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Greek wedding, customs and traditions. Weddings and marriage in ancient Greece

Greece is an amazing country with its own history and traditions. It is not surprising that many newlyweds opt for this topic. A Greek-style wedding will be an original solution for a celebration.

Create invitations

Invitation cards should be designed in such a way that it immediately becomes clear to guests in what style the wedding will take place. A papyrus scroll wrapped in a tube and tied with a cord will look spectacular. The paper may be artificially aged. You can decorate postcards with the image of bay leaves or olive branches. Use an original font for writing text, somewhat similar to Greek patterns. You can see examples in the photo:

Time and place of the wedding

Most often, the Greeks celebrated weddings in the summer. They arranged them on the banks of the reservoirs. It was considered the best place to start a new family. Modern newlyweds can also organize a celebration in nature, near the river, or choose a restaurant with a beautiful interior. Of course, not every couple can afford to get married in Santorini, the famous island of Greece. But you shouldn't give up on your dreams. You can also organize a chic holiday in the Greek style at home. If you are planning on-site registration, then it is worth holding it in the fresh air. Install a gazebo and be sure to put an arch of fresh flowers. According to custom, young people passing under the arch find eternal happiness. Tables can be placed here, in the open air. Organize a place for a musical group and set up a photo zone.

You can see beautiful examples of the design of a Greek wedding in the fresh air in the photo:

If the wedding takes place in winter or autumn, a restaurant reservation is mandatory. The design of the banquet hall should correspond to the Greek style, which means the use of fresh flowers and various themed accessories. Tablecloths should certainly be in soothing colors: light beige or olive. As accents, you should make a choice in favor of a rich blue color. It goes well with white and gold, from which interior accessories can be made.

Photo examples of the decoration of the banquet hall and the ceremony inside:

The image of the newlyweds

The Greek style should also be displayed in the bride's dress. It can have a free cut, it is necessary to give preference to a style with a high waist. Material for a wedding is better to choose light and flowing. The length must certainly be to the toe. Primary colors: white, light cream, pale olive. Decorative elements can be made of patterns and embroidery in a golden hue. The bride in such a dress will be irresistible. Such a style is able to hide the flaws of the figure and emphasize its advantages. The hairstyle should not be complicated and easy. The best option: hair gathered in a bun or slightly wavy, loose strands. The main thing is a natural look and shine. You can complement the styling with a beautiful wreath of golden olive leaves.

You can see beautiful photos of the Greek bride below:

The groom's suit should also be in calm pastel colors. The decoration of his image at the wedding can be fresh flowers, collected in a necklace around his neck. For the more daring, there is an original suggestion: dress in a toga and sandals.

Bride ransom

Such an interesting and important custom as the ransom of the bride can be diversified by making it in the Greek style. For the groom come up with various tasks based on the myths of ancient Greece. A script called "Olympic Games" is being prepared. It consists of tests that the groom must pass in order to finally get a young lover. After the successful completion of all tasks, the bride hands a wreath to the winner.

Important Points

A Greek-style wedding is not only unusual, but also beautiful. Delicate shades, fresh flowers, light fabrics and inspiration from what is happening will not leave any guest indifferent. And for the young, such a ceremony can be an excellent starting point for a long journey now as a family.

We offer, finally, to watch the wedding video clip of the celebration in the style of Greece:

Photo ideas

The inhabitants of Greece belong to this type of people who try to turn even a small celebration into a magnificent holiday. The Greeks do not lose heart even in difficult moments of life. They have fun with or without, trying to enjoy and enjoy the simplest things. Just think, if for them the most ordinary day is happiness, then what the day of marriage will mean for them.

A wedding in the Greek style is accompanied by singing. At the end of the wedding celebration, the newlyweds go to. A love journey for all guests remains a mystery.

Greek engagement

Engagement in Greece is considered an integral stage of the wedding. According to ancient Byzantine customs, the betrothal of the newlyweds should take place long before the wedding day.

But today, for the most part, the Greeks do not hold an engagement separately from the wedding. On the day of the engagement, the groom asks for the hand and heart of his daughter. All this happens in the temple at the altar. All guests are invited to the wedding.

After the parents have given their consent, the priest seals this agreement.

Blessed rings are worn on the ring fingers of the left hands of the newlyweds as a talisman of mutual fidelity, after which the bride and groom exchange rings three times.

The rings of the bride and groom are on the left hand until the wedding process, then they will find their final location on the ring finger of the right hand.

Pre-wedding organization

A Greek-style wedding is characterized by a strict adherence to all traditions and customs. It all starts seven days before the wedding.

According to the tradition of the Greek wedding

On Monday, the future wife receives a symbolic present from her lover. I wonder why it doesn't happen on Tuesday? Only because the second day of the week in Greece is considered a day off. Greeks do nothing on Tuesdays. But on Wednesday they start to be active. For example, the mother and close relatives of the bride prepare her dowry, which is collected from birth.

Few people know about what is included in the Greek dowry. These are not just old grandmother's chests and carpets, this is something that is made by hand. A little girl, being a bride under the guidance of her mother and grandmother, is engaged in various creative activities: sewing, knitting, embroidery, mosaic and more.

On the fourth day of the week, the ritual of “making the bed” is traditionally performed. In large cities, this rite has become irrelevant. But in the provinces, villages, villages, a Greek wedding is not complete without this ritual. By Thursday, the bride's house is decorated in such a way that it can be seen from afar.

On this day, both families gather to look at the bed, cleanly tidied up, without a single wrinkle. The future wife and other unmarried girls make the bed with great diligence. The groom should appreciate these efforts. But according to Greek customs, the newlywed should not accept the work of girls the first time.

Throwing up all the sheets, he asks his future wife to make their marriage bed better. The process of "making the bed" is necessarily accompanied by jokes and songs.

At the end of the ritual, all those invited sprinkle a beautifully made bed with a lot of sweets, cereals, money, flowers. This suggests that the guests wish the lovers well-being in all aspects of life.

Friday is the day of delivery of invitations to the wedding celebration. Also, Greek traditions say that bread products are baked on the fifth day. During their preparation, the bride is sprinkled with flour, which the groom sent the day before.

Greek images of the newlyweds for the wedding

As for the outfits of the bride and groom, it is from this part that the Greek wedding does not follow special traditions. Young people will put on modern clothes without any problems, which will contain an element of the Greek custom.

On the wedding day…

On the day when the wedding ceremony takes place, the bride and groom are dressed by friends and girlfriends. In the meantime, the guests begin to slowly warm up - they sing songs, perform light dances, and have fun.

After the image of the groom has been finally prepared, he and his family guards go to the bride's house. As befits the Greek traditions, the mother of the bride meets her daughter's future husband. She offers him a glass of wine and a bun in the shape of rings.

Having enjoyed the mother-in-law's goodies, the groom says thank you, kisses the hand, asking for blessings. Making a return kiss on both cheeks, the mother of the bride gives her blessing to her betrothed. After the approval of the mother, the groom is a full-fledged member of their family.

In connection with the customs of the Greek wedding, before the bride leaves the house of her parents, she must perform a dance with her father.

The bride's farewell to her father's house is like acting on stage. The exit from the parents is accompanied by many traditions. For example, one of them is the sad look of a girl, sometimes even accompanied by tears.

In no case should the bride look back or return after she crossed the threshold of the house in which she grew up.

After all the rituals in the bride's house are completed, the large family goes to the temple for the wedding.

Future spouses travel separately, as is customary in other countries. According to the traditions of a Greek wedding, the groom arrives first and waits for his beloved. The bride goes to the altar not alone and not with the groom, she must be accompanied by her father or brother.

At the end of the marriage, the guests are waiting for the newlyweds outside the temple. When the newlyweds go out to them, they are showered with rice. This Greek rite is the key to a strong and long-term family union.

Another Greek rite dedicated to the wealth and prosperity of the newlyweds is to perform a dance. Guests hang the young with beads, ropes of money.

At the end of the wedding celebration, the happy newlyweds go to the husband's house. And here again, it will not do without Greek rites. In fact, there are an infinite number of them.

The Greeks believe that, observing at least partially their wedding traditions, they promise a young couple a happy long life.

Greek traditions:

Greek wedding is considered one of the most eventful. Their entertainment program, in compliance with all customs, is very touching and makes you rejoice. In fact, it's great that people continue to observe their old traditions.

Every country has its own traditions and customs in celebrating and organizing a wedding celebration. Within the framework of this article, we will talk about the Greek wedding and its exclusive ceremonies. Paying tribute to ancient traditions, a wedding in Greece is always distinguished by splendor in its conduct, brightness, emotionality and originality.

Such a wedding is usually accompanied by old and modern songs and dances, a noisy feast with a large number of guests, the number of which fluctuates around 500-600 people. Naturally, fabulous sums of money are often spent on the luxurious decoration of the church and the banquet hall, which are decorated with candles, candelabra, bouquets and garlands of fresh flowers, wedding dresses of the bride and her girlfriends, as well as gifts for guests. Usually, the future mother-in-law, as well as kumbaros, the groom's friend, bear the main expenses.

Today, Greek law allows civil marriage to be dispensed with, but despite this, for most Greeks, a sacrament performed by the Orthodox Church remains a real marriage.

The Greek wedding lasts for seven days.

Sunday, a week before the wedding , the groom sends his beloved bride a traditional gift - this is the sign that symbolizes the beginning of the wedding celebration. The betrothal takes place in the temple in the presence of guests. According to tradition, on this day the groom asks the bride's father for the hand of his daughter.
When the father's consent is received, the priest seals the agreement: having blessed the rings, he puts them on the ring finger of the betrothed's left hand, as a symbol of mutual fidelity to each other, then they will exchange them three times. On the left hand, the rings remain until the wedding, during which they will find their rightful place on the ring finger of the right hand of the spouses.

First day - Monday - the very first preparations for the wedding begin.

Second day - Tuesday - relaxation.

Third day - Wednesday – the bride’s relatives collect and stack the bride’s dowry, which has been prepared for years: these are various handicrafts, mainly sewing and embroidery, made by the hands of the bride herself and her mother.
Already in our time, this tradition has been preserved only symbolically, now dowry does not have the same meaning as it did in the past, when dowry women were not married.

Fourth day - Thursday – a dowry exhibition is held in the bride’s house, where all guests can appreciate the craftsmanship, elegance and beauty of products made by the bride and her mother with their own hands. Also on this day, a ceremony is held "making the bed". Unmarried friends and relatives of the bride neatly and beautifully cover her bed. The main task is as follows - it is necessary to make the bed so that the groom likes it, who, in turn, with feigned dissatisfaction, even if the bed looks perfect, must tear off the bedspreads and sheets, thereby demanding to make it better.
According to tradition, the re-making of the bed is repeated until the groom is completely satisfied with the result (usually no more than three times). The ritual of “making the bed” is accompanied throughout the whole time by jokes, laughter and the sound of old wedding songs, which, as usual, are performed by kumbaros (witness of the groom).

When the groom announces that he is pleased with the work of the bridesmaids and the bed is finally made, the guests strew it with rice, coins, rose petals and almond dragees, thereby wishing the future spouses wealth and happiness. Then the smallest of the children present is chosen and placed on the bed, wishing the couple many healthy children. The Greek belief says that if a boy was put on the bed first, then the boy will be the first-born in a young family, and if a girl, then the couple will have a girl.

Fifth day - Friday – the families of the bride and groom send invitation cards to the guests and bake wedding bread. These days, all relatives from both sides gather under a common roof in the newlyweds' house.
There is a funny tradition in Northern Greece: while the bread is being baked, the groom secretly sends flour to the bride's house so that the bridesmaids sprinkle it on the bride, and in the groom's house all the visiting relatives are sprinkled with flour.

Sixth day - Saturday - the wedding feast begins, the groom slaughters a lamb on the festive table, and the most important event of this day: the transfer of the bride's dowry to the groom's house, also on this day the bride and groom traditionally take a bath.

Seventh day - Sunday - the most important day for the couple - wedding. This day can be conditionally divided into several significant stages.

First stage. Gathering of the bride and groom.

The bride and groom each in their own house put on wedding dresses. Early in the morning, the newly-made bride is dressed in a wedding dress, her hair is gathered into a beautiful hairstyle, decorating her head with long golden threads that go down to her knees, and her face is covered with a pink veil. The bride's brother ties a three-knot belt around her waist. When the chores with the bride are over, she kisses everyone’s hands as a sign of gratitude and retires to the so-called “bride’s corner” - this is a specially designated place for her in the room, which is decorated with flowers, here she will have to be during the ceremony. In conclusion, a wreath of artificial flowers is placed on the bride's head, accompanying the whole process with songs. On the solemn day, the groom is shaved and dressed by his friends.

Second phase. Arrival of the groom to the bride's house.

When all the necessary preparations are completed, a solemn procession leaves from the groom's house to the bride's house. On the threshold of the future son-in-law, the future mother-in-law meets him, she presents him with a glass of wine and pastries in the form of rings. Having accepted treats from her, the groom kisses her hand and asks for blessings. The mother of the bride blesses the groom and kisses him on both cheeks. From that moment on, he is considered a full member of the family. The groom is not allowed into the house until he pays off with gifts, very often the way to the house is blocked with ropes, and as a ransom they demand a chicken as a symbol of fertility.

Third stage. Bride leaving.

Here it is worth mentioning another beautiful custom - one of the groom's friends brings with him white shoes for the bride, in which she must leave the house. The goal of the bridesmaids is to steal these shoes, after which the groom's friend pays off with money, and the shoes are returned back to the bride. Then, on the sole of one of the shoes, the bride writes the names of her unmarried friends and relatives. It is believed that the girl whose name is erased first will soon marry herself. After the bride, before leaving her parents' house, she dances a farewell dance with her father, and the groom takes her out of her father's house.

Fourth stage. On the way to the altar.

After the bride leaves, the whole procession goes to the wedding. All the way to the temple, the bride and groom should not be together. They travel in different cars, each with their relatives. The first to arrive at the church is the groom and patiently waits for his beloved at the entrance. Upon arrival, the bride is led to the groom by either her father or brother. There is a fun tradition, following which the bride does not immediately climb the steps of the temple, but makes several circles at the stairs to make the future husband a little nervous. Then the wedding ceremony takes place.

Fifth stage. Sprinkling with rice.

In Greece, as in many other countries, it is customary to shower newlyweds with rice after the wedding is over. Among the Greeks, this tradition symbolizes a strong and prolific marriage, since in Greek the word "risi" means "rice", consonant with the word "rizes" - "roots", so the young family very symbolically receives their rice to take root and create friendly big family.

Sixth stage. Money dance.

During the first dance of the newlyweds, the guests pin or hang banknotes or whole garlands of money on their clothes, thus wishing the young family wealth and prosperity.

Seventh stage. Entrance to the groom's house.

At the end of the wedding celebration, the newly-made spouses go to the husband's house. Entering the groom's house, the bride must observe many interesting rituals, since each section of the path to the house (threshold, door, first rung of the stairs) marked by special actions:

- on the threshold of the newlyweds, the mother of the groom meets with honey and various sweets, with which she needs to feed both before they enter the house, so that their life is sweet;

- the bride must step over the bread that her mother-in-law puts on the threshold. If the bride stepped over with her right foot, this is a very good sign;

- when entering the house, the newlyweds must keep gold coins in their mouths, which are a promise that from now on the spouses will only speak golden words to each other;

- already in the house, the husband's mother gives the newlyweds a pomegranate fruit, which in ancient Greece was considered a symbol of well-being and fertility. According to legend - as many grains in the fruit - so many children, happiness and prosperity for a young family.

The traditions and customs presented above are just a small part of a long list of Greek wedding customs. In ancient times, people deeply believed that by performing all the necessary rites, they thus provide the newlyweds with a long happy family life, therefore, it is only natural that compliance with all the rules was an integral part of the Greek wedding. Nowadays, the richest exquisite traditions accumulated over the centuries make the Greek wedding interesting, colorful, fun and simply memorable.

A Greek wedding is an event that is remembered for a lifetime.
The wedding day is a cycle of ancient traditions and rituals, and the sacred ceremony is full of symbolism and mystery.

It is not surprising that preparations for a Greek wedding begin one and a half to two years before the happy date - it takes time to organize such a beautiful and solemn event.
The wedding is usually preceded by an engagement - a tradition according to which the groom asks for the hands of the bride's father, and having received consent, invites the priest to consolidate the "agreement of intent": to bless the wedding rings and put them on the ring fingers of the betrothed's left hands.
The guests invited to celebrate the engagement wish the couple a happy wedding.

The wedding is preceded by another rite - “Making the bed”.
For two days, representatives of two families gather in the bride's father's house: to look at the dowry and evaluate the wedding dress. Unmarried bridesmaids cover her bed, and the groom has the right to remove the sheets if the bed seemed to him not neatly made.
The procedure is repeated until the groom is completely satisfied. As soon as the bed is perfectly made, rice, rose petals, money are thrown on it, thus wishing a happy and prosperous life.
Babies are also placed on the bed - to ensure fertility for the couple. If they put a boy, then the first in the new family is expected to be a boy, if a girl, then a girl.

On the day of the wedding, the bride and groom dress each in their own home. The tradition calls for the bride to be dressed by unmarried bridesmaids and the groom to be shaved and dressed by his friends.
On the sole of her shoe, the bride writes the names of unmarried bridesmaids - the one whose name is erased first will soon get married. Before leaving her father's house, the bride dances a farewell dance with her father, and when getting into the car, the bride should not look back or return for a forgotten thing - this is considered a bad omen, and the groom should not see the bride or her dress before church.

The bride is brought to the groom, who is waiting at the entrance to the church decorated on the occasion of the celebration, by her father or brother. The Greek rite of marriage is in many ways (with some exceptions) similar to the wedding in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The ceremony begins when the bride and groom are given white candles in their hands, symbolizing the couple's readiness to accept Christ. This is followed by the exchange of rings, and this procedure, like many others, is performed by the Greek best man - kumbaros.
After the prayers, the wedding takes place: the heads of the bride and groom are covered with thin crowns called stefana, connected by a silk white ribbon and having received the blessing of the priest. The crowns symbolize the glory and honor bestowed on the couple by God, while the ribbon symbolizes unity.

After reading the Gospel (about the marriage in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine), the couple is served wine in a common cup, from which the bride and groom drink three times.
The priest then leads the couple around the altar, helping them take their first steps in life as husband and wife. Kumbaros follows the bride and groom, holding crowns over their heads.
After that, the priest blesses the couple, removes the crowns and puts the Bible into the hands of the newlyweds, thereby showing that now only God can separate this union.

After the wedding, the newlyweds are sprinkled with rice and rose petals and the invitees congratulate them in turn, wishing them long life. Unmarried girls hand out kufet to guests: bittersweet almonds in sugar, wrapped in fancy packaging - bonbonniere.
After all the congratulations in the church, the newlyweds go to the wedding photo session, and the guests are sent to the reception.

The most impressive thing about Greek wedding receptions is the dancing. Having danced the first dance and cut the wedding cake, the bride and groom take a white handkerchief or scarf by the edges, and KalamatyanOs begins - a traditional Greek round dance, in which everyone can take part.
Guests dance sparing no effort, no coins for the musicians, no plates that break on the floor - for good luck.
Flowers and money fall at the feet of the dancers. The celebration continues all night.

Greek wedding traditions vary from region to region, and arriving after an Athenian wedding to a Cypriot one, you can find many surprises.
Therefore, you can’t tell everything about a Greek wedding - you need to see it, and even better - survive it.

A wedding is the most magical event in everyone's life. Such an event should not only be beautiful and magnificent, but also unusual, so that it differs from a drunken feast. You can make a themed wedding, for example, in the Greek style, and in order to comply with all the canons of this wedding as much as possible, I offer you the traditions of a Greek wedding. You can, of course, watch the movie "The Big Greek Wedding", or you can follow their traditions and make the wedding original. In a Greek wedding, there are many rituals and traditions that are difficult to reproduce, but possible. So, what happens at weddings in Greece.

In Greece, immediately after the wedding ceremony or before it, it is customary to arrange a “loud concert” of honking cars, which, in principle, is akin to us. During the ceremony itself, the young couple is crowned and put on their heads crowns of flowers or precious metals. The crowns are tied together with ribbons. On this day, newlyweds are treated to the king and queen. Crowns can be removed after the wedding, or you can leave them for the whole day and remove only the ribbon. These crowns are kept for life, and sometimes they are buried in them. The godfather of the groom usually acts as the best man at the wedding, but it can also be just a friend.

The wedding venue is decorated with numerous flowers. Yellow, orange and red colors predominate. Without fail, for good luck, a dish is smashed on the floor, and coins are thrown at the musicians to make money. There is also a custom for monetary family life - a lot of money is attached to the bride, sometimes for two. The guests get the money for this.

As at any wedding, any nations have a mandatory wedding dance for the young. In Greece, the newlyweds begin to dance together, and then the guests join them and form a circle. Dancing at Greek weddings is different in that there are a lot of friendly, joint dances, in which they put their hands on each other's shoulders.

Before the Greek wedding, a stag and hen party take place a week before. But the main thing is the gifts that will be presented at these parties. They should be small and pleasant. Also, gifts are given to guests at the wedding, and to everyone without exception. It can be small bundles of white tulle, where they can put sweets, small sweets and candied almonds. Without a small present, the guest should not leave the wedding.

As a rule, the Greeks celebrate the wedding for three days, starting on Saturday and ending on Monday. On the first day, the fun of loved ones and relatives falls, on the second day, on Sunday, the marriage ceremony takes place directly, and on Monday the bride must show how she knows how to manage the household and marital devotion.

The wedding tradition and the wedding itself are very beautiful in Greece. The newlyweds go to church on foot. The people they meet along the way will definitely wish them a happy and long family life, and the more people they meet, the stronger their union will be. The duration of the wedding feast and our Russian weddings differs from weddings in the UK, France, Germany, etc. They usually confine themselves to a short buffet table.

Greek brides prefer empire dresses with a special cut of the collar. It is now especially very fashionable and popular. The color of the wedding dress is classic white, but the veil can be red, orange or yellow. It is considered protection from negativity and evil spirits. But such colors can also be used to decorate the dress itself and complement it with gloves of the same color.

The groom's suit is often chosen in a neutral shade: gray, beige or sand, but it can also be black.

Greek cuisine equates to Mediterranean cuisine, which is dominated by vegetables, legumes, olives, olive oil, cheese and baked goods. Lemons and oranges are more prevalent among fruits on wedding tables. The famous Greek salad is indispensable at the wedding. As appetizers, mezes are served - small dishes suitable for buffet tables, and served with alcohol.

Meze is feta cheese with olives and various seafood. The hot dish is served with dolmades or dolma. An analogue of our cabbage rolls is not only in cabbage, but in grape leaves. Souvlaki - pork or lamb skewers on wooden skewers with lemon slices and white bread.