Sunday, February 20, 2011


The wings of love!

Perhaps my favorite spot in Moscow...the Luzhkov Bridge!  Located next to our apartment building - it’s a traditional stop for Muscovite brides and grooms on their wedding day...


Tradition has it, after the wedding, the bride and groom, along with their closest friends, (and lots of vodka), load into a long stretch limo for wedding photos at Moscow’s most famous landmarks.  This bridge is always one of the stops.  The city erected numerous metal trees on the bridge to house the traditional “lock of love”.  The bride and groom place a lock on the tree that has an inscription of their names and wedding date - then throw their key into the river as a sign they are locking the key to their hearts and forever throwing away the key. 
On several Saturdays, I've planted myself close to the bridge to watch the parade of wedding parties - the best people watching in town! 
Here’s what I saw this Saturday....

The trees with the Kremlin in the background...

A bride in her fur...

Another bride in fur and boots...

The friends and family to witness the ceremony...

Throwing the key into the river (it bounced since the river is presently frozen...)

The locks of love...

Several have defied authority and placed their locks on the bridge...

Fake money thrown on the ground as a sign of wealth to come...

Another bride and groom getting ready to toss their key...

The fur...the boots...

Apparently a bride and groom making note of their wedding day in the snow on the river....crazy!

Looking for just the right spot for their lock....

Another bride in fur...

The limo taking the party around town...
Not from Saturday - but impressive nonetheless...

You go girl!  Love the Russian driver's expression...

Words fail...





And...a little video of the traditions (this is in St. Petersburg).  You'll hear chanting "vodka, vodka, vodka!" and fireworks which Russians love...