What is a wedding. The essence of the wedding

A church wedding is a sacred rite that gives the husband and wife a church blessing for a happy family life, the birth of children. Many couples decide to hold this beautiful and touching event. But in order for the rite to be not just a tribute to fashion, but to become a serious deliberate step, it is worth knowing its features.

Important conditions for a wedding

It is allowed to get married on the wedding day or after a time: a week, a month, years. The main thing is that all conditions stipulated by the church are observed.

Who can get married

An important condition for the ceremony is the presence of a marriage certificate. In addition, spouses must be baptized Orthodox Christians. However, in some cases, a wedding may be allowed if the spouse is a non-Orthodox Christian, provided that the children born in marriage will be baptized in Orthodoxy. It is also important to match the age of marriage: the bride must be 16 years old, the groom - 18. Do not be afraid of rejection if the wife is pregnant, because, according to the church, children should be born in a married marriage. The wedding can be held even if the spouses have not received a parental blessing, since it can be replaced by the blessing of the confessor.

There are not so many restrictions for the sacrament of the wedding. The Church will not approve of the ceremony between the unbaptized, atheists, blood relatives, as well as spiritual relatives, for example, between the godparents of a child, between the godfather and the godson. This ceremony is allowed to be held no more than three times. It is also forbidden to get married if this will already be your fourth officially registered marriage.

When is the ceremony allowed?

Often, newlyweds decide to get married on the day with the official registration of marriage. But, given that such a sacrament of Orthodoxy is a rather serious step, you should not rush into the ceremony: it can be postponed until the birth of a child or carried out after several years of official marriage.

This ceremony is not performed every day. Newlyweds are crowned 4 days a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. However, it should be borne in mind that there are 4 fasts throughout the year, during which church marriages are not concluded:
- Christmas - lasts November 28 - January 6;
- Great - seven weeks before Orthodox Easter;
- Petrov - depends on the date of Easter, lasts from 8 to 42 days;
- Assumption - lasts August 14 - 27.

Also, the church will refuse to hold a wedding on significant days:
- September 11 - Beheading of John the Baptist;
- September 27 - Exaltation of the Holy Cross;
- from January 7 to January 19 - Christmas time;
- on Maslenitsa;
- for Bright Week (the week after Easter).

Even if the day you have chosen does not fall on the dates listed, it is still better to go to church to clarify everything with the priest. In addition, the bride must calculate that there are no “critical days” on the chosen date, since it is impossible to appear in the church at this time.

What should precede the wedding ceremony

It is necessary to prepare spiritually for this rite. This means that before the wedding, the bride and groom need to pray, confess, take communion, endure a three-day fast (it is necessary to refrain from food of animal origin). Newlyweds should not enter into carnal relations before marriage, and this condition also applies to a couple who decided to get married after several years of marriage. They need to refrain from close relationships for several days before the ceremony.

Preparing for the sacrament of the wedding

Choosing a church, communicating with a priest

To decide where to get married, you can walk through different churches and choose the church where you feel most comfortable. For a magnificent, solemn ceremony, a large cathedral is suitable, for a quiet, solitary ceremony - a small church. Since the priest is an important character in the rite, it is worth taking a responsible approach to his choice.

The wedding ceremony must be booked in advance (a few weeks in advance). It is also worth discussing all the questions with the priest in advance: the duration of the wedding, what you need to bring with you, whether it is possible to take photographs, etc. It is worth considering that this is a paid ceremony, but in some churches its exact cost is set, in others voluntary donations are provided. This issue should also be discussed with the priest. Moreover, "additional services" are often provided, for example, bell ringing, church choir.

Choice of guarantors

Two guarantors (witnesses) are chosen, as a rule, from relatives. It is worth considering that they must be baptized. It is not allowed to take divorced spouses as guarantors, a couple living in an illegal, "civil" marriage. Their spiritual duties are similar to the duties of godparents: they must spiritually lead the family they are creating. Therefore, it is not customary to invite young people who are not familiar with married life as guarantors. If there are difficulties in finding witnesses, it is allowed to conduct the sacrament of the wedding without them.

Choice of outfit

Bride

The bride's wedding dress should be no higher than the knees, should cover the shoulders and preferably the arms, should not have a deep neckline (you can use long gloves, a cape, a bolero, an openwork shawl, a stole, etc.). It is advisable to give preference to light colors along with dark and bright colors (purple, blue, black) should be abandoned. Sundresses and trouser suits are not suitable for the ceremony. The bride's head must be covered. Considering that church crowns (crowns) are worn on the young during the ceremony, you should not cover the bride's head with a big hat, as it will look out of place.
You can wear any shoes, but when choosing it, you should take into account that you will have to stand in it for quite some time, so it is better to refuse uncomfortable shoes with heels. To decide on a hairstyle, it is advisable to check with the priest in advance whether crowns will be worn on the head or guarantors will hold them. The bride's makeup should not be too noticeable, it is also worth remembering that it is forbidden to kiss a crown, cross, icon with painted lips.
It is believed that a wedding dress cannot be given or sold. It must be stored together with baptismal shirts, wedding candles, icons.
Groom
For the wedding, the groom will suit a formal suit. There are no special prohibitions regarding the color of the suit. You should not come to church in casual, denim, sportswear. The groom should not have a headdress.
Guests
Guests entering the temple must comply with the requirements for all parishioners: for women - closed-type clothing, hats, trouser suits are undesirable, for men - strict clothing, without a headdress.
In addition, all participants and those present at the wedding ceremony: the bride, groom, guarantors and guests must wear pectoral crosses.

What to prepare for the ceremony

For the wedding you will need:
- rings that must be given to the priest before the ceremony for consecration;
- wedding candles;
- wedding icons (images of Christ and the Virgin);
- a white towel-towel (young people will stand on it during the ceremony);
- two handkerchiefs (to hold candles).

The towel, on which the bride and groom stood during the wedding in the temple, symbolizes the path of life, so it must be kept and not given to anyone. You should also store wedding candles that can be lit during difficult births, illnesses of children.

Photographer's Choice

It is important to note that not all churches allow video or photography of the wedding ceremony. Therefore, it is worth discussing this issue with the priest in advance. Considering that the lighting in temples is specific, it is advisable to choose a professional photographer who will take into account the nuances of shooting, be able to choose the right angles, take high-quality pictures that convey the atmosphere of the temple and the grandeur of the wedding ceremony.

wedding ceremony

This ritual includes betrothal and wedding. It is worth considering that during the ceremony, the priest must call the newlyweds the names that were given to them at baptism (sometimes they differ from the names "in the world"). betrothal passes at the entrance to the church. The bride should stand to the left of the groom. The priest blesses the newlyweds and hands them lit wedding candles, which must be kept until the end of the service. After the prayer, he changes the wedding rings from the man's hand to the woman's hand three times. After that, they become a bride and groom.

Wedding is held in the center of the temple, where the bride and groom will stand on a white towel. During the ceremony, the priest reads prayers, the guarantors hold crowns over the heads of the newlyweds. After answering the priest’s questions, “Is the wedding performed out of good will?” "Are there any obstacles?" and reading prayers, the newlyweds become spouses before God. Now they can kiss the crowns and drink wine in three steps from the cup, which symbolizes family life with joys and sorrows. After the priest leads them around the lectern, brings them to the Royal Doors, the husband kisses the icon of Christ, and the wife kisses the Mother of God. Now the guests can congratulate the newlyweds.

Remember that the wedding is not just a memorable, bright holiday, but also a very responsible step, which is worth taking once in a lifetime. Church divorce (dethronement) of spouses is possible only under serious circumstances, with the permission of the diocese. Therefore, the union of one's life before God and the very sacrament of the wedding should be taken seriously, with understanding and taking into account all traditions and rules.

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The sacrament of marriage is a sacred Orthodox rite that gives spouses a blessing for family life and the birth of children. To date, quite a lot of young couples decide to carry out this tradition. Yes, this is not strange, because this event is beautiful and very touching.

But you need to understand that you need to go through the sacrament of the wedding not because it is a modern tribute to fashion. Remember that this should be a serious deliberate step. Therefore, you need to know all its features.

You can conduct a wedding ceremony in the Orthodox Church at any time - on the wedding day, in a few days, in a week or a year. For the church, it doesn't matter when you decide to take this step. The main thing is that you need to comply with all the conditions that the church provides.

One of the important conditions for the sacrament is the presence of a marriage document (certificate). Also, young spouses must be baptized. However, the last rule can be circumvented. Today, more than one church allows a ceremony to be held when one of the spouses is not an Orthodox Christian. But at the same time they put a condition that children born in this marriage must be baptized in the Orthodox Church.

There is another rule of the wedding ceremony. It is important that the spouses correspond to the age of marriage:

the groom must be at least 18 years old;
Bride must be 16 years of age.

Do not worry that you will be refused if your wife is pregnant. This will not happen, since there is an opinion of the church, where children should be born only in a married marriage. It is also possible to conduct a sacrament when the spouses have not received parental blessings. In this case, a spiritual father can give a blessing.

There are not many restrictions for the ceremony. The Church does not give the owl permission in such cases:

when spouses are spiritual or blood relatives;
when unbaptized or atheists marry.
when you have registered your fourth marriage, the ceremony can only be held three times.

Preparing for the wedding

For this Orthodox tradition, you need to prepare spiritually. Spouses before the ceremony must pray, take communion, confess and endure a three-day fast, during which it is forbidden to eat animal products.

Before the wedding, you need to refrain from carnal relations. This rule also applies to couples who have lived together for several years. It is necessary not to enter into close relationships for several days before the sacrament.

Choice of guarantors

The choice of witnesses must be approached responsibly. Often they are chosen among relatives. But there are a few rules here. Witnesses must be baptized. It is strictly forbidden to take as guarantors:

couples who live in a "civil" marriage;
divorced spouses.

It is best to invite young people who are not familiar with married life as witnesses. But if you have any problems finding guarantors, the ceremony can be performed without them.

What do the witnesses at the wedding

When conducting this church rite, certain responsibilities are assigned to the guarantors. Often, the actions and rules for their implementation, which the assistants of the spouses must perform, are negotiated in advance with the clergyman. This is necessary so that during the wedding tradition there are no problems and overlaps.

Traditionally, the following duties are imposed on witnesses (but these may differ depending on the rules of the church itself):

Keep the crowns over the heads of the spouses;
Accompany the bride and groom during the triple procession;
Lay a towel in front of the lectern;
Serve wedding rings;
Help collect bouquets after the ceremony.

What to give for a wedding

The traditions of this ceremony do not provide for any specific gifts. But it is best to give the following things:

shelves for the iconostasis;
icons;
gift bible;
candlesticks;
coins with faces of saints;
lamps.

How is the wedding

The ceremony is conditionally divided into two stages: betrothal and wedding. It is worth noting that the priest of the newlyweds will call only their church names. The newlyweds are betrothed before entering the temple.

The bride always stands to the left of the groom. The clergyman blesses them and hands them lit candles, which the young people hold until the end of the ceremony.

The Lord is always with you!

Watch the video in which you will learn about the wedding and how to prepare for the sacrament:

Today's my post is dedicated to the wedding in the Orthodox Church, the meaning of which is still unclear to many. The consequences of godless decades are making themselves felt. But any lost knowledge can be restored if there is good will. Let's try together to briefly begin the path to understanding the meaning of the rite for an Orthodox person.

Why is this rite necessary?

Religion and traditional values are increasingly penetrating into our lives. People strive to revive those customs and rituals that were created by our ancestors, strive to revive the age-old wisdom of generations.

It happens that in a family people are just beginning to come to faith. The desire to get married may at first be dictated simply by the existing fashion. Then it can lead young people to the penetration of faith and further churching.

Many may wonder why get married if now this ceremony is optional and does not lead to any legal consequences?

But let's think about what a stamp in a passport means for a person. How much he protects a married couple from infidelity, helps to save love. Marriage, legalized by earthly power, is now easy to conclude. But it is no less easy to terminate it. Because of this, many have a false sense of the frivolity of such relationships.

Much more important for a believer is the oath of love and fidelity taken before the face of the Almighty. The sacrament of marriage carries a deep sacred meaning. Lovers, uniting themselves by the bonds of church marriage, are changed not only spiritually, but also physically, “so that they are no longer two, but one flesh” (Matthew 19:5-6.).

The oath given in the church has a much deeper meaning for the life of the young than the signatures put in the registry office. To prepare for the wedding, the church sets strict requirements. It is often necessary to undergo special training, which will help to better understand the importance of the event.

Being a frequent witness of the newlyweds passing the ceremony, I constantly observe the transformation of those who are getting married. There is a feeling that young people acquire some external resemblance. But this is just a reflection of the deep spiritual transformation taking place in them.

The sacrament of the wedding, in addition to the outward splendor and beauty of the rite, requires that those who are getting married be ready for mutual sacrifice. People donate to each other the time measured to them in this mortal world, receiving in return the love and blessing of the Creator. This feeling is carried out from under the cover of the church by couples who have passed this rite. Apparently, this is the answer to the question of why people get married.

Difference from secular marriage

The secular marriage, which the newlyweds enter into, partially carries in itself external, domestic functions, which in the past were part of the church marriage.

It is no coincidence that the Russian Orthodox Church requires documentary confirmation of the official registration of relations in order to undergo the sacrament of the ritual. However, for believers, a secular marriage can never replace a church marriage.

The commandment of the Lord, to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth (Gen.9: 1), which he gave to the sons of Noah, older than those received by Moses on Mount Sinai. The rite physically embodies an important part of the sacred meaning of earthly existence.

Without a wedding, there is no marriage before God, it is after passing the ceremony that the young become husband and wife in the Christian sense, receive the supreme blessing for living together, giving birth and raising a new generation of Orthodox Christians.

Often, mature couples who have been married for many years come to the realization of the need for a wedding. Even if peace and love reign in your family, the wedding will give your life together a deeper spiritual meaning. Let your children have grown up long ago, and you are already in advanced years, it is never too late to receive a church blessing.

The deepest meaning is also in the joint assistance to the spiritual growth of the husband and wife, strengthening them in faith, perfection.

What is needed for the ceremony

Let me remind you that you need to prepare for the wedding. It is necessary to specify in advance the time and date of the ceremony. Do not forget to confess and take communion before the ritual.

The Church recommends preparing yourself by fasting for the passage of the ceremony. It is important to come to the altar, having cleansed the body and soul. It is impossible to hide something from the Creator. Only the spiritual feat of the couple, their desire to spend the rest of their lives in joint service to the will of the Almighty - the salvation of their souls.

Do not forget also about some things that you will need for the ceremony:

two wedding rings;
icons of the Virgin and the Savior;
wedding candles;
white towel.

Please note that this ceremony among Orthodox Christians is not performed on any days. Weddings are not held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, during the four main fasts and on the first week of the celebration of Easter.

Wedding is one of the sacraments of the Christian church, which in our culture is the main ritual of the wedding ceremony. It got its name due to the fact that special crowns are held over the heads of future spouses. The history of this sacrament goes back centuries, to the time of the birth of the Christian religion. Today, Orthodox and Catholic weddings symbolize the same as hundreds of years ago: the heavenly love of the couple and the divine consecration of marriage. The Wedding.ws portal will tell you whether it is necessary to get married these days, what is the benefit of this for the newlyweds, and also what are the subtleties during the ceremony.

What gives the wedding for the family

A couple should think carefully before the wedding whether they should get married, because this is a very responsible step.

What happens after the wedding

Associated with it are our religious traditions, as well as long-standing ideas about family and happiness. It has long been believed that marriage should be consecrated and blessed by the church, only then it will be strong and eternal.

Here is what marriage means for spouses:

Healthy and happy offspring.
Long and peaceful life together.
Full merging of souls and mutual understanding.

Newlyweds who do not get married in a church are considered an inferior family in the face of God. They can develop a very close and eventful life together, but for higher powers they still remain strangers to each other. Therefore, you should not think about whether it is possible to get married after a certain age. On the contrary, the older the couples who decide to commit it, the deeper meaning it carries. The time lived by the spouses before they decided to get married means that it took them so much to realize the need to conclude a divine union. In this case, the simple and thoughtless observance of a long tradition cannot be discussed.

Who can get married?

Not all couples can go through the ceremony, and one desire is not enough here. Church canons have established strict rules in this regard. Who is forbidden to marry:

Minors. The bride and groom must be over eighteen years of age.
Relatives. Incest in a couple is unacceptable by the church.
Not registered in the registry office. The stamp in the passport indicates the validity of the marriage and the observance of the necessary secular rules for its conclusion.
People with a mental disorder. Features of the wedding in the Orthodox Church say that a person must be mentally healthy.
Unbaptized. The family must be Orthodox, no other options are allowed.

A wedding gives the marriage a heavenly blessing, as well as light, peace and love for the family, which requires compliance with certain orders and conditions.

Is it possible to get married while pregnant?

There is an opinion that the passage of this rite during pregnancy is impossible. In fact, the church has nothing against such a case.

Church opinion and precautions

The birth of a new life is a divine mystery, a blessing, not a sin. The wedding in this case is standard, and it is needed for what it is for in ordinary cases: a divine blessing on marriage. And negative opinions arise, most likely, due to confusion with fornication. Intemperate sex life outside of marriage is indeed condemned by God.

During the wedding during pregnancy, the bride must carefully monitor her well-being. The ceremony lasts about an hour, and all this time the couple is on their feet. If the future wife gets worse, then she can sit on the bench. Therefore, her outfit should be not only beautiful, but also comfortable - not to tighten her stomach, and shoes to fit. Also, the priest must know about the position of a woman in order to be ready to help on occasion.

What to bring to the wedding

There are no exceptions during pregnancy, so our answer to the question of whether to get married before the registry office is no. The procedure is the same as always: first official registration, and then the sacrament in the church. In addition, the ceremony has a number of mandatory attributes that must be present during its implementation. This:

All these things can be purchased right on the spot, in the church shop, and they will immediately be consecrated and ready for use. If there are doubts about what a wedding gives during pregnancy, then you should not worry, because a new life for the church is a reason for special joy.

Is it possible to get married a second time?

Life can sometimes present various surprises, and not necessarily the most pleasant ones. And so it happens that a marriage consecrated by the church breaks up, and then one of the former spouses after a divorce has a family for the second time, and the question arises whether it is possible to get married. There are a lot of different thoughts and information about this. Let's say right away that if the bride is pregnant, then, of course, you can get married, whether she is in the first month, or in the ninth, but subject to the removal of the blessing.

To do this, after registering with the registry office, you need to write a petition to the regional diocesan administration, attach certificates of divorce and remarriage to it, if everything goes well, then a written positive answer will come. In other words, the couple will issue a so-called church divorce. Based on this paper, the priest will be able to perform a second wedding with a clear conscience.

Here are a few more family-related incidents that could cause the church to withdraw its blessing:

recognition of missing one of the spouses;
treason;
change of religion;
imprisonment;
domestic violence;
confirmed fact of alcohol or drug addiction;
inability to have children.

Ordinary everyday reasons, such as constant quarrels with relatives, low income, etc., cannot be the basis for removing the blessing.

Wedding has long been considered not just a beautiful tradition, but a serious step for a new family. Therefore, before marriage, the portal website recommends young people to think carefully about whether to get married in a church, just to pay tribute to fashion, or to bless the family with heavenly forces.

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Valeria Protasova

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The Christian family appears exclusively with the blessing of the Church, which unites the lovers into one whole during the sacrament of the wedding. Unfortunately, for many, the sacrament of the wedding today has become a fashionable necessity, and before the ceremony, young people think more about finding a photographer than about fasting and soul.

Why is a wedding really needed, what does the rite itself symbolize, and how is it customary to prepare for it?

The meaning of the wedding ceremony for a couple - is it necessary to get married in a church, and can the sacrament of a wedding strengthen relationships?

“Here we are getting married, and then no one will definitely separate us, not a single infection!” Many girls think when choosing a wedding dress for themselves.

Of course, to some extent, a wedding is a talisman for the love of spouses, but first of all, the Christian family is based on the commandment of love. A wedding is not a session of magic that will ensure the inviolability of the marriage, regardless of their behavior and attitude towards each other. The marriage of Orthodox Christians needs blessing, and it is consecrated by the Church only during the sacrament of the wedding.

But the realization of the need for a wedding should come to both spouses.

Video: Wedding - how to?

What does marriage give?

First of all, the grace of God, which will help the two to build their union in harmony, give birth and raise children, live in love and harmony. Both spouses must clearly understand at the time of the sacrament that this marriage is for life, “in sorrow and joy.”

They symbolize the eternity of the union of the rings that the spouses put on during the betrothal, and walking around the lectern. The oath of allegiance, which is given in the temple before the face of the Almighty, is more important and more powerful than the signatures on the marriage certificate.

It is important to understand that it is realistic to dissolve a church marriage only in 2 cases: upon the death of one of the spouses or the deprivation of his mind.

Who can't get married in an Orthodox church?

The Church does not marry couples who are not legally married. Why is the stamp in the passport so important for the Church?

Before the revolution, the Church was also part of the state structure, whose functions also included the registration of acts of birth, marriage, and death. And one of the duties of the priest was to conduct a study - is the marriage legal, what is the degree of relationship of the future spouses, are there any problems with their psyche, and so on.

Today, registry offices are dealing with these issues, so the future Christian family carries a marriage certificate to the Church.

And this certificate should indicate exactly the couple that is going to get married.

Are there reasons for refusing to marry - absolute obstacles to church marriage?

A couple will definitely not be allowed to marry if ...

Marriage is not legalized by the state. Such relationships the Church considers cohabitation and fornication, and not marriage and Christian.
The couple is in the 3rd or 4th degree of lateral consanguinity.
The husband is a clergyman, and he took holy orders. Also, nuns and monks who have already taken vows will not be allowed to get married.
The woman is a widow after her third marriage. The 4th church marriage is strictly prohibited. It will also be forbidden to marry in the 4th civil marriage, even if the church marriage will be the first. Naturally, this does not mean that the Church approves the entry into the 2nd and 3rd marriages. The Church insists on eternal fidelity to each other: two and three marriages do not publicly condemn, but they consider them “impurities” and do not approve. However, this will not be an obstacle to the wedding.
The one entering into a church marriage is guilty of a previous divorce, and the cause was adultery. Re-marriage will be allowed only upon repentance and the fulfillment of the imposed penance.
There is an inability to marry (note - physical or spiritual), when a person cannot express his will freely, is mentally ill, and so on. Blindness, deafness, the diagnosis of childlessness, illness are not reasons for refusing to marry.
Both - or one of the couple - did not reach the age of majority.
The woman is over 60 and the man is over 70. Alas, the highest limit for the wedding also exists, and such a marriage can only be approved by the bishop. Age over 80 is an absolute barrier to marriage.
There is no consent to marriage from Orthodox parents on both sides. However, the Church has long been condescending to this condition. In the event that it is not possible to secure a parental blessing, the couple receives it from the bishop.

And a few more obstacles to church marriage:

Man and woman are related to each other.
There is a spiritual relationship between those entering into marriage. For example, between godparents and godchildren, between godparents and godchildren's parents. Marriage between the godfather and the godmother of one child is possible only with the blessing of the bishop.
If the adoptive parent wants to marry the adopted daughter. Or if the adopted son wants to marry the daughter or mother of his adoptive parent.
Lack of mutual agreement in a couple. Forced marriage, even church marriage, is considered invalid. Moreover, even if the coercion is psychological (blackmail, threats, etc.).
Lack of common faith. That is, in a pair, both must be Orthodox Christians.
If one of the couple is an atheist (even if he was baptized in childhood). Just "standing" next to the wedding will not work - such a marriage is unacceptable.
The bride's period. The wedding day must be chosen in accordance with your cycle calendar so that you do not have to reschedule it later.
Period equal to 40 days after birth. The Church does not prohibit getting married after the birth of a baby, but you will have to wait 40 days.

Well, besides, there are relative obstacles to getting married in each particular church - you should find out the details right on the spot.

When and how to organize a wedding?

What day should you choose for the wedding?

Pointing your finger at the calendar and choosing the number that you have is "lucky" - most likely, it will not work. The Church conducts the sacrament of the wedding only on certain days - in Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, if they don't come out...

On the eve of church holidays - great, temple and twelfth.
to one of the posts.
For January 7-20.
On Maslenitsa, on Cheese and Bright Week.
On September 11 and on the eve of it (note - the day of memory of the Beheading of John the Baptist).
On September 27 and on the eve of it (note - the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross).

They also do not marry on Saturday, Tuesday or Thursday.

What do you need to organize a wedding?

Choose a temple and talk to the priest.
Choose a wedding day. The most favorable are the days of the autumn harvest.
Make a donation (it is made in the temple). A separate fee is paid for the singers (if desired).
Choose a dress, a suit for the groom.
Find witnesses.
Find a photographer and arrange a shoot with a priest.
Buy everything you need for the ceremony.
Learn the script. You will swear your oath only once in your life (God forbid), and it should sound confident. In addition, it is better to clarify for yourself in advance how exactly the ceremony takes place in order to know what follows what.
And the most important thing is to prepare for the sacrament SPIRITUALLY.

What will you need for the wedding?

Neck crosses. Of course, consecrated. Ideally, if these are crosses that were received at baptism.
Wedding rings. They must also be consecrated by a priest. Previously, a gold ring was chosen for the groom, and a silver ring for the bride, as a symbol of the sun and the moon, which reflects its light. Nowadays, there are no conditions - the choice of rings lies entirely with the couple.
Icons : for the spouse - the image of the Savior, for the wife - the image of the Mother of God. These 2 icons are the amulet of the whole family. They should be kept and passed down from generation to generation.
wedding candles - white, thick and long. They should be enough for 1-1.5 hours of the wedding.
Handkerchiefs for couples and for witnesses to wrap candles from below and not burn your hands with wax.
2 white towels - one for framing the icon, the second - on which the couple will stand in front of the lectern.
Wedding dress. Of course, no “glamour”, an abundance of rhinestones and a neckline: we choose a modest dress in light shades that does not open the back, neckline, shoulders and knees. You can’t do without a veil, but it can be replaced with a beautiful air scarf or hat. If the shoulders and arms are left bare due to the style of the dress, then a cape or shawl is required. Pants and uncovered head of a woman in the church are not allowed.
Scarves for all women present at the wedding.
A bottle of Cahors and a loaf.

Choosing guarantors (witnesses).

So the witnesses must be...

People close to you.
Baptized and believers, with pectoral crosses.

Divorced spouses and couples who live in an unregistered marriage cannot be called witnesses.

If the guarantors could not be found, it does not matter, you will be married without them.

Guarantors at a wedding are like godparents at baptism. That is, they take "patronage" over the new Christian family.

What should not be at the wedding:

Bright makeup - both the bride herself and the guests, the witness.
Bright outfits.
Extra items in the hands (no mobile phones, bouquets are also set aside for a while).
Defiant behavior (jokes, jokes, conversations, etc. are inappropriate).
Excessive noise (nothing should distract from the ceremony).

Remember, that…

Pews in the church are for old or sick people. Be prepared to be on your feet for an hour and a half.
Mobile phones will have to be turned off.
It is better to arrive at the temple 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
It is not customary to stand with your back to the iconostasis.
Leaving before the end of the sacrament is not accepted.