Contents
- Traditions and customs of a Greek wedding
- How to organize a wedding in Greece
- Wedding Venues in Greece
- The scenario of the celebration
- How much is a wedding in Greece??
- Video: symbolic wedding in Greece
- Reviews on holding a wedding in Greece
- Wedding photo session in Greece
Increasingly, young people choose to celebrate such an unforgettable event as a wedding abroad. Sunny Greece is one of the most popular countries for honeymooners, and they are easy to understand. This country will delight you with mountain slopes, olive groves, cozy bays, excellent cuisine, monuments of ancient architecture and friendly locals. A wedding in exotic Greece will be remembered forever, especially since the newlyweds can choose a celebration to their liking: on an island or in a hotel, on a yacht or in an ancient temple, alone or with parents and friends.
Traditions and customs of a Greek wedding
Before arranging a wedding in Greece, he will invite guests; newlyweds need to learn about local wedding traditions. Greek culture is an example of sophistication and high taste, such harmony can not be found anywhere else in the world. But the local wedding can hardly be called restrained or elegant: the traditional Greek wedding ceremony is striking in its splendor. Some settlements celebrate their wedding for a week. And no matter how modern the life of the Greeks looks, a celebration in honor of the newlyweds is full of superstitions, pagan rites, songs and dances.
Many wedding ceremonies were borrowed from Greek culture. For example, it is customary to wear a wedding ring on the ring finger, along which the cardiac artery passes. The tradition of giving the bride a wedding bouquet also came from Greece - the cradle of European civilization. A modern Greek wedding resembles a Russian one, because it is celebrated with a large number of relatives, guests. Sometimes at the wedding of the Greeks there are up to 500 people! The expenses for such magnificent events are traditionally borne by the mother-in-law and «kumbaros» - friend of the groom.
How to organize a wedding in Greece
Every year, many couples in love from Russia want to have a wedding on the Greek islands, because each celebration is colorful, unique, inimitable. It is easier to organize a ceremony if you turn to specialists (at an agency) who will solve problems arising, from preparing documents to an excellent honeymoon organization in Greece. A travel agency will offer the newlyweds a large number of diverse wedding programs, and young people will only have to solve one problem: which project in Greece to choose?
It is also possible to independently hold a wedding in Greece. For this, the newlyweds will need:
- Decide where the wedding will take place.
- Arrange in advance with the local Municipality about the time / date of the event.
- Come up with a program.
- Book a hotel in Greece.
- Find a good hairdresser, translator, photographer, decorator and professional music in the selected resort.
Official marriage
Greece is a party to the agreement on the recognition of the lawfulness of marriages committed by Russian citizens, so it is quite legal to marry on its territory. The mayor of any Greek city will gladly register a marriage by prior arrangement. After registration, an official document with an apostille is issued, which has legal force not only in Greece, but in all countries of the world. The newlyweds will only have to do a notarized translation of the document into Russian.
The Greek side may refuse registration if:
- newlyweds less than 18 years old;
- one of the spouses divorced less than a year ago;
- the former spouse went missing less than 4 years ago;
- marriage between adopted, adoptive parents or their descendants.
If there are no reasons for the prohibitions, then for the official registration of marriage in Greece, young people will need the following documents:
- Russian domestic passports of the bride and groom.
- Passport.
- Birth certificates, with apostille and notarized English translation.
Symbolic wedding
A symbolic wedding in Greece is even easier. For this, the newlyweds will need to register a marriage by visiting the Russian registry office, buy a tourist ticket, arrange a symbolic wedding ceremony on any Greek island. Such a wedding can become a dress rehearsal for two before formalizing a marriage in their homeland. The advantages of holding a wedding on one of the many Greek islands are many:
- short flight;
- applying for a visa will not take much time, especially if the newlyweds already have a Schengen visa;
- to hold a wedding ceremony is not difficult, because in Greece there are a huge number of Orthodox churches;
- wedding on the most beautiful islands of the planet.
Wedding Venues in Greece
Greece is the perfect place for a wedding. This country will be able to fulfill any dream, because it is located on thousands of islands that are washed by different seas, therefore they have different natural resources and unique architecture. Here, the sun shines brightly all year round, so the newlyweds visit Greece, regardless of the season. In summer, they choose the sea for their wedding, and in winter, mountains and thermal springs. Popular destinations of Greece among newlyweds are the islands of Crete, Santorini, Rhodes, Mykonos and the charming town of Napfio, located on the Peloponnese peninsula.
Santorini Wedding
Santorini Island is an ancient, exotic and mysterious place in Greece with sandy beaches, small villages and domed monasteries. Here, the newlyweds will have a magnificent view of the volcano, the largest crater in the world, and the couple will be able to enjoy magnificent sunsets. Santorini's traditional colors are eye-catching and match the wedding mood..
On the island of Crete
Sunny Crete with golden beaches, blue-green sea and tropical palm trees is the most popular place in all of Greece. This is an island of conquerors and pirates, it is believed that Zeus was born here - the god of thunder and lightning, the main god of the Greek pantheon. Where, if not in Crete, the newlyweds swear to each other in eternal love? It is very Greek!
Ceremony in Mykonos
A wedding on the island of Mykonos will cost the newlyweds expensive, because this is a favorite place for world celebrities. This is the most fashionable bohemian resort in Greece with stunning nature. It is difficult to find a place more beautiful and romantic, therefore the newlyweds from all over the world choose Mykonos for their wedding and honeymoon.
Rhodes Wedding
Rhodes got its name from the sun god, who fell in love with a nymph and named this magnificent island by her name. The pristine nature, the aura of holiness of the place where several churches of the Holy Apostles are located, and the modesty of the island in Greece make it the first number for wedding ceremonies. Romance and comfort await the bride and groom in this place..
Marriage in the city of Nafplio
Nafplio is the most charismatic city in Greece. Here is a special aura and atmosphere that attracts newlyweds with legends of antiquity. This is a small but very suitable city for a romantic wedding with narrow streets suddenly going up, with numerous balconies twined with thickets of charming bougainvilleas.
The scenario of the celebration
Velvet sand, the blue expanse of the sea and the immense sky of Greece - what could be better for a wedding ceremony? If you have not decided on the script yet, then we offer a ready-made version of a wedding on a Greek beach. Participants: a beautiful married couple, relatives, friends, host. The action begins with the arrival of the newlyweds to the place of celebration after the church wedding ceremony or official registration at the City Hall of Greece. The road they will follow is covered with a red carpet.
When the young people walk along this path to the table, those present raise their hands so that a tunnel forms, symbolizing the road to future happiness. Happiness begins with the bowl that parents hold at the end of the tunnel. This is a glass of wine from which the groom and then the bride take a sip. As a sign of respect for his wife, the groom finishes the wine to the end and breaks the glass.
Leading:
- This ritual has the following meaning: the bowl is broken for happiness, and along the fragments the couple goes forward into a joint future, saying goodbye to their idle past.
The young pass through the fragments to the banquet table, but it is not easy to get to the table with a wedding cake and champagne, because before them there are witnesses or friends of the newlyweds who hold the ribbon so low above the ground that it is easy to step over.
The witness says:
- Overcome the first obstacle of life together! If you easily step over it, then all other problems will be overcome just as quickly.!
The groom transfers his chosen one through the ribbon on his hands, and the young come to the table.
The host tells the guests:
- Help yourself, do not be shy, but do not forget why we all gathered here. The feast is open to all, let's raise our glasses and say a good word in honor of the young!
All guests speak toasts and present gifts. At the end of the celebration, the newlyweds are escorted against the background of general applause and a festive salute in their honor. Married couple leaves the beach holding hands.
How much is a wedding in Greece??
The average cost of a wedding for two in Greece is from 800 €. This price includes a budget symbolic ceremony on a selected Greek island. The package of services of a wedding agency includes:
- ceremonial table;
- car;
- symbolic ceremony;
- wedding certificate;
- a bottle of champagne;
- photo session 1 hour.
Flight to Greece and the hotel couple pays separately. The approximate price of an air flight from Moscow for two is about 550 €. Weekly stay at the hotel «all inclusive» will cost the newlyweds about 450 €. Total cost of a budget wedding with a week-long rest on the islands of Greece is about 1800 €. The official wedding ceremony will cost the newlyweds 800 € more, because this includes:
- preparation and submission of documents for marriage in Greece;
- payment of fees and duties;
- Greek translations of documents;
- payment of mayor's services.
Video: symbolic wedding in Greece
Great and unique Greece offers lovers many options for symbolic weddings. The streets of Athens will tell the couple about love, about ancient traditions and architectural monuments, the unique Santorini will fascinate with the crystal clear water of the Aegean Sea, and Rhodes will give an unforgettable experience of the splendor of sunsets and sunrises.
It doesn’t matter if the bride and groom want to celebrate the wedding with friends and relatives or stay on the Greek island together, they will be offered the choice of a modern ceremony or ancient Greek, surrounded by a snow-white beach or a winery, a wedding in a church or an official wedding at the city hall. See in the video the option of holding a Greek wedding in the style of the ancient gods:
Reviews on holding a wedding in Greece
Masha St. Petersburg:
I expected something unusual from the symbolic ceremony in Rhodes, but it exceeded all expectations! The wedding was like a fairy tale: nature, Greek music, wine, olives, seafood and surprisingly hospitable people!
Natasha Samara:
Last fall, a wedding was celebrated on the island of Santorini in Greece. It was an unforgettable celebration near the sea! A beautiful sunset set off a gorgeous pink wedding dress, and my beloved simply shone with happiness. The organizers of the wedding ceremonies in Greece took into account all the moments, and we just enjoyed the holiday
Alexandra Tula:
We registered an official marriage in the small town of Nafplio, Greece. I want to note that it cost us less than if we had a wedding in our city. There you need to invite relatives and spend a lot of money, and in Greece we were just two and enjoyed the sun, sea, great wine and each other.
Wedding photo session in Greece
Greece is a photographer’s paradise. It is an amazingly beautiful place where sandy beaches, cliffs and ancient architecture are incredibly combined. Greek photographers who have been watching the local beauty since childhood are engaged in landscape wedding photography, so they have fantastic pictures of the newlyweds against a background of unique nature. Photos of local artists make it easy to see different textures: small particles of sand, stones, ripples of the sea and tree bark.
Professional photographers will find the most unusual places for successful wedding photos. Newlyweds will receive memorable and vivid pictures that are romantic or funny. Classic wedding dresses are complemented by bright elements to make contrasting pictures against a background of beautiful exotic nature. The best solution is a secluded place on a Greek island with a romantic atmosphere and no strangers.
