THE WEDDING DAY 

Traditional Greek Orthodox weddings are steeped in tradition and consist of three main elements; the getting ready ceremony  (Allamata) , the church ceremony and finally the wedding reception. 

The Allamata

The Allamata ceremony symbolises the parting and blessing of the child; now an adult, who is moving on to be joined in matrimony to their chosen partners. Once the ceremonies are complete the bride & groom are deemed to be blessed & ready to wed.

George's Allamata will take place first, followed by Naomi's. Each ceremony will take place in homes just a few meters away, yet the bride and groom will not see each other until the wedding ceremony. Following George's Allamata, he will make his way to the church to wait for Naomi to arrive. 

Throughout each ceremony, traditional music will play. Firstly, parts of the bride and groom's clothing are placed in a basket "Paneri" and both family and friends will dance to the music being performed holding the basket of clothing. This symbolises luck and fortune for the future bride or groom. The groom will receive his 'last shave' by the Koumbaro (best man), and the bride will write down the names of her single friends on the sole of her shoe. (At the end of the evening, when the bride takes off her shoes, only one name will remain written on the sole. It is thought that she will be the next woman to marry!). 

 Once this part of the ceremony has come to an end the main tune performed at the beginning of the Allamata  is repeated with new lyrics for the most important part of the ceremony. Before they go, a last sending off from the relatives and friends takes place. The family and close friends will be called individually within the lyrics of the Allamata song, to bless them with the tying of a red sash around the waist. Each person will act out the symbol of the cross with the red sash three times; from the forehead to the waist, right shoulder to left shoulder. The sash is also then wrapped and tied around the waist a further three times. (Everything is done three times, as it is symbolic of the Holy Trinity). 

The wedding ceremony

The wedding ceremony will then begin. The religious ceremony is steeped in history and will be performed in Ancient Greek. Compared to other wedding ceremonies there are likely a few 'key' things that don't exist in Greek weddings - there is no vows or the famed "I do" that characterises the western wedding in the media. Yet the wedding ceremony is packed with traditionalism and symbolism. 

There are two main parts to the wedding service; the first is the Betrothal Service, followed by the Marriage Service. The latter consists of five sections: The Prayers; The Crowning; Readings from Scripture; The Common Cup; and the Dance of Isaiah.

During the Betrothal, the priest blesses the wedding rings and touches the bride and grooms forehead with them. He makes the sign of the cross above their heads and prays. The best man (Koumbaro) and maid of honour (Koumbara) will then exchange the rings on the right hands of the bride and groom three times, signifying that their two lives are intertwined as one by the grace of the Holy Trinity. Now they are officially betrothed to marry before God.

The second part of the service - the Marriage - sees the bride and groom each holding a lit candle throughout the service, which symbolises the light of Christ who is with them for the rest of their marriage. The priest joins the right hands of the groom and bride as he calls upon God to unify the bride and groom into one mind and body. Prayers are said, asking to grant them a long and peaceful life of health and happiness. (Their hands will remain joined throughout the service to show their union).

The best man and maid of honour place the stephana (crowns) on the heads of the bride and groom. The stephana are two decorated crowns with a long ribbon running between the two. The stephana quite literally represent crowns, as the marriage is viewed as creating a new kingdom where the bride and groom are considered the king and queen of the home and family. The best man and maid of honour place the stephana above the heads of the bride and groom and exchange them three times while the priest asks God to "crown them with honor and glory". This further emphasises the connection between the two people. 

Next two readings are read, one from St. Paul about love and respect, and how the husband should love his wife and protect her with his life. The wife should also respect her husband as the Church honours Christ. The second reading is from the Gospel of St. John, which talks about Jesus' miracle at the wedding in Cana.The readings are followed by the 'common cup'. The bride and groom share a common cup of wine, which symbolises the sharing that life brings after marriage.

Finally before the ceremony is over, in what is a high point of the service the newlywed couple is led around the small table by the priest. They circle the table three times, taking their first steps as husband and wife in what is known as 'The Dance of Isaiah'. Following this and one final blessing, the ceremony is over. 

The priest removes the crowns and asks God for a long and happy life for them. He then lifts the book of the Holy Gospel, bringing it down between the couple's clasped hands as a reminder that only God can separate them from one another. It is a spiritual reference that through the Gospel, Christ will always be their way back to each other should they begin to drift. 

As the bride and groom leave the church, rice and rose petals will be thrown as confetti, and Koufetta  (sugared almonds) will be given to the wedding guests - their salty-sweet combination is thought to symbolise life's ups and downs. 

The wedding reception

The wedding reception will then take place shortly after at Lofou Elementary School grounds. In many ways, this will be similar to a British wedding reception.  The key difference is that the reception will begin with an opportunity for the bride and groom to personally give thanks to each of the guests for attending the special day, and will also provide an opportunity for guests to give their well-wishes, cards (and gifts -only if you choose to do so).  After this, guests will be given a chance to enjoy their food (and the open bar!). The rest of the evening will be characterised by the entrance of the couple, the cutting of the cake, speeches, the first dance, and of course - the party!