sue25 Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Hello! Our daughter is getting married next year in Kent in England. I am English and my husband is Armenian. She would very much like to know about Armenian wedding Traditions - can anybody help? We went to see the Armenian national dancers at the Albert Hall some years ago, does anybody know if there are any dancers based in England? Thanks for any information Regards Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nané Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Hello! Our daughter is getting married next year in Kent in England. I am English and my husband is Armenian. She would very much like to know about Armenian wedding Traditions - can anybody help? We went to see the Armenian national dancers at the Albert Hall some years ago, does anybody know if there are any dancers based in England? Thanks for any information Regards Sue style_images/master/snapback.png Well I can't help with the dancers as I live in the US. But here are a few wedding traditions which I find worthy of passing on. As the mother of the groom welcomes the couple into her home (in this case it would probably be the hall) she puts "lavash" on the right shoulder of the groom and left shoulder of the bride (it may be the other way around, not sure). This symbolizes prosperity. I believe it comes from pagan times. Another tradition I like: there is only one bridesmaid (harsnaqur) and one usher (azab bashi). Of course, there's the armenian trio (zurna, dhol, accordion) that accompanies the groom and his entourage to the bride's house. They dance before they enter the house and dance some more as they leave with the bride. I don't know how appropriate these would be for your daughter's wedding but that's my 2 cents on the topic. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Dear Sue, anyone who posts in this thread and gives advice has to be invited to the wedding by Armenian wedding traditional law. Here is a topic that you may find of interest http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=4011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest abcdefghijkl Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Sue, you could try contacting the London-based Armenian community centre called Hayashen. I can't remmeber theirtelephone number but their website is www.caia.org.uk Also, perhaps check out the on-line back issues of their magazine - if there are any dancers based in Britain then their performances would probably be mentioned somewhere in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest abcdefghijkl Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 Isn't there an Armenian marriage custom where the father of the bride has to give (as a sort of symbolic dowry) a gold coin to the groom? And that if the groom is from "eastern Armenia", it should be a Tzarist-period gold coin, and if from "western Armenia", (i.e. any middle eastern country, or Cyprus) then it should be an Ottoman gold coin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nairi Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 And don't forget the famous saying: "The bride who couldn't dance complained that the floor was slanted." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted November 8, 2004 Report Share Posted November 8, 2004 I have some suggestions as well - some that aren't so stuffy and traditional - but they'll be coming soon, as I don't have much time to post right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaunt Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 (edited) The bride stomping on a plate before entering the home. The brother of the sister stands in front of the door, not letting his sister go until the groom offers him a reward. If there is no brother, then a cousin, etc. The circle dance. Won't be an Armenian wedding without one. Releasing two doves after church ceremony. http://www.cilicia.com/armo_church_weddingservice.html http://www.weddingchannel.com/cgi-bin/gx.c...l01.html#Africa (scroll down) Edited November 9, 2004 by shaunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 OK. I am going to add the oldest and the nicest and the best Armenian wedding tradition. When after the wedding ceremony the bride and groom are finaly left alone they do some realy crazy and funny stuff which is in tune with the similar tradition of all nations of the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Armen jan, what would that be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtraHye Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 OK. I am going to add the oldest and the nicest and the best Armenian wedding tradition. When after the wedding ceremony the bride and groom are finaly left alone they do some realy crazy and funny stuff which is in tune with the similar tradition of all nations of the world style_images/master/snapback.png Would you care to elaborate on that statement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Azat jan, in details? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armen Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 OK looks like there is a popular demand on that tradition Stay tuned to find out more about the best and the nast.. brrr, I mean nicest Armenian wedding tradition Will be back in 3 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 OK looks like there is a popular demand on that tradition Stay tuned to find out more about the best and the nast.. brrr, I mean nicest Armenian wedding tradition Will be back in 3 hours. style_images/master/snapback.png Armen ch@Hamardzakves !!! k@spanem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Well it seems my suggestions were already posted. But here are some more - some are a little bit more traditional than others - someone prepared this for me: Traditionally, the number of the guests were based on the status of the couple's parents who made the official guest-list. However everyone else was welcome to join in the dances. Fall was the ideal season, when food was abundant and people were less busy. The average party lasted three to seven days. Preferably, they started on Thursdays. At the groom's house, the opening and transfer of wine into the decanters was done with special ritual and prayers of the senior members of the family, after which they would go to the cemetery with the priest to bless the memory of the grooms ancestors. The Bride-Bathing ceremony was the first among other preparations, which followed with the application of "henna". Concurrently, the Groom's party was busy giving him the haircut and shave. These two ceremonies were made with the assistance of the closest members of the families and friends. Music, songs , dance and reciting of poetry were all part of these rituals. There were special category of meals made for wedding occasions only. Women and maiden were busy with food preparation. As a sign of respect, at the Bride's house, the unlit "ojagh" was kissed by the couple three times. Then, after lighting the ojagh they would carry the fire to light the one in her new home. This would be the last farewell to their neighbors and friends. The sound of the "zourna" from the Groom's rooftop signaled the start of the real moment of the wedding. During the party "tamada" was chosen by the guests, who also had a deputy to remember the names of the individuals to be honored with a toast. Weddings were the ripe occasions to settle misunderstandings, past disputes and quarrels. It was the duty of the Best-man to stand by the wedding hall and hold his sward at the door lintel while the couple crushed plates symbolizing the victory of the good over evil . During the party the tamada had to make toasts to the memory of the couples' ancestors, to the parents, to the Bride and Groom, the Best-man and to the remainder members of the immediate families. The gifts were presented after these toasts were exhausted. Dancing, music, and group circle dances lasted till the early hours of the morning, to which the Bride and the Groom were obliged to participate. The party ended upon the completion of the couple's " candle dance " A happy and memorable wedding was considered the sign of a happy New Life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaunt Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 (edited) Weddings were the ripe occasions to settle misunderstandings, past disputes and quarrels. Yet it wouldn't be an Armenian wedding without a fight, . Ok, maybe I exaggerated a bit, . Edited November 9, 2004 by shaunt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Yes, yes.... but if you're lucky, you only find out about the fight after your wedding os over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted November 9, 2004 Report Share Posted November 9, 2004 Yes, yes.... but if you're lucky, you only find out about the fight after your wedding os over... style_images/master/snapback.png is that b4 or after he gets to knwo teh total cost of his wedding ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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