Local customs differ throughout Greece and the many countries where Greek people have settled, but the Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony has remained largely unchanged from country to country throughout the centuries. Part of the magic of a Greek wedding is hearing familiar hymns, dancing traditional dances and enjoying sensational food whether you're in Australia, America or Athens.
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. During the engagement, the band is worn on the left hand — after the marriage it is worn on the right.
Each part of the Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony has religious significance. The number three repeats throughout the ceremony, symbolizing the Trinity. The wedding begins with the betrothal, during which the priest blesses the rings. The rings are then placed on the ring fingers of the right hands of the bride and groom by the best man (koumbaro), who exchanges them three times between the couple, symbolizing the entwining of two into one. The priest says a prayer to seal the rings upon their fingers, and the sacrament of holy matrimony begins.
The Candles — The bride and groom each hold a lighted candle, which symbolizes the light of purity in their lives.
The Joining of Hands — The couple hold hands, symbolizing that they are joined as one.
Interfaith marriages are permitted in the Greek Orthodox Church as long as the non-Orthodox partner has been baptized in the name of the Trinity and agrees to baptize and raise any children in the Greek Orthodox faith. Christians baptized in other branches of Christianity and non-Christians must be baptized within the guidelines of the Orthodox Church to be married within it. If the non-Orthodox partner doesn't have a "recognized Christian name" he or she chooses a new name, which may be used in the ceremony. So, Tiffany, for instance, might be called Helen during the service, while Brad could become George.
