Not Just a Wedding: A Big, Fat Greek Celebration
A Greek wedding is not just a ceremony and union of two people—it’s a vibrant celebration that could last from a few hours to a whole week!!! Greek weddings are famous for their joyful energy, non stop music, dancing and eating and drinking. In many parts of Greece, wedding celebrations don’t just take place on the wedding day itself. The festivities often begin several days earlier, sometimes at the start of the wedding week. These pre-wedding events may include lively gatherings at the couple’s homes, dinners with family and friends, and music and dancing that build anticipation for the big day. Two interesting customs still found in some regions of Northern Greece are the “Κρεβάτι” (the Wedding Bed) and the display of the dowry:
The Krevati (Wedding Bed): On the eve of the wedding, relatives and friends gather at the new couple’s home to prepare the marital bed. Married women make the bed, and guests traditionally toss money, rice, or even children onto it, symbolizing prosperity, fertility, and the wish for many healthy children.
The Dowry Display: In some areas, the bride’s dowry—handmade linens, embroidered sheets, woven textiles, and clothing prepared over the years—is proudly displayed in the family home. Neighbors and guests come to admire the work, which represents both the bride’s skill and her family’s care in preparing for her new household.
The Ceremony
The guests throw rice at the couple as a symbole of fertility, prosperity, and good luck.
Most weddings in Greece take place in the Orthodox Church. The most iconic part of the service is the stefana—two crowns joined by a ribbon, symbolizing the unity of the couple and the presence of Christ in their marriage.
Other elements, like the common cup of wine and the ceremonial walk around the altar, emphasize the couple’s journey through life together.
The Celebration
Once the ceremony is complete, the real party begins—and it can last all night! Greek wedding receptions are filled with traditional music, dancing, and of course, plenty of food and drink. One of the most significant Greek weddings and wedding celebrations takes place in Greece. There’s a saying: “A Cretan wedding is not just a wedding, it’s a festival.” And it’s true—Cretan weddings are famous for their size, their music, and their overflowing hospitality. In Crete, the guest list often reaches into the hundreds or even thousands, since it’s not just family and friends who are invited, but often the entire village and surrounding community.
Eating, drinking and dancing till the sun comes up!
The celebration begins days before the wedding, with relatives and neighbors gathering to help prepare food, bake bread, and make sure there will be enough for everyone for the pre wedding celebrations. The wedding day itself is a feast for the senses. Traditional κρητική λύρα (cretan lyra) music fills the air, accompanied by lively dances like the πεντοζάλι (pentozali) and the συρτός (syrtos). Guests raise glasses of local wine and plenty of ρακί (raki), the island’s beloved spirit, as platters of roasted meats, savory pies make their way around the tables. The atmosphere is one of pure joy—endless dancing, heartfelt songs, and a sense that everyone, not just the couple, is part of the celebration. As locals like to say: Στην Κρήτη οι γάμοι κρατάνε τρεις μέρες, και οι αναμνήσεις κρατούν για πάντα “(n Crete, weddings last three days, and the memories last a lifetime).
So, whether it’s tossing rice at the church or eating and dancing the night away to a Cretan lyra a Greek wedding is one unforgettable ride. It’s loud, it’s colorful, it’s full of food, music, and laughter—and it proves that love in Greece is always a big, joyous, and… slightly extra celebration.
