How Long Is A Greek Orthodox Wedding

The answer to how long is a Greek Orthodox wedding is around an hour for the Greek wedding ceremony. And for comparison, we’ll also discuss below how long and what to expect at different kinds of traditional Greek weddings. 

Knowing the traditions of different marriage ceremonies before attending is always helpful. You can also read how long does a wedding ceremony last

how long is a greek orthodox wedding

 

How Long Is A Greek Orthodox Wedding: What To Expect

A Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony can take 45 minutes to an hour. It takes place in a Greek Orthodox church, and the officiant for the couple during the marriage ceremony is their local Greek Orthodox priest.

If this is the traditional Greek wedding you’re having, remember to acquire all the necessary documents for the ceremony. The bride and groom will also visit their town hall for the official marriage registration after the wedding. 

 

How long is a Greek wedding?

There are different types of Greek weddings besides the traditional ones in a Greek Orthodox church. For example, there is also a Greek civil wedding ceremony that is shorter than a traditional Greek wedding, 

Instead of lasting for around an hour, the marriage ceremony is as short as 10 minutes. And instead of the church with the priest as the couple’s officiant, a civil wedding ceremony in Greece is officiated by their representative or a Registrar. 

Since this type of wedding does not follow traditions, the venue can be anywhere as long as it’s recognized. Couples usually have their civil marriage at the local town hall, but it can also be the bride and groom’s chosen hotel to accommodate more guests. 

Another short Greek wedding is a symbolic wedding ceremony, which includes a ceremony signing. It’s as long as a civil wedding, so the ceremony will only take around 10 minutes. 

And finally, couples can also opt for a celebrant wedding ceremony officiated by a celebrant. It lasts for 30 minutes, depending on the traditions and elements the bride and groom want. 

You can read what is a celebrant wedding if you want to know more. 

 

What Can I Expect At A Greek Wedding?

Traditional Greek weddings can be as long as an hour because of the different traditions. If a couple invites you to their Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony, you can expect two services, which are the Service of Betrothal and the Sacrament of Marriage:

 

Service of Betrothal

During the Greek wedding ceremony, the priest will offer petitions of prayer on behalf of the bride and groom and then ask for God’s blessings on the rings before blessing the couple with them. The couple will then receive the rings on their hands from the priest. 

Finally, the couple’s acceptance of the rings will be sealed by a prayer. You will notice that a traditional Greek marriage ceremony is filled with symbols and reflect elements repeating actions thrice from the belief in the Holy Trinity. 

 

Sacrament of Marriage

The second part of a traditional Greek wedding is the Sacrament of Marriage, it starts with candle lighting to symbolize the couple receiving Christ in their life. Then, prayers are read with the invocation of the Holy Trinity, where the couple enters into a fabric that represents humanity. 

After the joining of the right hands by the bride and groom will be the focal point of the Sacrament of Holy matrimony. This is called crowning, in which the priest blesses the bride and groom and places crowns on their heads. 

These Greek wedding crowns represent the honor bestowed by God on the couple during the sacrament. A ribbon also joins these crowns to symbolize the couple’s unity in the presence of Christ. 

After the crowning, there will be a reading of the Gospel, and the couple will drink a blessed wine from a common cup. The cup will be the witness that the couple will share everything equally from that moment on. 

There are also other wedding traditions in a Greek ceremony, like the ceremonial walk with the celebrant and the blessing or the removal of the crowns and Benediction. 

 

Other Greek wedding traditions

After the blessing, some Greek weddings have the sharing of gifts after the service. The bride and groom can also take pictures with their families and priests before signing the act of marriage. 

Then, the couple will exit the church as guests throw rice at them. 

 

Who Pays For A Greek Orthodox Wedding?

The parents of the couple typically pay for the Greek wedding. However, there is also the koubaros or the best man, which is different from the role of the best man in other weddings. 

The koubaros or koubara if they’re a woman or koubaroi for a couple, become part of the family. They are responsible for some wedding traditions, but they are also expected to pay for some of the wedding needs like the church decorations. 

 

What Do I Wear To A Greek Orthodox Wedding?

A Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony usually happens inside the church, so guests should dress respectfully. Women must dress modestly and have their cleavage and legs covered, while men should never wear hats inside the church. 

 

Conclusion

And that’s it! You just learned how long is a Greek Orthodox wedding, which is about an hour. 

The length of the ceremony is because of the different symbolic traditions during the wedding. Alternatively, civil weddings can be as quick as 10 minutes, so consider comparing different types of Greek weddings or talk to your officiant if you can’t decide. 

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