Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

Hi guys - I am a Greek bride and have a question. We are going to have a dj and then some Greek music as well. My parents were both born and raised there, therefore very old fashioned and traditional. My FH is Irish, German and French. Almost my entire family resides in Greece. A few will be coming to my wedding. So since the majority there will not be Greek and not know how to Greek dance - my brother and sister thought it would be fun to hire a male and female Greek dancer (in traditional Greek outfits) to come in and surprise the guests and start the dancing and show them a few moves. So my sister thought she'd surprise FH and I with this and mentioned it to my paretns and they FLIPPED. They find it insulting to our culture and tradition and said they will NOT have it. FH and I think it would be great and don't feel that way at all. My question...would you do it anyway? They have been making demands aside from this like, my gay friend not being allowed to attend the wedding...I think I have to stop them at some point. So, would you find it insulting as if it were mocking hte tradition or embracing it?

Re: Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

it's your wedding - do what you and your FH want. I dont think it would be mocking it.

Re: Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

Well, here's the thing. You're hiring these dancers to make the greek side feel more at home, I think? To make the reception reflect your culture as well as your FIs? But if the Greek people find it insulting, then you've kinda missed the whole point. Why don't you talk to your parents and see if there's some compromise you can make, like you have some good dancers in your family promise to dance a lot and to help teach the non-Greeks, or you have the dancers act like regular guests who just happen to be very good Greek dancers. I actually have a Greek step-grandfather, so I know a *tiny* bit about the culture, and I know those dances are hard! And I just had my own cross-cultural wedding where we had to figure out how to balance both. Compromise is the key - because although you're having the wedding for yourselves, it is a bringing together of your families as well.

Re: Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

I'm Greek and DH is Irish... we had mostly American people at our wedding, but played a few greek songs for my parents... I found that alot of people who weren't greek got up and tried to dance anyway... they were really good sports about it - they just wanted to dance. I don't see why they would be against it... our compromise was bagpipers at the cocktail hour and 3 or 4 greek songs at the reception. I think its a nice idea to have people come in... I'm sure the guests would get a kick out of it... I wouldn't find it insulting and I'm 100% Greek.

PS. There is a greek brides post on the 04 brides board...lots of information there.

Re: Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

my Dh family is greek and i also found that everyone danced to thew greek songs as well!

do you think that maybe your parents feel a bit embarrassed? i know that sounds weird, but that happens sometimes when there is a strong ethnic background on one side and not the other.

hope it all works out. do what you feel in your heart is best! great advice right?

Re: Greek Brides, or any Brides for that matter...

oops. i hit it twice