After the official ceremony, the wedding procession used to go to the groom's house, but present-day wedding parties usually end up in a restaurant or a pub.
The groom's mother had to meet the new family. She spread a white, long, handwoven cloth at the entrance to make way for the newlyweds. She threw flowers and "zdravets" on the cloth, symbolizing purity ( of the bride ) and beauty ( of the couple's "new" life ). The newlyweds stepped on the white cloth and were greeted by the guests. The groom's mother greeted the couple first. Then she offered them a bite of her "pitka" ( the kind of ritual bread I already mentioned ), topped with honey. She wished them a long and "sweet" life. She presented them each with a glass of wine and wished them a strong and lasting relationship. Then she put the bread on her head and asked the bride and the groom to each try and take a piece of it. The winner was the one who had a bigger piece and was expected to dominate his/her partner. The songs the guests sang were no longer sad but very lively indeed. Usually, with their songs, they compared the bride to a "sun shining on the husband's future" and a helper to his mother.
The Table
When the groom's mother had carried out all possible rituals, the guests were invited for dinner. They are assigned seats corresponding to their importance. The newlyweds sat in the center, the best man and the bride's maid sat at their sides and then came the parents.
People have always danced at a wedding but the dances which dominate a Bulgarian wedding even today are special dances called "horo". Most often, they are led by the groom's father, by the best man or the bride. Those dances go around in a circle and follow the logic "The more people join in, the better the dance".
Another typical dance is the "Rachenitsa" I already mentioned. It is done in couples and is a very energetic dance. The best man and the bride's maid dance with a tray on which there is a roasted chicken, some bread ( "pita" again ) and a bottle of wine. This can be quite heavy but the dance was normally considered a competition and the most enduring one wins the wine, the bread and the chicken.
In some regions, the bride and the groom have to dance to obtain permission to cut their wedding cake. There are always bottles of wine and "rakia" ( take a look at Part I of this article for an explanation about "rakia" )on the wedding table. The best man always makes a short speech.
