Khrystyna Vykalyuk: “My husband teaches my daughters femininity and the ability to feel important”

Wedding master of ceremonies, creator of original ceremonies for brides, founder of the Okrylena white women’s shirts brand, Khrystyna Vikaliuk, is the main character of the April digital cover of Woman Magazine.

The winner of Mrs. Open World Ukraine 2020, a loving and beloved wife, mother of three daughters, spoke about her journey, motherhood, her own shirt brand, and an international pageant where her main goal is to show the soul of Ukraine.

How did you become a wedding ceremony host?

This profession used to be less popular than it is now. In Ivano-Frankivsk, the agency offered me a chance to try my hand at this field. Since the topic is very close to me, as I am a very family-oriented person and value traditions, I decided to give it a try. I can say that this profession chose me.

I began to acquire knowledge, which, by the way, I am still doing today. Previously, I had two higher education degrees, but they did not help me much in this particular area of development. So I searched for special courses, took public speaking classes, worked with a teacher to set my voice correctly and learn how to control it. I am always working on myself and improving my professional skills.

What moment at the wedding do you find the most touching?

In addition to your appearance, do you prepare your voice, perhaps do special exercises?

Yes, I prepare every time before the ceremony. This is very important. There are many exercises that help you tune your voice. I do articulation exercises every day, read and recite tongue twisters. I think it is useful for everyone.

In addition, for some time I taught public speaking to children and teenagers myself. I believe that such a subject should be included in the school curriculum, so that from childhood everyone can develop their skills, have a good command of the language and communicate in it.

I always insist that children read a lot, even though this trend is changing now. No gadget can replace the way a book develops a child from a young age, expands their imagination and enriches their knowledge and language.

How do you feel about the use of slang in everyday speech?

I can say frankly that I don’t really like the use of borrowed words in our language, or when people speak surzhyk. It is clear that the Ukrainian language has its own nuances in each region, but it is much better to communicate in a pure language.

After all, it is incredibly rich in words and very melodious. Of course, nowadays we can say that slang even complements thoughts, and this is a logical development for the language, but it is still worth remembering and using your native language.

Has dating etiquette changed in recent years?

Yes, everything changes over time, and dating etiquette is no exception. I wouldn’t want to make any drastic changes, because I still prefer the traditions: when a man courts a girl, he arranges a date. Nowadays, most people really get to know each other virtually, studying each other in advance. This saves time, of course, but the emotions are completely different – there is no inspiration, no romance. Social media has brought people closer together and driven them apart. I met my husband at university. Everything was really different then, and I’m very happy about that.

Society often describes what an ideal woman should look like in the twenty-first century. And what traits would you single out for modern men?

There are no perfect people – everyone has character traits that some people may like and others may not. For me, intelligence, a sense of humor, generosity, charisma, confidence, and responsibility play a very important role.

You are the founder of the Okrylena brand of white women’s shirts. Why did you choose this direction of your development?

It’s worth noting that my grandmother was a very good sewer, so we can say that this type of activity has been passed down to me through the family line. Another factor that influenced the founding of the brand was the lack of beautiful white women’s shirts on the market. I love quality and beautiful clothes, so I was looking for a basic white shirt for my wardrobe for quite a while and couldn’t find one. And then I thought: why not create a brand that will help every woman look elegant and beautiful? The white shirt is the story of a woman. It can be very different, but each one is special.

Tell us about your preparations for the international competition to be held in Dubai. What do you think you need to win?

The competition will be held in Dubai, where I will represent our country. Every day I learn English, communicate with native speakers, and work on my physical form to feel more confident on stage. In addition, we work with the designer to create images. We want to showcase beautiful Ukrainian national costumes. To be honest, this is a big responsibility for me, because I want Ukraine to be remembered. It is important for me to show that our country is not just a beautiful wrapper, but that it has a sincere soul, traditions, and inner wealth.

I also started researching a painful topic for all women – domestic violence. As a mother of three girls, I am very concerned about this issue, so I am working hard to highlight this issue and help those who need it.

It is known that you are successful not only in self-development but also in your family, raising three children. What values would you like to pass on to them?

Now I look at motherhood from a different angle. It is important for me that my children get a great education, find a job for their soul, be successful and happy. But the most important thing is that they become decent people. I teach them how to defend their boundaries, to be responsible for their words and actions, and help them find a path that suits them. A woman can realize whatever she wants in any field.

My husband teaches his daughters femininity and the ability to feel important. For example, we organize dates so that girls can see a prototype of how a man can treat them. This is a very important example.

Do you make a wish list for yourself?

I don’t make a wish list and don’t believe in it, but I do write down my goals. My imagination will draw me much better, and I will know the direction to go.

Text: Maria Kholotiy

Photographer: Nika Hunchak