch.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com . author : Kanishkm http://www.articlesfactory.com/author/Kanishkm.html
Everything has to be the perfect, including your wedding cards. They are important part in setting your mood right for your special day.
From invitations that are handcrafted to the formal ones, cards with raised letters on it or the one having engraved styles, there are numerous beautiful wedding invitations available to match the style and theme of your wedding. From the traditional to the contemporary, there are wedding cards to compliment the taste of everyone.
Choosing the right wedding invitation for your guests is not an easy task and can get a run for your money. So if you do not want to work harder on making a choice on that and want to make it simple, you can go for the ready to use wedding invitation that are available in the card stores that are local to you. But this is not the only option. Your wedding cards can be designed to coordinate your wedding theme. So if you are planning to have a vintage-style wedding, you can definitely have an invitation, suiting the mood of the whole celebration.
And if you are bored of seeing those traditionally made cards. Do not worry. There are options for you to give you that funky and modern look that you always desired. Under this category of wedding invitations, you can create your own art by putting the favorite photographs of you and your beloved. This gives a more personal touch to the whole celebration. And if you really want to put some good efforts, you can even purchase some blank cards and then decorate them yourself.
There are many wedding invitations that come with matching envelopes to give them a complete and impeccable look. Invitation cards also include thank you notes. This is necessary to give the wedding card a personal touch.
You can sometimes find calligraphy on the wedding invitations. But this is not just the option. There are also other types of printing that can be beautifully displayed on them. Thermography, engraving, letterpress printing and also sometimes blind embossing. Generally double envelopes are used to mail them. The inner envelope has a lining of a matching color to the card and is not gummed. On the other hand, the outer envelope is used as a sealer.
There are numerous parts of a wedding invitation. Beside the invite, you may also find an ensemble of various cards, that are for the different occasions to be held on different days. Adding a location map or a direction card is also common.
Now once the layout of your wedding card is prepared , the last thing that follows is to decide upon their numbers. And the date and the mode of their dispatch.
Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com . author : Kanishkm http://www.articlesfactory.com/author/Kanishkm.html
Wedding step by step - Introduction
For Christians wedding is a key moment for family creation. The wedding ceremony is considered the union which people who love each other conclude before God. Wedding in church is not obligatory by the law, but, despite it, many newly-married couples observes the given ceremony out of respect for traditions of the ancestors and to the belief. First of all, it is necessary to co-ordinate a place and time of fulfilment of sacrament of wedding in church. Now in many temples there is a preliminary record at which it is underlined not only day, but also wedding time. Usually also will get married more correctly before going to celebrate wedding at restaurant, but it is necessary to give the marriage certficate, without it you will not marry.
Planning The Wedding
One planning the Wedding you have to bear in mind the following:
THE WEDDING DRESS
When should you start looking for your dream outfit?' When you visit
any bridal store the wedding dresses you try on are samples. Once you
have chosen a style, then the shop will take your measurements, order
one gown especially for you, and then arrange a schedule of fittings.
Beware! Ordering and fitting can take up to 3-4 months, so you need to
plan well in advance, look for a dress early and allow time for final
adjustments to your gown when it arrives.
THE WEDDING FLOWERS
When it comes to floral arrangements at your wedding, there are no
rules. However, many brides opt for a bridal bouquet at the very
least, together with matching flowers for the bridesmaids. See our
"Florists Section" for your local florist.
IN CHURCH
You an chose floral decorations for pews, stands and pillars in the
church, as well as for the entrance. Remember that you will need to
ask for permission, and check whether there are any areas that you
can't decorate.
At the reception you can continue any theme, and the colors from the
church, with table decorations and flower arrangements around the
dining area. This theming can even extend to the cake, with a garland
of fresh flowers.
If you are arranging a floral decoration in a hired venue, once again
you will need to speak to the owner or manager to obtain permission
and to check any specific requirements.
Some florists are specialists in providing wedding arrangements, and
will have plenty of seasonal ideas to match the time of year and your
chosen colour scheme.
When you first meet your florist it is a good idea to take along a
picture of your dress and the attendants' outfits, a sample of the
dress material, and, if you can, a sample of the stationery. These
will convey the style of the wedding, and will help the florist to
select appropriate flowers. Plan to see your florists two or three
months prior to your wedding to discuss what you requre. Even if you
intend to make up the arrangements yourself, the florist
will have some helpful advice on which flowers to order.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Unless you intend to have your newlywed bride and groom photographs
taken after the wedding day, you only get one chance to get it right,
so be very careful when you choose your photographer. Quality should
be the priority. A quailified professional photographer will be able
to show you the style and quality of their work beforehand. Ask to see
samples from a previous wedding presented in an album.
A good photographer's work will tell the story of the wedding day, and
will be much more than a series of photographs. Be careful because
price dose't always reflect quality!
You may have already seen the work of a photographer you would like to
use. Otherwise you can look in the Yellow pages. But do look for the
letters LBIPP, ABIPP, or FBIPP after the photographer's name to make
sure that they are professionally qualified.
One of the advantages of the FBIPP is that they also hold regional
seminars for their members, which means that they will probably be
up-to-date on the latest styles and techniques.
Qualified photographers tend to specialise, and it therefore makes
sense to choose someone who specialises in weddings. A local
photogapher will know the venue, and should know where to get the best
shots. Ideally you need to visit the church or location with the
photographer to discuss what you would like. If the weather is going
to make difference to your photography then decide on your
alternatives. Good photographers are likely to get booked up early, so
try to allow six months for planning.
WEDDING TRANSPORT
When you are looking around for wedding transport it will soon become
apparent that you can choose between an enormous variety of vintage
and modern four-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles or, alternatively,
four hooves!
When you are looking for aternatives, don't simply rely on a
photograph, as scale and colour can be misinterpreted.
Take the trouble to go and look at the vehicle, and consider the
obvious:
Will you be able to get in and our easily, and without too much
embarrassment. If your dress is quite full, will you fit in
comfortably or will guests only be able to see a mass of material
bunched up against the window. Does it look like the owner or company
keep it clean and polished, or will they arrive with dirty seats
showing signs of the previous wedding !
The colour of the car you choose is very important. How will it look
in photographs !
Unless you are getting married in pure white, a white car can make a
cream or ivory dress look dirty in photographs.
Depending on the service offered, ribbon and flowers may be provided
as standard, but ask anyway - especially if you want specific colours.
Owners of vintage cars and carriages will probably want to use their
own silk flowers, as fresh ones can stain and mark the interior. It is
worth considering your options in case there is an unavoidable problem
with the vehicle. It may break down for instance! Does the company
have other cars that could be used as an alternative.
If your wedding is on a Saturday then there is a good chance that you
will need to book up to a year in advance in order to secure the car
that you want. When you have booked the vehicle make a date to meet
them again two to three weeks, before the big day to ensure they have
the correct times, addresses and route.
Powered by http://www.referat.ro
THE WEDDING DRESS
When should you start looking for your dream outfit?' When you visit
any bridal store the wedding dresses you try on are samples. Once you
have chosen a style, then the shop will take your measurements, order
one gown especially for you, and then arrange a schedule of fittings.
Beware! Ordering and fitting can take up to 3-4 months, so you need to
plan well in advance, look for a dress early and allow time for final
adjustments to your gown when it arrives.
THE WEDDING FLOWERS
When it comes to floral arrangements at your wedding, there are no
rules. However, many brides opt for a bridal bouquet at the very
least, together with matching flowers for the bridesmaids. See our
"Florists Section" for your local florist.
IN CHURCH
You an chose floral decorations for pews, stands and pillars in the
church, as well as for the entrance. Remember that you will need to
ask for permission, and check whether there are any areas that you
can't decorate.
At the reception you can continue any theme, and the colors from the
church, with table decorations and flower arrangements around the
dining area. This theming can even extend to the cake, with a garland
of fresh flowers.
If you are arranging a floral decoration in a hired venue, once again
you will need to speak to the owner or manager to obtain permission
and to check any specific requirements.
Some florists are specialists in providing wedding arrangements, and
will have plenty of seasonal ideas to match the time of year and your
chosen colour scheme.
When you first meet your florist it is a good idea to take along a
picture of your dress and the attendants' outfits, a sample of the
dress material, and, if you can, a sample of the stationery. These
will convey the style of the wedding, and will help the florist to
select appropriate flowers. Plan to see your florists two or three
months prior to your wedding to discuss what you requre. Even if you
intend to make up the arrangements yourself, the florist
will have some helpful advice on which flowers to order.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Unless you intend to have your newlywed bride and groom photographs
taken after the wedding day, you only get one chance to get it right,
so be very careful when you choose your photographer. Quality should
be the priority. A quailified professional photographer will be able
to show you the style and quality of their work beforehand. Ask to see
samples from a previous wedding presented in an album.
A good photographer's work will tell the story of the wedding day, and
will be much more than a series of photographs. Be careful because
price dose't always reflect quality!
You may have already seen the work of a photographer you would like to
use. Otherwise you can look in the Yellow pages. But do look for the
letters LBIPP, ABIPP, or FBIPP after the photographer's name to make
sure that they are professionally qualified.
One of the advantages of the FBIPP is that they also hold regional
seminars for their members, which means that they will probably be
up-to-date on the latest styles and techniques.
Qualified photographers tend to specialise, and it therefore makes
sense to choose someone who specialises in weddings. A local
photogapher will know the venue, and should know where to get the best
shots. Ideally you need to visit the church or location with the
photographer to discuss what you would like. If the weather is going
to make difference to your photography then decide on your
alternatives. Good photographers are likely to get booked up early, so
try to allow six months for planning.
WEDDING TRANSPORT
When you are looking around for wedding transport it will soon become
apparent that you can choose between an enormous variety of vintage
and modern four-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles or, alternatively,
four hooves!
When you are looking for aternatives, don't simply rely on a
photograph, as scale and colour can be misinterpreted.
Take the trouble to go and look at the vehicle, and consider the
obvious:
Will you be able to get in and our easily, and without too much
embarrassment. If your dress is quite full, will you fit in
comfortably or will guests only be able to see a mass of material
bunched up against the window. Does it look like the owner or company
keep it clean and polished, or will they arrive with dirty seats
showing signs of the previous wedding !
The colour of the car you choose is very important. How will it look
in photographs !
Unless you are getting married in pure white, a white car can make a
cream or ivory dress look dirty in photographs.
Depending on the service offered, ribbon and flowers may be provided
as standard, but ask anyway - especially if you want specific colours.
Owners of vintage cars and carriages will probably want to use their
own silk flowers, as fresh ones can stain and mark the interior. It is
worth considering your options in case there is an unavoidable problem
with the vehicle. It may break down for instance! Does the company
have other cars that could be used as an alternative.
If your wedding is on a Saturday then there is a good chance that you
will need to book up to a year in advance in order to secure the car
that you want. When you have booked the vehicle make a date to meet
them again two to three weeks, before the big day to ensure they have
the correct times, addresses and route.
Powered by http://www.referat.ro
Monday
So You Want to Marry a Moldovan...
There are plenty of marriage sites on the Moldovan web, and their numbers are growing rapidly as more and more young (and some not so young) women - a majority of them young, but already divorced and perhaps with a young child - are eager to find a way out of Moldova (and a nice foreign man at the same time). Information on those sites can be found elsewhere on the web--perhaps you've even come from one of them, and have made an acquaintance there. Or perhaps you're a Peace Corps Volunteer who just happened to fall in love while in Moldova. Or, who knows, perhaps you met a Moldovan who was in the U.S. on an exchange program and had to return home, but the feelings are still strong. My advice is the same: if you're serious about getting married, it will easier in the long run to get married in Moldova.
First, the bride and groom must register at a ZAGS (Civil Status Office where people go for the actual wedding ceremony) in the city where the Moldovan is registered as a citizen of Moldova. Unfortunately, in recent years a "marriage tax" has been instituted for any foreign citizen who wishes to marry a Moldovan. For Romanians and citizens of CIS countries, a smaller tax exists, but for Americans the tax is doubled. Friends of mine who recently married told me that the tax for Americans marrying in Chisinau is $900, while the tax in a small town in Moldova might be around $80-$90. I have no idea what accounts for the difference, and changes in such laws are arbitrary and unfortunately subject to inflation if the American is judged to be wealthy. You must go to the ZAGS office in the city where the Moldovan is registered to live. If this means Chisinau, you may want to look into the possibility of having the Moldovan change his registration from Chisinau to another small town or village where relatives may live. As a result, the tax will almost certainly be lower.
The American also will need 2 documents showing that a) s/he has never been married or is now divorced, and that b) s/he has no criminal record. Such documents may be difficult or impossible to obtain in America, especially the first, since there exists no office that issues such a document anywhere in the U.S. However, the U.S. Consular Department in the Embassy in Chisinau can issue a document with a pretty seal attesting to the fact that "According to the power vested in the vice consul of the United States of America, I hereby attest to the fact that __________ stood before me and made the following statement: '__________ is not divorced and has never been married.'" In other words, a completely laughable bogus document. Yet such a paper is widely accepted at every ZAGS in Moldova.
Each English-language document will cost you $55, thank you very much. You then have to have your own translation done into Romanian. Since I've used this system for numerous such silly documents that have actually succeeded in satisfying Moldovan bureaucracy, I have a template for the Romanian translation. Simply translate the text of the statement the document says you made, and insert it into the middle of the translation. (Don't translate the documents into Russian, as they must be in Romanian. You may or may not then need to go to a translation bureau to get the translations certified and stamped, depending upon the experience of the people in the ZAGS office. In Chisinau, consider it necessary to get your translations certified; in other towns, you may not need to.)
http://old.ournet.md/~marriage/
Translation and interpretation services in Chisinau and Moldova
Sunday
Traditions of wedding
I INTRODUCTION
Marriage, socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectation of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding, which formally unites the marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government.
In addition to being a personal relationship between two people, marriage is one of society’s most important and basic institutions. Marriage and family serve as tools for ensuring social reproduction. Social reproduction includes providing food, clothing, and shelter for family members; raising and socializing children; and caring for the sick and elderly. In families and societies in which wealth, property, or a hereditary title is to be passed on from one generation to the next, inheritance and the production of legitimate heirs are a prime concern in marriage. However, in contemporary industrialized societies, marriage functions less as a social institution and more as a source of intimacy for the individuals involved.
Marriage is commonly defined as a partnership between two members of opposite sex known as husband and wife. However, scholars who study human culture and society disagree on whether marriage can be universally defined. The usual roles and responsibilities of the husband and wife include living together, having sexual relations only with one another, sharing economic resources, and being recognized as the parents of their children. However, unconventional forms of marriage that do not include these elements do exist. For example, scholars have studied several cultural groups in Africa and India in which husbands and wives do not live together. Instead, each spouse remains in his or her original home, and the husband is a “visitor” with sexual rights. Committed relationships between homosexuals (individuals with a sexual orientation toward people of the same sex) also challenge conventional definitions of marriage.
Debates over the definition of marriage illustrate its dual nature as both a public institution and a private, personal relationship. On the one hand, marriage involves an emotional and sexual relationship between particular human beings. At the same time, marriage is an institution that transcends the particular individuals involved in it and unites two families. In some cultures, marriage connects two families in a complicated set of property exchanges involving land, labor, and other resources. The extended family and society also share an interest in any children the couple may have. Furthermore, the legal and religious definitions of marriage and the laws that surround it usually represent the symbolic expression of core cultural norms (informal behavioral guidelines) and values.
II SELECTING A PARTNER
Although practices vary from one culture to another, all societies have rules about who is eligible to marry whom, which individuals are forbidden to marry one another, and the process of selecting a mate. In most societies, the mate-selection process involves what social scientists call a marriage market. The husband and wife come together out of a wide range of possible partners. In many non-civillized societies the parents, not the prospective marriage partners, do the “shopping.” In civillized societies social rules have gradually changed to permit more freedom of choice for the couple and a greater emphasis on love as the basis for marriage.
Dating, Courtship, and Engagement.
In societies in which individuals choose their own partners, young people typically date prior to marriage. Dating is the process of spending time with prospective partners to become acquainted. Dates may take place in groups or between just two individuals. When dating becomes more serious it may be referred to as courtship. Courtship implies a deeper level of commitment than dating does. During courtship the individuals specifically contemplate marriage, rather than merely enjoy one another’s company for the time being.
Courtship may lead to engagement, also known as betrothal—the formal agreement to marry. Couples usually spend some period of time engaged before they actually marry. A woman who is engaged is known as the man’s fiancée, and the man is known as the woman’s fiancé . Men typically give an engagement ring to their fiancée as a symbol of the agreement to marry.
In the past, dating, courtship, and engagement were distinct stages in the selection of a marital partner. Each stage represented an increasing level of commitment and intimacy. Although this remains true to some degree, since the 1960s these stages have tended to blend into one another. For example, modern dating and courtship often involve sexual relations. In general, people tend to date and marry people with whom they have characteristics in common. Thus, mate selection typically results in homogamous marriage, in which the partners are similar in a variety of ways. Characteristics that couples tend to share include race, ethnicity, religion, economic status, age, and the level of prestige of their parents.
Arranged Marriages
Historically parents have played a major role in choosing marriage partners for their children, and the custom continues in the world’s developing countries today. Parental influence is greatest when the parents have a large stake in whom their child marries. Traditionally, marriage has been regarded as an alliance between two families, rather than just between the two individuals. Aristocratic families could enhance their wealth or acquire royal titles through a child’s marriage. Marriage was also used as a way of sealing peace between former enemies, whether they were kings or feuding villagers.
The most extreme form of parental influence is an arranged marriage in which the bride and groom have no say at all. In a less extreme form of arranged marriage, parents may do the matchmaking, but the young people can veto the choice. Some small cultures scattered around the world have what social scientists call preferential marriage. In this system, the bride or groom is supposed to marry a particular kind of person—for example, a cousin on the mother’s or father’s side of the family.
In many traditional societies, marriage typically involved transfers of property from the parents to their marrying children or from one set of parents to the other. These customs persist in some places today and are part of the tradition of arranged marriages. For example, in our culture the bride’s parents may give property (known as a dowry) to the new couple. The practice of giving dowries has been common in countries such as Greece, Egypt, India, and China from ancient times until the present. It was also typical in European societies in the past. Although the giving of dowries has been part of the norms of marriage in these cultures, often only those people with property could afford to give a dowry to the young couple.
Families use dowries to attract a son-in-law with desirable qualities, such as a particularly bright man from a poor but respectable family or a man with higher status but with less money than the bride’s family has. In societies in which the giving of dowries is customary, families with many daughters can become impoverished by the costs of marriage In some societies, the groom’s family gives property (known as bridewealth or brideprice) not to the new couple but to the bride’s relatives. Particularly in places where bridewealth payments are high, the practice tends to maintain the authority of fathers over sons. Because fathers control the resources of the family, sons must keep the favor of their fathers in order to secure the property necessary to obtain a bride.
Conventions and Taboos
Marriage is part of a society’s kinship system, which defines the bonds and linkages between people (see Kinship and Descent). The kinship system also dictates who may or may not marry depending on those bonds. In some cultures people may only marry partners who are members of the same clan—that is, people who trace their ancestry back to a common ancestor. This practice of marrying within one’s group is called endogamy. Exogamy, on the other hand, refers to the practice of marrying outside of one’s group—for example, marrying outside one’s clan or religion.
One rule shared by virtually all societies is the taboo (social prohibition) against incest—sexual relations between two closely related individuals. Definitions of which relationships are close enough to trigger this taboo vary a great deal, depending on the society. In most cases the prohibition applies to relationships within the biological nuclear family: mother and son, father and daughter, or brother and sister. In many cultures, the taboo applies to relationships created by divorce and remarriage (step relationships) as well as to those based on biology. The prohibitions on incest and the rules for marriage do not necessarily coincide. In Britain, for example, steprelatives are not allowed to marry one another, but sexual relations between them are not legally forbidden. A few societies constitute exceptions to the general rule against incest. In ancient Egypt brother-sister marriage and sexual intimacy was permitted in the royal family, probably to maintain the “purity” of the royal bloodlines.
III WEDDING CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS
The ceremony that signifies the beginning of a marriage is known as a wedding. Weddings may be simple or elaborate, but they occur in virtually all societies.
Ritual Aspects
Anthropologists characterize wedding ceremonies as rituals of transition, or rites of passage. These rites occur when people cross boundaries of age or social status. Any social transition, such as the birth of a child or the death of a person, sets off changes in the lives of all those connected with the individual. Weddings and other rites of passage dramatize these changes for all involved and also allow for the expression of emotions brought on by the events. Weddings announce to the community the union of the individuals marrying and allow the community to express its approval of and support for that union.
Wedding rituals throughout the world share several common features. An essential element of nearly all wedding ceremonies is the symbolic expression of the union between the individuals marrying. This union may be signified by the exchange of rings, the tying of the bride and groom’s garments together, or simply the joining of hands. Feasting and dancing at weddings by family and friends signifies the community’s blessing on the marriage.
The traditional romanian wedding is full of beautiful customs and ritual symbols destined to bring welfare and flowering to the young couple. The wedding is considered to be a mystery like birth and natural death. If the birth suit to the sunrise of life and the death to the sunset, the wedding is the daylight, the clearest for the human being, but also the hardest, because he consciously participate in the pass of the most important limit of his existence. In the traditinal Romanian village used to be an important moment for the community.The wedding represented a custom in the cycle of the life,that concentrated an enormous number of purification rites ment to bring friutfulness in the new couple.T hey are known various local wedding ways in Moldova, Transilvania,Maramures,Tinutul Padurenilor, but the essential elements are the same.The wedding script used to roll for 4-5 days and the ceremony unfolded on stages dedicated to the prepatatifs,to certain rituals,culminating with the proper wedding on Sunday . Every part of the wedding used to be expressed by calls. We can descover the romanian traditional wedding customs at the “Romanian Williger Museum” and at the “National Museum of the Willage-Dimitrie Gusti” in Bucharest. Here we find objects and literary books wich refere to the wedding. The one who made the amplest literary book is the academician Florean Marian, the writer of the volume “Nunta la romani” published in 1890.
In the Thursday or the Saturday befire the wedding they used to go to invite at the wedding the family, friends and neightbours. The people which got to invite are selected from a cathegory which includes all the best friends of tye couple. The invitation starts from the god-father. The bride-groom tougether with the brother-in-law accopmpagnied by the singers, with the bottle of wine decorated with handkerchiefs and little bramches of fir with which they go to people’s houses. Then they adress ceremonious: “If you have the pleasure to come to uor wedding!”. If the people accept the invitation, they drink from the bottle of wine and the promise that they will come. If they refused they didin’t even touch the bottle.
On Saturday at the groom’s house used to gather his friends. Amoung them were ellected the “callers” who walked throght the village with a decorated gourd to invite the relavites and the neightbours. They are called “vornici”, “gazde” and the bride’s friends “druste” or “coltunarese”.the young people have the obligation to prepare the groom and the bride for the wedding. At his house they used to organise the party of the flag or the party of the fir.
They used to decorate a spear with kerchiefs, bands, tassels, little belts and plants. The prevalent callers are red (life, happines) and green (vitality). On the big Sunday as early as the sun risses in the antendence of the god-parents they used to take a ritual bath for the perfect cleaning of the body before entering into another state. Concomitantly, the boys were assisting at the groom’s shave and the girls and the bride’s cowning. Her hair was plaited in odd tresses the pair being the husband. The natural flowers red or green, the tinsel, the golden coins used to consist the main ornament elements wich were added to the heardow like symbol of the freefulness. Above the hairdow the set in a circular corronet so that the evil remains out far away. The pomp formed by the groom, his friends and the fiddlers, first walked to the god-parents’ house and then to the bride’s. This rhode was crossed blatantly, with calls shrieks, but it was sprinkled with ritual tests. At the bride’s house the dowry was showed of.
In everybody’s eyes the girl turned away from the family, the bride broke above her head a knod-shaped bread. The pomp walked to chruch for the religious wedding. There, the priest put above their heads “pirostriile”. The just married walked away tougether, carring a kerchief, that used to be kept until one of the died, when it will be broken in half. The kerchief was the recognition signe on the other world.
The song of the bride was interpretated by a singer while she was prepared by her god-mother. The other assistants were dancing “sarbe” and a specific round dance called “Boiereasca”. Other dances of the bride are “You bride take your good day” and they dance also “Nuneasca” while the bride’s mother is splitting napkins. It was interpreted as a ballad called “Godea-Goghea” in which they were talking about a bride which went to a bad mother-in-law.
The round dance is danced at the bride’s house, at the preparative of the bride. In this dance the bride wears an apron on the shirt.. The round danca on the fir is danced outside, in the garden or at the bride’s house. On Saturday evening the fir is decorated at a party which is equivalent with the detachement of the bride from the girls of her age.
Many weddings involve a religious ceremony. These ceremonies vary depending on the religion of the bride and groom. Various religions or denominations have distinctive wedding customs. Roman Catholic ceremonies involve a nuptial mass, during which many scriptural texts concerning marriage are read. The presence of a priest and at least two witnesses is essential, as is the expression of consent by the bride and groom. In Orthodox Jewish celebrations, the bride and groom stand under a chuppah—a canopy that symbolizes the home the couple will establish. Following the ceremony the groom smashes a wineglass. Most scholars believe this act commemorates the destruction of the first Jewish temple (the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem) by the Babylonians in 586 BC. In ceremonies governed by the Greek Orthodox Church, the “best man” places crowns attached by ribbon on the heads of the bride and groom, signifying divine sanction of their marriage.
Some couples prefer a nonreligious, or civil, wedding ceremony. Such weddings typically occur in commercial wedding chapels or reception halls, courthouses or other governmental offices, or outdoors. These events tend to be smaller and less formal affairs than traditional religious ceremonies. A government-certified, secular official administers the ceremony in the presence of at least two witnesses. Other couples elope—that is, they have a private wedding ceremony that does not involve a gathering of family and friends.
Most couples exchange some sort of marriage vows (promises). Vows may be prescribed by the church or written by the couple. Traditional Protestant vows include the promise to love and to cherish, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until parted by death. The minister asks the bride and the groom if they each make this promise to the other and each responds “I do.”
Following the wedding ceremony, religious or civil, many couples hold a reception. At the reception friends and family gather to eat, drink, listen to music and dance, make toasts, and give gifts to the bride and groom. During the reception, the couple typically cut a special, large cake that is shared with all the guests. The bride and groom may also conduct a receiving line where they greet and thank each guest for attending their wedding.
Many newlyweds take a honeymoon trip after their wedding. During the honeymoon, the couple can spend time by themselves exploring their new status as husband and wife.
Translation and interpretation services in Chisinau and Moldova
Marriage, socially recognized and approved union between individuals, who commit to one another with the expectation of a stable and lasting intimate relationship. It begins with a ceremony known as a wedding, which formally unites the marriage partners. A marital relationship usually involves some kind of contract, either written or specified by tradition, which defines the partners’ rights and obligations to each other, to any children they may have, and to their relatives. In most contemporary industrialized societies, marriage is certified by the government.
In addition to being a personal relationship between two people, marriage is one of society’s most important and basic institutions. Marriage and family serve as tools for ensuring social reproduction. Social reproduction includes providing food, clothing, and shelter for family members; raising and socializing children; and caring for the sick and elderly. In families and societies in which wealth, property, or a hereditary title is to be passed on from one generation to the next, inheritance and the production of legitimate heirs are a prime concern in marriage. However, in contemporary industrialized societies, marriage functions less as a social institution and more as a source of intimacy for the individuals involved.Marriage is commonly defined as a partnership between two members of opposite sex known as husband and wife. However, scholars who study human culture and society disagree on whether marriage can be universally defined. The usual roles and responsibilities of the husband and wife include living together, having sexual relations only with one another, sharing economic resources, and being recognized as the parents of their children. However, unconventional forms of marriage that do not include these elements do exist. For example, scholars have studied several cultural groups in Africa and India in which husbands and wives do not live together. Instead, each spouse remains in his or her original home, and the husband is a “visitor” with sexual rights. Committed relationships between homosexuals (individuals with a sexual orientation toward people of the same sex) also challenge conventional definitions of marriage.
Debates over the definition of marriage illustrate its dual nature as both a public institution and a private, personal relationship. On the one hand, marriage involves an emotional and sexual relationship between particular human beings. At the same time, marriage is an institution that transcends the particular individuals involved in it and unites two families. In some cultures, marriage connects two families in a complicated set of property exchanges involving land, labor, and other resources. The extended family and society also share an interest in any children the couple may have. Furthermore, the legal and religious definitions of marriage and the laws that surround it usually represent the symbolic expression of core cultural norms (informal behavioral guidelines) and values.
II SELECTING A PARTNER
Although practices vary from one culture to another, all societies have rules about who is eligible to marry whom, which individuals are forbidden to marry one another, and the process of selecting a mate. In most societies, the mate-selection process involves what social scientists call a marriage market. The husband and wife come together out of a wide range of possible partners. In many non-civillized societies the parents, not the prospective marriage partners, do the “shopping.” In civillized societies social rules have gradually changed to permit more freedom of choice for the couple and a greater emphasis on love as the basis for marriage.
Dating, Courtship, and Engagement.
In societies in which individuals choose their own partners, young people typically date prior to marriage. Dating is the process of spending time with prospective partners to become acquainted. Dates may take place in groups or between just two individuals. When dating becomes more serious it may be referred to as courtship. Courtship implies a deeper level of commitment than dating does. During courtship the individuals specifically contemplate marriage, rather than merely enjoy one another’s company for the time being.
Courtship may lead to engagement, also known as betrothal—the formal agreement to marry. Couples usually spend some period of time engaged before they actually marry. A woman who is engaged is known as the man’s fiancée, and the man is known as the woman’s fiancé . Men typically give an engagement ring to their fiancée as a symbol of the agreement to marry.
In the past, dating, courtship, and engagement were distinct stages in the selection of a marital partner. Each stage represented an increasing level of commitment and intimacy. Although this remains true to some degree, since the 1960s these stages have tended to blend into one another. For example, modern dating and courtship often involve sexual relations. In general, people tend to date and marry people with whom they have characteristics in common. Thus, mate selection typically results in homogamous marriage, in which the partners are similar in a variety of ways. Characteristics that couples tend to share include race, ethnicity, religion, economic status, age, and the level of prestige of their parents.
Arranged Marriages
Historically parents have played a major role in choosing marriage partners for their children, and the custom continues in the world’s developing countries today. Parental influence is greatest when the parents have a large stake in whom their child marries. Traditionally, marriage has been regarded as an alliance between two families, rather than just between the two individuals. Aristocratic families could enhance their wealth or acquire royal titles through a child’s marriage. Marriage was also used as a way of sealing peace between former enemies, whether they were kings or feuding villagers.
The most extreme form of parental influence is an arranged marriage in which the bride and groom have no say at all. In a less extreme form of arranged marriage, parents may do the matchmaking, but the young people can veto the choice. Some small cultures scattered around the world have what social scientists call preferential marriage. In this system, the bride or groom is supposed to marry a particular kind of person—for example, a cousin on the mother’s or father’s side of the family.
In many traditional societies, marriage typically involved transfers of property from the parents to their marrying children or from one set of parents to the other. These customs persist in some places today and are part of the tradition of arranged marriages. For example, in our culture the bride’s parents may give property (known as a dowry) to the new couple. The practice of giving dowries has been common in countries such as Greece, Egypt, India, and China from ancient times until the present. It was also typical in European societies in the past. Although the giving of dowries has been part of the norms of marriage in these cultures, often only those people with property could afford to give a dowry to the young couple.
Families use dowries to attract a son-in-law with desirable qualities, such as a particularly bright man from a poor but respectable family or a man with higher status but with less money than the bride’s family has. In societies in which the giving of dowries is customary, families with many daughters can become impoverished by the costs of marriage In some societies, the groom’s family gives property (known as bridewealth or brideprice) not to the new couple but to the bride’s relatives. Particularly in places where bridewealth payments are high, the practice tends to maintain the authority of fathers over sons. Because fathers control the resources of the family, sons must keep the favor of their fathers in order to secure the property necessary to obtain a bride.
Conventions and Taboos
Marriage is part of a society’s kinship system, which defines the bonds and linkages between people (see Kinship and Descent). The kinship system also dictates who may or may not marry depending on those bonds. In some cultures people may only marry partners who are members of the same clan—that is, people who trace their ancestry back to a common ancestor. This practice of marrying within one’s group is called endogamy. Exogamy, on the other hand, refers to the practice of marrying outside of one’s group—for example, marrying outside one’s clan or religion.
One rule shared by virtually all societies is the taboo (social prohibition) against incest—sexual relations between two closely related individuals. Definitions of which relationships are close enough to trigger this taboo vary a great deal, depending on the society. In most cases the prohibition applies to relationships within the biological nuclear family: mother and son, father and daughter, or brother and sister. In many cultures, the taboo applies to relationships created by divorce and remarriage (step relationships) as well as to those based on biology. The prohibitions on incest and the rules for marriage do not necessarily coincide. In Britain, for example, steprelatives are not allowed to marry one another, but sexual relations between them are not legally forbidden. A few societies constitute exceptions to the general rule against incest. In ancient Egypt brother-sister marriage and sexual intimacy was permitted in the royal family, probably to maintain the “purity” of the royal bloodlines.
III WEDDING CEREMONIES AND CUSTOMS
The ceremony that signifies the beginning of a marriage is known as a wedding. Weddings may be simple or elaborate, but they occur in virtually all societies.
Ritual Aspects
Anthropologists characterize wedding ceremonies as rituals of transition, or rites of passage. These rites occur when people cross boundaries of age or social status. Any social transition, such as the birth of a child or the death of a person, sets off changes in the lives of all those connected with the individual. Weddings and other rites of passage dramatize these changes for all involved and also allow for the expression of emotions brought on by the events. Weddings announce to the community the union of the individuals marrying and allow the community to express its approval of and support for that union.
Wedding rituals throughout the world share several common features. An essential element of nearly all wedding ceremonies is the symbolic expression of the union between the individuals marrying. This union may be signified by the exchange of rings, the tying of the bride and groom’s garments together, or simply the joining of hands. Feasting and dancing at weddings by family and friends signifies the community’s blessing on the marriage.
The traditional romanian wedding is full of beautiful customs and ritual symbols destined to bring welfare and flowering to the young couple. The wedding is considered to be a mystery like birth and natural death. If the birth suit to the sunrise of life and the death to the sunset, the wedding is the daylight, the clearest for the human being, but also the hardest, because he consciously participate in the pass of the most important limit of his existence. In the traditinal Romanian village used to be an important moment for the community.The wedding represented a custom in the cycle of the life,that concentrated an enormous number of purification rites ment to bring friutfulness in the new couple.T hey are known various local wedding ways in Moldova, Transilvania,Maramures,Tinutul Padurenilor, but the essential elements are the same.The wedding script used to roll for 4-5 days and the ceremony unfolded on stages dedicated to the prepatatifs,to certain rituals,culminating with the proper wedding on Sunday . Every part of the wedding used to be expressed by calls. We can descover the romanian traditional wedding customs at the “Romanian Williger Museum” and at the “National Museum of the Willage-Dimitrie Gusti” in Bucharest. Here we find objects and literary books wich refere to the wedding. The one who made the amplest literary book is the academician Florean Marian, the writer of the volume “Nunta la romani” published in 1890.
In the Thursday or the Saturday befire the wedding they used to go to invite at the wedding the family, friends and neightbours. The people which got to invite are selected from a cathegory which includes all the best friends of tye couple. The invitation starts from the god-father. The bride-groom tougether with the brother-in-law accopmpagnied by the singers, with the bottle of wine decorated with handkerchiefs and little bramches of fir with which they go to people’s houses. Then they adress ceremonious: “If you have the pleasure to come to uor wedding!”. If the people accept the invitation, they drink from the bottle of wine and the promise that they will come. If they refused they didin’t even touch the bottle.
On Saturday at the groom’s house used to gather his friends. Amoung them were ellected the “callers” who walked throght the village with a decorated gourd to invite the relavites and the neightbours. They are called “vornici”, “gazde” and the bride’s friends “druste” or “coltunarese”.the young people have the obligation to prepare the groom and the bride for the wedding. At his house they used to organise the party of the flag or the party of the fir.
They used to decorate a spear with kerchiefs, bands, tassels, little belts and plants. The prevalent callers are red (life, happines) and green (vitality). On the big Sunday as early as the sun risses in the antendence of the god-parents they used to take a ritual bath for the perfect cleaning of the body before entering into another state. Concomitantly, the boys were assisting at the groom’s shave and the girls and the bride’s cowning. Her hair was plaited in odd tresses the pair being the husband. The natural flowers red or green, the tinsel, the golden coins used to consist the main ornament elements wich were added to the heardow like symbol of the freefulness. Above the hairdow the set in a circular corronet so that the evil remains out far away. The pomp formed by the groom, his friends and the fiddlers, first walked to the god-parents’ house and then to the bride’s. This rhode was crossed blatantly, with calls shrieks, but it was sprinkled with ritual tests. At the bride’s house the dowry was showed of.
In everybody’s eyes the girl turned away from the family, the bride broke above her head a knod-shaped bread. The pomp walked to chruch for the religious wedding. There, the priest put above their heads “pirostriile”. The just married walked away tougether, carring a kerchief, that used to be kept until one of the died, when it will be broken in half. The kerchief was the recognition signe on the other world.
The song of the bride was interpretated by a singer while she was prepared by her god-mother. The other assistants were dancing “sarbe” and a specific round dance called “Boiereasca”. Other dances of the bride are “You bride take your good day” and they dance also “Nuneasca” while the bride’s mother is splitting napkins. It was interpreted as a ballad called “Godea-Goghea” in which they were talking about a bride which went to a bad mother-in-law.
The round dance is danced at the bride’s house, at the preparative of the bride. In this dance the bride wears an apron on the shirt.. The round danca on the fir is danced outside, in the garden or at the bride’s house. On Saturday evening the fir is decorated at a party which is equivalent with the detachement of the bride from the girls of her age.
Many weddings involve a religious ceremony. These ceremonies vary depending on the religion of the bride and groom. Various religions or denominations have distinctive wedding customs. Roman Catholic ceremonies involve a nuptial mass, during which many scriptural texts concerning marriage are read. The presence of a priest and at least two witnesses is essential, as is the expression of consent by the bride and groom. In Orthodox Jewish celebrations, the bride and groom stand under a chuppah—a canopy that symbolizes the home the couple will establish. Following the ceremony the groom smashes a wineglass. Most scholars believe this act commemorates the destruction of the first Jewish temple (the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem) by the Babylonians in 586 BC. In ceremonies governed by the Greek Orthodox Church, the “best man” places crowns attached by ribbon on the heads of the bride and groom, signifying divine sanction of their marriage.
Some couples prefer a nonreligious, or civil, wedding ceremony. Such weddings typically occur in commercial wedding chapels or reception halls, courthouses or other governmental offices, or outdoors. These events tend to be smaller and less formal affairs than traditional religious ceremonies. A government-certified, secular official administers the ceremony in the presence of at least two witnesses. Other couples elope—that is, they have a private wedding ceremony that does not involve a gathering of family and friends.
Most couples exchange some sort of marriage vows (promises). Vows may be prescribed by the church or written by the couple. Traditional Protestant vows include the promise to love and to cherish, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until parted by death. The minister asks the bride and the groom if they each make this promise to the other and each responds “I do.”
Following the wedding ceremony, religious or civil, many couples hold a reception. At the reception friends and family gather to eat, drink, listen to music and dance, make toasts, and give gifts to the bride and groom. During the reception, the couple typically cut a special, large cake that is shared with all the guests. The bride and groom may also conduct a receiving line where they greet and thank each guest for attending their wedding.
Many newlyweds take a honeymoon trip after their wedding. During the honeymoon, the couple can spend time by themselves exploring their new status as husband and wife.
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