Don't Tell The Bride: A Ukrainian Wedding Extravaganza

In the feature-length episode of Don't Tell the Bride, Andy plans an authentic Ukrainian wedding in Ukraine for his bride-to-be Anna. However, Anna and her mother are hoping for a very British wedding. In this unique format, grooms are given free rein to plan a surprise wedding for their partners, with the catch that the bride must know nothing about the wedding until the big day. Andy's episode is one of many feature-length episodes, including one where a groom attempts to plan a wedding on a beach in Weymouth, and another where a groom wants a royal wedding.

Andy plans an authentic Ukrainian wedding in Ukraine for his bride-to-be Anna

In the feature-length episode of Don't Tell the Bride, Andy plans an authentic Ukrainian wedding in Ukraine for his bride-to-be Anna. However, Anna, a fussy bride, and her hard-to-please mother are expecting a very British celebration. Andy has his work cut out for him as he tries to organise the entire wedding without any input from Anna and has to keep it a secret until the big day.

In Ukraine, weddings are full of interesting cultural customs, delicious food, drink, dancing, and celebrations. One unique tradition is that the groom must go to the home of his bride and buy her from her parents. Before he can see or take her, he must complete a series of challenges to prove his worth. These challenges are designed to be funny and light-hearted, often involving dances and navigating obstacles while blindfolded. If the groom makes a mistake, his best man has to pay the bridesmaids. Once the groom completes the challenges, he is allowed into his bride's home, where gift-giving takes place.

Another important custom is the Korovai, a giant cake that represents a blessing from the community to the newlywed couple. The Korovai is presented by the father of the bride at the reception and is considered a symbol of good luck and community support. During hard times, the cake alone was enough to signify a marriage in the eyes of Ukrainian society.

Ukrainian weddings are also known for their emphasis on toasting and drinking. Throughout the night, guests take turns making short speeches and toasting the newlyweds. After each toast, everyone clinks their glasses and drinks, often choosing vodka as the beverage of choice. This tradition is accompanied by the chanting of "Gorka," which is the Russian word for "bitter." The chanting encourages the newlyweds to kiss and sweeten the bitterness.

Andy has his work cut out for him as he attempts to incorporate these Ukrainian traditions and more into his wedding for Anna. Will he be able to pull off an authentic Ukrainian celebration, or will he have to compromise and include some British elements as well? Will Anna and her mother be pleased with the final result? Only time will tell as Andy navigates the challenges of planning a wedding in a foreign country, keeping it a secret from his bride-to-be.

Anna and her mother want a very British wedding

Andy has £12,000 to plan the wedding and three weeks to do it. In previous episodes of the show, grooms have faced similar challenges, with their brides dreaming of traditional, fairytale weddings, while they plan extravagant, themed celebrations. In one episode, a groom plans a wedding inspired by his favourite soap opera, while his bride wants a romantic castle wedding. In another, a groom plans a wedding on a remote island, where his bride once nearly drowned.

In the case of Anna and Andy, it's unclear if Andy will be able to pull off the Ukrainian wedding of his dreams or if he'll have to compromise and give Anna and her mother the British bash they're hoping for. Will Anna and her mother be able to convince him to change his plans? Or will Andy be able to persuade them that a Ukrainian wedding is the way to go?

Stay tuned to find out how this conflict unfolds and whether the couple will be able to reach a compromise that makes everyone happy.

The groom must go to the home of the bride and buy her from her parents

In Ukraine, the hours leading up to a wedding are eventful and full of tradition. The groom must go to the home of his bride and buy her from her parents. Before he is allowed inside, he must complete a series of challenges to prove his worth as a suitor. These challenges are devised by the maid of honour and can include dances and navigating a maze of water bottles while blindfolded. If the groom makes a mistake, his best man must pay the bridesmaids. Once the groom has successfully completed the challenges, he is allowed into his bride's parents' home.

In the case of Ira and Andrey, the groom and his groomsmen, bridesmaids, and a few others gathered outside the bride's parents' apartment to determine whether the groom had what it took to ransom the bride. The maid of honour came up with about ten challenges for the groom and best man, which included different dances and a blindfolded maze. If the groom made a mistake, his best man had to pay the bridesmaids. Once Andrey completed the challenges, he was allowed into his bride's parents' home.

The bride and groom receive gifts of framed photos of Jesus and his mother, Mary

In the feature-length episode of Don't Tell the Bride, Andy plans an authentic Ukrainian wedding in Ukraine for his bride-to-be Anna. However, Anna and her mother are expecting a very British celebration.

In Ukrainian culture, the hours leading up to the wedding are eventful, with the groom having to complete a series of challenges to prove his worth as a suitor before he can enter the bride's home and take her to be married. In the case of Ira and Andrey, the maid of honour devised about ten challenges for the groom and his best man, including different dances and a blindfolded maze of water bottles.

Once the groom completes the challenges, the couple receives gifts from their parents. In Ira and Andrey's case, they received framed photos of Jesus and his mother, Mary, from both sets of parents. These were the only non-secular aspect of the wedding.

The rest of the wedding celebrations included many photos, dinner, and a Korovai—a giant cake that represents a blessing from the community. The newlyweds also took part in a candle ceremony where the group collectively wished them a happy and prosperous life together.

The newlyweds are given a Korovai, a large cake that symbolises a blessing from the community

The Korovai is a traditional Ukrainian celebration bread, often served at weddings. It is a large, round braided bread, usually made from wheat flour and adorned with symbolic decorations. The newlyweds are given the Korovai as a blessing from the community, and it represents a wish for a happy, healthy, and prosperous life together.

The bread is decorated with dough ornaments, including two birds in the centre to represent the couple, with other birds symbolising family and friends. The Korovai is also embellished with dough swirls, leaves, and pine cones, symbolising the blessings of nature's bounty. The entire arrangement is encircled by a wreath of periwinkle or myrtle, symbolising love and purity.

The Korovai is typically presented to the bride and groom by the parents or elders, who offer blessings and well-wishes for the couple's future together. This ceremony, known as the Blahoslovlennya, takes place before the wedding ceremony at the bride's parents' home. The couple kneels on an embroidered kerchief, called a rushnyk, in front of their parents, who hold icons of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, also draped with a rushnyk.

The Korovai holds great symbolic significance in Ukrainian wedding traditions. It is not just a bread but a representation of the community's blessing and support for the newlyweds. The act of sharing and consuming the Korovai is considered an important part of the wedding ceremony, promoting unity and goodwill among the guests.

In addition to its symbolic value, the Korovai also has ancient origins, stemming from the pagan belief in the magical properties of grain. The preparation of the Korovai was traditionally done by women, called korovainytsi, who sang traditional songs during the process.

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