When a loaf is served at a wedding. Wedding signs and superstitions: loaf, cake, feast. What should be wedding bread

It is still preserved and is present at almost all weddings. What is special about her? What nuances do you need to know when organizing a loaf ceremony?

According to ancient custom the groom's parents should meet the newlyweds. Treating with bread and salt, they bless new family and take the daughter-in-law into their home.

Unfortunately, there are situations when the groom's parents for some reason cannot be present at the wedding. What to do in this case?

Other close relatives who took part in the upbringing of the groom can present the loaf. This can be done, for example, by his grandparents. If there are no suitable candidates from the side of the newly-made spouse, then you can ask the bride's parents to participate.

Where to meet?

In ancient Russia, the meeting of the newlyweds took place after the wedding ceremony on the threshold of the groom's house, where the newlyweds were supposed to settle later. So the parents symbolically accepted the young mistress into their family.

Now this has changed a bit. Most couples limit themselves to painting in the registry office, and the celebration of a modern wedding has moved to cafes and restaurants. Therefore, in order to save time, a meeting of young people is most often organized not at home, but at the entrance to the restaurant or any other place where the celebration is celebrated.

Necessary accessories

In addition to cooking wedding bread, you should take care of other things. For the ceremony you will need the following:

beautifully embroidered towel;
salt shaker With salt;
Icon Mother of God or Nicholas the Pleasant;
glasses with champagne or wine.

Sample meeting script

Everyone will help organize a bright meeting of the young guests who usually stand in two lines, passing the bride and groom to the parents holding the loaf and the icon.
welcome words and congratulations to the mother of the groom.
Treat with a loaf.
Blessing icon.
The response of the young.
Congratulations and applause from the guests, showering with flower petals, rice, coins.
Everyone is invited to the celebration to the restaurant hall.

Advice! It often happens that parents get lost in excitement, forget the words and do not know how to behave, so it would be better to entrust the leadership of the whole action to the leader. He will prompt the order of performance of each of the participants and smooth out unforeseen unpleasant situations.

How to serve a wedding loaf?

The mother-in-law plays the main role in regaling the young with a loaf. It is she who should hold the wedding bread, pronounce parting words and wishes.

It is necessary to present the treat solemnly and, at the same time, sincerely, therefore it is better for the groom's mother to prepare in advance a small touching speech-congratulation. The groom's father holds the icon and then blesses the newlyweds with it for a happy life.

What should I say? Parents' words

Below we have compiled some texts that you can use when greeting and blessing your newly married husband and wife.

Advice! The best option would be to prepare 3-4 sentences in your own words. In them you can include the most sincere wishes for your children. Do not forget to write them down on a piece of paper, as the day will be exciting not only for the newlyweds.

What should young people do?

Allowed two options:

Young people break off small pieces, dip them in salt and treat each other. This means the care of spouses in family life.
The bride and groom take turns biting off the bread, identifying the owner of the house. The one who bites off the largest piece is considered the head of the family.

Video instruction

A detailed analysis of the script for meeting the newlyweds with bread and salt:

The tradition of meeting young people with a loaf is preserved due to its simplicity, cordiality and beauty. If your couple respects old Russian customs, then you should prepare in advance for the loaf ceremony: decide on the choice of loaf, accessories, participants in this action and their speeches. Then everything will be great.

The wedding loaf is the only tradition that has survived to this day, having undergone very little change. This is not just a cake, it is a real symbol of love, warmth and tenderness. According to custom, representatives of the older generation bestow these benefits on a young family.

Traditions and signs

Any tradition, as well as any custom, has its own amazing history. For example, a wedding loaf. In fact, the true name of this rite is "bread and salt." The cake itself was prepared not only for the occasion wedding celebration, dear guests were welcomed with homemade cakes. Bread baked by the mistress of the house meant wealth. The salt shaker was a talisman against evil spirits. Such an arsenal said that the host side asks for God's mercy for its guests.

In ancient times, a loaf baked for a wedding was a symbol of the blessing of a new family. At the meeting, the relatives of the young spouse presented the newlyweds with a special cake, thereby making it clear that they were accepting the bride into their home and would treat her like a daughter. Few people paid attention, but the shape of the pie was conceived for a reason. Round baking symbolizes the celestial body - the sun. It is it that bestows the fertility of crops, and, accordingly, well-being to people. This kindness lies at the heart of the loaf, and these good wishes are passed on to the young family by the older generation.

In Russia, even cooking wedding loaf proceeded according to custom. The right to knead the dough and bake the bread was a woman who was happy in her own marriage and had several children in good health. It was believed that the energy and positive attitude that the cook is endowed with are transferred to the bride and groom. Besides, Special attention was given to the decoration of the cake, where each image of the decor, fashioned from dough, had its own designation. Decorations for the loaf could be made after baking the base or from the very beginning:

the united rings speak of the conclusion of a marriage union;
a spikelet is compared with prosperity;
the image of birds speaks of mutual trust;
roses are a symbol of beauty;
viburnum symbolizes a strong union.

In past centuries, one loaf was baked for a wedding, with which young spouses were greeted. All those invited were to receive a piece of festive bread. But today glances at this question changed drastically. One loaf will not be enough, so the custom allows you to bake two pies for the event. This is especially true for weddings. It should be noted: in the old days, people always paid attention to signs. Even the process of making a loaf was treated as something sacred:

water and flour for cooking had to be taken from seven different containers;
a married man sent a preparation of a festive cake to the oven;
a bursting loaf was considered a bad sign;
finished baking should be hidden from prying eyes;
the process of dividing the pie was placed on the shoulders of the godparents of the newlyweds;
each guest should taste a piece of the wedding loaf.

How to apply?

To begin with, it should be clarified that the holiday cake should be large. Its size and variety of decorations predict a prosperous and bright future for the newlyweds. Nowadays, of course, you can not waste time baking with your own hands, the easiest way is to place an order in a bakery. But in this case, the symbolism of happiness and well-being, transmitted to the young family from the older generation, will lose its meaning.

The meeting of the newlyweds with the loaf is an ancient Russian rite. The guests who have come stand in a semicircle, leaving a large space for the bride and groom to pass. The bridegroom's mother is supposed to give the young loaf. The father, in turn, stands next to the mother and holds in his hands the icon of the Virgin or the Savior. There is a belief that before the meeting of the newlyweds, special words are said on the festive cake, thereby wishing the young family peace and goodness.

In rare cases, the groom's parents cannot be present at the celebration, so their duties are shifted to godparents or older relatives in the family.

Serving a loaf on a tray is strictly prohibited. According to Russian custom, there should not be any stand. Baked bread is placed on a towel, and a salt shaker filled with salt is placed on its top. It is important to know that a towel, that is, a towel, should be long, but not in contact with the ground. At the moment of the meeting of the young, the parent carrying the pie blesses the lovers, saying a specially prepared welcoming speech. Not necessarily in poetic form, the main thing is to feel sincerity.

At the end kind words it is required to say the phrase "advice and love", which is a prerequisite. After the parents have fulfilled their roles, it is the turn of the bride and groom. As a sign of gratitude and respect, the newlyweds bow to the meeting party, and the guests applaud. And after that they eat the wedding loaf according to tradition, without the help of hands.

What to replace?

In modern weddings, few people fully use the Old Slavonic script. Basically everything goes in modern style, using the traditions of ancient Russia. That is why it is believed that the meeting of the newlyweds can take place near the entrance to the restaurant, and instead of a loaf, the groom's mother will hold a tray with a special dessert in her hands. In fact, replacing the traditional birthday cake is considered a creative move. It remains only to decide which dish is more suitable for this process.

Baguette with red caviar. And cut along. Caviar is laid out in the center. Custom requires you to decide who will be the master in the house. To do this, the bride and groom need to bite off the roll, each on their own, whoever has the larger piece bitten off, he has the main word in the house.
Berries with cream. The modern brides unforgettable day in their life they do not want to appear before the guests with a huge piece of bread in their mouth. Therefore, a special bowl of fruit is organized to meet the young, mainly strawberries are used. Whipped cream is placed in a small bowl. The bride and groom treat each other with berries in sweet sauce.

Chocolate. A very unusual choice to replace the loaf. But it looks very original. For contrast, the bride will treat her husband to a dark tile, and the groom will choose a white piece.
Ice cream. Not a bad way to replace, especially in summer period. The main thing is to decorate beautifully and serve quickly so that the beauty does not melt in the sun.

Lambs with honey. Dessert assortment of ancient Russia. Great option for a loaf replacement. But it is important not to overdo it with honey.
Fortune cookies. By the way, it doesn't have to be just cookies. It can be cupcakes or croissants. The newlyweds are invited to close their eyes and choose the pastry they like by touch. The prediction found must be read aloud to all guests.

Watermelon. Exclusively for summer wedding. And for late summer, otherwise celebratory event may result in general discomfort.
Coffee. This method of replacing the loaf came from England. There are two cups of brewed coffee on the tray and they are waiting for the heroes of the day.

Tequila with lime and salt. This combination is chosen by newlyweds extremely rarely. The only plus is that salt can be licked off the hand of your soulmate.
Pizza. The Italian dish is mostly chosen by young couples. Especially if Italy has become the theme of the wedding celebration.

Fruit on a skewer. Very tasty and elegant, especially if you dip the berries in a chocolate fountain.
Hamburger. Who would have thought, but a bun with a cutlet and vegetables can be a substitute for an unusual wedding loaf.
Milk with shortbread. Quite a pleasant combination of products, especially for children at bedtime. But some couples replace the holiday cake with such a dessert.

What to do with the loaf after the wedding?

To date, no one can say for sure how the loaf was treated after the wedding in the old days. Some say one thing, others say another. From the general opinions, there are five options for what can be done with the loaf after the wedding.

The bread bitten by the newlyweds was taken to their home. The loaf was supposed to be eaten by a man. As they say, the more a young husband eats wedding bread, the sooner the firstborn will appear.
The remaining bread is taken by the newlyweds, dried to the state of crackers. During a period of illness or a black streak in life, it is enough to eat just one piece. Health will instantly be restored, and things will go uphill.
The loaf is divided into all guests, and each must eat his own piece.
According to Christian custom, a bitten pie must be taken to the church as a donation.
Complex three-layer loaves were divided in a special way. The upper part is intended for the heroes of the occasion. The second layer is divided into all relatives. Third tier for guests.

A ruddy lush loaf is considered a symbol of the entry of a couple of lovers into a new family life. It has long been said in Russia that bread is the head of everything. Without him, they did not sit down at the table, the failure of the wheat harvest was a tragedy for everyone. That is why bread symbolized prosperity, good luck, happiness, well-fed life and prosperity. No one big holiday could not do without a festive loaf. It had a round shape, like the sun, it was decorated with branches of ripe viburnum berries and poured spikelets. In the hands of craftswomen, this bread turned into a real work of art.

According to tradition, the bridegroom's parents met the young at the door of the house with a wedding loaf. The newlyweds were offered to bite off bread from different parts, whoever bit off a larger piece - he led the new family. Cunning and smart wives, knowing about this tradition, deliberately bit off a small piece so that the husband would feel significant and important.

Creating a wedding loaf

The festive loaf was baked on the eve of the wedding in the evening. Experienced baked it in the groom's house married women, moreover, the number of craftswomen could be from three to seven, but necessarily odd. Headed the craftswomen godmother groom. Women who knew the misfortune of widowhood, divorce or childlessness were not invited to bake a loaf for a wedding, so as not to “bake” an unfortunate fate to it. The process of baking bread was reminiscent of a special ritual, before starting to knead the dough, the bakers washed their faces, washed their hands, put scarves on their heads, and a pectoral cross around their necks, girded themselves with red sashes until sunset. Each of the women brought with her ingredients for baking.

The dough was kneaded in silence, it was believed that loud noises would not allow the dough to rise. A man who is married put bread in the oven. The loaves had to be skillful in baking, the dough had to be moderately steep so that the loaf would not crack and spread in the oven. Such craftswomen were highly respected and presented with special gifts: tablecloths, treats. The size of the loaf also mattered: the richer and larger it was, the more wealth there would be in the house of the newlyweds. Moreover, decorations in the form of swans, flowers, wheat ears, stars, the sun and the moon were baked separately.

Storage of a wedding loaf

The finished loaf for the wedding was guarded from evil eyes under an embroidered towel until the wedding itself, it was kept by people close to the groom - his God-parents. The towel for the wedding loaf was special, usually. It was decorated with bright roosters - a symbol of a new happy life. After cooling down, the “wedding”, as the wedding loaf was called, was carried to the bride’s house to be shown. And if it was baked in both young families, then the parents exchanged bread. The loaf for the wedding was left to spend the night in the house of the young, and in the morning they were taken out to the guests. Now it was divided between all those invited, but the first piece of the middle went to the young. It symbolized wealth and family happiness.

The wedding loaf was called differently in different places: both kurnik, and festive bread, and cookies, and pie. It was associated with magic and power, which was endowed with it during baking, praying and performing a traditional ritual. It was customary for some nationalities to give a small gift in response to a presented piece of loaf.

There was also one old tradition - to bake cones from dough. They were made from dough left over from the loaf. The dough was rolled out and cut into strips, which were twisted into small cones. At the same time, on one side, the cone remained smooth, and on the other, flakes of dough. Such cones served invitation cards. The bride and her bridesmaids walked around the village and handed out similar invitations to the wedding guests. The person who received the bump could no longer refuse the invitation. For young people, different figurines of birds were baked: pigeons, larks or ducklings.

The tradition of meeting the newlyweds with a loaf of salt

Wedding traditions are still alive today. Young people are greeted with a loaf of salt, served on wedding towel. The groom's mother treats the newly-made husband and wife, the father holds an icon in front of him, symbolizing the blessing of their marriage. The loaf is divided in this way: according to the old tradition, the middle goes to the newlyweds, the bottom is given to musicians and singers, the rest is equally divided among the invited guests. Moreover, everyone must taste the wedding bread, otherwise the magical power will bypass it, and the guest will not be considered involved in the wedding. It is interesting that jewelry from the loaf was intended for unmarried girls.

A beautiful and old tradition carries a deep meaning, confirmed for centuries. Now not everyone follows the old traditions, but what can be a wedding without a loaf?

Well, here is the long-awaited wedding celebration. Not only young people prepare for it thoroughly, but also the parents of the bride and groom have enough worries. Ordered wedding dresses and banqueting hall, wedding rings are waiting for a go-ahead to “ring” the happy newlyweds, almost ready to leave.

Beautiful wedding loaf with an embroidered towel

By the way, how are things going with the groom's parents with the loaf? Haven't forgotten? Caring for him traditionally falls on their shoulders. Young people at the doorstep of the house should always be met by the mother of the groom with traditional branded pastries - a wedding loaf.

And what did it symbolize, why exactly did the loaf have such an honorable place in the celebration? Don't know yet? Then we continue to read.

Wedding loaf - traditions are always interesting

Since ancient times, the ritual baking of the Slavs for the wedding was a loaf, which was considered a symbol of prosperity, happiness, good luck. The young people bit off a piece of the presented loaf - whose was larger, according to tradition, the fate of the owner of the family awaited.

By tradition, the newlyweds bite off the loaf

Prudent girls at that time did not seek to grab a bigger piece: they did not claim leadership, and even at that time it was unrealistic, because the male half of the family should always be the breadwinner. Now, of course, the priorities of some have changed, but it's a pity ...

Wedding loaf - signs you need to know

Previously, a loaf for the wedding was baked in the groom's family. Experienced married women were involved in its baking, and the godmother of the groom led this process. Childless, divorced and widows were not allowed to bake, who, according to signs, could contribute a share of their unfortunate fate to the loaf.

Beautiful wedding loaf with swans

The loaf must be protected from the envious unkind eye, so he says. Therefore, it was always kept as a pillowcase until the very wedding feast. The observance of this rule was taken care of by a person endowed with this duty, but you yourself do not take your eyes off him. You never know ... Dividing the loaf was entrusted to people who have with the newlyweds not blood, but spiritual kinship. Godparents were considered such people.

According to signs, each guest present at the celebration had to receive a piece of the loaf and taste it, otherwise he was ranked among those who ignored this holiday. The loaf was endowed with magical powers, the guests shared their piece of the house among all family members, they even took it on the road, as they believed that it had positive energy and would protect the traveler from adversity.

Where to order a wedding loaf for someone who does not bake

The wedding loaf was usually baked at the groom's house, but now these pastries are usually ordered from bakeries or bakeries, or bought at specialized outlets. You can discuss all the details of the design with them.

The wedding loaf is traditionally baked in the groom's family

Towel for a wedding loaf - you can't do without it

The loaf is presented to young people on a bright towel embroidered with roosters (a long towel). Not without reason, a rooster was chosen as a pattern on it - it marks the beginning of a new day, and for newlyweds - the beginning of a new life.

Traditionally, a rooster should be depicted on a wedding towel.

A ruddy, lush loaf with which young people are greeted is perhaps one of the main Russian wedding traditions, the same integral attribute of a holiday, such as, for example, White dress bride. It is noteworthy that according to some versions, the term "loaf" itself has "wedding" roots: it is believed that it originated from the word "cow" - that, oddly enough, in some regions the bride was called.

It is worth noting that "bread" rituals can also be found in the wedding ceremonies of other peoples. For example, ritual bread is present at Spanish marriages; after the end of the holiday, its pieces are distributed to guests. Bread and salt are essential elements of a German wedding; True, they are not on the table, but in the bride's pocket, in very small quantities, as symbols of future abundance and wealth. However, perhaps nowhere did the loaf occupy such an important place as at Slavic weddings.

"Bake, bake, loaf cheese..."

The tradition of making loaf appeared in pre-Christian Russia; its form represented the Sun, which, according to ancient legend, in the form of round wheat bread, descended to Earth to take a young family under its protection. In addition, a loaf is a symbol of fertility, abundance and wealth (recall, for example, an old proverb about someone else's loaf, which you should not "open your mouth").

It is no coincidence that the process of preparing such a symbolic treat required strict adherence to established rules. The so-called loaves participated in it - experienced craftswomen well versed in the art of baking. Each slip could not only spoil the taste of bread, but also become, to a certain extent, a bleak prediction. So, it was believed that if the dough turned out to be too steep, then the young would have to overcome many difficulties and sharp twists of fate. If, on the contrary, it is liquid, then the loaf can crack in the oven - the family can also split in the same way.

In addition, only married women who were necessarily happy in marriage could be loafers; it was believed that by taking part in the baking of wedding bread, they give the young a piece of their family happiness. And often these "particles" were not conditional, but quite tangible, because in many regions the loaf was prepared from products that its creators brought with them.

Before the start of the kneading, the women had to wash themselves, read a prayer, and only after that they could proceed, without exaggeration, to the sacred service: one loaf woman poured flour through a large sieve, another added baking, the third kneaded the dough. The molding of bread also required skill. Sometimes the traditional loaf consisted of two parts: viburnum berries, honey and cheese were laid out on the lower one, which were supposed to symbolize life in abundance. In other cases, 3-tiered bread was baked, signifying three generations belonging to the same clan. The most elegant part of it was the top, decorated with floral ornaments or figurines of birds; it was cut first and given to the young.

A friend had to sweep the stove and put a loaf in it - a man, a best man from the groom's retinue, and this also had a special meaning: the stove personified the mother's womb, and the shovel with which the dough was placed - masculinity; loaf in this case was considered the fruit resulting from their combination. When the bread was in the oven, real fun began in the house: dances were arranged around the bowl (the tub in which the dough for wedding bread was prepared), the loaves sang ritual songs designed to scare away evil spirits from the bread.

In some areas, the rite of baking a loaf was somewhat different. For example, in Ukraine, bread in the form of a boot was prepared especially for the future mother-in-law; the groom was supposed to present it to the mother of his chosen one in gratitude for her daughter. The new-born son-in-law gave bread in the form of a harrow or a bull to the father-in-law.

As a rule, the loaf was baked in the bride's house, but sometimes before the wedding two breads were prepared at once, after which the intermarried families exchanged them. In this case, parents met the young with one loaf, after which it was divided between two families, and the second was put on the table or carried to the groom's house, where, as a rule, the wedding night took place. Wedding bread was baked only once - at the first marriage.

"The loaf went on oak tables ..."

Since the loaf was considered a symbol of family happiness, its presentation was also special. As today, parents greeted the young with bread after the wedding; on an embroidered towel, a loaf was held by a newly-baked mother-in-law. But the custom, common at modern weddings, of biting a loaf and determining by the size of the piece who will be the master in the house, appeared, obviously, not so long ago.

In the old days, the godparents carried the loaf to the table, and it was they who divided it not only among the young, but also among all those who gathered, who always took a piece of ritual bread with them. Moreover, the very question of headship in the family could hardly have arisen then: the head was considered a man, the only breadwinner, while a woman is a faithful friend, the keeper of the family hearth.

The most delicious bread

Today, young people, as a rule, prefer to order a loaf for their wedding day in pastry shops, rather than entrust their preparation to relatives. However, in order for the loaf to become not just traditional bread, but one of the symbols of the wedding celebration, keeping love and warmth, you can bake it yourself, especially since it is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.

The main guarantee of a rich, bright taste of wedding bread is a large number of muffins: butter, milk or cream, eggs. So, for 2 kilograms of flour you need to take a dozen eggs, 100 grams butter and 100 milliliters of milk. In milk, which needs to be slightly warmed up, dry yeast (20 grams) and a teaspoon of sugar are bred. The yolks and proteins should be separated, after which the yolks are ground with 8 tablespoons of sugar and mixed with the prepared yeast mass.

Flour, sifted through a sieve for splendor, must be poured out in a slide; a depression is made in the center of it, into which a mixture of yolks, milk, yeast and sugar is poured. Egg whites are beaten separately, they are also added to the flour, like salt (about 2 teaspoons), after which the dough is kneaded - not too steep, soft and elastic. Experienced housewives know that the dough should rise at least once, after which it should be kneaded and the loaf should be formed.

The dough is divided into two parts different sizes. From the larger one, you need to form a ball, put it on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and lightly moisten with water. From a smaller part, make decorations - flowers, leaves, pigtails and others; they will easily stick to the damp surface of the loaf. The decorations themselves should also be moistened, otherwise they will dry out while the loaf is parting (this process will take about an hour, the volume of bread should triple). If for the preparation of decorations not yeast, but unleavened dough is used, then you need to attach them to the base half an hour before the end of baking.

The case is small: it remains only to bake delicious wedding bread. Its surface is smeared with yolk, after which the loaf is placed on the lower level of the oven heated to 200 degrees. In order for the bread to bake evenly, after the top has browned, you should cover it with foil, while reducing the temperature to 170 degrees, at which the bread will be baked for about an hour. At the same time, it is important not to open the door, do not take out the bread, but after turning off the oven, you should let it stand inside for about 20 minutes.

You can make changes to the basic recipe if you wish. For example, bread will have a delicate honey taste if half of the sugar is replaced with honey. It will acquire a special aroma if the dough is kneaded with baked milk. You can cook a loaf with stuffing; in this case, the finished dough should be divided into three parts. The first, largest, is the base on which the filling will be laid out (berries, fruits, poppy seeds with sugar, jam, and so on); the filling is covered with the second part, and decorations are made from the third, small one.

loaf beauty

The traditional design of the loaf is plant elements: leaves, flowers, ears. Wedding bread (as, indeed, the room in which it was prepared) was necessarily decorated with baked branches of viburnum, which since ancient times was considered a symbol of love. There is an old legend about a girl who fell in love with a blacksmith who did not pay any attention to her. In desperation, the beauty decided to burn the forest in which the young man spent all his time, but in the fire she herself suffered, having lost her beauty. Only one plant remained from the once large forest - viburnum, over which the girl shed bitter tears, they gave the sweet berries a bitter taste.

In many wedding songs (for example, in the ritual lamentations of the bride at bachelorette parties), Kalinov Bridge was also mentioned, which personified the transition from a single, free life to a married one, full of both happiness and trials:

Yes, from this baenka to the burner
And there are viburnum bridges ...

And in the Belarusian tradition, solar (related to the Sun) and lunar (related to the Moon) signs were applied to wedding bread. In addition, paired decorations were often used - for example, images of a pair of swans, which, as you might guess, symbolized the young, their love and fidelity.

Today, the decoration of the loaf is devoid of its former symbolism, it has rather an aesthetic value. There are some tricks to make wedding bread really elegant and beautiful:

For the preparation of decorations, it is better to use not yeast dough, from which the loaf itself is baked, but shortbread or dumplings - they are more elastic, so they are suitable for cutting original figurines any form;

Leaves, roses, braids and other decorations will turn out clearer if you apply them to the base of the loaf not before baking, but half an hour before it ends. In order to attach them, you can use wooden skewers or egg white. An exception is a braided braid: it is better to wrap the loaf with it before putting it in the oven so that it does not blur and has a voluminous appearance.

You can select decorative elements using natural dyes- turmeric, paprika, beet juice, carrot or spinach, cocoa.

Making your own wedding loaf jewelry is not a complicated process at all. Here are some of them:

1. Spit. Three ropes of dough are used, the length of which should be twice the circumference of the bread. They need to be blinded at one end, then braid the braid in the usual way, wrap it around a loaf and secure the end with a skewer.

2. Leaves. The dough is thinly rolled out, then rhombuses are cut out of it, the edges of which are cut with a "herringbone". The veins of the "leaves" are drawn with a knife.

3. Roses. From the rolled out dough, you need to cut out several circles, then fold them in a row with a small (about 5 mm) overlap, lightly pressing the junction with your finger. Then a strip of circles needs to be rolled up and cut in the center - you get two roses, all that remains is to gently bend the petals of each of them. There is another way to make roses: a circle of dough is wrapped in a tube and wrapped in a second circle, which, in turn, is a third, and so on until a lush flower is obtained.

4. Birds. A piece of dough must be rolled into a small tourniquet, and then tied in a knot, making a wide loop. Flatten one end of the dough (symbolizing a bird's tail) and make several cuts, stretch the other end, depicting a beak and decorate on both sides with raisins - "eyes".

To be or not to be?

Until recently, almost all weddings were held according to identical scenarios, which necessarily included the ceremony of meeting young loaves. Popular today themed holidays, and on many of them the Russian tradition may look out of place. However, completely refuse to greet the newlyweds with their parents, parting words and first wishes new family from the lips of the closest people, probably still wrong. Therefore, there are many options for replacing the first bread in accordance with the theme of the holiday. Let's name just a few of them:

For lovers of frills: strawberries with cream.
. For romantics: personalized handmade chocolates.
. For lovers of extreme sports: tequila with salt and lemon.
. For an Italian-style wedding: pizza.

For those young people who do not want to give up traditions, but at the same time strive to bring some changes to the usual meeting procedure, we can offer to prepare a loaf for the holiday unusual shape(for example, in the form of a cornucopia filled with fruits), with original fillings, decorated with icing, which will symbolize the "sweet life"...

In a word, the fantasy in this matter is limitless. The main thing is to remember that a loaf is not ordinary bread, not an "on-duty" attribute, but a symbol of warmth, happiness, love and good wishes, which young people first receive as a gift, and then generously share with their guests.