A story of true love

A lot of the Greek wedding customs have been passed down through the years from generation to generation. They can be seen during the wedding preparation, the ceremony itself and the party.

 

Before the wedding

 

To krevati <to kre-va’ -ti> - The bed

The biggest event before the wedding is the preparation of the bed. The couple’s friends and relatives gather together and make the bed with white linnets. The guests throw money, candies and rice on the bed as a symbol for the new couple's fertility and prosperity. At the same time everybody sings:

 

“Τὸ νυφικὸ ποὺ στρώνουμε, ἂς εἶναι εὐλογημένο, νὰ ζεῖ τὸ νέο ἀντρόγυνο πάντα ἀγαπημένο”

 

“The bridal bed that we prepare may be blessed and the new couple may be always in love”

 

The tradition says that a child should be thrown to the bed. It is said that the couple's first child will be the same gender as the child that is thrown to the bed.

 

Day of the wedding - Preparation

 

On the day of the wedding the groom and the bride are not allowed to see each other. The wedding takes place in the bride’s hometown. Both the bride and the groom get ready in different houses, while their relatives help them get ready for the ceremony.

 

Ta papoutsia tis nifis <ta pa-poo'-chia tes ne'-fes> – The bridal shoes

One of the funniest part of the bride’s preparation is the custom, where her father helps her wear her wedding shoes. The bride pretends that the shoes do not fit, so the father has to put money in the shoes to make them fit. The father has to keep putting money on the shoes until the bride says that the shoes fit.

 

To xirisma tou gamprou <to xe'-re'sma too ga-broo'> – Shaving the groom

The funniest part of the groom’s preparation is the custom, where the groom's father and the bestman shave the groom. This is the last shave of his single life.

 

To tragoudi tou gamou <to tra-goo'-de too ga'-moo> – The bridal song

While the bride and the groom are getting ready, the relatives and friends are singing the wedding songs.

 

"Σήμερα γάμος γίνεται σ’ ωραίο περιβόλι, Σήμερα αποχωρίζεται η μάνα από την κόρη..."

“Today is the wedding, Today is the day that the daughter leaves her mother” – Don’t forget that in the old days the daughter left her family house only to move to her husband’s house at the day of the wedding.

 

Or

 

"Σήμερα λάμπει ο ουρανός, σήμερα λάμπει ή μέρα

σήμερα στεφανώνεται αητός την περιστέρα.”

"Today the sky is shining, today the day is shining

today the eagle (meaning the groom) is getting married to the female pigeon (meaning the bride)"

 

Wedding ceremony

 

Oi veres <e ve’-res> - The rings

During the ceremony the priest puts the rings on the couples’ right hands. The circle – the shape of the ring – does not have a start, middle and end and symbolizes the immortality and the forever lasting love of the couple. The rings should be gold, beautiful, shiny and undistorted as the love of the new couple.

 

Ta stephana <ta ste’-fa-na> - The crowns

During the wedding ceremony, the priest puts crowns on the bride's and the groom's heads. The crowns  are connected with a single strand of ribbon. This signifies the union of the couple.

 

Oi lampathes < e la - ba - thes> - The candles

Through the ceremony, there is one big candle next to the bride and one next to the groom, in order to enlight the new couple. They symbolize the light of Crist, which will illuminate the path to their new life. In the past, the mother of the bride used to hold a small candle to “protect” the couple from evil eye and bad spirits.

 

H thesh twn mellonumfwn <e the’-se ton me-lo-ne’m-fon> – The position of the couple

During the ceremony the bride and the groom stand next to each other. This symbolizes the equality of the sexes. The groom stands on the right side, which symbolizes the head of the family.

 

H enwsh twn xeriwn <e e’-no-si ton he-re-o’n> - Holding hands

At some point of the ceremony, the priest, praying for their union in "one flesh" symbolically joins the right hands of the groom and bride. The hands remain joined throughout the ceremony showing the eternity of this union. From that moment the couple is in harmony of body and soul.

 

To peplo <to pe’p-lo> – The veil

The veil is a symbol for good bride, a chaste girl, with modesty and politeness.

 

To krasopothro <to kra-so-po'-te-ro> – The wine glass

During the ceremony, the priest gives the couple to drink wine from the same glass. The common wine glass symbolizes the common life during which they will taste joys and sorrows.

 

O xoros tou Isaia <o ho-ro's too e-sa-e'-a> – The dance of Isaia

This is the most important part of the wedding ceremony. The priest, the couple and the bestman go around the table, which holds the Gospel, the Word of God. The circle symbolizes the perfection, the circular motion the eternity. The priest leads the couples to the eternal life and perfection. The circular motion is repeated three times to symbolize the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

 

O koumparos <o koo-ba'-ros> – The bestman

The bestman plays a key role on the wedding ceremony. He is usually the best friend of the couple. He helps the groom get ready for the ceremony. He puts the rings on the fingers of the couple and the crowns on the couple's heads. He is like a brother, who always helps the couple go through the difficulties of life, and prays for them.

 

To ruzi <to re'-ze> - The rice

After the ceremony, while the just-married couple exits the church all the friends and relatives through rice to them. The rice (in Greek "re'-ze") comes from the Greek word "re-zo'-no" which means grow roots. This symbolizes that the love of the couple will have deep roots.

 

Ta koufeta kai i mpomponiera <ta koo-fe'-ta ke e bo-bo-nie'-ra> – The candy favors

One of the oldest wedding customs is to give candy favors to the guests. The candies are sugar covered almonds, which symbolize the fertility, mixed with sugar and honey. The number of the candies should be odd, not divided with two. This symbolizes the indivisibility of the couple. We put the candies on a tulle or small bag – the bo-bo-nie-ra.

 

Wedding party

 

Oi xoroi <e ho-re'> - The dances

The first traditional dance is the bride’s dance, where all the family, relatives and friends dance in a circle and the bride leads the dance.

"Ωραία που'ναι η νύφη μας,ωραία τα προικιά της!

ωραια κι η παρέα της που κανει τη χαρά της!"

 

“ The bride is so beautiful, her dowry is nice,

her company (meaning family and friends) is beautiful and shares her happiness”

 

Then the groom leads the dance.

"Σήκω γαμπρέ,σήκω γαμπρέ και βάλε τα λινά σου!

ήρθε καιρος να παντρευτείς και να χαρεί η καρδιά σου!"

 

“Come on groom, stand up and get ready,

it’s time to get married and be happy”

 

Then its bestman’s turn to lead the dance.

 

"Κουμπάρε που στεφάνωσες τα δυο τα κυπαρίσσια

Να σ`αξιώσει ο Θεός νάσαι και στα βαφτίσια!"

 

“Bestman, who put the crowns on the couple's heads

may you are blessed to baptize their child”