At the beginning of the Wedding Service, the priest censes around the table before the altar as he chants Psalm 128, “Blessed are they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways…” By coming to the altar, the couple offer their lives together to God for His blessing.

Joining of the Right Hands

In the Service of the Crowning and during the third prayer, the right hands of the couple are joined together by the Priest who calls upon God to unite them into one mind and one flesh. The hands are kept joined throughout the Service to symbolize the “oneness” of the couple.

The Crowning

The crowns are signs of glory and honor with which God crowns the couple during the Sacrament. The Groom and the Bride are crowned king and queen of their own kingdom, their home, which they will rule with love, wisdom, justice, and integrity. With the crowns, the Priest makes the sign of the Cross over the heads of the Bride and Groom and then places the crowns on their heads. The Koumbaro(a) then exchanges the crowns over their heads as witness to their union. Some interpret the crowns used as the crowns of martyrdom. The word “martyr” means “witness.” The couple bears witness to Christ’s presence in their lives, which requires both to die to themselves and to give of their lives for the other. The ribbon joining the crowns represents the unity of the couple.

Scripture Readings

The Epistle reading, Ephesians 5:20–33, explains the mystery and holiness of marriage, as well as the duties and responsibilities of a husband and wife. The love of the couple parallels the love of Christ and His Church. The couple becomes one in their submission to each other and to Christ. The Gospel reading, St. John 2:1–11, retells the story of the wedding at Cana, where Christ blessed marriage by turning the water into wine, symbolizing the turning of our passions into virtues.

The Common Cup

In remembrance of the miracle at Cana, wine is given to the couple. The husband and wife drink from this Common Cup, denoting the mutual sharing of joy and sorrow in their life as husband and wife. This is not Holy Communion, but it symbolizes that they will share all of life’s experiences together.

The Dance of Isaiah

The Priest then leads the Bride and Groom in a circle around the table on which are placed the Gospel and the Cross. The husband and wife take their first steps as a married couple and the Church, which is represented by the Priest, leads them in this walk. This walk represents their life together as a perfect orbit around the center of life, Christ our Lord. The hymns sung during the Dance of Isaiah recall the themes of blessing, martyrdom, and the setting apart of the couple from this world to a union with Christ. The Koumbaro(a) follow the bride and groom as witness, and pledge lifelong moral and spiritual support.

The Blessing

Finally, the Priest lifts the crowns from their heads with special words of blessings to the newlyweds. He then places the crowns on the Altar Table as an offering of the newly-formed Christian couple. The priest

prays that God will receive these crowns into His Kingdom. The couple now begin their journey together in Christ at the foot of His altar. They are an icon of Christ and His Church to the witnesses attending this sacrament of their threefold union.

Bobonieres (wedding favors)

A custom in the Greek Orthodox Church provides a wedding favor for everyone in attendance, as a remembrance of their presence at this wedding. These wedding favors contain candy-coated almonds (called koufeta), which symbolize the sweetness and bitterness of marriage. As they are eaten, the sweetness of the candy coating and the bitterness of the almond mingle and become inseparable.

Wedding

Reception

Livestream to the Ceremony