Deborah Chan
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol. The weddings can be very fancy, with some lasting over 16 hours and taking place across multiple locations. There are often two ceremonies: a civil and a religious one. The rituals surrounding Bulgarian weddings are fascinating. For instance, the bride's family symbolically sells her to the groom, and the groom's brother brings the bride's shoes full of coins, which he puts on her feet, starting with the right. The bride also wears a red veil to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. Another ritual is the breaking of the bread, where the couple turns their backs to each other and tries to break off a bigger piece of bread, symbolizing who will be the head of the house.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of ceremonies | Two: civil and religious |
| Alcoholic drinks | Rakia, wine, beer, and champagne |
| Food | Fried potato chips, mushrooms, rice, pasta, vegetables, traditional Belarusian yams, arrowroots, sweet potatoes, fish, seafood, and beef |
| Dancing | Traditional Bulgarian folk dances, horo |
| Music | Live orchestra |
| Gifts | Money, specific items requested by the couple |
| Wedding attire | Bride wears a red veil, garlic clove wrapped in a handkerchief, and something red on her veil; groom presents "kum" with a traditional wooden carved bottle with rakia |
| Wedding procession | Groom cuts down a tree with one single hit, creating a wedding flag; bride and groom do not cross paths on the way to the church |
| Superstitions | Bride should not wear her wedding dress before the wedding day, groom should not see the bride in her wedding dress before the wedding, bride and groom should not spend the night before the wedding together, wedding dress should not be washed during the first year of marriage |
| Rituals | Bride-buying ceremony, shoe filled with money, bride's last horo dance before leaving her unmarried home, exchanging of small bread pieces by the mothers-in-law, guessing the sex of the couple's first child |
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What You'll Learn
Two ceremonies: civil and religious
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol, especially homemade rakia and wine. Weddings in Bulgaria are centred around interesting traditions and play a significant role in Bulgarian culture. The weddings are also a union of two families and their histories.
A unique aspect of Bulgarian weddings is that they often consist of two ceremonies: a civil ceremony and a religious one. The civil ceremony is a legal requirement, and the religious ceremony is an Orthodox Christian ceremony. The "kumove", or "goodparents", are a married couple and close friends of the newlyweds who act as mentors and witnesses for the couple during both ceremonies. They are required by law to witness the civil marriage and play a role in the religious ceremony, where they exchange crowns. The "kuma" participates in a ritual with the wedding rings, while the "kum" exchanges the crowns.
The civil ceremony can take place a day before the wedding in some cases, especially in municipalities like Sofia, which does not allow off-location civil marriages. In this case, a faux ceremony is held for the guests on the wedding day. Alternatively, a civil clerk from a neighbouring municipality can be requested to perform the civil ceremony.
The religious ceremony is an Orthodox Christian ceremony, and only Orthodox Christians can participate as "kumove". This ceremony includes rituals such as crown exchanging and ring rituals performed by the "kumove".
Bulgarian weddings are filled with various traditions and rituals, such as the "bride-buying" ceremony, where the groom and his friends symbolically buy the bride from her family by filling her shoe with money. There is also the tradition of the wedding flag, which is hung in the groom's house as a sign of good fortune. Overall, Bulgarian weddings are a joyous and unique celebration filled with rich cultural traditions.
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Rakia: the national alcoholic drink
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, loud, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol. The consumption of rakia, the national alcoholic drink of most Balkan countries, is highly encouraged. Typically, homemade rakia is served at Bulgarian weddings, presented by one or both families of the newlyweds.
Rakia is often produced from fermented grapes or plums, though apricot and quince rakia are also popular in neighbouring Serbia. The alcohol content in rakia varies from 40 to 60% alcohol by volume. In Bulgaria, there is mass home production of rakia, and it is a common gift. For instance, it is customary for the groom to present his "kum" (a role similar to the best man in Western traditions) with a gift of rakia at Bulgarian weddings. In the past, there was also a tradition of setting aside a special amount of rakia at the birth of a child, to be kept until the child's wedding.
Rakia is also an integral part of the wedding invitation ritual in Bulgaria. The groom, the bride's siblings, and their relatives would go around the village, inviting people to the wedding. The groom would offer a sip of rakia to the hosts, who would accept the invitation by taking a sip.
In addition to rakia, Bulgarian weddings also feature other alcoholic drinks such as wine, beer, and champagne. The lively celebrations often include traditional Bulgarian folk dances, with guests dancing into the night to popular songs.
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The kumove: the best man and maid of honour
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol, especially homemade rakia and wine. They are also centred around interesting traditions, playing a special role in Bulgarian culture.
The "kumove" are two people, usually a couple or a family, who play a similar role to the best man and maid of honour in Western traditions. They are the witnesses required by law at the civil marriage and also have a role at the Orthodox religious ceremony. The "kumove" should be married and are usually an older family who will become spiritual "parents" and mentors to the newlyweds.
On the wedding day, the groom goes to the home of the "kumove" and presents them with a gift—a traditional wood-carved bottle of rakia. The "kum" actively helps the groom during the ritual of "buying or stealing the bride". The "kuma" usually presents the bride with the wedding bouquet and carries out the ritual of "veiling". She tries to put the bride's veil on her head, and by tradition, the bride turns it down twice before accepting it on the third attempt.
During the wedding, the "kum" and "kuma" take part in a dancing ritual called "kumova rachenitsa", where they dance with a couple of dancers while trying to steal special prizes: a ritual bread and a flamboyantly decorated roasted chicken. The "kuma" also takes part in a small ritual with the wedding rings, and the "kum" exchanges crowns during the ceremony.
In addition to their role in the wedding, the "kumove" also have a significant place in Bulgarian family life. They are often chosen as godparents to the couple's children and are considered spiritual kin.
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Wedding flags: a sign of good fortune
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, loud, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol, particularly homemade rakia and wine. The celebrations can last over 16 hours and take place across multiple locations.
One of the most interesting Bulgarian wedding traditions is the use of wedding flags as a sign of good fortune. The creation of the wedding flag begins in the forest, where the groom cuts down a tree with a single mighty stroke, symbolizing the couple's commitment to a lifelong marriage. The choice of tree is important, as it must be healthy and bear fruit, or it foretells ill luck. The tree branch is then adorned with red or red-and-white fabric at the groom's house. It is believed that Bulgarian ancestors hung these flags in their houses to signal a grand wedding celebration. The flag is typically placed high up in the groom's house, oriented towards the sun, to bring good fortune to the soon-to-be-married couple.
After the flag is created, it is sent to the bride's house, where she and her friends sing songs to ward off any negative energy it might carry. The bride's friends also gather to braid her hair, with her face turned towards the sun to invoke fertility. The braiding symbolizes her transformation from a girl to a bride and is usually performed by the godmother or the bride's friends. It is considered good fortune for both sets of parents to be alive during this ritual.
After the braiding, the bride is covered with a red veil in front of the fireplace. She then puts on her wedding gown and waits for the groom and his brother to arrive. They try to enter the bride's home but are not allowed inside until they pay a price. The groom's brother enters first and brings the bride's shoes full of coins, which he puts on her feet, starting with the right shoe. The wedding procession then begins, making its way through the village to the groom's house.
After the wedding, the flag is destroyed by the godparents—broken, hidden, or thrown into water—so that the newlyweds never see it. In some regions, the flag is carefully discarded to prevent even a single thread from falling off, as it is believed that this could be used for dark magic to bring bad fortune to the couple.
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Breaking of bread: a symbol of who will be head of the house
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, and emotional affairs, with plenty of fun, dancing, and alcohol. They can also be long and tiring, with multiple locations and rituals to attend. One of the most important rituals is the breaking of bread, which symbolises who will be the head of the household.
The breaking of bread is a traditional Bulgarian wedding custom that holds symbolic significance. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom stand back-to-back, holding a large, round loaf of bread over their heads. At a given signal, they attempt to break off the larger chunk, as this signifies who will hold the most power in the family. This ritual is not just a fun game but a symbolic act that carries weight in Bulgarian culture.
The bread-breaking ritual is not the only tradition surrounding bread during Bulgarian weddings. The "kumove," a married couple who act as best man and maid of honour, play a crucial role. They are responsible for purchasing the ritual bread and are considered spiritual "parents" and mentors to the newlyweds. The "kumove" are also involved in other rituals, such as the "kumova rachenitsa," a dancing ritual where they try to steal the ritual bread and a roasted chicken.
Additionally, the mother of the bride holds a round ritual bread, from which the mother of the groom breaks off small pieces to give to the newlyweds. These pieces are first salted and then dipped in honey, symbolising the "salty" moments in life followed by sweetness. This ritual bread holds great importance, and its presence extends beyond the wedding day. In the past, when a child was born, a father would set aside a special amount of rakia, a traditional Bulgarian alcoholic drink, to be kept until the child's wedding. This rakia would then be served at the wedding, along with the ritual bread, symbolising continuity and blessing from the family.
The breaking of bread during Bulgarian weddings is thus much more than a simple tradition. It symbolises the power dynamic in the marriage, the blessing of the family, and the sweet and salty moments that life will bring to the newlyweds.
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Frequently asked questions
Bulgarian weddings are lively, cheerful, loud, and emotional, with lots of fun, dancing, and alcohol. There are often two ceremonies, civil and religious, and the celebrations can last over 16 hours with multiple locations.
One unique Bulgarian wedding tradition is the "breaking of the bread". The bride and groom stand back-to-back and hold a loaf of bread over their heads. They then try to break off a bigger piece, with the winner symbolising who will be "the head of the house". Another tradition is that the bride is covered with a red veil in front of the fireplace before the wedding procession begins.
The "kumove" are similar to the best man and maid of honour in Western traditions. They are usually a married couple who act as witnesses during the civil and religious ceremonies. They also buy the bouquet, the bride's shoes, the wedding glasses, and the ritual bread.
The national alcoholic drink of Bulgaria is rakia, which is usually produced from fermented grapes or plums. It is commonly served at Bulgarian weddings and can have an alcohol content of 40-60%.
Yes, there are several superstitions associated with Bulgarian weddings. For example, the bride is supposed to wear a clove of garlic wrapped in a handkerchief to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. It is also considered bad luck for the groom to see his bride in her wedding dress before the wedding day.
