Ukrainian Wedding step 7

So, here we are, entering the church. It is a small but historically important temple. It is situated on a hill, on the shore of the Ternopil Pond, quite near the city center. The walls are covered in paintings, everybody is in high spirits. All girls are covering their heads with scarves and shawls which we braught with us for this moment of the day. We do this out of respect although not all of us are orthodox, and we do it willingly but not quite happy because the heat is enormous. You would rather prefer to take off your clothes. Then a babushka approaches us and says "Djevotchki, you don't need to cover your heads, it is just for us old grandmas, you are young, you should not cover your head!". We cannot make logic out of this but due to the temperatures, some of us, non-orthodox girls thank the grandma and put off the shawls.

The ceremony begins, the church's inside is crowded and atmospherically illuminated. These are rather hard conditions for taking pictures. I am standing on my toes trying to see something. The couple is surrounded by their witnesses who hold the important requisits of the day: Rutchnik and now a new element: the crowns. During the entire ceremony the male witnesses are holding crowns above the heads of the bride and the groom. 
The marital ritual has an usual wedding length, someting about an hour. But still holding the crowns is a strenuous effort. Luckily the witnesses are able to change the shifts with two other close male friends and recover for some minutes during the ceremony.

It is clear to us all that the true espousal is happening only here. The formal act of marriage in the city hall was not the real deal. That is why the emotions grow rapidly during the church part. Here and there you hear ladies weaping, my hand is shaking, it gets harder to hold the camera and to find an angle to make a snap shot.

During the entire time there is a lot of singing and a lot of symbolic gestures. Towards the end, the priest blesses both the bride and the groom individually and speaks a prayer holding his hands right above their heads. i like this very personal gesture.

All of the sudden, the atmosphere changes when the couple turns around towards the wedding guests. Now it is clear, the holy ceremony is over, they are a married people, a signal for photographers to shoot the first pictures with the witnesses and a signal that we all will be leaving the church soon.

We are all a little stuck in the middle between very official act and the part when everybody is allowed to approach the couple and wish them all the best. Everybody is waiting for any sign when to move outside the church, but this is up to the couple, their parents and the photographers.

First picture with the parents is being taken in front of the altar.

Slowly, the church empties, we go outside to await the newly weds to enter the day light.

Girls have teary eyes.

The first kiss outside of the church:

Now the guests are throwing rose blossoms at the couple and the couple throws candies back at the crowd. For my Polish-German mind it is like Corpus Christi procession mixed with Carnival.

The grown-ups are helping the children to collect the candies.

The crowd is calling "Gorko gorko!" - it is a loud traditional request for the young couple to kiss.

And now...everybody seem to need a second to order their thoughts, to see what's up next. Even babushkas seem to be lost a bit. Who is about to congratulate the young people first? Who should?

The couple seems to enjoy that there is a short break in the overlaping events.

The kids are busy digesting the sweets and more like attached to the bridal dress rather than carrying the train behind the young woman.

a moment of deconcentration...

Pressure drops.

And here we go again. Parents cry. Of course!

All of a sudden everybody is relieved that they can finally extensively congratulate the couple, the crowd gathers around them...

...and the tears are just under the surface.

The heat and the intensity of the feast makes some people look for a place to take a deep breath aside.

Bride and her entourage take a look into the camera with their watery eyes.

Now it's babushkas' turn. They bless the couple by sprinkling them with grains.

And then every body starts to chant together with babushkas and the procession moves towards vehicles waiting for the guests.

Now, when the mobiles are on, the co-ordinating crew can communicate with whom-ever again.

The chanting babushkas disappear in the orange bus, laughing, singing and waving to the rest of us.

And the young marriage can for a short moment enjoy togetherness in the carriage.

The mayhem of Ukrainian party is about to begin...