A Wedding in the Islands
SOPHIE GOFF
Greece is a country of picturesque, beautiful landscapes and rich historical background. The countries individuality however is not limited to these aspects; the Greek culture, which has been developed and shaped over the centuries, continues to play a distinctive role in many aspects of everyday Greek life. The traditional Greek wedding ceremony in particular is one of the major representative customs, which clearly demonstrate the uniqueness and charm of the Greek heritage and culture. Weddings are times of such joy and happiness that you want the couple to have the best of luck for not only the special day but for their lives together. It is little wonder that wedding traditions and superstitions are universal for example, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”
The Greek have many century old superstitions and traditions that begin weeks out from the wedding day. One of the ways the Greek ensures that the couple is fertile is through the making of the marital bed during the celebration of Krevati. The marital bed is made at the ‘home to be’ of the engaged couple. Family and friends of the couple shower the bed with rose petals and money wishing the couple a ‘blossoming’ and wealthy life. A baby, usually a little boy, is then rolled over the bed as a symbol of fertility. Another of the traditions to ensure fertility and the bearing of happy and healthy children is for one of the groomsman to visit the house of the bride before the wedding, select a pair of her shoes and put money in them. The groomsman then puts a shoe on the brides right foot and says out loud three times, “five sons and one daughter,” and then puts on her other shoe while she kisses his hand.
A harmonious relationship between the bride and Mother-In-Law is also an important factor in a Greek marriage. This is cemented when the bride visits the house of the Mother-In-Law at some point before the wedding ceremony. Before entering the house, the mother of the groom hands the bride a plate of honey, which the bride uses to make three crosses on the door frame of the house before entering to make sure that sweetness follows her into the home. This peculiar tradition originates from when the bride lived with her husband’s family after the wedding.
Within the ceremony some traditions include the crowning of the couple. The priest places a “stefana,” a beaded crown like band, on the heads of the bride and groom and offers the couple a cup of wine which they each drink from three times. The wine is symbolic of the first miracle of Jesus. The priest holds the Bible and leads the couples first steps as husband and wife by walking three times around the alter. It is during this time that the guests throw rice and rose petals at the couple to wish them a long- lasting and stable life together.
After the ceremony the guests gather for a traditional Greek meal. After this, the closest relatives of the couple do a traditional Greek dance in a small circle each holding a ceramic plate above their heads. At the end of the dance, the plates are smashed as a sign of long lasting luck for the bride and groom. It is also symbolic of a new beginning, that the couple were throwing away their old life and embarking on a new journey together.
The bride traditionally walks down the aisle with a lump of sugar in her glove, which is symbolic of a sweet life or with a gold coin in her shoe to bring prosperity. The groom will carry a small piece of iron in his pocket to ward of evil spirits. It is terrible luck for the bride to pick up her dress on the day before her wedding and it is thought to be good luck if the groomsmen dress the groom on the day of the ceremony. These are smaller superstitions however are none the less thought to be a vital part in the running of a traditional Greek wedding.
The Greek have many traditions that have been carried on throughout the centuries to ensure the happiness and prosperity of the couple that are being married. Although these traditions are not so commonly practiced today, they are a big part of the Greek culture and identity and in one way or another have helped define Greece as a unique and individual nation.