Traditions and customs of Azerbaijani weddings

All countries sacredly honor the traditions and customs of their ancestors in many areas of life. Of particular interest in this regard is the wedding ceremony, which has its own characteristics in each country. Azerbaijan, where they approach the creation of a family extremely responsibly, is no exception. An Azerbaijani wedding is preceded by a lot of preparation, including many ritual actions.

A wedding ceremony in Azerbaijan consists of many solemn rituals, ancient rituals that are held both before and after the wedding. In terms of scope, a wedding in this country is characterized by breadth and splendor. As elsewhere, in Azerbaijan, modernity imposes features on the mores that have acquired a freer character.

The priority in choosing the future bride belongs to the man. But the opinion of the parents is strictly taken into account, the future groom must obtain their consent to an alliance with the girl of his choice. Young people follow the opinion of their parents and never object to them. Parental disapproval often changes a guy's plans.

The appearance and attractiveness of a girl always plays a big role. The young man shows the girl to his parents, after which his family asks about the girl and her family. If the boy's parents find something that does not suit them, they immediately tell him about it.If the girl suits the parents in everything, then one of the relatives is instructed to collect more detailed information. The elder sister of the groom, his aunt, grandmother can act as a matchmaker.

Gathering information, the matchmaker pays great attention to the material condition of the girl's family, finding out whether the future husband will be able to provide his wife with the appropriate conditions for family life. The social position in the society of her family is also important, whether she enjoys respect and authority. The personal qualities of the bride are also taken into account. Traditional Azerbaijani upbringing requires a girl to respect her parents and all relatives, and a caring attitude towards the younger members of the family.

The following qualities of the future bride are being clarified:

• modesty and social behavior;
• economic ability;
• culinary skills;
• her state of health;
• educational level.

There are some limiting points:

• a Muslim woman cannot marry a Gentile, while a Muslim man can marry both a Christian and a Jew;
• marriages with blood relatives in a straight line are categorically unacceptable.

After observing all the points and approval by the parents, the girls send one relative to the family to find out the opinion of her parents. It is her father who must approve this union. After receiving the father's approval, the matchmaking ceremony begins.

In Azerbaijan, matchmaking also has its own specifics: it consists of two stages - matchmaking, small and large. Small matchmaking begins with a conversation between the boy's father and his entire family. Everyone expresses their opinion, which is listened to. And only after that matchmakers are sent to the bride's family.

As a rule, the mother and three relatives of the groom (adult sisters, aunts, grandmother) participate in small matchmaking. After a joint decision has been made by the women of both families, the fathers of the families meet to continue the matchmaking. The father of a young man must be accompanied by three men: either relatives, or people respected by all. The father expresses to the father of the young girl his son's desire to marry her.

The second stage - big matchmaking - begins with the discussion of the Azerbaijani wedding by the groom's family. Women from the groom's family visit the girl in order to find out her wishes for a future wedding. After that, a date is set for the visit of the matchmakers.

Re-matchmaking takes place solemnly and festively in the presence of guests. Matchmakers are put in the most honorable place and generously treated with a variety of dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine.

The bride cannot be present at the big matchmaking, she is at this time with her mother, who takes her to her friends. The returning mother of the girl remains silent during the matchmaking, thus expressing her concern for the future of her daughter.

The girl's relatives have leisurely conversations with matchmakers. The ceremony takes place in a warm atmosphere and at first extraneous topics are discussed: urban or rural events, news, weather. And only after that the main question about the consent to the wedding is asked. The father of the Azerbaijani woman blesses the young, and one of the sisters is in a hurry to tell the good news to the bride, who can return home only after the matchmakers have left.

Parents congratulate their daughter, who, according to custom, should cry - this portends a happy family life.

Then the engagement rite is carried out, and also twice. The small betrothal is carried out in the bride's house. The groom's confidant puts a ring on the bride's finger, and a scarf on her head.After that, he eats half of the sweet treat presented to him, and takes the rest to the groom.

After the groom's messengers leave, the bride has a bachelorette party: they set the table with all kinds of sweet dishes that symbolize a happy life and prosperity in the family.

After some time, the second betrothal takes place. It is widely celebrated with the invitation not only of relatives, but also of friends and neighbors. The groom's relatives present gifts to the bride. Then both families discuss the size of the ransom and the terms of the agreement, which stipulates the amount of monetary compensation in case of a possible divorce.

Modern life has somewhat changed the requirements for the rules for creating a family. In Russia, at present, international marriage unions, including those of an Azeri and a Russian, have become a common reality. Such a marriage is possible if the groom's relatives do not object to the Russian-Azerbaijani wedding.

From the engagement to the wedding, it usually takes several months to get ready for it. There are customs to conduct other equally interesting rituals at this time. Long before the wedding, the men of the two families set the date for the wedding and determine such important points as the menu, musical accompaniment, and the number of guests.

During the preparation for the wedding, the groom's family gives the bride various gifts: beautiful fabric, decorative dresses, scarves of various colors, ornaments.

On the eve of the celebration, a dowry is transported to the groom's house. This is done by any of her male relatives (brother, uncle), whom the groom's mother always presents with a gift.

The beginning of the Azerbaijani wedding takes place at the bride's house. Loud music announces the beginning of the holiday. Gradually, the house is filled with guests who give gifts, and before sitting down at the table to treat themselves, each of the guests must pay by dropping money into the cauldron.

National wedding songs and music are played throughout the day. Only the groom's relatives dance with the bride. The holiday lasts a long time, and in the evening the groom's family goes home to prepare the celebration at their home.

The groom goes to fetch the bride. Upon the arrival of the groom, the ceremony of seeing off the bride is held. In exchange for a gift, the parents give the groom's representatives the key to the room where the bride is staying. Having blessed their daughter, the parents cover her head with a veil, tie a red ribbon around her waist and take her out of the house.

A fire has already been lit near the house, around which the bride is circled 3 times so that light and warmth always accompany her in her husband's house. Other ritual actions are also carried out:

• pebbles are thrown after her so that her house has reliable walls;
• so that the young are not overcome by sadness and melancholy, water is poured under her feet;
• so that the firstborn in the family was a son, the girl is allowed to hold the boy in her arms;

• the blood of a slaughtered lamb is applied to the dress and smeared on the forehead of the bride to make it easier for her to enter a new family and establish good relations;

• to make life rich, rice, sweets, small sweets are poured on the bride's head.

After these rituals, the bride is taken to the groom to go to his house, and the girlfriends and guests hinder, demanding ransom.

As the wedding procession approaches the groom's house, the bride takes off her shoe. This is how she warns of her arrival. On the threshold of the groom's house, she kicks the plate lying there.

The mother-in-law must pat her daughter-in-law on the head so that they have an agreement. The celebration continues at the groom's house.

Every young couple wants to look the most beautiful on their wedding day. Therefore, they pay great attention to their outfits, which they choose for a long time and carefully.

In the old days, the problem of choosing what to wear for a wedding was not a problem for the groom. It has always been the national wedding dress.Nowadays, young people choose clothes in a European style - usually a three-piece suit.

A bow tie instead of a tie and a boutonniere in the buttonhole give a more solemn look. Sometimes the groom puts on a skullcap.

Azerbaijani brides can still dress in a national bright red outfit or choose a dress of any other color. The dress should look modest, but beautiful and luxurious. It is sewn from expensive and refined fabrics, decorated with embroidery, lace and other decorative elements.

There are a number of features that are followed when choosing a dress:

• it should be modest in cut, have long sleeves and a closed chest;

• the bride's dress must have something red.

The wedding decoration of the bride is characterized by the brightness of the dress and makeup, the splendor of the hairstyle. An obligatory element is a lace veil; often brides wear a crown, earrings, necklaces, pendants as decoration.

Before the wedding, the bride's hands are decorated with intricate henna patterns.

Since close and distant relatives of the two families meet at the wedding, everyone tries to look as good and elegant as possible. Older men tend to stick to formal suits. Young people can afford a more democratic and free style.

Women try to dress smartly and festively, while girls prefer bright outfits. But everyone must observe the main rule: you cannot surpass the wedding dress of the bride with your outfit.

Azerbaijani weddings are celebrated on a grand scale, and festive tables are bursting with treats that are not only tasty, but also aesthetically decorated.

The menu is distinguished by a variety of meat dishes from beef, various poultry, but preference is given to lamb: kyufta-bozbash, dolma, lula-kebab, shawarma and, of course, shashlik.

An obligatory traditional dish is pilaf, there are many ways of cooking it.

Cutting a variety of vegetables and pickles not only arouses appetite, but also represents a kind of table decoration.

There are a lot of fruits and national sweet dishes on the tables: baklava, kurabie, sheker-bura.

There are many soft drinks - sherbet, doshab; from alcohol, preference is given to Caucasian wines, cognac and the national drink - mulberry brandy.

It has been customary to give gifts to a bride in Azerbaijan since the moment of matchmaking.

At the wedding celebration itself, it is customary for the young to give money. In front of the entrance to the house or room where the wedding is taking place, a specially decorated box or box is placed, where the guests put some amount of money. It can be different, but it is not accepted to give less than 50 manats. In addition to money, the groom's family gives a young set of jewelry.

In addition, household items for furnishing and decorating the house can be donated.

You will learn more about the traditions and customs of the Azerbaijani wedding by watching the following video.