Traditional Spiš Wedding

Pytace and Druzcki in regional costumes

Questioners leaving the church in Jurgów

Wedding procession

Cepowiny

Cepowiny means: capping.

However, this custom, in a rather changed and simplified form, is still maintained at weddings. Due to the fact that there are few young people who decide to get married in regional costumes, it is losing its character. Some people completely give up this custom, or even a big wedding, and just throw a small party. Weddings where the entire village would be present practically no longer happen. The costs of such an event would be too high.

Taniec z druzbami
One of the main wedding customs in Spiš are Cepowiny (capping). It begins with the groomsmen taking the bride to a circle dance (they are "keednapping" her). The wedding bridesmaids must give everything that the groomsmen ask for in song, otherwise the groomsmen will not give the bride back. The texts of adjuncts are usually modified in various ways depending on the needs and the current situation. They usually start with the words:

Hej wy starościny co wy to robicie,
Słonecko jez zasło a wy nie cepicie.

Often, after these words, the elders enter the rooms with a basket of various things. If they don't come out when the first chant is sung, e.g:

Hej te starościny posły wiyrzby łupić,
Bo nimajom za co młodyj pani kupić.

Hej wy starościny zjadłyście poł świnie,
winko ście wypiyły okup was nie minie.

You can also proceed without these words to list the things they are supposed to bring and put these words later. Because not always the elders will come right in with a basket. It all depends on the situation.

Later, the groomsmen start singing and singing what the elders must bring to buy the bride. Here, too, there is virtually complete freedom in choosing chants. Chants are most often chosen according to what the groomsmen would like to receive. After singing the chant, the elders must show that they have what the best men want. While singing, they spin in a circle together with the bride. The elders try to snatch the bride away from the best men. The chants may be as follows:

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z gorzołeckom nie przydom.

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z śpyrytusym nie przydom.

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z oscypeckiym nie przydom.

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z kiełbaseckom nie przydom.

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z czekoladom nie przydom.

Hej nie wydom młodyj pani hej nie wydom nie wydom,
Pokla nase starościny z pomarańczym nie przydom.

etc. According to the fantasies of the singers themselves and the patience of the elders, who try more and more to snatch the bride away from the best men. When the groomsmen finish singing, they go outside and give what they received to the wedding people waiting outside the house. These people are not invited to the wedding and are therefore called "corni".

After returning to the playroom, the groomsmen sing various funny lyrics alternately with their friends. The texts are adapted to the specific situation and the young people themselves. They are often quite malicious, but no one cares. After singing the chants to the bride and groom, the groomsmen and bridesmaids sing the joking lyrics alternately until someone runs out of lyrics. A similar situation is with the bride's druze (bridesmaids). After the druzbok and druzcki have finished singing, the elders pick up the bride and dance with her for a while. The whole ceremony ends with the bride removing the wreath and putting on a cepca (cap).