Quick Answer
What is blagoslovenie?
Blagoslovenie is the parents' blessing of the couple before the wedding ceremony — typically performed at the bride's or groom's home, where parents bless the couple using religious icons (often an icon of Christ for the groom and the Mother of God for the bride), sometimes alongside bread and salt.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is blagoslovenie?
Also called: parents' blessing, icon blessing ceremony.
Blagoslovenie is a brief, quiet ritual squeezed in among the louder festivities of a Russian wedding morning — after the theatrics of vykup nevesty die down, or before the couple heads off to ZAGS or the church, parents step forward with an icon in each hand and bless the couple's marriage before letting them go.
How the blessing is performed
The couple kneels or bows before their parents, who hold religious icons — traditionally an icon of Jesus Christ for the groom and an icon of the Mother of God (often the Kazan icon) for the bride — and make the sign of the cross over the couple while offering a spoken blessing. The icons are sometimes wrapped in a rushnik cloth, and bread and salt may be offered alongside the blessing as well.
- •Performed by the couple's parents, usually before departing for the ceremony.
- •Traditionally uses an icon of Christ for the groom and an icon of the Mother of God for the bride.
- •Often combined with bread and salt, and sometimes a rushnik cloth wrapped around the icons.
Planning notes
- •Confirm which family is providing the icons in advance — many families use heirloom icons passed down for this specific purpose.
- •Schedule it as its own short block in the morning timeline, separate from vykup nevesty, so it isn't rushed.
- •This is a quieter, emotional moment worth flagging to the photographer as distinct in tone from the louder ransom games earlier in the morning.
Plan the morning timeline with real buffer
Weddingkart's wedding checklist helps you sequence the morning's rituals — ransom, blessing, and travel — with realistic time built in.
Try the wedding checklist tool →Frequently Asked Questions
Is blagoslovenie only for religious families?
It is rooted in Orthodox Christian custom, so it is most common among religious or culturally observant families, though some non-practicing families still include a version of the blessing for its symbolic and emotional value.
What icons are used in blagoslovenie?
Traditionally an icon of Jesus Christ is used to bless the groom, and an icon of the Mother of God — often the Kazan icon — is used to bless the bride, though the specific icons can vary by family.
When during the wedding day does blagoslovenie happen?
Typically at the couple's home before they leave for the ceremony, often after the morning's vykup nevesty ransom ritual and before travel to ZAGS or the church.
Related
By Mayank JaiswalLast updated