Ancient Russian tradition is receiving favoring of parents on marriage. It is a special ceremony through which the senior generation approves the union of the groom and bride.
1. By tradition the ceremony of favoring has to be carried out before registration of marriage and a ceremony of repayment. For example, it is possible to carry out it on the eve of day of a wedding or some days before it. Nevertheless, the ceremony now given sometimes becomes a part of the wedding program when already become engaged newlyweds are met by parents with other guests, congratulate on marriage and invite to a table. Be defined in advance when favoring takes place not to allow confusion during the wedding.
2. Both the groom's parents, and the bride's parents participate in a ceremony of favoring. The father and mother of the groom get up closely to each other opposite to the son. The father at the same time holds in hand an icon with Christ's image. According to religious canons, the groom when blessing kneels down. The father and mother in turn christen the son an icon three times. Then the groom dawns on himself a sign of the cross and is put to Christ's face – kisses an icon. In the same order a ceremony the father and brides will see off mother. The difference of a ceremony in this case consists only in the used icon. This time on it not Jesus Christ, but the Virgin has to be represented.
3. The conclusion of church marriage provides also other stages in which parents of the groom and the bride have to participate surely. For example, right after a betrothal the young people get married in church. At this moment the parents have to be behind newly married. Mother and the father of the groom get up closer to the son, and the bride's parents - are closer to the daughter. At the end of the sacrament of a church wedding the parents of the groom have to come back home and be prepared for a meeting of newlyweds.
4. The groom's parents by orthodox traditions bless new family after the wedding again, inviting to enter the house already as the husband and the wife. At the same time the father holds in hand an icon of the Mother of God, and mother – a loaf with a salt quarter-liter bottle of vodka. Young people tear off on a loaf piece, dip in salt and feed each other. At the same time the father of the groom christens young people an icon, and mother keeps saying: "Welcome! Bread – salt!" It is considered that this ceremony will help to make the house "hospitable", that is, generous on a treat, and at young family will be all in prosperity. After the ceremony the parents in turn embrace and kiss on cheeks of the groom and the bride and also tell them the parting words. In old times after that guests and also the groom and the bride were invited to a table. Today, if wedding festivities are held not in the house, and in a special institution, all company can go there.