Greek Brides???

FH is greek and we are having an orthodox ceremony with an exchanging of vows in the beginning. I believe the church should be able to give you a sample program. I attended a wedding in which the bride had made up programs with full descriptions of each part of the wedding ceremony, what is done, why and what it symbolizes. I took it home and saved it so that I could use her paragraphs in mine. If you can't ge ahold of one, I can scan what I have and email it to you. FM me if you need more info

check out Portara.com

also, there was a discussion about this topic on the Greek Brides Thread about 2 months ago, and I copied and pasted what I will write in my programs into one of the posts.

Yes, Please foward me whatever you have. I would rather get programs made instead of doing on my own. I am not that crafty.
Send me all the info you have.

check out Stephanie in Huntington. She is doing my petal cones, stefana, lambades, etc. and she matches everything with your theme. she is awesome! she also has the best prices and is so much more unique than
Astoria places!

400 west jericho turnpike
huntington 11743

her phone is 631 425 2476

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Posted by emomma17

I have the wording on my work computer I will forward it to you...

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This is what i used for my programs!!! Mia is the best!!!!!

Here's my wording:

The Sacrament of Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church. It sanctifies the union of a man and a woman who are brought into a communion of love for mutual companionship and fulfillment. This blessed union is not expressed through vows, but through a shared and committed relationship with the Risen Christ. Therefore, the couple, the clergy, and the laity pray that this Christian marriage be sanctified and preserved by God in the image of Christ’s perfect union to the Church. The Sacrament of Marriage consists of two independent and self-contained rites that reflect the two-stage process of marriage: the Betrothal and the Crowning.

The Service of the Betrothal
The theme of the Service of the Betrothal is faithfulness that is expressed in the symbolism of the rings. The exchange of rings is understood not simply as a pledge of mutual faithfulness, but as a sign of God’s pledge to man. The priest first chants the litany that includes petitions for the bridal couple. Two short prayers are then read that associate marriage with the saving work of Christ, who restores the unity between God and man. Next, the priest blesses two gold rings over the heads of the couple, and betroths the bride and groom to each other. Finally, the Koumbara and Koumbaro (sponsors) interchange the couple’s rings three times as an expression and witness of the two lives being entwined into one.

The Service of the Crowning
The crowning of the bride and groom is the highlight of the wedding ceremony. Symbolic crowns are placed on the heads of the couple, crowning them as the king and queen of their own kingdom. The crowns also signify the equality, mutual love and support that they will have for one another. The priest takes up the crowns, blesses them over the Gospel, makes the sign of the cross three times each over the heads of the bride and groom, and then places the crowns on their heads. The Koumbaro and Koumbara then interchange the crowns three times. The crowns remain on the heads of the couple until the close of the service.

The Common Cup
The sharing of the cup symbolizes that from this moment forward, all of life’s experiences, both joyful and sorrowful, will be shared by the couple in the presence of Christ.

The Dance of Isaiah
(The Ceremonial Walk)
In this procession, the priest, holding the Gospel, leads the bride and groom around the table three times. The couple is accompanied by their Koumbara and Koumbaro who will walk them throughout the joys and sorrows of life. This is significant as it initiates their steps together as husband and wife, always following the teachings of Christ. Following the Dance of Isaiah, the crowns are removed by the priest while blessing the couple and their marriage.

This is our wording I showed it to our priest and he said it was good to go.


The Sacrament of Marriage

Marriage is one of the seven Sacraments of the Greek Orthodox Church. It is the Sacrament during which the bride and groom give a solemn promise before God and the Church to love each other and to be true to each other. The service actually consists of two parts, the Service of the Betrothal and the Service of the Crowning.

The Service of the Betrothal

The Betrothal consist of several beautiful prayers during which the priest asks God to grant the betrothed perfect and peaceful love, salvation, and to bless them with fair children.

Exchange of Rings

During the Betrothal, the rings are blessed over the heads of the bride and groom three times, after which they are placed on the fourth finger of the right hand. The exchange of the rings by the Koumbaros, the official sponsor of the marriage, symbolizes the unbreakable bond of Christian Marriage. The Betrothal ends with a prayer that the Lord might make strong their Betrothal in faith, truth, and love, and make them of one mind; and-that He would grant them His heavenly blessings.

Lighted Candles

The bride and groom are given white lighted candles to hold. The lighted candles symbolize the purity of their lives, which should shine with the light of virtue.

The Joining of Hands

During the Service of the Crowning, three long prayers are read, asking God to grant the bride and groom a long and peaceful life, mutual love and help, happiness, and health. Then the right hands of the couple are joined by the priest who calls upon God to join them into one mind and one flesh.

The Crowning

The priest takes up the crowns and makes the sign of the cross three times each over the heads of the bride and groom, and then places the crowns on their heads. The crowns are a symbol that the newly married couple receive the grace of the Holy Spirit to be the founders of a new generation and are crowned with virtue and holiness to serve all their lives to the glory of Almighty God.

The Common Cup

The drinking from 'the Common Cup' is the next point in the service. The priest gives to the husband and wife to drink from a cup of wine three times each. This is not Holy Communion, but it symbolizes that they now share with each other every joy and sorrow.

The Circling of the Table

The priest takes the bride and groom by the hand and leads them around the table three times while three hymns are chanted. The circle symbolizes eternity. The triple circling is an honor of the Holy Trinity.

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Posted by Annoulak

Here's my wording:

The Sacrament of Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church. It sanctifies the union of a man and a woman who are brought into a communion of love for mutual companionship and fulfillment. This blessed union is not expressed through vows, but through a shared and committed relationship with the Risen Christ. Therefore, the couple, the clergy, and the laity pray that this Christian marriage be sanctified and preserved by God in the image of Christ’s perfect union to the Church. The Sacrament of Marriage consists of two independent and self-contained rites that reflect the two-stage process of marriage: the Betrothal and the Crowning.

The Service of the Betrothal
The theme of the Service of the Betrothal is faithfulness that is expressed in the symbolism of the rings. The exchange of rings is understood not simply as a pledge of mutual faithfulness, but as a sign of God’s pledge to man. The priest first chants the litany that includes petitions for the bridal couple. Two short prayers are then read that associate marriage with the saving work of Christ, who restores the unity between God and man. Next, the priest blesses two gold rings over the heads of the couple, and betroths the bride and groom to each other. Finally, the Koumbara and Koumbaro (sponsors) interchange the couple’s rings three times as an expression and witness of the two lives being entwined into one.

The Service of the Crowning
The crowning of the bride and groom is the highlight of the wedding ceremony. Symbolic crowns are placed on the heads of the couple, crowning them as the king and queen of their own kingdom. The crowns also signify the equality, mutual love and support that they will have for one another. The priest takes up the crowns, blesses them over the Gospel, makes the sign of the cross three times each over the heads of the bride and groom, and then places the crowns on their heads. The Koumbaro and Koumbara then interchange the crowns three times. The crowns remain on the heads of the couple until the close of the service.

The Common Cup
The sharing of the cup symbolizes that from this moment forward, all of life’s experiences, both joyful and sorrowful, will be shared by the couple in the presence of Christ.

The Dance of Isaiah
(The Ceremonial Walk)
In this procession, the priest, holding the Gospel, leads the bride and groom around the table three times. The couple is accompanied by their Koumbara and Koumbaro who will walk them throughout the joys and sorrows of life. This is significant as it initiates their steps together as husband and wife, always following the teachings of Christ. Following the Dance of Isaiah, the crowns are removed by the priest while blessing the couple and their marriage.

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Anna, how lovely!!!!!!!!! Mary MOB