Every traditional Ukrainian holiday or important event in a family's life was filled with particular meaning, with a great many rites and sacred rituals. A Ukrainian wedding stood out among such occasions for the wealth of rites filled with symbolism. Everything mattered here — the dishes, the clothing, the omens, the weather, the songs and the customs of the family.

Preparation for this important event began long before the matchmaking, because every girl prepared embroidered rushnyky from an early age, learning the craft of embroidery from her mother or grandmother. These were not simply rushnyky, though they were for a wedding, but talismans for the future family. Even a very poor family had to have such pieces for every stage of the wedding: bread and salt were brought out to the matchmakers on a rushnyk, the couple's hands were bound with one during the church wedding, one was spread under their feet, the elders were girded with one, they were hung on icons, and bread and the korovai were carried on them. 

Having a wedding embroidered shirt mattered no less. The bride-to-be embroidered several shirts for her dowry as well. And having prepared her own wedding clothing, she had to take care of a men's vyshyvanka for her groom. The ornaments on wedding vyshyvankas had to be placed around the neck opening, on the cuffs and on the hem. A particular ritual had to be kept: the girl prayed before starting work, used only a new needle, worked so that as few eyes as possible saw her embroidering, never embroidered at night, and considered Lent the best time. Knots, a broken needle and tangled threads were regarded as bad signs.

No pattern on a Ukrainian vyshyvanka, and especially on a wedding one, was accidental. A vyshyvanka had its own particularities depending on the region, and the meaning of the ornaments was passed from generation to generation. The most common traditional patterns were hop leaves, grapes, clusters of viburnum, and geometric ornaments in the form of diamonds, circles and endless lines. In a hidden place on the wedding shirt, women's and men's alike, a symbol was embroidered in red thread to serve as a talisman against every misfortune. The tradition of the red thread has survived to this day, when red threads are tied on the wrist or on clothing against the evil eye.

Having prepared the men's and women's vyshyvankas and the rushnyky in advance, a girl waited above all for the engagement. First a young man, having settled on his future wife, told his parents, and they agreed with the girl's parents on a day for the matchmaking. After that there could be a viewing, a meeting of the families, if the parents had not met before. The matchmaking usually took place on an appointed day, when the young man came to the girl with the matchmakers. Everyone dressed in vyshyvankas as for a holiday. If the girl agreed to marry, she brought the young man a kerchief or an embroidered rushnyk; if she refused, a pumpkin. That was a great shame both for the matchmakers and for the young man. When the matchmakers and the couple came to an agreement, the planning of the wedding itself began: baking the korovai, preparing the dishes and the drink. Baking the korovai was a rite of its own, in which women happy in their marriages took part. They came in clean embroidered shirts, prayed that the korovai would turn out well and set about kneading the dough. The korovai bakers sang songs, wishing the new family happiness and wellbeing. If the korovai did not turn out, it was regarded as a bad sign, so the women tried to do everything in a good mood and with good thoughts.

On the eve of the wedding the bride's friends held a hen night, where she said farewell to her maidenhood; they sang songs, decorated the wedding tree with viburnum, flowers and ribbons, and wove a flower crown.

The wedding itself began in the early morning. On the way to the bride's house the groom was usually asked for a ransom by the villagers, in the form of vodka and food. It was believed that the more often he was stopped, the better for the new family's future life, so the groom was not to refuse anyone. At the bride's house a ransom was asked too, this time for the bride herself. Her brother or her friends bargained with the groom's matchmakers. After that the parents blessed the couple. The couple bowed to the guests and set off for the church wedding. During that sacrament our ancestors stepped onto the rushnyk with their knees only, and in such a way as not to touch the pattern, as the place in the middle without embroidery was called God's. The wedding rushnyk served as a talisman for the new family and was passed down to their children.

After the church wedding all the guests awaited the celebration. The couple were greeted with bread and honey, which the bride and groom tasted and then passed to the guests. In various regions of Ukraine a great many rites connected with the wedding itself can be found: the stealing of the bride or of her shoe, the feasting of the «Zaporozhians», the unbraiding of the hair, the covering of the head with a kerchief, the dancing around the couple, the dividing of the korovai, the initiation of the groom into manhood, the singing of ritual songs, the giving of gifts to the groom's family and many others. In the past a wedding was celebrated over two days, at the groom's house and at the bride's. The last ceremony of the celebration was the so-called «pyrohy» or «borshch». The groom's parents and their closest relatives went to the bride's parents, where close family also gathered. The groom's mother baked pies and took them to the matchmakers. In this way they thanked the parents for their daughter-in-law.

And so this long, joyful wedding rite came to an end. For the couple a period of family life began, accompanied by other traditions and rites.