Greek wedding: refinement of traditions. Big Greek wedding

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 surely 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.

They also bake beautiful wedding bread. From alcohol, ouzo is a Greek alcoholic drink, very strong, light wines, orange liqueur and metaxu.

The sea, the sun, the beach are the obligatory attributes of summer. And if you are lucky not only to come to the sea for a vacation, but also to arrange your wedding near its waves, you simply do not have the right to defile its azure, depth and purity with banality! What needs to be done to echo the sea on this great day? What should the bride and groom look like? How to decorate the place of the ceremony and effectively serve the famous Greek dishes to your wedding guests? And, most importantly, how much will all this luxury cost you? The whole truth about Greece in my today's research!

GREEK STYLE WEDDING PREPARATIONS

GREEK WEDDING INVITATION CARDS

The color scheme that we recommend to follow when preparing for a Greek wedding is a combination of white with blue and elements of yellow and olive (or black). To hint to guests about the colors in which they should choose outfits when they are going to your wedding, and what awaits them behind the scenes of your celebration, invitation cards should be kept in just this color range.

It will be interesting if you present your celebration as a performance of a small Greek theater, having issued invitation cards in the form of an ajar backstage piece. Keeping in mind the colors, the basis for such an invitation is to take blue matte cardboard. Greece will not tolerate fake gloss, and shiny decorations for this wedding should generally be avoided, both in decoration and in the styling of invitation cards. Well, the text of the invitation itself will be enough to print on ordinary white xerox paper (although for a greater effect, you can use a fancy handwritten font). An additional element is a chic nylon (black or white, depending on the taste of the newlyweds) bow.

Such an invitation card can be made at home (if you set yourself the goal of saving the wedding budget). The cost of supplies and mailing will really be quite insignificant (about 50-80 dollars, depending on the guest list). If you do not want to deal with this moment of preparation on your own, order invitations from those who provide similar services in your city. This option will cost you two or even three times more (about $ 200).

If you do not even think about saving on invitation cards, you can choose a more exclusive, sophisticated option. For example, use not just cardboard as the basis for a postcard, but thick paper with floral embossing. Such luxurious paper does not require additional decorations. A thin blue ribbon will be enough to tie up the invitation.

And postcards in the assembly, however, are not much more expensive than the "thrifty" ones. In total, their production will deduct no more than 250 conventional units from the wedding budget.

If you are more attracted to the ancient Greek style (you are delighted with Olympus, its gods and goddesses), tell your guests about your love through a suvoy invitation.

Such invitations are made only to order, you will hardly find something similar in free sale. And they are expensive, since the price takes into account the "aging" of the paper, and the bamboo base for the suvoy. For 50 pieces of such original postcards, you will shell out $ 350. But the uniqueness is worth the cost!

An important element in the design of wedding invitations are the envelopes in which you will send them out. For the Greek style, canvas envelopes made of natural, linen fiber are perfect. They look and are expensive. And even if you put a very simple postcard with text inside such envelopes, you won’t spoil the first impression of the guests about the high status of your wedding!

One such envelope costs almost 2.5 dollars. If you are planning a wedding for an average of 50 people, then you will pay about $ 125 for envelopes. Plus - postcards.

Let's summarize. On average (depending on the option you like), invitations for guests to a Greek wedding will lighten your pocket by 300-350 dollars. A relatively small price for the real luxury of the Olympic gods.

GREEK BRIDE DRESS

The Greek theme certainly inspires the fashion houses of the world. This is evidenced by the fact that at different times, different designers created thousands of wedding dresses in the style of the country of olives. Characteristic features of the wedding dress of the bride in the Greek style: an even silhouette (no puffy skirts and princess hems!), high waist, corset or bodice with thin straps, chiffon, flowing skirt and a lot of gold and silver jewelry and embroidery.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the flowers. Ideal for Greece would be a white dress with a blue belt or azure embroidery. You can use olive threads and rhinestones with a silver sheen. This decoration will well emphasize the divine image of the bride.

As for the veil, it is best to stick to a short version, or to abandon it altogether, replacing it with an old gold wedding dress that is worn on loose, slightly wavy hair.

Another version of the headdress is the divine laurel crown. It can be made both from the branches of a living laurel, or replaced with a tiara stylized as a laurel.

Shoes (or sandals) of the bride should match the overall style of the outfit. It's best to opt for a sparkling silver peep-toe model (nothing ruins wedding photos like a bride suffering from the wrong shoes, remember that!). In combination with a luxurious decor of a dress and an unusual headdress, these shoes will look simply stunning!

The cost of a wedding dress in the Greek style directly depends on the cost and richness of the decorative trim of the dress, headdress and shoes. If you stop at a modest option (with a minimum of decor), the cost of the toilet will not be too much - 300-400 dollars. If you choose a more pretentious option, with a rich finish, then such an outfit will lighten the groom's pocket by 700 or more conventional units.

GREEK GROOM OUTFIT

As for the second main figure of the wedding ceremony, the groom, then you should not be too philosophic with his outfit. A completely white suit (or simply trousers and a shirt) on a Greek-tanned body looks charming and very seductive. A sophisticated bride and a macho groom will evoke a lot of positive emotions among wedding guests and just casual viewers of the ceremony.

If you want to diversify the absolute white a little, you can add a couple of bright elements to the outfit. For example, a juicy orange tie, or a colorful boutonniere on the lapel of a snow-white jacket.

Well, if you do not want to experiment with the outfit, you can wear a classic black suit. It will also look good and go well with the style of the wedding.

The groom's outfit will cost you around $300-400. And this is if you decide to buy a suit. If the suit itself is an absolutely unique item in your wardrobe, you can save money and rent an outfit. In this case, you will have to buy only shoes and a shirt with a tie. You will definitely save 100-150 dollars!

DRESS CODE FOR WEDDING GUESTS

If you do not plan to style the ancient, Greek Olympus, you should not burden your guests with any special dress code requirements. The only condition: for women - dresses in Greek colors, for men - a suit in the same color scheme.

As for the bride's witnesses, they, of course, should set off her snow-white dress with the contrasting black of their outfits.

You can also add a twist to a Greek wedding guest cocktail. For example, to make a "pass system" for a holiday. And let the entrance ticket for each guest be an interesting decoration in the Greek style (bracelet, ring, earrings, etc.).

WEDDING PROCESSION

A real traditional wedding in Greece does not involve a motor vehicle at all as such. It is customary for newlyweds in Greece to ride on donkeys, and to the church (where, as a rule, the wedding takes place according to the Byzantine rite), they generally go on foot.

Well, if you still can’t imagine yourself as a donkey rider, you can order a snow-white convertible for your summer wedding in the Greek style. It will be stylish and also, in general, in Greek!

You can ride donkeys (if you still find an organization in your city that provides such services) for 20-40 dollars per hour. If you consider that you need a pair of animals, then you will definitely meet $100. Well, if your choice fell on a convertible, then its rental (with a driver) will cost your wedding budget $60 per hour. Usually, rental organizations of this kind do not rent their cars for less than 3 hours. Because - minus another $ 180.

RINGS AND CROWNS OF THE HONEYMOONS, BOUQUET OF THE BRIDE

To keep the memory of your big Greek wedding with you for many years, you can order wedding rings in the shape of a laurel wreath. Well, if you are adherents, after all, of a more traditional approach to this issue, you can exchange even and smooth white gold rings on this day.

There is another interesting option, made in the spirit of Greece, and its favorite colors are white and blue. You can present your beloved on your wedding day with a ring with turquoise or purple amethyst. And one more, purely Greek, traditional wedding precious accessory - golden crowns. They, connected with a ribbon, are put on the heads of the newlyweds during the wedding. According to tradition, happy relatives give such crowns to the bride and groom on the wedding day. If parents have a good family life, and they want to convey all the best to the newlyweds, then they present such a gift.

Do not forget about another important wedding gift - a bouquet for the bride. As a rule, it consists of ordinary white roses with the addition of laurel branches.

If you want to get as close as possible to Greece and its customs, you can include flowers traditional for this country, and loved by the Greeks, in the bouquet - dodecatheon, carenweisia and levkoy.

Greek style engagement rings will cut your wedding budget by $500 and up (depending on your choice). Well, the bouquet will cost the groom a maximum of 100 conventional units.

DECOR AND DECORATION OF THE WEDDING HALL

What should you focus on when preparing for a Greek wedding? First of all, take into account the colors. A wedding in white and blue will look truly chic! In addition, the wedding hall needs to be airy, which means that it is advisable to use a lot of fabric in the decor. Light chiffon, flowing and shiny organza will turn your hall into a light sailboat on the sea! If you add a lot of flowers to all this splendor (it is advisable to order flower arrangements for tall vases), you will get a real, chic, Greek wedding hall.

For an open-air wedding ceremony, you can decorate the site with fake columns in the style of Greek architecture and bulldenezh.

Let's also say a few words about the bride's bouquet. Hollywood style allows only a minimal deviation in its design from the classics. That is, the bouquet should include red or white roses, white callas, or other flowers in traditional Hollywood colors - beige, gold, red satin. You can also add a special touch - hanging flowerpots of bright colors. This decor will make it easier for your wedding photographer to highlight and create stunning photos for your wedding album.

And one more, truly Greek accent - olive branches. They can be used both in the decor of the entire hall, and they can set off the impeccable whiteness of the tablecloth of the wedding banquet table.

The work of the hall decorator will cost you 200 conventional units. Plus - materials (almost the same). The most expensive Greek-style decor items will be the rental of columns, fabric and numerous flower arrangements. Total - $ 400 will have to be set aside for decoration.

MUSIC FOR A GREEK STYLE WEDDING

The ideal musical arrangement for a Greek wedding is to hire a colorful folk group with impeccable acting skills, costumes and a rich repertoire. It will be good if the group will own native Greek musical instruments.

In Greece, there is a very beautiful tradition: the newlyweds are not accompanied by their parents to the place of the ceremony, but by musicians. They go ahead of the wedding procession and "lay" with cheerful, fervent music the way for those in love with a bright, carefree family life.

You can find a colorful Greek musical group at the embassy (if we are talking about the capital) or the representative office of this country in your city. Contact there for help, and you will be prompted for contacts. On average, a good musical group can be hired for the entire wedding day for $600.

WEDDING CEREMONY, PHOTO AND VIDEO

The ideal option for a Greek wedding is to hold a wedding ceremony by the sea. To do this, often the organizers of such services offer to rent a special area with an arch and a gorgeous view of the sea. As a rule, after the official ceremony in Greece, the newlyweds get married in an orthodox church.

Then, traditionally, a romantic walk follows with an accompanying photo and video session. Ideal landscapes for shooting are the blue sea, snow-white karst mountains, the sand of the beach, yachts on the pier, the greenery of gardens. A professional photographer will surely offer you a unique subject for a great and very personal love story.

WEDDING BANQUET

A Greek wedding in its best sense involves a large number of guests and an open-air banquet. This approach obliges you to hire a restaurant with at least an outdoor area and stunning sea views. If you couldn’t find anything suitable, ask to organize a banquet by the pool, after decorating it with chic flower arrangements.

And, of course, don't forget the world-famous Greek wine and the gorgeous Greek-inspired wedding cake!

Renting a restaurant and a Greek-style banquet for 50 people will cost about 3-5 thousand dollars on average. The exact amount depends on the city in which you are organizing the wedding, the entourage of the restaurant and the showiness of serving a custom-made treat-cake.

In addition to the chicly decorated official part, the general impression of your wedding will help your guests to form an informal, feast filled with very beautiful Greek traditions. I will tell you about some of them now.

GREEK STYLE WEDDING IDEAS

Separation of bread A very beautiful and simple tradition is followed by brides in Crete. On the eve of the wedding, they bake round-shaped bread, and then they share it among all the guests at the wedding. It is believed that by sharing bread - you will increase family happiness!
	Inscriptions-wishes for spouses on the shoes of the bride The ritual of dressing the future wife in Greece is accompanied by an interesting tradition. On the soles of her shoes, in which she will walk down the aisle, her friends leave their wishes for the young family. It is believed that if you go to get married in these shoes, God will “see” all the good wishes through the open altar and they will certainly come true, making the young family very happy!
First dance on money In Greece, it is customary for newlyweds who dance their first family dance to throw banknotes at the feet. Of course, this promises wealth to a young family!
	One of the most chic Greek traditions. Almost at the end of the holiday, the groom must dance a traditional Greek dance in the fire of burning whiskey! This dance looks amazing!
Tie pieces Well, after completing his incendiary dance, the groom must cut his tie into pieces and sell it to his single friends! They say that this happy piece will soon help bachelors to start a family. Whether this is true or not is not known. But it is clear for sure - the tradition will help replenish the family budget of the newlyweds for a good amount! Let your Greek wedding be happy, chic, rich and generous! And the whole future family life will be the same!

Any wedding is a cycle of ancient rituals and traditions. Each sacred ceremony is filled with mystery and symbolism. In Greece, preparations for the wedding begin a year or even two before the appointed date of marriage. After all, it takes a lot of time to organize a chic solemn event. We also hold weddings in the Greek style. Consider what is needed for this.

Dress for a Greek bride

Wedding dresses in the Greek style have a special cut of the collar and are most often sewn in the Empire style. This outfit is considered very elegant and sophisticated, a great option for a pregnant bride. Leading wedding designers are sure to include such outfits in their collections.

Interesting Greek wedding traditions

An integral part of almost any wedding is the dance of the newlyweds. The bride and groom begin to dance together, then guests should join them. The traditional Greek dance takes place in a circle formed by guests. Guests put their hands on each other's shoulders. After the first dance, the newlyweds cut the cake and feed each other. It looks very interesting in wedding photos.

In Greece, there is such a ceremony when all the unmarried guys present rise to the stage to the bride and dance with her. Dancing, the bride drops her handkerchief. Whoever can catch him will be the next to marry. After the wedding, the newlyweds go on their honeymoon, but no one should know exactly where the groom took the bride. After the wedding, the bride should not worry for a whole year, she should not attend the funeral, she should not even try the funeral kutya, which in Greece is called “kolivo”.

Greece is a fairly traditional country and the Greeks, like no one else, honor the heritage of their ancestors. Any celebration or event keeps the imprints of the great traditions of Hellenic wisdom. The Greek wedding is no exception, the traditions of which have swept to us through the centuries. And, besides, the Greeks know how to enjoy life, turning any holiday into a festivity with cheerful music, songs, dances and jokes.

I believe that, just like in other countries, in Greece, numerous wedding traditions can only be seen in the villages. In the cities, of course, all weddings are more modern, but even in them, all the same, the national flavor has been preserved.

Today, Greek law allows only a civil marriage, but despite this, for most Greeks, the sacrament of the wedding remains a real marriage. I will tell you about the most modern wedding traditions that are still followed in Greek weddings.

At the end of the wedding, the newlyweds go to the husband's house, where they are met by his mother. The entry of a young daughter-in-law into a new home is also accompanied by a number of interesting customs, and I will tell you about some of them.

1. On the thresholds of the newlyweds, the mother of the groom meets with sweets or honey “for a sweet life.” She must feed both before they enter the house.
2. Before entering the house, the mother of the groom gives the young pomegranate fruit, which in ancient Greece was considered a symbol of well-being and prosperity.
3. Stepping on the threshold of a new home, the spouses must on the right foot and at the same time, so that in their house there will always be mutual understanding and happiness.

In fact, there are a huge number of wedding traditions in the Greeks and they are different in each region of the country. In ancient times, when these customs were created, people believed that by observing all the necessary rituals, they would provide the newlyweds with a happy, prosperous life. There is, of course, some truth in this - what we believe in is what we get! Nowadays, when some wedding ceremonies are still observed at the Greek wedding, it turns into a colorful and colorful event. If you are lucky enough to attend such a wedding, I am sure that you will remember it as the brightest holiday!

And I wish you that your wedding is unusually beautiful, and your family life is the happiest!

Your wedding planner in Greece, Natalia Pavlichenko.

The wedding customs of ancient Greece have a rich centuries-old history, curious facts and details that have survived and survived to this day in the form of drawings on antique vases. These invaluable historical episodes tell how different the perception of married life was between women and men, how different were the laws for wives and husbands. To some belonged to dominion and all the pleasures of the world, others were content with the modest joys of family life.

So what was hidden for a big wedding with flowers and ribbons, chariots and flutes, songs and dances? What kind of life awaited men after the wedding, and what was in store for the girls? Let's get to know the customs and traditions weddings in ancient greece and try to recreate the picture of past centuries.

Marriage in Ancient Greece - Harsh Laws of Marriage

In ancient Greece, girls were given in marriage before puberty, while they were young and clean. Not having time to say goodbye to children's toys, girls under the age of 12 were forced to leave their father's house and become the wives of young men or men older than them by 12-15 years.

People lived to about 28-30 years old, at the age of 40 a person was already considered an old man. Rarely did anyone die a natural death: either diseases claimed human lives (medicine was at a very low level), or. The faster the girl got married, the faster and more she could raise future warriors, on whose protection the state was counting.

In ancient Greece, no abortions. Every Greek could have as many children as a wife or wife + mistress could give birth to. On average 10-12 children. However, due to high mortality, only 1-2 children survived to childbearing age.

We will talk more about this reason for early marriage a little later.

Price of the bride

Marriage in ancient Greece was accompanied by the signing of a marriage contract, according to which the girl became the property of her husband for a certain payment. Before the advent of minted coins in ancient Greece, various monetary units were used that were in circulation in one century or another. It was cattle and natural products and precious metals. Depending on the appearance of the bride, her ability to work and the wealth of the family, from 1 to 20 cows or sheep, or a bag of barley or 10-30 shekels (unit of measurement in silver, 1 shekel = 11.4 grams of silver) could be given for a girl. Over time, the ransom of the bride already had a symbolic meaning. Today, among some peoples, the purchase of a bride is still a prerequisite for the wedding ritual, even if it is of a ritual and symbolic nature.

Before modern Greece this custom came down in a symbolic sense: as in Russia, the groom pays a ransom for the bride to her bridesmaids.

Engagement

Conditionally wedding in ancient Greece can be divided into three stages: the engagement, the feast in the house of the bride, the feast in the house of the groom.

According to tradition, the wedding in ancient Greece was preceded by an engagement. As mentioned above, marriage is a contract for the sale of the bride, the details of which - the amount of payment and the date of the wedding - were discussed at the engagement. The contract was signed between the father of the bride and the groom, participation of the bride it was not required. According to local customs, the bride was not introduced to the groom until the day of the wedding itself.

If you look into the history of ancient Rus', you can find moments that are closely intertwined with ancient Greek history. So marriage in Rus' is a mutually beneficial deal concluded between the parents of the bride and groom. The girl's parents chose the future relative based on class and property interests. At the engagement, the young people were introduced, and then - inevitable wedding. The opinion of the girls, of course, was not taken into account, they lived according to the old belief: they will endure, they will fall in love.

Modern Engagement in Greece or the betrothal takes place a few months or even a year before the wedding. As in ancient times, the main purpose of the engagement is the signing of a marriage contract between the parents of the bride and groom. On the same day, the parties exchange wedding rings, the date of the wedding is set.

Groom and bride outfits

On the wedding day girls dressed long, embroidered dress with clasps at the shoulders. The head was covered with a headdress or veil (today it is called a veil). man outfit It was a rectangular piece of matter, also fastened on the shoulders with clasps and did not differ much from the female. The clothes of the newlyweds in ancient Greece were always white, as a symbol of purity and light. By the way, the tradition of wearing a white dress for a wedding originated here.

In modern Greece, in addition to the white dress of the bride, the tradition of covering the head with wreaths has been preserved: the newlyweds put on thin wreaths connected by a silk white ribbon, symbolizing unity.

Wedding in ancient Greece

The newlyweds went to the altar on a wagon decorated with flowers, accompanied by guests, flutists, drummers and torchbearers.

On the first day, the holiday began in the bride's father's house and ended in the groom's house. Required attributes of the wedding were noisy fun, songs and dances, which, as the Greeks believed, drove out evil spirits. The creation of noise is also relevant in modern Greece: at a wedding, tin cans are tied to the car.

Custom celebrate your wedding in style a few days gradually lost its value. As time passed, feasts became more and more modest and extravagance was no longer welcomed. This tradition has survived to this day.

The newlyweds at the wedding were showered with coins, dates, figs, nuts, which symbolized prosperity and happiness in the family. This tradition has been preserved in many countries.

In ancient Greece, the bride and groom were not allowed to drink alcohol. Despite the fact that the Greeks made excellent wine, they used it in a diluted form. Drunkenness was considered a disgrace and punished by the public. However, the rules are made to be broken, and they were violated quite often: outside the walls of cities, a different morality and morality reigned.

Intimate life after marriage

Upon reaching puberty, young virgins, according to historians, became lustful females devoid of restraint and self-control. They had to be looked after to keep their chastity. The most correct decision was considered to give the girl in marriage. Both before and after marriage, the girls were kept locked up for fear of adultery.

Marriage in ancient Greece- this is nothing but the reproduction of offspring. An unenviable fate awaited the girls after the wedding: they were practically equated with slaves, including in their sexual life.

Married woman she was engaged in housekeeping and raising children, it was impossible to call them seductive. As they said in those days - girls for business, boys - for pleasure. Husbands preferred pleasures on the side - prostitution and homosexuality flourished in the country.