Big, Fat, And Greek: Exploring The Traditions Of A Lavish Greek Wedding

The 2002 romantic comedy film My Big Fat Greek Wedding is based on the story of a young Greek-American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man and struggles to get her family to accept him while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. The film showcases several Greek wedding traditions, making it a great primer for non-Greeks who are unfamiliar with Greek wedding rituals and customs.

Greek women wear their wedding rings on the right hand

The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding centres on a young Greek woman who falls in love with a non-Greek man and must navigate her family's disapproval while coming to terms with her cultural identity. The film is filled with Greek wedding traditions, including the wearing of wedding rings on the right hand.

In the Greek Orthodox Church, wedding rings are placed on the right hand during the ceremony. The priest blesses the rings three times, announcing that the couple is betrothed in the name of the Holy Trinity. The right hand is symbolic because, in the Bible, it represents virtue. Additionally, God's right hand is believed to make firm the foundations of the earth. This practice reminds the couple that everything they do is with God's help, and he watches over and protects them.

The wedding rings are exchanged three times by the koumbaro, or best man, intertwining the couple's lives by the grace of the Holy Trinity. The rings symbolise God's pledge to remain with the couple and represent his faithfulness, not a pledge of love between the couple. The priest also mentions the giving of rings in the Bible, such as Joseph, who "by a ring, was given might in Egypt".

The Greek wedding ceremony is rich with symbolism and rituals performed three times to signify the Holy Trinity. The ceremony consists of two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning. The latter includes crowning the couple as king and queen of their home and founders of a new generation. The couple also shares three sips of wine from a common cup, symbolising a successful union.

The film's success

The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding was a sleeper hit, growing steadily in popularity from its limited initial release. Despite never hitting the number one spot for a box office weekend and being an independent film with a $5 million budget, it ultimately grossed over $368.7 million worldwide, becoming one of the top romantic films of the 21st century. It was the fifth highest-grossing film of 2002 in the United States and Canada, with USD $241,438,208 in box office sales, and the highest-grossing romantic comedy domestically in history. Domestically, it also held the record for the highest-grossing film that never reached number one on the weekly North American box office charts until the 2016 release of the animated film Sing. However, adjusted for inflation, the gross of My Big Fat Greek Wedding was still higher, equivalent to $322 million in 2016. The film is among the most profitable of all time, with a 6150% return on an (also inflation-adjusted) cost of $6 million to produce.

As of December 2003, the video sold 9.85 million copies, earning a profit of over $164.8 million. The film received positive reviews from critics, with a 76% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and was nominated for several awards, including an Oscar, several Golden Globes, and several Critics' Choice Awards. It also spawned a franchise, including a 2003 TV series and two sequels, with a third film released in 2023.

The cast

Nia Vardalos as Toula Portokalos

Nia Vardalos is the star and creative force behind the film, having written both the original and the 2016 sequel. She has also appeared in various films and TV shows since the film's release, including "Connie and Carla", "My Life in Ruins", and "I Hate Valentine's Day", the latter of which she directed and starred in alongside her on-screen husband, John Corbett. Vardalos has also appeared in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Cougar Town". In 2022, she took on the role of director for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3", which was filmed in Greece.

John Corbett as Ian Miller

John Corbett is a familiar face on TV, known for his role as Aidan Shaw in "Sex and the City". Since "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", he has appeared in various TV shows such as "Lucky", "United States of Tara", "Parenthood", and "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll". Corbett has also explored music, releasing a self-titled country album in 2006 and touring with notable acts like ZZ Top and Charlie Daniels. In 2023, he reprised his role as Aidan Shaw in the "Sex and the City" reboot, "And Just Like That...".

Michael Constantine as Kostas "Gus" Portokalos

Michael Constantine, who played the patriarch of the Portokalos family, had a long career in Hollywood spanning back to 1949. After "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", he kept a relatively low profile, appearing in the spin-off series "My Big Fat Greek Life" and a few short films. He retired in 2009 but returned for "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2". Constantine passed away in 2021 at the age of 94.

Lainie Kazan as Maria Portokalos

Lainie Kazan, who portrayed the Portokalos matriarch, had already established herself as an actress before "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", with guest roles on shows like "Boston Legal", "The King of Queens", and "Desperate Housewives". She has also appeared in films such as "Don't Mess with the Zohan" and "Pixels". Kazan has been nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards for her work. In recent years, she has appeared in shows like "Fuller House", "Young & Hungry", and "The Kominsky Method".

Andrea Martin as Aunt Voula

Andrea Martin is a versatile actress who has lent her voice to various animated characters, including roles in "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius", "Kim Possible", and "Sesame Street". She has also appeared in shows like "Difficult People", "Great News", and "The Good Fight". In addition to her on-screen success, Martin is a two-time Tony Award winner and a six-time nominee.

Gia Carides as Cousin Nikki

Gia Carides has appeared in several TV shows, including "East of Everything", "Small Time Gangster", "Big Little Lies", and "Filthy Rich". She has also been in films such as "Stick It", "Year One", and "Penguin Bloom". Carides was previously married to actor Anthony LaPaglia, with whom she shares a daughter.

Joey Fatone as Angelo

Joey Fatone, a former member of the popular group *NSYNC*, has not pursued much acting since "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". However, he has been busy with various TV endeavours, including competing on "Dancing with the Stars" and hosting shows like "My Family Recipe Rocks" and "Parents Just Don't Understand".

The plot

As their relationship progresses, Toula knows that her family will not approve of her dating a non-Greek man. She lies about taking a pottery class to continue seeing Ian, but her lie is eventually exposed when they are caught kissing by a family friend. Her father, Gus, forbids their relationship, insisting that Ian is not Greek. Despite this, Toula and Ian continue dating, and Ian eventually proposes marriage. Toula's mother convinces Gus to accept their marriage, but he remains upset because Ian is not a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. To please the family, Ian agrees to be baptized into the church.

The Portokalos family eventually accepts Ian but insists on being heavily involved in the wedding planning, leading to some comedic mishaps. Ian's quiet, conservative parents also meet Toula's large, loud, and intrusive Greek family during a lively and extravagant Greek family dinner, which overwhelms them. Despite the cultural differences and the challenges of bringing their families together, Toula and Ian's love prevails. At the wedding reception, Gus delivers a heartfelt speech, emphasizing that their different backgrounds do not matter. He and Maria surprise the couple with a house as a wedding gift, demonstrating their acceptance and support.

The movie ends with a heartwarming scene six years later, where Toula and Ian, now with a daughter, live next door to Gus and Maria, showcasing the enduring love and support within their Greek family.

Greek Wedding Traditions

Greek weddings are renowned for their cultural and religious symbolism, incorporating various traditions to make the celebrations unique and meaningful. Here are some of the Greek wedding traditions featured in the movie:

• The Sacrament of Marriage: The Greek Orthodox Sacrament of Marriage is a solemn and respectful ceremony performed in a Greek Orthodox church, chapel, or cathedral. The Service of Betrothal involves the exchanging of rings, blessed by the priest and placed on the right hands of the couple. This is followed by the Service of the Crowning, where the couple is crowned as king and queen of their home.
• The Koumbaro and Koumbara: The Koumbaro, the male sponsor of the union, is the best man, and the Koumbara, the female sponsor, is the maid or matron of honor. They play crucial roles in the wedding ceremony, including exchanging the crowns and rings between the couple.
• The Marital Bed Tradition: Friends and family prepare the couple's bed, throwing money and rice to symbolize prosperity and fertility. A baby is rolled on the bed to bless it with fertility, and the gender of the first baby is believed to be the same as the baby used in the ritual.
• Symbols of Good Luck: Several good luck charms are incorporated, such as a lump of sugar in the bride's glove, a gold coin in her shoe, and iron in the groom's pocket. Odd numbers of guests and attendants are considered lucky.
• The Bridal Dowry: The bride's family prepares a dowry of linens, embroideries, and handmade items for the couple.
• The First Dance: The couple's first dance is often the Kalamatianos, a traditional Greek circle dance.
• Koufeta: White sugar-coated almonds, symbolizing purity, fertility, and the endurance of marriage, are given as wedding favors to the guests.

The film's cultural impact

The film's writer, Nia Vardalos, based the story on her own family in Winnipeg, Canada, and her experience of marrying a non-Greek man. The film's cultural impact is significant, as it explores the challenges of cross-cultural relationships and the importance of family acceptance within the Greek community.

The film's protagonist, Toula, is a 30-year-old Greek-American woman who falls in love with Ian Miller, a non-Greek school teacher. The film highlights the cultural norms and expectations within the Greek community, where women are expected to marry within their ethnic background. Toula's family is very traditional, and they constantly remind her that her biological clock is ticking. According to her family's norms, women who are not married are considered failures.

Toula struggles to get her family's acceptance of her relationship with Ian, as they believe that she should only marry a Greek man. This conflict between individualistic and collectivistic cultures is a key theme in the film. The film also showcases the strong sense of tradition and history within the Greek community, with Toula's family embracing their cultural background and showing their love for their heritage.

The film deals with these cultural issues in a light-hearted and humorous way, but it also makes important points about the fulfilment of the children of immigrants. It highlights the limitations that cultural norms and expectations can place on the children of first-generation immigrants, who may have different aspirations and values. The film also explores the power dynamics within immigrant families, with the women often controlling the destiny of their families, despite the fathers' sense of patriarchal power.

The film had a significant impact on popular culture, with its themes resonating with many cultures that face similar issues. It became a sleeper hit, grossing over $368.7 million worldwide and becoming one of the top romantic films of the 21st century. The film's success led to a franchise, including a sitcom, "My Big Fat Greek Life", and two sequels, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3". The film's cultural impact extended beyond the Greek community, with its exploration of universal themes of love, family, and cultural identity.

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