We would like to show you how different were the marriage customs a hundred years ago.
MARRIAGES THEN
A hundred years ago marriage meant much more than nowadays.They
lasted for a life and there weren't any divorces. They didn't divorce because
they had respect for each other.
A lot of things were different because of the customs. When a boy
paid court to a girl he wasn't allowed to go into the girl's courtyard
until their engagement. When he wanted to engage the girl he had to ask his
godfather to talk with the girl's father and ask for the girl' hand.
If the girl's father agreed with the engagement they became engaged. From
this time they could go everywhere together. Before the wedding they had to wait
one or two long years. After this waiting period they could marry each
other. The boy's family had to choose a best man who played very important
role during the ceremony. The best man had to invite the guests and learn
special wedding poems. Three weeks before the marriage the priest had to
publish the banns in the church. One day before the reception in the morning the
best man had to invite the guests for a little dinner and the guests had to
bring their presents and the cakes what they were to make.
On the day of the marriage the best man had to collect the wedding
guests and they went to the girl's house to request her from her parents. The
best man had to do it by poems. Then they went to the register office to tie
up their lives. Then they went to the church and they asked the priest to
bless them. After these ceremonies they began to carouse. The best man had
to tell verses for every occasions. At midnight there was the bridal dance
when every guest had to give much money for the young couple. After this
event the young wife and the young husband went away. The reception lasted
to the next day. On the day after the wedding the young wife had to go to he church
with her mother-in-law. On that day the couple had to have lunch at the boy's
parents'. From this time they lived happily together.
We think that the marriages then were more interesting and
exciting
than now.
By Kerekes Réka, Illés Melinda and Mészáros Anett
We hope that you enjoyed our short essay.
http://www.iearn.hu/balkans/folklore/marriage.htm
