A symbolic wedding ceremony in Lindos.
Looking out over the beautiful blue bay of Lindos, in the shadow of the Acropolis, this was the perfect setting for a romantic wedding ceremony in Greece! A beautiful bride walking through the village streets, accompanied by her Dad, the tourists stepping to one side to let them pass applauding the spectacle. Even the donkeys of Lindos pricked their ears up as the bridal group made their way up to the venue from the village square.
Photo credit Savvas Argirou
The bride enters, Leida is playing a bridal tune on her electric violin, dressed in orange, like an elegant flower, she moves around to the music and the atmosphere is complete. The family is smartly dressed, the groom and best man struggling with the incredible heat in their suits and waist coats, the ceremony moving and humorous in parts.
A ring warming in Lindos.
The family loved the ring warming element, a few moments for the family and friends to reflect and send support and hope for the future to the couple whilst passing round and holding their wedding bands. The planned unity candle ceremony was a little tricky and required a bit of improvisation, there was an extremely hot wind flowing through the venue, and keeping the candles alight was a difficult task! The back drop and views made this ceremony like something out of a movie, quite reminiscent of ‘Mama Mia’; certainly a day to remember!
This is the reason I became a celebrant, what a wonderful way to spend my time. Creating a unique ceremony for special people, and then presenting it on the day, such an honour!
My own big, fat Greek Wedding!
My own wedding on the Island of Rhodes was a life time ago, yet the memories are still very vivid in my mind!
It was the month of October and we were married in Agios Nektarios in the tourist resort of Faliraki, this was of course chosen as it was the place that we had met a few years previously. On that particular night, my husband to be, had been somewhat the worse for wear drinking ‘black Russians’, and I had been abandoned by my sister who had taken quite a shine to his friend. For myself it certainly wasn’t love at first sight and it took me several years to actually decide that marriage was the way to go.
Setting the vows in stone. Photo credit to Savvas Argirou
Now I had a full Greek Orthodox wedding, with a loyal group of family and friends from the UK, and much as I can remember all the rituals of the actual ceremony, I did not understand a word on the day! Everything in Greek weddings is done in threes, to include the Stefana, the Greek crowns, that are placed on the couples heads and moved from head to head three times by the best men/women, the ‘koumbara’.
There is a point where the bridal group are led around in a circle following the priest and at that time the groom is slapped on the back by his friends, as a good luck gesture, the group go around in a circle 3 times, and the slapping and hitting gets more and more enthusiastic as the circling nears the end.
I was draped in a piece of green linen, a gift from the ‘koumbara’ carefully chosen to be made in to a new dress for the Greek Orthodox christening which would be a few years down the line! I must add it was very hot at my wedding, and the rather cosy cloth only exasperated the situation.
You will always know in Greece when there is a wedding as, guests either going to or leaving the ceremony drive along in convoy blasting their horns all the way. My dear old Mum and Dad had a rental car for this special occasion, and they were last seen heading down the island having completely lost the rest of the group beeping merrily all the way. Needless to say a search party did bring them back in to line so they didn’t miss the fun of the Greek party later on.
If you are looking for a unique wedding or vow renewal ceremony involving your family and friends maybe a celebrant is an idea for you, in Greece a standard civil ceremony takes a maximum of 10 minutes, which seems very short for one of the most important days of your life! A celebrant ceremony can take place any time any where so if it is of interest contact me for a chat about your special day anywhere in Greece. info@grecianceremonies.gr
Grecian Ceremonies-Sarah Hatjipavlis-Celebrant in Greece
