A wedding in Latgale combines all the most beautiful things that Latvia can offer - ancient wedding traditions, picturesque landscapes, a warm welcome and an authentic experience.

Latgale is a place that does not present its treasures on a tray, they have to be discovered. If you are ready to explore the landscape dotted by the lakes of Latgale, knock on the doors of local craftsmen and housewives and let the flow flow to discover what lies behind the next bend of the Daugava, a wedding in Latgale will be a truly heartfelt experience.

Wedding venues in Latgale

Latgale boasts a diverse environment and wedding venues: churches - architectural monuments, romantic manors, traditional farmsteads. All you have to do is choose the one that suits your wedding plan.

In summer cottages Get lost in Latgale combines the modern with the authentic. These are three modern cottages where you can experience an authentic feeling of a country farm. The fourth house is unique - converted from the old grandfather's tractor garage - Boutique Garage. The cottages are located in the village of Bogdānī, among 10 other farmsteads, on a peninsula on the shore of Lake Ildza. The cottages will be a great place for the couple to spend the pre-wedding or wedding night in silence and peace, away from the other guests and the big celebrations.

Turn your wedding in Latgale into a relaxing weekend for you and your guests. In the nature resort Silene Resort & SPA you will find picturesque nature, fresh pine forest air, activities for every taste, comfort and impeccable service. There is peace here, which inspires you to come back to yourself and beautifully celebrate the most special moments of life. For overnight stays, Silene Resort & SPA offers luxury villas with all amenities. The resort also offers fine dining with a view of the lake in the Silene Terases restaurant, as well as in the Italian restaurant. You can indulge your senses in the SPA, which has a pool with water massage, a heart and soul-warming sauna and an aromatic steam bath, as well as massages and cosmetic treatments that help improve the well-being of body and mind, which is especially important on the wedding day.

Autumn wedding in Latgale

Could there be a more suitable place for a wedding ceremony in autumn than a mysterious manor park painted in bright autumn colors? Latgale can be proud of many charming manors, which can become a special background for your wedding ceremony in Latgale.

Luznava manor is the renovated pearl of Latgale art nouveau style, which was used as a place for art and music in the 20th century. originally built by the noble Kerbedza family. There are several options for the marriage ceremony - marriage registration in the manor's Red Hall, marriage ceremony in the manor's chapel (Catholic chapel, served by the priest of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rezekne), marriage in the Culture Barn or marriage in the open air, in the manor's park or in front of the manor. In addition, after the marriage ceremony, the wedding celebration can be continued in the manor's Red Hall. With multiple possible ceremony locations, both indoor and outdoor, this environment is especially suitable for fall weddings when the weather can be unpredictable. this environment is aesthetic and inspiring - ideal for a fabulous and special wedding.

There are quite a few manors of the 18th and 19th centuries in Latgale, the outdoor space of which is publicly accessible. The wedding does not have to take place in an artificially perfect environment - a photo session on the slightly dilapidated manor stairs or some mysterious ruins of a gazebo in the manor park will give the photos a special mood and romance. Don't be afraid of contrasts, indulge in the mysterious allure of manors and plan a wedding photo session stop in one of the romantic parks of manors and castles, especially if the wedding takes place in autumn.

In the Krāslava Palace complex around the palace on the slopes of the Daugava Valley, the Counts Plateri arranged a large landscaped park in the Italian style, which even now has around 70 different species of trees and shrubs. The main part of the baroque garden - a geometric garden of linden trees - has survived to this day. In the park, there is a renovated grotto with a mysterious underground passage and a castle guard - a lion. You can enjoy the views of the park by walking along the renovated and illuminated paths of the park.

Preiļu manor complex and park is the largest urban park in Latvia. The romantic landscape garden has been preserved to this day, in the center of which a system of ponds and canals with many islands and peninsulas was created by flooding Preiļupīti. Picturesque gazebos - groups of linden trees or exotic trees and shrubs - have been created in glades or fields. Preiļi Castle is an outstanding Latgale 19th century. a sample of historic manor architecture, made up of a collection of three styles - neo-gothic, classicism and romanticism, the building is complemented by the noblemen's Borhu chapel, but in the manor gatekeeper's house you can familiarize yourself with the dowry furniture and the contents of the dowry.

Balvu manor palace is surrounded by the Bear Garden - the former orchard of the manor on the shore of the lake surrounded by a hazel alley. In the middle of the garden there is a pond with an island, nowadays a peculiar rock garden has been created here and an environmental object called Air, which is the largest ensemble of wind chimes in the world, has been installed. From the buildings of the manor complex, it is possible to visit the manor granary, where the Prize Museum is located.

Bebrene manor ensemble is one of the few in Selia, where all the 19th century buildings have been completely preserved. building elements - manor house, auxiliary buildings, park with luxurious gate and fence. The main building of the manor complex was designed by architect L. J. L. Marconi, a representative of the Polish-Italian family of artists and architects. He designed the Bebrene castle under the influence of the French Renaissance style, besides, the village of Bebrene is one of the rare inhabited places in Latvia, the building of which directly adjoins the manor ensemble and forms a common planning structure with it.

Vecsaliena manor palace is kept in neo-Gothic style and will add theatrical drama to your wedding day. It is a very picturesque building with a dynamic and complex volume composition - a real fairytale castle. Next to the castle and manor building, a free-plan park with at least 14 types of exotic tree species spreads. this is one of the few manors that has remained intact to this day. Red bricks will look especially bright in a wedding photo session on a sunny autumn afternoon.

If you are true romantics and on your wedding day you are ready to indulge in the nostalgia and sentiment of the past, then a romantic wedding in Latgale in autumn is unthinkable without the inclusion of castle ruins in the stops of the wedding photo session. Rēzekne mound from the 9th to the 13th century. there was a fortified ancient Latgali castle, but in the 13th c. the residence of the bailiff of the Livonian Order was built there. It was a two-storied stone castle with three buildings in the main part and three-storied towers.

Today, the castle hill offers a charming view of the city center. Also in Ludza in the 14th century. on the mound between the Great and Small Ludza lakes, a mighty castle was built for the protection of the eastern border of the Livonian Order - a three-story masonry building with six towers, three gates and two forecourts. Nowadays, the most beautiful panorama of Ludza opens from the castle ruins.

Wedding by the water in the land of blue lakes in Latgale

Latgale is a real paradise for nature and water lovers. Wedding ceremony in the open air on the shore of the lake, a wedding photo session or a trip on the lake with a water vehicle - there are many opportunities to enjoy the splendor of the lake land on the wedding day.

Lake Viļakas is special in that there is an island on it, to which one of the longest pontoon bridges in Latvia leads. In addition, fragments of Marienhausen Castle, which was built in the 16th century, can still be found on the island. on the site of the collapsed fortress. The island has a walking path, wooden boardwalks and a boat dock, which makes it easier to move around the island. If you are holding a summer wedding in Latgale, this island is an excellent place for a photo session in a picturesque natural landscape.

Latgale is perhaps more widely known as the land of blue lakes, but it also has its own sea to sail on. Lake Rāzna is called the sea of ​​Latgale, where Buru Guru offers to become a seafarer. While sailing with the elegant mahogany sailing boat Sea Esta you will be surrounded by the untouched landscapes of Rāzna National Park.

However, Freimaņi Lake can be explored on a trip with the boat Vimana. The captain of the ship is a great patriot of Latgale, who will educate you with stories about the local area, historical events and objects of cultural history. But it is possible to take a musical wooden raft along Mazo Ludza lake and watch the city panorama. During the trip, you can experience the Latgalian color - sing Latgalian folk songs, learn the names of folk instruments and practice playing instruments. such trips will be interesting, entertaining and also educational attractions for wedding guests.

Scenic wedding in Latgale

Latgale's natural pearls include not only lakes. One of the most scenic nature parks, which can also be a great wedding stop, are the picturesque Daugava bends - eight bends or meanders, which are considered the oldest formations of the Daugava valley in Latvia, where the river has preserved its natural course.

In the landscape of Latgale, lake valleys alternate with picturesque hills. On one of these hills, a complex of wooden sculptures, the Hill of Christ the King, has been created, where around 500 sculptures of biblical scenes, a wooden church, the Garden of Paradise and Noah's Ark are located. The sculpture garden is surrounded by an ornamental plant garden of 650 plants and 120 fruit trees, while two long bridges span the ponds. Mount Christ the King is a unique and peculiar sight that is definitely worth visiting even if you are not doing it for religious reasons.

This sculpture complex is located on the shore of Lake Egles, only two kilometers away from the Aglona Basilica, which cannot be missed when talking about the most impressive architectural and cultural objects of Latgale.

Wedding stops where you can get to know the traditions of Latgale

Latgale is known for having strong crafts and ancient traditions that are specific to this region. From Latgale potters to skilled weavers and housewives who prepare traditional dishes - there are many talented people in Latgale who keep ancient skills and knowledge. Most often, they are ready to show and tell about their work, so visiting one of the craftsmen can be a great way to get to know not only the culture of Latgale, but also the people, thus experiencing an authentic wedding in Latgale.

Andrupene farmstead is a complex of buildings where you can see a country house built 100 years ago, a granary, a black sauna, a forge, various tools and household items, as well as a potter's workshop and a kiln. By registering in advance, you can taste the wonders of Latgale's culinary heritage, sing songs and dance with a folklore group. But after a hearty meal, behind the museum, a bog trail invites you with the intoxicating smell of vavarinia, pink cranberries and the sounds of birds.

Another peculiar pearl of the history of Latgale - Slutiškiu sādža is located on the terrace of the right bank of the Daugava at the foot of the Markova castle hill. Here you can observe the traditions of building log houses for farmers. It is interesting that the decoration and decorations of the houses are related to the building traditions of the Slavic peoples and are manifested in the facades, ornately decorated windows, decorated doors and pediments. Slutiški Old Believers farmstead is the only museum object of its kind in Latvia, so it will be interesting not only for foreign wedding guests, but also for Latvians.

There are quite a few potters in Latgale who work both according to the old traditions of Latgale pottery and have perfected their handwriting and work according to modern methods. One of the custodians of ancient traditions is Bebrene potter Mareks Zavodnojs, who makes black vessels according to ancient technology, making them by hand without using a potter's wheel, just like our distant ancestors who lived in 4500 - 1500 BC. ancient fragments of such pots can also be found in the vicinity of Bebrene.

City wedding in Daugavpils

A wedding in Latgale can be not only a traditional celebration on a farm, it can also be a city wedding. Daugavpils is one of the few cities in Latvia that has a unique classicism and eclecticism style building in a single ensemble. The cultural and historical heritage of Daugavpils includes urban planning, architecture, art, industrial and historical monuments, which together with the surrounding landscape form the characteristic panorama of Daugavpils. This magnificence can be seen from the viewing area in Daugavpils Martin Luther Cathedral . This cathedral is located in the ensemble of sacred buildings of the city - Baznīci Hill, which is a unique place in Daugavpils, because there are represented in a relatively small area the churches of all four main denominations of Latgale and their architectural diversity - from Baroque and Neo-Gothic to Byzantine style. If you want to get married in a church, then Church Hill is a particularly symbolic place for a wedding.

Another important object is Daugavpils fortress , which is the last bastion-type fortress in the world. From a bird's eye view, the fortress resembles a star shape. this fortress shows that today the historical architectural heritage can acquire new content and breath. Many of the buildings of the fortress today have a different function, the most recognizable of them is the Artillery Arsenal, where the Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Center is located. It is a multi-functional center of contemporary art, which houses not only originals and reproductions of Mark Rothko's works and a spacious exhibition hall, but also rooms available for events and it is possible to visit the Arsenal cafe. Including a visit to the Daugavpils fortress in the wedding scenario will be a contrast that will refresh the wedding day and photos.

Culture-saturated wedding in Rezekne

Rēzekne is the cultural and educational center of Latgale, where the cultural heritage of Latgale and modern trends are intertwined. It is not for nothing that the Embassy of Latgale GORS - the first acoustic concert hall built from the ground up in Latvia - is located right in Rēzekne. this is a place for cultural and other events. A visit to this modern architectural and cultural object will also complement a wedding in Latgale.

However, painting lovers should visit Rēzekne Art House. The building, richly decorated with wood carvings, was built in the eclectic style of the 19th century. Guests of the Art House can see the ceiling paintings, the luxurious pot stoves and the unique parquet floors that complement the interior of the building. In the art house, you can get to know the exhibition "Latgale painting" and see the works of the old masters of Latgale, as well as the new generation of Latgale painters. A photo session in a luxurious exhibition room, where the works of Latgale artists are exhibited - this is a thoughtful and delicate way to include elements of Latgale culture in your wedding day.

Wedding design inspired by Latgale

When organizing a wedding, it is important to match it not only with the couple's personality, but also with the wedding venue. A particularly thoughtful impression will be created if the wedding in Latgale is designed and decorated, integrating the cultural artifacts of Latgale - craftsman's creations. The table setting can be supplemented with dishes and candlesticks made by local potters, and the room design can be decorated with blankets created by local weavers, especially if the wedding takes place in the coldest months of the year. A skilled decorator will know how to include these elements elegantly and subtly, so that they harmoniously fit into a modern style wedding in Latgale.

Another way to thoughtfully include elements of local culture in a wedding - to present ceramics, textile works or something else by Latgale masters as wedding gifts to parents, ushers and guests. It will be a meaningful gift that will remind you of your wedding day, and in this way you will support local craftsmen and artists, thus giving something in return for the hospitality that Latgale welcomes you with.

Another unique phenomenon in Latvia, which is associated with Latgali, is Livani glass . Impress your guests with a table setting that includes Livani glassware, display floral arrangements in iconic Livani glass vases, or present your guests with Livani glass' signature free-form glassware as gifts. Līvāni glass proves once again that Latgale is an inexhaustible treasure chest - everything is here, even glass for creative and unique wedding table decoration.

Wedding traditions in Latgale

Latgale is one of the parts of Latvia where echoes of ancient wedding traditions are most strongly felt, so if you want a traditional wedding, Latgale is the most suitable place.

Latgale wedding traditions are very diverse and colorful, because Latgale is a Catholic region, where church and folk traditions coexisted. Weddings in Latgale did not take place according to uniform traditions, however, the connection of weddings with the ancient rites of passage remained, where it was important to give and pass tests in order to move to a new stage of life in the status of married people. Similarly, weddings and preparations for them were wrapped in different beliefs.

Latgalian wedding traditions:

• The young men went to look at the bride during their marriage years - to secretly observe and find out what the intended girl is really like. If the daughter liked it, then the groom-to-be proposed to her - reverently addressed and praised her, made a marriage proposal to the daughter's family. The bride's mother was also involved in the acceptance or rejection of the proposal, who, when handing her daughter over to her husband, agreed certain terms with the groom. In addition, the bridegroom had to redeem the bride's dowry, since the dowry chest was the main material but also magical connection of the new wife to her parents' home.
• When the bride was taken away from her parents' house, the bride wept for the fact that she had to leave her parents' house so that tears and lamentations would be left in the old place and not in the new one.
• Young people followed their beliefs during their marriage years so as not to remain bachelors and bachelorettes. For example, a guy was not allowed to sit at the table with a hat, even more so, eat or drink with a hat on his head. Daughters often predicted marriages. The fact that a marriage is approaching was indicated if the aspens or maples in the backyard had many red leaves in autumn, or if the daughter grew many flowers in the garden. If a cat wandered in, it could not be chased away, as it was a sign that the owner would soon arrive. Dreams could also herald the approach of marriage, for example, a wolf in a dream meant a spouse.
• The wedding day was also surrounded by beliefs. The weather on the wedding day was used to judge whether the life of the new couple would be good. The best sign was good, sunny weather. Also, rain on the way to get married was a good sign, indicating that the couple would be richly endowed with children. Bells were hung on the horses as they drove to and from the church, because their jingle scared away evil spirits. After the marriage, before entering the celebration room, several protective measures were taken - both throwing a cross or cutting a cross with a whip over the door, and going around the new couple with fire.
• There was also stealing of the bride - a ritual where male relatives of the groom, called ushers, and sometimes the groom himself, kidnapped the bride they were watching. The bride's relatives, or suitors, tried to recover the kidnapped daughter. A ritualized fight took place - both the bride and the groom, as well as the ushers and ushers, were put to the test. Bridegrooming, or weddings that began with the stealing of the bride, is connected with the journey from the parents' home to the foreign husband's home. Along the way, gates or various tests were made. The more goals the couple went through, the better - this way, possible obstacles in the new couple's lifestyle were eliminated.

Latgale is a place that does not present its treasures on a tray, they have to be discovered. If you are ready to explore the landscape dotted by the lakes of Latgale, knock on the doors of local artisans and hostesses and let the flow flow to discover what lies behind the next bend of the Daugava, Latgale will provide a truly authentic and heartfelt wedding experience.

Author of the article: Renate Berga

Places of wedding celebrations in Latgale: Luznava manor , Silene Resort & SPA

Wedding accommodation in Latgale: Get lost in Latgale