Northern Macedonian wedding, with money tradition (c. 1973)
Macedonian weddings are multi-day affairs. They start the Monday before the wedding by confining the bride to her house and putting her trousseau on display. After some smaller wedding events, the Big Show kicks off on a Saturday, when the food is prepared and the day passes with groom’s wedding procession (the patinadha) and dancing.
The bride and her relatives receive the patinadha and join them in a bridal dance (kalamatiano). Sunday brings another procession, the ceremony, and more dancing. The post-wedding dance might include pinning money on the newlywed’s clothes to offer them a step toward prosperity in their lives together.
