What are they, gypsy weddings?

So far, among the Roma, marriage is the most common way to get married. Children can get involved with babies. When they reach the age of marriage, a gypsy wedding will be held , customs will be respected - this is the meaning of this matchmaking.

In addition, some ethnic groups of Gypsies have a custom of exchanging daughters-brides. That is, having given the daughter in marriage, they chose the groom's sister as the bride for her son. This was due to the ransom that the groom's family had to pay. Gypsy weddings are an expensive pleasure. Money for this most important event in the life of a person is not to be pitied.

Gypsies are quite common and stealing the bride, as a form of marriage, but they themselves do not welcome it. This happened, as a rule, if the parents did not allow the girl to marry a particular youth, or if his family does not have money for a gypsy wedding and ransom. Escape could be successful. Having lived somewhere on the side, the couple returned to the camp after a while and was accepted as a husband and wife. If they were able to catch up and return in hot pursuit - the outcome could be the most tragic.

And today the age of marriage of Roma is still quite early. Of course, the newlyweds of 15 years are now a rarity, but the normal marriage age is from 16 to 20 years. Early marriages in the Roma community were practiced to keep young people within the camp. If the youth had the opportunity to seek their own happiness on the side - the gypsies would hardly have survived as a people. So, the gypsy girls were shamefully to show sympathy for the young men, and the meetings alone were severely punished. To do this, there were serious reasons associated with the rituals of the Gypsy weddings.

In our time the place of acquaintance of young people is the Romany weddings of relatives. And parents, especially from sedentary gypsies, are now advised, and not ordered. But they want, and it's not considered shameful that a family with whom there is a prospect to become related, was respected and rich.

Matchmaking is also a ritual. In the tent where the bride lives, the relatives of the potential groom come and negotiate with her parents without the participation of the bride. The girl's father replies - the daughter is young, you have to think. Such an answer means consent. Then there is a bargaining in a joking manner. If the bride's family likes the bride's family, the girl's father can even give himself a part of the ransom to the matchmaker. To take a big ransom for a daughter is a matter of honor. When the agreement is reached, the bride is called and asked about her consent. Against the will of the parents, most girls do not go. At the conclusion of the ceremony, they eat together a wedding cake, a piece of which must be given to each of them present.

Gypsy weddings are played immediately after the payment of the ransom. The fun begins early in the morning, both in the tent of the groom and in the tent called. Decorate the houses with red flags, and guests pin a red flower or ribbon. In the house of the bride dressed in a white dress the culprit of the celebration dances with all the guests, and then one of the groom's relatives escorts her to the tent of the future husband. In this place scenarios are arranged unusual contests for the wedding - the bride's relatives block the road, and the groom's relatives "buy" the bride. In the tent, the young couple are seated together at the table, although on the gypsy holidays, women and men sit separately.

After a while they are escorted to the bedroom. The apotheosis of the holiday is the removal of the wedding veil or the bride's shirt, indicating that she has just lost her innocence, for everyone to see. And if there is nothing to show - gypsy weddings are considered void. The ransom is returned, all unnecessary expenses are paid by the parents of the bride. And still the girl's family is shrouded for a long time, other girls from her will not marry either. So the parents are watching their growing daughters very strictly.