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XOXO
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
I wanted to get married at our hall. Before we were engaged, mom was all for it. As soon as that ring was on my finger, EVERYTHING changed. Off to Father George...neither one of us is religious, it is for our parents.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Dandj, how did you mix it up with the regular music, Greek music and bag pipes???? Did you provide the dj with a list of songs, or bring your own cds? I doubt my dj will have all the songs my parents want to hear.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by MonkeyLuv
That's exactly what I was told. Hence this Catholic is high-tailing it to the Greek church! That was really the only difference...I can get married in his church, but he can't get married in my church (which is FINE with me because my church...blech....that's an entirely different post though!)
I'm totally nervous about speaking to the GO priest though. I'm so afraid that they're going to insist upon ridiculous things and not allow my priest to come or who knows! You'd think afater being with my FH for 4 years I'd be comfortable with the Greek culture, but some of the old-world still freaks me out. I'm way to progressive for some of his family!
For me it was a no-brainer to be married in the Greek church .. I am a very lapsed Catholic to begin with, and I found the Greek church much more open and welcoming than my parish. Its the best decision I ever made, I love my DH's parish and loved the priest that married us .. our ceremony was one of the most beautiful moments in my life and I feel truly blessed.
Try not to be nervous about speaking to the GO priest! I was terrified myself but all was put at ease during our first meeting, but then again our priest is very modern and liberal and really 'anything went' (within reason) when it came to our ceremony. He knew that more than 1/2 our guests weren't Greek, so he was very accomodating by not speaking predominantly in Greek during our ceremony ..
I wish you lots of luck! I'm certainly NOT an expert when it comes to GO ceremonies or marriages, but if I can help it all just feel free to ask
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by tp329
Wow, 2 Greeks, your wedding must have been HUGE! 95% of my family lives in Greece still, so we are going to have a small wedding compared to others. We have to incorporate Greek music, bagpipes, and regular music....should be interesting! I dropped out of Greek dancing...oh well, you won't see my legs kicking in different directions under my dress!
LOL..We actually had a small Greek wedding in comparison. We only had about 160 people. A lot of my family and my DH's family live in Greece and many of them couldn't make it.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by MonkeyLuv
Just out of curiousity... how many of you ladies are greek marrying catholic guys, and how many are catholic marrying greek guys?
I'm an irish-catholic and my FH is GO.
My FH is GO and I am Italian Catholic- We are having two ceremonies on the same day. The first ceremony will be in my church then we will go to the GO church.
I also wanted to add that before meeting with our GO priest, I was REALLY nervous. I thought he was going to be intimidating.. He wasn't at all!! He took his time with us and answered all our questions and helped us with all our concerns. He gave awesome advice. He said 'I am not going to make you sign a paer that says you have to have your children baptized GO'.. He said to please learn about each of the religions. It's important to know and understand the differences. There are not many but some. Ironically, his wife is Italian too. He said she recently just converted to GO after like 25 years!!
We went back and forth with this decision to marry in both churchs. My priest said it would be recognized in the Catholic church if we married in the GO church... that was the plan until I realized I have had everything done in my church and I always envisoned myself walking down the aisle in my church. It really upset me to not marry there. It may sound a little selfish, I guess, but it makes me so happy to know I will be getting married there. Our family and friends have been so supportive- Thank God!!
Wow- this was long- LOL
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Yep. My fiance was SO happy that we could get married at the hall. Since is dad passed away, basically...he hates God and no longer believes. So when I told him, my parents are contributing most of the money...Greek church it is. Then he found out he has to wear a wreath on his head :) I tell him one thing every few weeks.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by MonkeyLuv
FelciaDA,
I hope my experience is as good as yours! I think it will be. His uncle married a Catholic girl with no problem in the same church.
Did you have a unity candle? and *** is that anyway??
Nope , we didn't have a unity candle at our ceremony.. There are these tall candles you use during the GO ceremony , that the priest will hand over to you during a portion of the service to hold for awhile.. well those were bought by our Koumbara (DH's aunt). I don't know what the candles are called in Greek (if anything) maybe some of the Greek girls can help you with that (me not such a a good Greek Orthodox wife yet! LOL)
I had actually bought a beautiful unity candle with our names on it, though (didn't realize it wouldn't be used at the GO ceremony), but it would up I just had it placed our sweetheart table at the reception .. it was lovely like that
Funny story- I had no clue about GO weddings, hadn't even attended one. DH would love to trick me into thinking all sorts of strange things would take place at our ceremony.. I was led to believe it was going to be so bizarre (bad hubby!) He and his brothers would mimic the chanting and singing that goes on during the ceremony by the chantor, but they'd do so in SUCh a 'MELODRAMATIC' fashion that I was left wondering how i'd get thru it with a straight face. It was nothing of the sort
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Those candles that are used in a GO ceremony are called lambades. I remember during our ceremony when we had to hold the candles the flame was bothering me so much!! LOL
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by junebride04
Those candles that are used in a GO ceremony are called lambades. I remember during our ceremony when we had to hold the candles the flame was bothering me so much!! LOL
Thanks! I was wondering what they were called.. silly me. I felt stupid when people ask and I keep referring to them as the candles I held at my ceremony (LOL)
I'll never forget when our organist told us at the rehearsal that 'whatever you do, do NOT stare at the flames of the candles you are holding..' It seems in her many years of playing at GO weddings, she'd seen many a bride and groom FAINT after staring at the flame so long!
When we passed the candles over to our MOH and best man, my MOH told me later that the wax started dripping down her arm and she and my bridesmaids were laughing hysterically
Never a dull moment
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Do Greek churches do pre cana? My mom said she doesn't think we have to.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Tp329 - We did the bagpipes at the cocktail hour (because I didn't want to miss out on valuable dance time during the reception) and that worked out fine. Then my mother brought Greek CD's and told the DJ which songs to play - he played about 2 or 3 in the beginning and got them out of the way. My mother asked for more later on and I got annoyed with her, so we agreed on one more song, it was mostly American music. The church was about my parents, the reception was about us!!!!!!!!
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Oh... about pre cana... we just met with one of the priests for an hour before the wedding... he just talked about the importance of religion in a marriage, being honest with each other, etc... It was painless.
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Posted by tp329
Do Greek churches do pre cana? My mom said she doesn't think we have to.
No pre cana at the GO church .. we just met with the priest ONE time and that was it
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Thanks. How far in advance did you do that? Did you have a rehearsal like Catholic ceremonies?
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Re: Greek Wedding Ceremonies
Thanks dandj. This will be an interesting wedding. My parents will HATE the bagpipes! I can't wait! Did the people who never Greek danced before get up and dance during the Greek music? Did you pick a Greek song for you and your dad or an American song?
