The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-05-17
MARRIAGES IN BULGARIA..
The Price of wives Varies from 5000
to $1,000.


There are few places within the lin
its of standardization that boast of
more interesting marriage customs
than Bulgaria. Every young peasant
wishes to marry as early as possible,
as he is OF little importance in the
community until he has a wife. But
he is not in danger of forming an al
lance in opposition to his parents
wishes as his earnings belong to them
until he Is welded, and his wife must
be bought and paid for according to
her station in life. His parents usual
ly give him the necessary sum as soon
as they can afford IT, so that the re-
striction is less CALLING than it seems.
A wife purchase" varies from 5000 to
$500, in proportion to the wealth of
the contracting families, for the mar
riage is strictly family affair. In adj
dition to this, sum a smaller amount
is given to the brides mother for her
personal use. After the pecuniary ar
rangements have been made by the
proxies, the betrothal takes place on
either a Wednesday or Thursday. 1t
pledges regarding the sum to be paid
by the bridegroom on the one hand
and the household furnishings to be
supplied by the bride on the other
Rings there are blessed by the priest
and exchanged by the couple, the fan
Gee kisses the hands of the guests as
sembled and retires with her young
friends to feast prepared in another
room. The young people then dance
outside the house and sing. The fan
GEES presents are then produced and
their value estimated by the father of
the bride. These consist of shoes.
headdress and necklace Of coins, sill
yer belt, bracelets and other jewelry.
The father usually regards their value
as insufficient, probably to enhance his
daughters worth in her suitor's eyes,
and the lover adds coin by coin until
an agreement Is reached The marriage
does not take place until six months
after the betrothal. During the week
preceding the day set for the wedding
the hC"-e for the young couple is fur
nished by the brides parents. Then
her home is cleaned and whitewashed
and every hidden store brought out for
decoration. Cakes are made and sent
around as invitation cards, requesting
the recipient to come to the wedding
on Sunday, the invariable wedding
day. The articles composing the
trousseau are hung up for inspection
on cords stretched across the princi-
pal room on Friday by the feminine
part Of the community. On the fol-
lowing day two of the brides friends
come to help her dress her hair, plait-
ing it in minute braids, not to be un-
done until after the ceremony. Then
the village maids come with gifts of
sweets and flowers and all sit down on
the floor to a dinner of vegetables. On
Sunday the bride is seated in state in
all her gorgeous apparel and with a
spangled red veil over her face, to be
seen Of all the village folk. She wears
all the ornaments given her by her
hancee and as many more as she pos
sesses. The religious ceremony is
that of the Greek church, and may
take place in the church or in the
home of the bridegroom's father. After
It's performance the party returns to
the home Of the brides parents,
where the wedding feast is held. Sing
ing and dancing follow until time to
escort the bride to her new home
NAxrV IL T--sL