Fenian Marriage Rituals and Ceremonies

Mondias

 
Couples wishing to marry have to apply to Cyad Headquarters for permission.  They will then be assigned a date and venue, usually the local State Law Bureau or courthouse.

 
Ceremonies are conducted by Judges or Senior State Lawyers in a standard form prescribed by Cyad Law.  The bridal couple usually wear their work uniforms or formal suits.  Family and friends do not attend the ceremony, but some couples hold private celebrations in their homes afterwards.

 

 
Yttria

 
Most marriages follow the standard Cyad form.  However, there are a few Carpathian Temples and Margian Shrines where couples may marry by arrangement with the High Priest or High Priestess.  Men wear formal suits in dark colours and women wear a dress or suit in white or soft pastel shades.  Wedding rings are usually exchanged by the couple.

 
If the ceremony takes place in a Temple or Shrine, presided over by a priest or priestess, the couple’s family and friends attend and have a celebration afterwards.

Viria

Traditional ceremonies have to be arranged with the local priest or priestess, who usually presides over the ceremony.  They are held in temples, churches or other suitable venues, such as hotels, country houses or village halls.  The couple wear their clan colours.  Men dress in smart formal jacket, tunic and trousers while women wear long dresses.  Women also wear traditional head-dresses and veils.  Various prayers and oaths are spoken as part of the ceremony.
 

Modern ceremonies tend to be shorter and less formal.  There is no specific requirement to wear clan colours, although it is common for a man to wear a tie or cravat in clan colours and a woman may wear a scarf or veil in clan colours.  These ceremonies usually take place in secular venues such as hotels or even at the couple’s home.
 

Most Virians invite a large number of guests, including family, friends, neighbours, co-workers and in some cases, important community leaders.  A lengthy and joyous celebration follows, sometimes lasting several days.

Sartoria

 
Tribal Sartorians do not have formal marriage ceremonies.  Instead, the bridal couple fight each other.  These fights usually take place in front of the whole tribe.  The purpose of the fight is to demonstrate strength and gentleness.  One partner (in heterosexual couples, the woman) issues the challenge and the other partner (in heterosexual couples, the man) accepts.  There is no set duration for the fight.  The couple determine when the fight is over.  The one accepting the challenge submits by kneeling in front of the one issuing the challenge.

 
In accordance with tribal customs, the couple and the tribe do not wear any clothing, although it is common for them to adorn themselves with body paint for the occasion.

 
Settled or non-tribal Sartorians usually take their vows in front of a member of the Priesthood, the head of their family (Patriarch or Matriarch) or the local Hastamage.  They wear fine silk robes and precious jewels.

 
Both forms of marriage are followed by lengthy celebrations, often lasting into the next day.
Sartorians are very accepting of love in all its forms.  Same-sex couples from other worlds often travel to Sartoria in order to get married.

Varathusia

 
Carpathians go in for long formal ceremonies.  All attendees wear purple robes.  The bridal couple also wear layers of fine gauze veils covering their faces.  The priest or priestess opens the ceremony and the Patriarch or Matriarch from the highest ranking family will also give a formal introductory speech.  Each party to the marriage chooses a member of their own family to speak for them.  These speeches usually include a summary of the person’s life and they can be formal or comedic, depending on the wishes of the couple and the personality of the one delivering the speech.  The joining part of the ceremony is done via handfasting.  The priest or priestess binds the couple’s hands together with pink and purple ribbon.  They have to stay bound until the wedding feast, when they may untie the ribbon in order to eat more easily.  Carpathian oaths and prayers are recited before the feast takes place.

 
Carpathian celebrations are often lavish and may include going to one venue for the feast and another for the party afterwards.

 
Varah ceremonies are similar to Carpathian ones, except that Carpathian oaths and prayers are omitted.  The couple may substitute their own prayers if they are having a faith-based ceremony.  Celebrations are usually organised by the couple’s families or in some cases by their employers.

 
Par-Varahs usually forgo formal ceremonies due to the cost involved.  They tend to say their vows in front of a priest, if they can find one willing to hear them free of charge.  Family members and a few friends may gather to witness them.  Some churches or temples organise small celebrations on a goodwill basis.

 
Since the institution of marriage is not recognised in Varagan society, the majority of them do not marry.  The rare exceptions might arise whereby a Varagan marries a non-Varagan.  Also, some Varagans who have business dealings with Carpathians or Varahs may put in an appearance at weddings for the sake of maintaining good business relationships.

Malvania

 
As with all aspects of Malvanian life, marriages involve lengthy and complex rituals.  In order for a couple to demonstrate that they are serious about their commitment to each other, they undergo a series of rigorous tests of endurance before taking their formal vows.

 
The first test is where the couple smear each other with ash.  A priest or priestess watches over them to ensure that they are completely covered in ash.  They then recite prayer cycles in front of the priest, followed by a declaration that they are tainted but their love for each other makes them pure.

 
Following the anointing with ash, the couple eat prykop leaves.  The leaves have a bitter taste and a mild hallucinatory effect.  One partner feeds a prescribed amount of leaves to the other, then they swap over.  When they have both ingested sufficient quantities, they meditate together, merging minds if they are capable of doing so.  They remain in their trance for several hours with a priest or priestess observing them.  If necessary, the priest will break them out of the trance so that they may prepare for the next test.

 
The third test is considered to be the most difficult.  The couple enter a pit and bury themselves in gravel, assisted by a priest or priestess when they can no longer move.  The gravel is specially constructed and enchanted so that it will not suffocate them.  They have to remain in the gravel pit for a specified length of time, after which the priest or priestess will dig them out.

 
The final test consists of a session in the steam room.  Malvanians are fond of steam-bathing so most couples find this part easy to endure after the other tests.  They sit in the steam room for the prescribed amount of time.

 
Dressed in white robes to signify purity, the couple are now ready to take their vows in front of family and friends.  The couple recite purification prayers to each other.  More prayers are spoken by the officiating priest or priestess.  Next come the lengthy vows.  The couple are required to memorise these beforehand in preparation, so that they can be spoken perfectly on the day of their marriage.

 
The officiating priest or priestess places a large white scarf over the couple’s heads, covering their faces.  He or she then pronounces them married and blesses their union.

 
What happens after that depends on the wishes of the couple.  Some opt for celebrations with family and friends, while others prefer to spend time alone.