Wedding Traditions

The Groom and His Socks

Some wedding traditions don’t think much about the socks the groom is going to wear. But in Danish wedding traditions, the groom is lifted up into the air by the wedding guests and the toes of his socks and the tip of his tie are cut off. Tradition says that this practice gives the bride her first chore as a wife: to repair her husband’s clothes.

The First Dance

Unlike other cultures, the couples first dance is a bridal waltz, called the “brudevals.” According to the tradition, the couple must dance their “brudevals” before midnight. The guests will stand in a circle around the couple, clapping, and moving in closer and closer until the newlyweds are completely surrounded by their friends and family.

Wedding Kisses

There are different Danish traditions associated with wedding kisses. First, anytime the wedding guests tap their knives on their plates, the newlyweds are supposed to kiss. Likewise when the wedding guests clink their glasses, both the bride and groom should stand on chairs and kiss. Think that’s not enough? If the guests stomp their feet, the bride an groom both crawl under the table to kiss.

Additionally, if the groom chooses to leave the room at any point, male guests see this as their cue to kiss the new bride. The same goes for the groom should the bride choose to leave the room.

The marital bed

Friends and family members come into the soon-to-be-wed couple’s home to prepare their bed! Some families still go through the ritual of making up the marital bed, while others think this could be considered an outdated tradition.

Prosperity and putting down roots are symbolized by throwing money and rice into the bed, and then a baby is rolled on the bed to bless it with fertility.

The superstitious believe the newlywed’s first baby will be a girl or boy, depending upon which they place on the bed!

Dressing the couple

The koumbaro or best man will shave the groom on the morning of the ceremony to signify trust. Then the close friends step in to help to dress him.

The koumbara or maid of honor leads the bridal party to the bride to help her get dressed and ready for the ceremony.

The names of all of the single ladies are written on the bottom of the bride’s shoes, and tradition has it that the names that are worn off by the end of the reception will soon get married.

The koumbaro and koumbara will go on to become the godparents of the couple’s children.

Symbols of good luck

Placing a lump of sugar inside the bride’s glove is said to ensure a sweet life, and adding a gold coin to the inside of her shoe will bring good financial fortune.

Iron is said to ward off evil spirits throughout the day. So the groom should put a piece in his pocket!

Couples invite an odd number of guests and invite an odd number of attendants to stand beside them as odd numbers are considered good luck. Odd numbers cannot be divided!

The number three representing the holy trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is especially symbolic.

A tradition dating back to ancient times is to spit after offering congratulations or compliments to the couple. Today guests mimic ‘the act’ of spitting – blowing a puff of breath through pursed lips. Due to the rule of threes, ‘spitting’ three times brings greater luck.

During the ceremony: Blessing the rings.

Continuing the tradition of three, at the start of the ceremony, the couple places the rings on the tips of their wedding fingers, and the Koumbaro will exchange them three times. The priest will then bless them three times.

Candles and the Common Cup

The couple holds candles throughout the ceremony to represent the light of Christ. The couple also shares what is known as a common cup, and take three sips of wine each from the cup representing a successful union.

The readings

There are two traditional readings that feature in Greek Orthodox weddings. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, which highlights the joining of two people, is the first and the Gospel According to St. John is the second. This is where the miracle of turning water into wine was recounted, and the reading ties in with the couple sipping from the common cup.

Wedding Crowns

One of the most recognizable traditions of a Greek wedding is the marital crowns or Stefana. These are two beautiful pieces made from flowers, foliage, or even precious metals and joined together by a strand of ribbon.

They symbolize the union of two people into a single couple. The crowns are swapped back and forth by the koumbaro three times, and the couple wear them as they walk around the altar three times to represent their journey through life together.

The priest will bless the couple before removing the crowns, and no vows are exchanged by the couple.

Dance, dance, dance!

We all love dancing at wedding receptions. Traditional Greek wedding dances, from the Tsamiko to the Zeibekiko and the Sirtaki, are where the guests hold hands and dance in a circle.

The newlyweds traditionally share the last dance of the night, and guests can throw money at them or pin money to their clothes.