A fair Correspondent supplies us with the following “Chip” from St.
Petersburg:—
In England we used to think the marriage ceremony, with all its solemn
adjuncts, an impressive affair; but it is child’s play when compared
with the elaborate formalities of a Russian wedding. In England, the
bride, though a principal, is a passive object; but in Russia she has,
before and at the ceremony, to undergo as much physical fatigue and
exertion as a prima donna who has to tear through a violent opera,
making every demonstration of the most passionate grief. But you shall
hear how they manage on these occasions.
The housekeeper of Mons. A., who has been in his service for eighteen
years, and consequently no very youthful bride, took it into her head to
marry a shoemaker, who, like his intended, is not remarkable for his
personal beauty. Friday was fixed for the happy day, and about two in
the afternoon I caught sight of the bride, weeping and wailing in a most
doleful manner. I saw or heard no more of her till six in the evening,
when she appeared in Mad. A.’s room, attired for the ceremony. Her dress
was of dark silk, (she not being allowed to wear white, in consequence
of some early indiscretions,) with a wreath of white roses round her
head, and a long white veil, which almost enveloped her. She sobbed,
howled, went off into hysterics, and fainted; I felt excessively sorry
for her, but did all my soothing in vain, for she refused to be
comforted. As soon as she became calm, we all assembled in the
drawing-room, and Mons. A.’s godson, a little fellow of five years old,
entered the room first, bearing the patron saint, St. Nicholas, then
came the bride, followed by her train of female friends. She knelt down
before Mons. and Mad. A., and they each in turn held the image over her
head, saying they blessed her, and hoped she would “go to her
happiness.” She kissed their feet frantically; and they then assisted
her up, kissed her, and she was conducted weeping to the carriage.
On arriving at the church about half-past seven we were met by friends
of the bridegroom, who stood at one end of the church, surrounded by his
family, and every now and then casting anxious and tender looks at the
beloved one, who was again howling and sobbing like a mad woman. I
thought how painful it must be for him, poor man, to witness such
distress, and wondered why she should marry any one for whom she
manifested so much dislike. After administering restoratives, she became
calmer, and the priests appeared—when off she went again into a fit of
hysterics more sudden, though not so violent as her previous
performances; but, this time, was soon restored, and the ceremony
commenced.
One priest stood at the altar, and two others at a kind of table or
reading-desk at some distance. The un-happy couple were placed beside
each other, behind the priests, who commenced chaunting the service in
beautiful style. The bride and bridegroom held each a lighted wax taper
in their hand; a little more chaunting, and rings were exchanged; more
chaunting, and then a small piece of carpet was brought, upon which they
both stood; two crowns were then presented to them, and after they had
kissed the saint upon them, these were held over their heads by the
bridesmen. More chaunting; then there was wine brought, which they were
obliged to drink, first he and then she; they made three sups of it,
though, at first, there appeared only about a wine-glassful; after this
the Priest took hold of them and walked them round the church three
times, the bridegroom’s man following holding the crowns over their
heads to the best of his ability; but he fell short of his duty, for the
bridegroom was rather tall and his man rather short: hence there was
some difficulty and slight awkwardness in this part of the proceedings;
then followed a kind of exhortation, delivered in a very impressive
manner by the senior Priest. After this, they proceeded to the altar,
prostrated themselves before it, kissing the ground with great apparent
fervour; then all the saints on the wall were kissed, and lastly the
whole of the party assembled. We then adjourned to the carriages, and
after a quick ride soon found ourselves at home.
Here Monsieur and Madame A. performed the part of _Père et Mère_, met
the bridal party, carrying the black bread and salt which is always
given on such occasions. This was, with some words—a blessing, of
course—waved over the heads of the newly married couple, who were on
their knees kissing most vehemently the feet of their _Père et Mère_.
After this ceremony, which means “May you never want the good here
offered you,” they arose, and again the kissing mania came upon the
whole party with greater vehemence than ever. Nothing was heard for some
time but the sound of lips; at length a calm came, and with it
champagne, in which every one of them drank “Long life and happiness to
the newly-wed pair,” all striking their glasses till I thought there
would be a universal smash, so violently were they carried away by their
enthusiasm; then came chocolate, and lastly fruit.
As soon as the feasting was over, the dancing commenced with a
Polonaise; the steward, a great man in the house, leading off the bride,
who by this time had forgotten all her sorrows. About twenty couple
followed, and away they went, through one room, out at another, until
they had made the whole circuit of the apartments.
We left them at half-past eleven, but they kept up the fun till five in
the morning, when they conducted the happy pair to their dwelling.
Upon my expressing pity for the bride, and also my astonishment why she
married a man who appeared so very repugnant to her, I learnt that she
would not be considered either a good wife or a good woman unless she
was led to the altar in a shower-bath of tears; in fact, in Russia, the
more tears a woman sheds, the better her husband likes her!