How To Modify Traditional Greek Wedding Customs

Greek weddings are a rich blend of ancient rites, Byzantine and Orthodox influence, and superstitions. While there are many traditions to uphold, couples can also incorporate personal touches. The ceremony is religious and serious, yet joyful and superstitious. The Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony is rich with unique and meaningful traditions, including the Service of Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning. The latter consists of five sections: Prayers, The Crowning, Readings from Scripture, The Common Cup, and the Dance of Isaiah. The couple does not exchange vows as the ceremony is symbolic of a spiritual union and not a contract.

There are also many pre-wedding traditions, such as the making of the bed, where the bride and groom's single friends and family gather at the couple's new home to help prepare the bed. Another pre-wedding tradition is the dowry, although this is no longer a necessity.

Post-ceremony traditions include the Greek dollar dance, where guests throw dollar bills at the couple as they dance, and the throwing of rice, which symbolises prosperity and fertility.

Pre-wedding traditions: the bride and groom's friends and family gather at the couple's new home to help prepare the bed

Greek weddings are a rich blend of ancient rites mixed with Byzantine and Orthodox influence, with a few superstitions thrown in. The "making of the bed" is one of the most popular and well-known traditions in Greece that takes place before the wedding.

A few days before the wedding, the couple's friends and family gather at their new home to help prepare it for their new life together. This includes decorating and cleaning, but the most important task is making the marital bed.

The bride and her unmarried attendants are entrusted with preparing the bed with new sheets, and decorating it with flower petals, ribbons, and new bedding. Once the bride is happy with the bed, the groom will offer his approval.

After the bed has been made, money is placed on it, symbolising prosperity and a good quality of life. Rice is then thrown on the bed, symbolising putting down roots for a healthy marriage.

Finally, a baby is placed on the mattress, with the gender of the baby indicating the desired sex of the couple's firstborn child.

Although this tradition is usually carried out by the bride and her unmarried friends, modern couples sometimes prefer to make the bed together.

Wedding attire: the bride wears a white dress and veil, and the groom wears a suit or tux

Greek wedding attire is somewhat similar to that of the United States, with the bride wearing a white dress and veil and the groom wearing a suit or tux. Brides don't need to wear full-coverage dresses, but they should be respectful of the setting, especially as the majority of Greek weddings take place in an Orthodox church. Overskirts and detachable sleeves can provide a more modest look in the church that can be removed for the reception.

As a guest, it's best to err on the side of formality and modesty. Greeks tend to dress up quite a bit for formal occasions, so don't be afraid to go a little extra. Clothes for a wedding don't need to be as modest as regular Sunday church service attire, but if you plan on wearing a more revealing outfit, consider bringing a shawl or cardigan for the ceremony portion.

Another consideration for weddings in Greece is the temperature. Churches in Greece tend not to be heavily air-conditioned, and for summer weddings, the heat can be stifling. Loose and light clothing is best, especially for men wearing suits.

The wedding ceremony: the bride walks with her father to meet the groom at the church doors, and they walk down the aisle together

The wedding ceremony is a blend of ancient rites and Orthodox Christian rituals. It is a solemn and respectful affair, with the couple's commitment to God taking centre stage. The bride's arrival is highly anticipated, with guests gathering outside the church. In a Greek wedding, the bride walks with her father to meet the groom at the church doors, and they walk down the aisle together. The groom waits for the bride at the entrance, holding her bridal bouquet. He kisses her father's hand as a sign of respect, and the couple then walks into the church together, followed by their guests.

The ceremony begins with the lighting of candles, or lambades, symbolising the couple's willingness to accept God into their lives. The couple holds their own taper candles, which are lit to symbolise receiving Christ's blessing. The priest then joins their right hands, calling upon God to unify them into one mind and body. The couple's hands remain joined throughout the service to demonstrate their union.

The ceremony consists of two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning. The latter consists of five sections: The Prayers, The Crowning, Readings from Scripture, The Common Cup, and the Dance of Isaiah. The rituals during the sacrament are performed three times, representing the Holy Trinity (God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit).

The highlight of the sacrament is the crowning, where the couple is crowned by God as king and queen of their home. The priest places two crowns, or stefana, on the couple's heads, and they are connected by a single white ribbon. The crowns are exchanged three times by the koumbaro (best man) or koumbara (maid of honour), sealing their union.

Following the crowning, the couple partakes in the common cup, drinking three sips of blessed wine to symbolise their mutual sharing of joy and sorrow in life. The priest then leads the couple in the Dance of Isaiah, a ceremonial walk around the marriage table three times, celebrating their first steps as husband and wife.

The Greek wedding ceremony is a beautiful blend of tradition and symbolism, with the couple's commitment to each other and God taking centre stage.

The sacrament of marriage: the ceremony consists of two parts, the Service of Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning

The sacrament of marriage is one of the major sacraments of the Orthodox Christian Church and one of the most ancient Christian wedding rites. The ceremony consists of two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning.

The Service of Betrothal

The Service of Betrothal is the first part of the marriage ceremony. It may be performed independently of the crowning service. During the service, two prayers are said, and the couple exchanges rings. The rings symbolise the promise of the partners to be faithful to each other. The entire marriage ceremony is full of prayers asking for faithfulness and stating that lawfully married couples are chaste in the eyes of God.

The Service of the Crowning

The Service of the Crowning is the second part of the marriage ceremony and consists of five sections: The Prayers, The Crowning, Readings from Scripture, The Common Cup, and the Dance of Isaiah. The crowning service is a significant moment in the ceremony, symbolising the glory and honour bestowed on the couple by God. The priest blesses the crowns in the name of the Holy Trinity and places them on the couple's heads. The crowns are then exchanged three times to seal the union.

The couple then takes three sips from a common cup, symbolising their mutual sharing of joy and sorrow in life. The cup is filled with blessed wine, similar to communion. Following this, the priest leads the couple around the marriage table three times in a "dance" that celebrates their first steps together.

Modifications to the Traditional Greek Wedding

While Greek weddings follow many traditions, couples can choose to incorporate personal touches. For example, while most Greek weddings take place in an Orthodox church, some couples opt for a secular location. In addition, while personal vows are not typically included in the ceremony, some couples may choose to include them. Finally, while Greek weddings traditionally do not include a wedding party, Greek-American weddings often incorporate a bridal party.

Post-ceremony and reception traditions: the bride and groom lead the first dance, followed by their families

Greek weddings are incredibly joyous occasions, with traditions that include a mix of ancient and Orthodox Christian rites. They are serious, yet joyful; religious, yet superstitious; traditional, yet leave space to incorporate personal touches.

The reception is kicked off by the bride and groom, who lead a special, romantic first dance to the rhythm of their favourite love song. The groom and bride then stand together in the middle of the reception hall and cut the wedding cake. The person in charge of the reception hall then opens a bottle of champagne, and the couple clinks glasses, thanking the guests for their presence and wishing them a joyful night.

Greek dancing is an essential part of a Greek party, and particularly weddings. The dances are typically the syrto, the most popular Greek dance style, set to Greek wedding songs. After the bride and groom, their families, the koumbaro/a (best man/maid of honour), and the wedding party have danced, the rest of the wedding guests are invited to the dance floor.

As the night goes on, the music will likely include traditional and modern songs, as well as regional dances from the bride and groom's areas of origin. There will probably also be a zeibekiko played at some point – an improvised solo dance typically performed by a male (with the help of some alcohol).

Like many Latin cultures, Greek weddings often include a money dance, where friends and family throw dollar bills at the couple as they dance. This tradition originated in Greek villages, where guests would pin money on the bride as she danced. Today, it's often seen at Greek-American weddings, but not typically in Greece.

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