Na sas zisoun (να σας ζήσουν): this means “May they live” and is said to the parents of the bride and groom. Na zisete (να ζήσετε): this means “May you live” and said to the happy couple. I ora i kali (η ώρα η καλή): this means “The time is good,” and is said wish the couple a happy wedding.
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What does a Greek wedding look like?
Greek wedding ceremonies feature an elaborate ritual with the crowns. First, the priest places a crown on both the bride and groom’s head. Then, the Koumbaros, or wedding sponsor, intertwines the crowns three times to symbolize the couple’s union. Finally, the crowns are tied together with a ribbon.
How much money do you give at a Greek wedding?
Guidelines for Deciding How Much to Spend Here are some tips. Coworker or acquaintance. Plan to spend around $75-$100 for the wedding gift per person. If you’re attending as a couple, add value to the gift accordingly.
Who pays for wedding in Greek culture?
Who pays for a Greek wedding? The parents of the couples may pay for the venue and wedding ceremony. However, the Koumbaro and Koumbara will most likely pay for the crowns and candles that are used in the traditional Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony performances.
What does the bride wear at a Greek wedding?
The form-fitting look suggested the sensuality of their gods, and the elegant goddess gown remains popular to this day. Ancient Greek brides also wore veils of yellow or red to represent fire and frighten away evil spirits, though brides today wear a traditional white wedding gown for purity.
How long is a typical Greek wedding?
A Greek Orthodox Wedding generally last about 30 to 60 minutes. For the most part the following is what you are likely to see. Often throughout the ceremony many things are done in three’s, in fact almost everything is done in odd numbers.
What does Opa mean Greek?
OPA is a Greek Word that may be used as an ‘Exclamation’, or ‘Utterance’, or ‘Declaration’, or ‘Affirmation’ or a lovingly gentle way of telling you to ‘Stop’ … depending on the situational context.
Do Greek men wear engagement rings?
A Greek-American man might give his fiancée a diamond engagement ring, but in Greece a gold band, usually inscribed with initials or names and the engagement or wedding date, is used as both the engagement and wedding ring for the man and the woman.
How much money do parents give for a wedding?
Parents of the bride and groom collectively contribute about $19,000 to the wedding, or about two-thirds of the total cost, according to WeddingWire. The bride’s parents give an average $12,000, and the groom’s, $7,000. Just 1 in 10 couples pays for the wedding entirely on their own, according to TheKnot.com.
What is the groom’s family supposed to pay for?
What Does the Groom’s Family Pay For, Traditionally? The groom’s family is responsible for corsages and boutonnieres for immediate members of both families, the lodging of the groom’s attendants (if you have offered to help pay for this expense), and sometimes the costs of the rehearsal dinner.
Why do Greeks break plates at their wedding?
Greeks believe a joyous occasion or celebration also attracts evil spirits, and to ward it off, plates are smashed to indicate that such a violent and aggressive act means no celebration can take place anywhere near.
Why do Greeks throw rice at a wedding?
Weddings are filled with heart-warming traditions that are as infused with meaning for the couple as they are for their guests. One such tradition is the throwing of rice at the newly married couple, a long-held symbol of good luck, fertility and abundance.
What food is served at a Greek wedding?
- Spit Roasted Lamb. No dish signifies a Greek party better than lamb does, especially when it is roasted on a spit.
- Spit Roasted Chicken. Don’t want to serve lamb at your wedding?
- Meatball Soup.
- Spanakopita.
- Tiropita.
- Stuffed Grape Leaves.
- Baklava.
- Kourabedies.
What should you not wear to a Greek Orthodox wedding?
Most Orthodox Christians feel that dressing in nice clothes (at least business casual) is a sign of respect. For the women, it is frowned on to wear pants even if it is in the form of a pants suit.
Can you wear a black dress to a Greek wedding?
Even though most Orthodox Christians will tell you that there really is no dress code, the general idea is to dress respectfully. It is considered a sign of respect to God to put on your best clothes and make an effort with your appearance. Some Orthodox Churches may be stricter than others with their dress code.
Do you say I do at a Greek wedding?
This action seals the commitment of the couple and is the equivalent of them saying “I do,” since the bride and groom do not speak during the wedding service. Yes, there are no vows spoken, you just stand and listen the entire time.
Why do Greeks dance with napkins?
The best I can tell is that during the traditional Kalamatianós, because the lead dancer holds the second dancer by the handkerchief instead of the hand, it allows them the freedom to improvise with more elaborate steps. If you read this and can offer some insight, I’d love to hear from you.
What does Yasso mean in Greek?
Where does the Yasso name come from? “Yassou” in Greek means “hello.”
What do Greeks shout when they dance?
Opa (Greek: ώπα , Arabic: obah) is a common North African, Mediterranean, Eastern European, and Middle Eastern emotional expression. It is frequently used during celebrations such as weddings or traditional dancing. In Greek culture, the expression sometimes accompanies the act of plate smashing.
What do the Greeks say when they break plates?
The word “Opa” actually means something like oops! or whoops! or Watch out! In dedicated plate smashing sessions, it means pay attention. The word is so embedded in the ritual that when you hear the word Opa! you expect to hear a plate breaking.
What do you say in Greek when someone gets engaged?
You can also say: Congratulations on your engagement. Να ζείτε “Na ze-se-te”. Congratulations on your engagement. Να ζείτε “Na ze-se-te”.
What is Greek tradition of engagement?
After a couple has received the priest’s blessing, the families often hold a large engagement party. The priest will sometimes attend this event and publicly bless the engagement rings. After the couple receives this public blessing, friends and family gather around, shouting out good wishes for the couple.
What happens at a Greek engagement party?
Traditionally, the couple begins to dance and family members and guests one by one begin to cut in and dance with the bride. The song continues until the groom comes back to grab his bride. While this is happening, everyone begins to throw money on the dance floor.
What grooms mother do?
Plan and Host the Rehearsal Dinner. Traditionally, the groom’s mother and his father (usually) host the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. Planning the rehearsal dinner is one of the most important tasks for the mother of the groom to take on.
Who walks the groom’s mother?
As the wedding begins, the groom’s mother will be escorted down the aisle, to the first pew, right-hand side, by the head usher or a groomsman who is a family member. A nice touch includes the groom escorting his mother down the aisle. As the groom’s mother is escorted to her seat, her husband will follow along behind.