Where to celebrate the wedding?
To organize a chic wedding in Greek, you need to take into account the most important thing - scale. For a long time, this holiday has been celebrated for 3 days: Saturday, Sunday and, of course, Monday. The place of celebration was the groom's house. But recently, these traditions in Greece have been simplified: wedding days have been reduced to 2, and the celebration itself has been moved to restaurants or hotels. To celebrate a wedding in the Greek style, it is better to choose a restaurant or a country house in the appropriate theme: with frescoes, antique statues, columns.
The hall should be spacious and well lit. The colors for such a wedding are the colors of the sky and sea, sun and sand - azure, blue, indigo, yellow, orange, gold, white. The hall for a wedding celebration in the Greek style should be designed in this color palette.
You can order a restaurant with an open area and a beautiful view.
An excellent option for celebrating a wedding in Greek style would be the river coast or the sea beach.
A large Greek wedding could be accommodated in a wedding tent.
Such a celebration can be held in a picturesque place, in nature among the greenery of trees and grass.
Greek wedding invitations
Guests will need invitations to the party. They can be made in yellow, white, blue and green shades. To do this, you will need thick cardboard, which can be trimmed with beautiful blue paper, and in the middle, paste a piece of white background on which the invitation itself will be written.
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It should indicate that the party is themed, and that outfits are selected based on the theme of the holiday. Decorate all this with a white satin ribbon.
Groom image
Traditionally, wedding clothes for newlyweds should be light colors.
A classic option for the groom would be a men's suit.
It would be very original to wear a toga and sandals.
Groom image in Greek style
The groom must match his beautiful bride in everything: from suit to shoes and accessories.
Costume
The groom should choose an outfit made from natural materials in pastel shades of gray, beige, and cream. If the groom likes traditional black, no one forbids him to wear such a suit to the wedding.
If we talk about the style of the outfit, it can be either a classic suit with a tie or linen trousers in combination with a shirt with rolled up sleeves. It all depends on the location of the holiday!
Shoes and accessories
The groom's head can be decorated with a hat or a wreath (in the case of a themed wedding). You can put a leather bracelet on your hand.
If we talk about shoes, you should first decide on the style of the suit and only then choose between wedding shoes, moccasins and sandals. It is important here that the lovers’ shoes are in the same style. If the groom wears sandals, then he may look ridiculous compared to the bride in heels.
Bride's dress
Greek style wedding dresses are one of the most popular styles. Delicate and airy dresses make the girl look like the ancient Greek goddesses. The characteristic features include: a flowing silhouette, a loose fit, a high waistline, one or two bare shoulders, filling the image with grace and femininity.
Various draperies and folds will give the owner of such an outfit a special softness and romance. Dresses with a flowing train look luxurious.
The dress can be decorated with decorative elements in the form of: brooches on straps, ribbons, belts with stones or sequins.
Shoes
There is one wonderful tradition associated with wedding shoes. Before the ceremony, the bride writes the names of her unmarried bridesmaids on the sole of her wedding shoes. It was believed that whose name was erased first, she would be the one to marry next.
In addition to classic wedding shoes, a good option would be metallic sandals that harmoniously combine with the accessories of the outfit. Sandals are ideal for a Greek style wedding dress.
Wedding decorations
Accessories play a big role in creating an image. Wreaths of laurel or ivy leaves, flowers, or decorative headbands matched to match other accessories are suitable as hair decorations.
Girls will feel like a real goddess in a light airy dress with antique jewelry. You can emphasize the grace of your hands with the help of bracelets.
The image of a Greek goddess should be the embodiment of beauty, sublime sophistication and impeccable taste, so you should not overload the outfit with unnecessary details.
Hair and makeup
For a Greek bride, the ideal solution for a wedding hairstyle would be styling in the Greek style.
There are quite a few options for Greek hairstyles: loose curls with fresh flowers in the hair, updos with the addition of accessories, all sorts of intricate braids and weaves.
Such hairstyles will favorably emphasize the beauty of the neck and hands, turning the bride into an ancient goddess.
Makeup should be light and natural, without bright accents. Radiant skin, slightly highlighted cheekbones, clear eyebrow lines, natural colors, expressive eyes and a slight gloss on the lips - this is what makeup in the Greek style should be.
Bouquet
In ancient times, the bride walked down the aisle wearing a necklace of aromatic herbs that were supposed to ward off evil spirits. Over time, instead of necklaces, bouquets were made from herbs, which also protected the newlyweds from misfortune. In Greece, roses and ivy were always woven into a wedding bouquet, symbolizing eternal love. Later they began to add orange flowers, which emphasized the innocence and purity of the bride. It was believed that such a bouquet would bring happiness and good luck in marriage for many years.
For the bride's bouquet you can use roses, peonies, orchids, calla lilies, and hydrangeas. Do not forget about the abundance of greenery: decorative ivy, myrtle, fern, laurel or olive branches.
Distinctive features of a bouquet in the Greek style: naturalness, natural beauty of shapes and colors.
The tender and tender image of a bride in Greek attire can be emphasized by a bouquet of wildflowers.
Bridesmaids
At a Greek-style wedding, bridesmaids play a fairly large role. After all, their presence is a support for the future newlywed. It is the bridesmaids who participate in the traditional ceremony of making the bed. Their task is to make the bed so that the groom likes it. When the groom is satisfied with the work of the bridesmaids, the guests strew the bed with rice, rose petals, and coins, wishing the young family happiness and wealth. It was also customary to sit small children on the bed to wish the spouses large offspring. On the special day of the ceremony, unmarried bridesmaids help the bride get dressed. On this day, bridesmaids should support their best friend, and look special at the same time.
Bridesmaids' dresses should be a harmonious continuation of the bride's wedding dress. When choosing bridesmaids' looks, you need to take into account not only the overall style of the wedding, but also their personal preferences.
Invitations
Invitations to a wedding in the Greek style must necessarily correspond to the overall style of the event. You can use traditional cards depicting Greek landscapes, statues, ornaments, olive branches or laurel leaves.
Invitations in the form of scrolls will look impressive. The text can be written on paper with an ornament or using a Greek-style font.
As a decoration, scrolls can be tied with twine, ribbon or sealed with a wax seal.
Recommendations for creating the image of the groom
It’s easier for a young person to create an image. The basis of the image should be a classic in the form of a strict black suit. If the skin of a young man is dark or tanned, you can choose a white three-piece suit for contrast. In the hot season, you can opt for a white shirt and trousers, or black versions of the same set. A white hat is perfect as an accessory. To contrast the suit, you can add a number of contrasting accessories in the form of a boutonniere in contrasting tones on a jacket or shirt, depending on the chosen suit set.
Dress code tips for invited guests
If there is no strict officialdom at the wedding, guests should not be bothered with the selection of additional accessories and small details. It is only important to ask those invited to choose outfits that can somehow fit into Greek culture. This can be achieved either by traditional embroidery with gold or olive colored ribbons, or by creating a specific color scheme for the image. For bridesmaids, you can highlight the images with contrasting colors of dresses in relation to the bride’s outfit.
If you want to diversify your invitations, you can introduce a kind of holiday pass in the form of Greek-style dyeing. If guests do not have them, they can be given to them at the entrance. For a better atmosphere, it is advisable to warn guests about access tickets, but you should not forget about force majeure and prepare several copies yourself. This way you can check your guests’ level of responsibility and provide for various force majeure circumstances.
Wedding decoration
A wedding in the Greek style is a very interesting and beautiful event, full of ancient traditions and symbolic rituals, rooted in ancient times. A suitable place for such a wedding would be a room with high columns, because it is this architectural element that evokes Greek motifs. In case of their absence, a special flavor can be created with the help of fake columns.
Improvised columns can also be installed outdoors.
When decorating a wedding in the Greek style, an important attribute is the presence of a large number of fresh flowers. Balloons and ribbons would be out of place in the decor of such a wedding.
As decoration, you can use twigs of olive, laurel or, for example, willow, the leaves of which have a similar pointed shape.
Fresh flowers and twigs can be arranged in the form of floral arrangements in beautiful antique vases, and can also be used to decorate tables.
A tablecloth with a traditional Greek pattern can be an excellent option for table decor. Beautiful and appropriate design elements would be laurel wreaths, lush olive branches, flower garlands, busts of ancient Greek gods and goddesses.
Use light and airy fabrics to decorate your banquet space. Flowing draperies can be used to beautifully decorate walls, the newlyweds' table or chairs.
Beautiful elegant amphoras, bowls and other details with appropriate symbols will help emphasize the Greek style of the celebration.
Ideas for places to celebrate
Having a wedding in sunny Greece is a fairy tale. Just imagine ancient narrow streets, green gardens, majestic churches and monasteries, as well as endless white beaches and a blue, clear sea... Most popular destinations:
Santorini
Rhodes
Crete
Corfu
Mykonos
A marriage entered into in Greece will have legal force throughout the world. If desired, the newlyweds can organize a wedding according to Orthodox traditions in any of the Orthodox churches.
But if traveling to Greece is not an option, but you want a Greek wedding, then you can try to find an establishment that adheres to the chosen theme in both the design and the menu. It is usually beautiful, tasty and atmospheric there.
And creating the right ambience for a Greek wedding is not so difficult. Go to the sea or the countryside, order an arch decorated in accordance with the chosen theme, and enjoy the celebration in the fresh air.
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To enhance the experience, we recommend inviting musicians to play traditional Greek melodies, or preparing a playlist in advance. Another must-see is Greek cuisine.
Entertainment
For a Greek-style wedding to be a success, it is very important to think through a unique scenario and entertainment. The bride's ransom can be the first part of the entertainment program of the wedding celebration. The performance can be designed in the style of the legends and myths of Ancient Greece. For example, the bride is the daughter of Zeus, and the groom, in order to win her hand, needs to demonstrate his strength and dexterity. Only after passing all the tests does the groom receive the bride along with the blessing of the parents.
Living statues will be a wonderful decoration for the celebration. Such unusual decor will create a special and unique atmosphere at the holiday.
Live music will add a special flavor to the whole event. Musical accompaniment on a flute or harp can emphasize the solemnity of the moment.
At a Greek-style wedding, theatrical performances based on the legends and myths of Ancient Greece would be appropriate.
Both invited artists and any participants in the wedding celebration can be involved as actors in such mini-performances: the newlyweds, their parents, witnesses or guests.
A traditional Greek style wedding should be accompanied by real Greek music. Invite a musical group performing the music of Greece, and your holiday will turn into unforgettable fun.
No Greek wedding is complete without dancing. In Greece there is an interesting wedding tradition associated with dance - the “money dance”. During the newlyweds' first dance, guests attach banknotes or whole garlands of money to their clothes, thus wishing wealth and prosperity to the young family.
During one of the dances, all unmarried male guests dance along with the newlyweds. During the dance, the bride drops her handkerchief, and the one who catches it gets married next.
At a wedding in the Greek style, there must be traditional round dances. For entertainment, you can arrange a master class on learning the Greek dance sirtaki.
Non-stop fun with music and dancing will make a Greek style wedding a truly joyful and unforgettable event!
Greek Engagement
Engagement in Greece is considered an integral stage of the wedding. As ancient Byzantine customs say, the betrothal of newlyweds should take place long before the wedding day.
But today, for the most part, Greeks do not hold engagements separately from weddings. On the day of engagement, the groom asks for his daughter's hand in marriage. All this happens in the temple at the altar. All guests are invited to the wedding.
After the parents have given their consent, the priest seals this agreement.
The blessed rings are placed on the ring fingers of the newlyweds' left hands as a talisman of mutual fidelity, after which the bride and groom exchange rings three times.
The rings of the bride and groom are on the left hand until the wedding process, then they will find their final location on the ring finger of the right hand.
Feast
Mediterranean and Greek cuisines are perfect for a Greek-style wedding. The tables at such a holiday should be full of treats. All food is always accompanied by delicious hand-kneaded bread with various spices. In Greece, instead of a loaf, they bake wedding bread, so you don’t have to break our tradition with the loaf. The famous Greek salad is perfect as an appetizer.
The salad is usually dressed with olive oil sauce with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. You can place pieces of feta on top and sprinkle with oregano.
There must be olives on the table, because they are a national treasure and the pride of Greece.
Another integral part of Greek cuisine are sauces. Taramasalata, tahini, tzatziki (tzatziki) should accompany holiday dishes.
Warm salads, hot cheese and vegetable snacks are popular. It can be all kinds of fried vegetable cutlets, stuffed vegetables, grilled mushrooms, fried halloumi cheese and many other goodies.
The favorite snack of the Greeks is “dolmadakia” (dolmades) - small cabbage rolls made from grape leaves. This versatile dish is served both hot and cold.
At a Greek-style wedding, a variety of fish and seafood dishes would be appropriate. Squid stewed in wine, shrimp baked on the grill or stewed in tomato and cheese sauce, tender steamed mussels, pink fish roe mousse.
Large varieties of fish are most often baked with vegetables and seasonings.
Meat dishes play a big role in Greek wedding cuisine. A traditional treat is souvlaki - a small and tender kebab on wooden skewers.
Usually pork is used to prepare souvlaki, less often - lamb, chicken or fish.
The main dish can be baked lamb, rubbed with a mixture of lemon juice, oregano, olive oil and stuffed with garlic.
Another national Greek dish is tender and juicy moussaka - a puff casserole with minced meat, eggplant and sauce.
Cutting the cake by the newlyweds is one of the most beautiful and memorable moments at a wedding.
Wedding cake decorations should be in Greek style. You can order a cake with a traditional Greek ornament or decor in the form of olive and laurel branches. As for alcoholic drinks, give preference to light wines, citrus liqueurs, and metaxa.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Make this day wonderful and unforgettable, flavored with Greek notes! Be happy!
Like in Greece: we organize the style with our own hands!
Like in Greece: we organize the style with our own hands!
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Greece always attracts with its extraordinary culture, romance of coastal cities, warm summer sun, and the aroma of olive oil. A Greek-style wedding will immerse you and your guests in this pleasant atmosphere, and, if everything is well thought out, it will be a breeze.
What you need for a Greek style wedding
Greece is located at a considerable distance from Russia, its culture is formed by a long, rich history, but despite the great difference in cultures, many wedding customs have something in common with Russian ones. For a Greek-style wedding to be a success, you need to approach the organization competently, study the features of the event, and think through a unique scenario for the upcoming celebration. To organize a wedding you need:
- Celebrate in the warm season. This will allow guests with their future spouses to wear light outfits to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of Greece.
Choose a venue. To create an atmosphere, future spouses should choose a place near the water, preferably the sea coast. Another option is a celebration by the river or organizing a banquet on a boat. If there is no suitable place in your city, find a restaurant with Greek cuisine, decorated with a colonnade and marble statues.- Invite guests. Invitation cards for guests of the event should convey the theme and style of the wedding in one look. A good solution would be scroll invitations tied with an elegant ribbon.
- Set a dress code. You should not ask all guests to dress in Greek dresses and men's tunics - it will look like a strange masquerade. It is better for invited girls to wear pastel-colored floor-length or above-the-knee dresses, and for men to wear light suits.
Think over the wedding menu. Greek cuisine is varied, rich in vegetables, fruits, seafood and meat dishes. Traditionally, aromatic bread with spices (rosemary, basil, saffron, mint) is baked for a wedding - this treat is akin to a Russian wedding loaf.- As for appetizers, the newlyweds can arrange for guests bowls with olives, feta cheese, seafood - small dishes with these ingredients are called “meze”, they are served with alcohol. A good table decoration would be dolma, which is an analogue of cabbage rolls, where grape leaves are used instead of cabbage leaves. The second main course could be souvlaki - pork skewers on wooden skewers, served with lemon and bread. As you can see, traditional Russian and Greek cuisines are intertwined, so guests are unlikely to experience a gastronomic shock.
And also, when choosing alcohol, give preference to light dry or semi-sweet wines and citrus liqueurs.
Hall decoration
Of course, when choosing a color scheme, you should prefer a combination of white and blue (azure). A combination of white or ivory with gold ornaments will also look good. You can add olive color to the details, and it’s especially good to highlight them with black. Avoid green directly - among the Greeks it is the color of mourning!
The wedding hall needs to be given airiness, which means that it is advisable to use a lot of fabric in the decor. Light chiffon, flowing and shiny organza will turn your room into a light sailboat at sea! If you add a lot of flowers to all this splendor (it is advisable to order flower arrangements for tall vases), you will get a real Greek wedding hall.
For an open-air wedding ceremony, you can decorate the site with prop columns in the style of Greek architecture and a buldenezh. And one more, truly Greek accent – olive branches. They can be used both in the decor of the entire hall, and they can set off the impeccable whiteness of the tablecloth of the wedding banquet table!
Outdoor ceremony
The ideal option, of course, is a ceremony on the seashore - it will create a wonderful atmosphere in the land of olives. But if this option is not possible, then hold the ceremony on a bright terrace or on a green lawn, decorating the arch and floral arrangements with olive branches and white flowers. Chairs for guests can be white, blue, olive. It will look good if the master of ceremonies plays his role in the costume of a Greek god or a famous philosopher - guests will definitely not forget this!
Wedding image of the bride
Traditionally, the color for a Greek bride's dress is white. Girls can also look at models in sand, beige, pale pink shades, but they must be pastel. There is nothing to think about the appropriate style: the Greek style of dresses looks gentle, elegant and suits any type of figure. Flowing fabrics will hide the shortcomings of overweight girls, and the unique empire silhouette will add several desirable centimeters of height to short brides.
It will be easy for your future wife to choose a Greek hairstyle. Loose curls with fresh flowers in the hair, high frilly hairstyles, braids with accessories made of pearl threads - all this will suit the look. It is better to do makeup in a nude style or to emphasize the eyes by drawing neat, thin arrows. For the bouquet, the bride can use any white flowers or other delicate shades. The ideal shoes are elegant, lightweight, low-top sandals.
Greek traditions at your wedding
The ritual of dressing the future wife in Greece is accompanied by an interesting tradition. On the soles of her shoes, in which she will walk down the aisle, her friends leave their wishes for the young family. It is believed that if you wear these shoes to get married, God will “see” all your good wishes through the open altar and they will definitely come true, making the young family very happy! A very beautiful and simple tradition is followed by brides in Crete. On the eve of the wedding, they bake round-shaped bread, and then share it among all the guests at the wedding. It is believed that by dividing bread you will increase family happiness!
Dance is a very important element of Greek culture. The first to dance at the wedding will be the newly-made husband and wife. During the dance, a beautiful Greek ritual is performed - guests gather around the newlyweds and dance in a circle. One of the most chic Greek traditions is the groom's dance on fire! Almost at the end of the holiday, the groom must dance a traditional Greek dance in the fire of burning whiskey! This dance looks truly amazing! If you decide to do this, an unforgettable experience is guaranteed. Just have a fire extinguisher ready!
