Serbian Wedding: Unforgettable Event

Serbian wedding is great tradition with a lot of interesting and symbolic “rules”. Groom and bride spend day before wedding partying, but separately with their own friends. Groom’s guests come early in the morning at groom’s house usually around 9am. The bride’s guests come at the same time at bride’s house. Car from every guest has to have colorful towel or blanket tied onto the car’s mirrors. The bride and groom’s car, the main and the first car in the column of all guests’ cars, is all in flowers and decorations. Also, groom’s brother carries the Serbian flag. After serving a little food and usually a lot of Rakija, they form column of cars with the bride and groom’s car in the front, and they then go to purchase the bride. All the way towards bride’s house cars from column don’t respect traffic rules and honk all the time.
When they arrive at bride’s home groom has to use the weapon and to shoot the apple from great distance to show that he has become a men, and that he deserves a bride. Also, hitting the apple is permission for the guests to come into the yard or house. If he misses the guests join him with their weapons until they blow up the apple. When they come into the house the bride is locked in the room and groom’s brother go to negotiate with bride’s brother about the price. When groom’s brother pays for bride he walks out with her to the yard. In the yard guests can enjoy Serbian food, a lot of Rakija, and guest usually dance Serbian national dance called “Kolo”.
Then they all go to groom’s house. There bride has to throw colander full of wheat and candies on the roof of the house, and if it stays on the roof the bride is going to stay. Wheat in the colander symbolizes fertility of the bride, and candies symbolize sweat, beautiful life. Bride also has to throw little child called “Nakonjce” in the air and catch him a few times to show that she is strong enough to give a birth and raise a children. The groom carry bride into his house and she carry bread with milk and honey on it, and bottle of wine. Wine is like a gift for house, but bread symbolize that groom and bride’s marriage is going to be easy going and great combination like bread, honey, and milk.
After getting the bride they all together go to government building to get legally married. After which they come to get married in the Orthodox Church where everybody has to stand. The priest starts ceremony with the preamble, and continues with putting crowns on groom’s and bride’s heads, and ties their hands together with a piece of clothe which symbolize unity in their marriage. In one part oh ceremony they go after priest three times around table which symbolize the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the godfathers followed them with candles in their hands. When priest pronounced them as man and wife if bride step onto groom foot, she is going be in charge for everything, she is going to be the head of house and vice verse, and then the groom kisses the bride. They walk out from the church, and then first all available ladies gather into the group, and bride throws “Bidermajer”. Lady who catches it is next bride. Also bride and groom have to have their first dance.
After that we make a big wild party with lot of food, luxurious cakes and home made cookies. Drinks like great Serbian plum homemade Rakija called “Sljivovica”. Also, there is lots of dancing and Kolos. We party until dawn; sometimes we party all night and all day tomorrow.