How to Have a Traditional Greek Wedding

Greek Marriage Traditions Help Ensure a Memorable Wedding Day

May 12, 2009 Norman Kolpas

Have a truly "Big Fat Greek Wedding" by including one or more traditional Greek marriage customs in the nuptial plans, from baby rolling to wedding parade to money dance.

As the overwhelming box office success of the small independent film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” proved, everybody, whatever their cultural or religious background, can relate to the wholehearted warmth of Greek wedding customs. So, why not include one or more Greek traditions in plans for the blessed day?

Read through the following seven popular Greek wedding practices and select those that seem right for the occasion being planned.

Greek Wedding Customs

Baby-Rolling Ceremony. Friends and family bring their babies to the bedroom of the couple-to-be and gently roll their tots back and forth across the mattress, which is scattered with sugar-coated almonds, rose petals, and coins, all to ensure a prosperous and fertile union.
Flamboro. Also to ensure a fruitful marriage, family or friends seek out a tree branch ending in five twigs. To the outermost twig, they tie an apple, and adorn the other twigs with red wool, displaying the resulting “wedding flag” outside the home of the bride for a week before the nuptials.
A Lump of Sugar. A Greek bride will traditionally tuck a lump of sugar into one of her wedding gloves to ensure that she enjoys a sweet married life.
Wedding Parade. Before the ceremony, the flamboro (see above) is detached from its spot outside the bride’s home and carried to the groom’s home. It is then carried in front of the groom to lead him back to his bride’s home, where her mother welcomes and blesses the future son-in-law with wine, a ring-shaped cookie, and an herbal boutonniere. Bride and groom continue to the church.
Betrothal Ceremony. In the first part of the Greek Orthodox wedding service, the best man, the koumbaros, holds the wedding rings over the heads of the bride and groom and blesses them three times for the Holy Trinity. Rings are exchanged—three times, of course—to conclude this betrothal ceremony.
Stephana. Special marital crowns linked by a white ribbon are placed upon the heads of bride and groom and switched back and forth three times. Then the couple walks around the altar three times as prayers are repeated to seal their union. Bride and groom then circle the altar three times while guests shower them with rice or sugared almonds.
Money Dance. During the first dance at the party, guests traditionally pin or tape money to the clothing of both the bride and the groom.

Whatever elements of Greek wedding tradition are incorporated, may the day be a joyous one! (For more wedding inspirations, check out How to Have a Traditional Italian Wedding and How to Have a Traditional Hindu Wedding. Need a ring? Check out How to Judge a Diamond's Quality and Shape.)

The copyright of the article How to Have a Traditional Greek Wedding in Wedding Planning is owned by Norman Kolpas. Permission to republish How to Have a Traditional Greek Wedding in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding, on DVD.