This year a ring, next year a swing!

The Landowner invites you to а splendid wedding celebration!

A set for the event will be the whole village and invited to take part are all present.
   The celebration starts with the choice of a godfather, a godmother and a father-in-law. These key figures are being chosen among guests. The godfather and the groom are ritually shaved as they are very careful not to lose a single hair. It is believed that somebody with bad intentions wishing to harm the young couple could take hairs of the groom’s beard and put a spell on him. To avoid such risk the barber washes his hands under running water to wash away the evil. After that performance among laughter, jokes and under the sounds of folk music all wedding guests set off to the bride's house in search of “а bride or may be two …”. Friends of the unmarried woman expect them there and together with the newly chosen godmother they perform the typical rites – buying off and veiling the unmarried woman - a symbol of maiden’s shyness and her humbleness before the future husband. The maid cries with joy before the unknown future of a married woman and of sorrow for leaving her father’s home.
  Followed by all guests the lad and the maid set off to Chiflika where the groom’s house is. In front of the gates they have tied up wedding swings. Still dizzy of the swinging the bride says farewell to her childhood and crosses the threshold of her new life as a married woman.
   The mother and the father-in-law perform actions which are believed to have magical power and bring understanding and mutual love to the young family. Before entering the home all guests are welcomed with round bread and salt for the newly-weds to have full and happy life together.
  Everyone is seated on a rich table on the veranda of the Landowner’s house. The evening is filled with playful jokes and touchy jokes.
  Time spins backwards and the set is transformed into that square where the maid and the lad see each other for the first time and swear to each other. He gives her a ring and she puts an embroidered napkin on his vest. Thus the two of them swear to each other in public and the wedding preparation may begin. During the days of engagement all women in the bride’s sew a white flag – a symbol of purity and innocence, and in groom’s house a red one – a symbol of full-blooded male power. On the wedding day the two flags are sewed to each other to bind the unity of man and woman.
   Heavy folk dances are swaying under the flag, heavy rain of cheerful toasts and sincere wishes…

And they lived happily ever after!