In Red Village family wellbeing has always been of utmost importance and creating a family requires complying with certain marriage rules and restrictions. Early marriages among Mountain Jews have been condemned by some but this custom has allowed them to survive when epidemics and persecution left little hope for the future. Girls were traditionally matched at the age of 13 or 14 and given time to mature physiologically and spiritually before the marriage. Grooms were 10 years older than their brides. The bride’s and groom's origins, family ties, social status, mental and physical merits, and compatibility were all taken into account. Traditional weddings last several days and are full of rituals, music and dancing.