What are "bulls"?
Bulls at a wedding are two bottles of alcohol, usually champagne, which are given to the newlyweds. Bottles should be beautifully decorated and tied with a ribbon. Where did this strange name come from: “bulls”?
This tradition arose somewhere between the Dnieper and Don, in the south of the Russian Empire. In Ukrainian and Don villages, it was customary to give newlyweds a cow and a young bull. Firstly, there was a joke at the expense of the newlyweds, and secondly, own cattle was an excellent help for a young family. And this gift, by the way, was not cheap! After a year, the newlyweds had to call the guests and give the guests cow's milk to drink, as if declaring that they had managed the housework. And the bull was slaughtered in honor of the birth of the first child.
In approximately the same form, the tradition has survived to this day, only real bulls have become conventional “bulls.” The first bottle is opened a year after the wedding, and the second when the child is born. The comic tradition of stealing bulls and demanding a ransom for them, as well as for the bride’s shoe (and for the bride herself), has also been preserved.
Wedding bulls - champagne for a wedding
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In modern Russia, at many traditional weddings, it is customary to observe the custom - two beautifully decorated bottles with an alcoholic drink are placed on the table of the bride and groom: wine for the bride, champagne for the groom. In fact, it doesn’t matter whether it’s wine or some other alcohol. It is considered correct for this to be the favorite drink of the bride and groom. These bottles are called “bulls”; they stand on the table of the newlyweds throughout the wedding ceremony. After the wedding, the newly-made husband and wife take them with them and keep them at home. It is customary to open “bulls” on two occasions: on a wedding anniversary and on the birth of the first child.
The decoration of wedding “bulls” should be approached as carefully as the decor of other wedding accessories . The best option would be if the “bulls” are in harmony with the wedding glasses - decorated in the same style, because they will be in the most visible and honorable place throughout the celebration - the newlyweds’ table. A wedding set of bulls and glasses will be caught on camera and printed on photos that will remain a long-lasting memory for the newlyweds and their guests.
But don’t forget another important fact - “bulls” can be stolen, like other wedding attributes. Therefore, during the feast they should be protected from theft. But still, clever guests managed to take possession of the trophy and they could demand a ransom from the bride and groom. In order to return a precious and important symbol, not only the bride and groom will have to take the rap, but also the witnesses in all kinds of competitions.
Why Wedding Bulls
Where did the tradition of placing young symbolic bulls on the table come from - two bottles with the bride and groom’s favorite drinks?
The origins of this tradition come from the Don Cossacks, then the custom moved to Ukraine, where in villages, two live cows and a bull, tied with ribbons by the horns, were given as a wedding gift. They were given by relatives so that the young couple could feed themselves in the first year of their marriage. At that time it was a very valuable gift.
According to custom, on the first wedding anniversary, the spouses certainly had to give their parents milk - it was believed that the couple was working and capable of maintaining the household.
But at a wedding, live bulls could be taken away and demanded for ransom. They could steal anything: a bride, a shoe, a cow and a bull, even as a joke...
Time has passed, and today we, for the most part, are city dwellers, don’t bother with cows, but the tradition remains! Live bulls at weddings were replaced by wedding “bulls” - bottles of alcoholic drinks, theft and demands for ransom for them remained.
How to decorate wedding champagne
You can start decorating wedding bottles yourself.
To do this you must:
For decoration you may need:
There are a huge variety of options for decorating wedding champagne:
If you are ready to create a wedding masterpiece, start creating. And for those who don’t want to take risks and waste their time on wedding decor, you can order individual design of “bulls” and wedding glasses in the style of your wedding from a professional.
The article was prepared by Anna Dranovskaya for the Handicraft Lessons website.
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Why do they shout “bitterly”?
The cry of “bitter!” is clearly associated with a wedding and has become its slogan. Where did this tradition come from? Initially she was different. Once upon a time, the bride walked around the guests with a tray. The guest put money on the tray and took a glass for himself. After drinking, he said “bitterly,” confirming that there was vodka in the glass. After this, the guest kissed the bride. As you can see, the tradition has changed a little.
Other traditions
• Farewell to the old surname - the bride writes her maiden name on paper (and uses her husband’s back as a table), then seals the paper in a bottle and throws it from the bridge into the river. • The bride and groom go to the registry office in different cars, because earlier, when it was customary to get married, the groom arrived at the church earlier and waited for the bride at the entrance. • Fortune telling for a boy or a girl - guests place money on trays (they are also called sliders). If the friend has more, it will be a boy, if the friend has more, it will be a girl. • Wedding festivities in Rus' had a very practical purpose - noisy fun was supposed to scare away all the spirits. • Before leaving the wedding, the bride gives her shoes to her younger sister or other unmarried relative. Of course, we have not listed all wedding traditions here; we will talk about others later. If you want to buy good alcohol for a wedding, for the same "bulls" or for a feast - contact us!
Bottles decorated with satin ribbons
Today, the most popular design for champagne bottles is the one with satin ribbons. Bulls for a wedding are made in the form of a groom (suit with a bow tie or tie) and a bride (wedding dress). Before starting work, it is very important to think through all the details of the celebration, decide on the colors of the products, decorations (sparkles, glitters, beads, beads and other decorative elements).
To make wedding bottles, the craftsman will need to purchase the following materials:
It’s enough to simply make satin wedding bulls with your own hands, and the end result will be an amazing, bright and spectacular product. The work should begin with preliminary fitting of the satin ribbon. This will help you decide on the required length of material and experiment with the design of the bottle. The reverse side of the tape must be generously lubricated with glue and carefully applied to the glass.
For unique decoration, alternating satin and brocade ribbons is suitable. The work is done sequentially, layer by layer. After finishing processing the bottle with the material, it is necessary to glue decorative elements, for example, beads, lace, feathers, bows and more. Plunging into work, the master will definitely relax and give free rein to his imagination, as a result of which the wedding bulls will turn out to be original, sophisticated and, most importantly, the newlyweds will like it.
Bottles with the image of newlyweds
Bottles depicting the bride and groom are no less popular. Designing in this style is as easy as shelling pears. To do this, you need to choose your favorite photo and contact a printing company that will print a high-quality label or large photograph on special material. The lovers will only have to glue the wrapper to the bottle.
There are a lot of design options for wedding bottles, so everyone can choose the decor based on their own desires and preferences.
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Champagne decoration
Making wedding champagne for the bride and groom with your own hands is not at all difficult. You just need to use your imagination and apply a little diligence. But how impressive will a masterpiece made by yourself look? Decor options and simple recommendations for decorating will be outlined step by step below in the article.
In the meantime, watch an interesting video - master class “do-it-yourself wedding champagne for the bride and groom”:
Photo of DIY wedding bull decorations
Let's start the lesson
Making “bulls” yourself is not difficult. The main thing is not to forget about the style of the wedding. After all, elegant bottles will occupy an honorable central place on the newlyweds’ table all evening, and they will receive a lot of attention from the guests.
The bull bottles will remain in the newlyweds’ homes for a whole year, also occupying a prominent place. So at the stage of thinking through the details, this is worth taking into account.
You can decorate bottles in different ways. It can be ribbons, fabric, jute, stained glass paints, and decoupage. There are a lot of options; on the Internet you can find many step-by-step master classes, thanks to which you can easily make something interesting and original. We invite you to try making the “bulls” of the bride and groom using ribbons with us.
Read this: Foamiran topiaries as an alternative to fresh flowers
We will need:
- satin ribbons (we remind you that colors should be selected depending on the color scheme of the wedding);
- scissors;
- glue gun;
- guipure;
- decorative elements (rhinestones, beads, etc.);
- two bottles.
Progress
- Let's start working step by step by making the groom bottle.
First of all, measure the required length of the white tape and fold it in half. One edge should be lower than the other.
Iron the strip and collar of the shirt and glue it to the bottle.
Now we will glue the white tape, covering the lower part of the collar with it.
Next we move on to dark satin. Let's make a tie.
Time to make a jacket from dark ribbons. Measure the length and glue the tape.
Thus, we seal the area with tapes up to the flat part of the bottle, making a “side” so that we can further seal the tapes not obliquely, but horizontally.
Next, we twist the tape around the bottle, not forgetting to lubricate it with glue first.
Now we will glue the remaining ribbon-side, and white beads on it.
Read this: Bride and Groom Champagne: A Simple Decorating Tutorial
- Let's move on to the bride.
Glue a white narrow ribbon to the bottle at a 45-degree angle and decorate the corset with white ribbon.
We will cover the remaining empty lower part in a circle with a wide white ribbon, and glue guipure on top of it.
You can also cut flowers, leaves or other decorative elements from it.
Add rhinestones and beads to the bride's dress.
- Let's make a bow connecting the newlyweds.
First we will make two bows, one of which will be larger than the other, as shown in the photo. Let's sew them together and decorate them with dark ribbon and rhinestones.
Now we will make a headband holder. To do this, glue a thin white one to the dark tape, which will be longer in length than the dark one by 5-10 cm on each side. Let's tie a knot and glue the bow onto it.
And finally, the final stage of our work - we put a bow on both bottles, tying the newlyweds with family ties.
Your DIY wedding gift or decoration is ready!
How to decorate wedding glasses yourself
Glasses for the bride and groom should be decorated in the same style as the bottles using similar decor and materials. The lower part of the leg and the middle of the bowl are decorated. The top of the glass remains empty. It is also advisable to leave the stem itself undecorated so that the glass is comfortable to hold in your hands. The design uses a more laconic design with an emphasis on the key elements of bottle decor. For example, it could be a small composition of flowers that dominate the champagne or elegant bows. Also, glasses can, in miniature, replicate the clothing of the bride and groom’s bottles.
Video - decorating champagne bottles for a wedding:
Of course, to save time, you can order decor from professionals. But the creative process itself, putting your soul and positivity into a future product will bring pleasant emotions and pleasure from contemplating the beauty created with your own hands.
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Master class: bride and groom made from champagne bottles
The bride and groom made of satin ribbons on champagne bottles is a common attribute of a wedding celebration. Previously, this craft was ordered from decorators, but now anyone with minimal handicraft skills can make such a decoration.
You can decorate champagne in the form of newlyweds using different techniques: entwining bottles with ribbons in the simplest way or using the more complex kanzashi technique.
Champagne wedding couple decorated with ribbons
Groom made of ribbons on a bottle of champagne
To make a groom, you need to prepare materials :
- white and blue ribbons;
- white half beads of different sizes;
- heat gun;
- lace;
- organza;
- small artificial flower;
- champagne
Step by step execution:
- Cut a white satin ribbon 2 cm wide so that it is enough to wrap the neck of the drink. Fold along and carefully iron the fold line. Lightly scorch the edges with fire.
- Apply glue to the bottle and glue the tape, first one edge, then the other. Please note that on the back side the tape should be positioned slightly higher than on the front side so that it fits tightly to the surface of the glass.
- Raise the ribbon along the fold, like raising a collar, before putting on the tie. Glue the same white piece from below, close to the fold line of the first tape. Repeat the steps one more time.
- From a blue ribbon - it should already be white, tie a tie in any convenient way. The tie can be replaced with a bow tie from the same ribbon.
- Place a tie under the white decorative “collar” and tighten. Lower the collar and attach the free end of the tie to the bottle with glue.
- Below the shirt, braid the bottle with a blue ribbon until the shape of the champagne begins to change dramatically. At this point you will need to glue several tapes on top of each other to level the surface.
- Continue covering the drink with tape all the way to the bottom. The joint should be located on the front side. It will need to be covered with half beads, similar to buttons.
Under the shirt, a little to the side on a drop of glue, plant a boutonniere flower, and the bottle groom is ready!
Champagne bottle groom with bow tie
