Wedding traditions in Lithuainia date all the way back to the country’s origin, and while the certain elements of the ceremonies have changed over time, one elements still holds true, which is the importance of the ceremony to family. Traditions and customs are also important to families, and must be upheld to respect not only the bride ad groom’s wishes, but their family’s as well. A Lithuanian wedding can be broken into three main stages. The first part involves the matchmaker, who delivers the dowry to the bride’s family, and also brings the couples together. Courtship happened in this way back in the olden days, because people used to live far apart from each other, making it difficult to find a suitable companion to marry. So when the groom came of age, he and his father would find a matchmaker to go and look for his prospective partner. In this first stage, the bride also says goodbye to her parents as she goes to live in her prospective husband’s house. There is sorrowful music and somber songs that are played during this period as the bride is leaving her parents’ home.
The second part of the ceremony is the wedding and the wedding ceremony itself that follows the presentation of the groom’s household. As the bride to be enters the church, she is adorned with a wreath of rue that symbolizes her youth or childhood. This wreath will be removed by the maid of honour (who is usually a married woman), assisted by other married women, and replace this with the headdress symbolizing maturity from girlhood to womanhood. Wedding vows vary just like the dowry payment varies from region to region. The couple exchanges vows, then rings are exchanged, This symbolizes eternal unity, and is followed by a kiss to seal them together. A delightful tradition that was practiced in the days of old was letting the ring bearer, normally a small boy, and the flower girl having exact miniature wedding attires as the bride and groom. After saying the vows, the couple is surrounded by family and friends. Specific to each region, certain rituals and spells are applied to ward off evil spirits and also bless the fertility of the couple.
The third and final step is the coming back or the returning. In this particular stage, the bride returns to her childhood home and is welcomed as a guest. This will usually happen a week or so after the honeymoon is over, and the couple’s life has begun together. Her visit is brief as she is no longer considered as a family member in her childhood home, but a guest, which translates to the fact that she has transitioned from one family to another,and has gone from childhood to womanhood. In small rural homes, many of these traditions are followed today as they were in the ancient years of old. However, modern Lithuanians have forgotten most of these customs but some of them go back to these ancient means to solidify and maintain their marriage. This also helps them to ensure that their marriages are as solid and lively as possible.
When planning your traditional Lithuanian wedding, hire Babylon for all your needs! We can provide Lithuanian speaking entertainers for your wedding reception, limousines for the wedding party, and photograph and record your special day! We undertsand the importance of tradition here at Babylon, so if there is anything specific that you require to make your traditional Lithuanian wedding run more smoothly, simply ask us and we will help. For over 25 years we have provided wedding services to customers all over the GTA, and the world! Our expert photographers will photograph your special moments and your loved ones, and capture them onto any size print you like! For your wedding memories, trust them to a professional that understands how important they are. Here at Babylon, we believe your wedding video is not just a video, but an important DVD production that you will cherish for years to come! Our expert staff will edit the production to your liking, and even provide a soundtrack containing traditional Lithuanian love songs, or any music you like!
Allow Babylon to help plan your traditional Lithuanian wedding. We can help you pick the right venue, provide wedding DJs and performers that will play traditional Lithuanian wedding music, provide the limousines, print and send the invitations, and even photograph and record the whole event so that you can enjoy a quality wedding video for years to come. Trust the best in the wedding and wedding photography business. Trust Babylon.