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This is a short clip of our wedding highlights created by the amazing Lauchie from Net Productions!
We were married at the Greek Orthodox Church of St George and the reception was at The Greek Club.
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This picture is sourced from Los Angeles Wedding Photography.
Before you read this post you should know that:
Koumbaros refers to the male sponsor (sort of like the best man) and the Koumbara refers to the female sponsor (sort of like the maid of honour).
In my experience at Greek weddings, there has never been a fuss as to what the Koumbaros should wear or weather it should be different to the other grooms men. However when a Koumbara is chosen to be the sponsor of the Bride and Groom there is often a bit more discussion as to what she should wear and where she should stand.
If the Bride and Groom choose a Koumbara to be their sponsor (and there is only one sponsor), then the Koumbara should stand next to the Groom.
If both a Koumbara and Koumbaros are chosen to be sponsors (this is two Koumbari), then the Koumbara will stand next to the Bride and the Koumbaros will stand next to the Groom.
However if the Koumbara and the Koumbaros are already married then they will both stand next to the Groom.
On the occasions when the Koumbara is standing next to the Groom, it is common to see the Koumbara wearing a different outfit to the bridesmaids.
However when the Koumbara is standing next to the Bride, then it is common to see the Koumbara wearing the same outfit as the other bridesmaids.
It is important to note that there are no specific rules associated with what the Koumbara should wear. The decision should be a mutual agreement between the Koumbari and the Bride & Groom.
The Koumbara who wears a different outfit to the Bridesmaids:
- Is often the only sponsor or Koumbari
- Is already married to the Koumbaros
- Will normally stand next to the Groom
- Will want to show the guests (through dress and stance) that she has the honour of being a Koumbara
- Has been asked by the Bride & Groom to ‘stand out’ so that she is different to the Bridesmaids
The Koumbara who wears the same outfit as the Bridesmaids:
- Will often stand next to the Bride
- Is usually a second sponsor (i.e. there is also a Koumbaro)
- Will want to dress the same as the Bridesmaids
- Does not want to stand out or look different in front of the wedding guests
Do you think that the Koumbara should wear the same as the Bridesmaids? Please share your comments.
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This image of Vasilopita the Greek New Years Bread was sourced from Irene Tamara’s Blog and the following information has been sourced from wikipedia:
Vasilopita is a New Year’s Day bread or cake in Greece. It contains a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver. It is made of a variety of doughs, depending on regional and family tradition, including tsoureki.
The tradition of vasilopita is associated with a legend of Saint Basil. According to the legend St. Basil called on the citizens of Caesarea to raise a ransom payment to stop the siege of the city. Each member of the city gave whatever they had in gold and jewelery. When the ransom was raised, the enemy was so embarrassed by the act of collective giving that he called off the siege without collecting payment. St. Basil was then tasked with returning the unpaid ransom, but had no way to know which items belonged to which family. So he baked all of the jewelery into loaves of bread and distributed the loaves to the city, and by a miracle each citizen received their exact share, the legend goes. In some tellings the sieging chieftain is replaced with an evil emperor levying a tax, or simply with St. Basil attempting to give charity to the poor without embarrassing them.
The traditions surrounding vasilopita are very similar to western European celebrations of the Twelfth Night and Epiphany: the Provençal Gâteau des Rois and the Northern French galette des rois, the Catalonian tortell, and the Louisiana king cake. Hasluck (1927) connects both the western and the eastern celebrations to the Roman Saturnalia and the ancient Greek Kronia, the festival of King Cronus, which involved selecting a “king” by lot.
The name “βασιλόπιτα” comes from βασιλεύς ‘king’ + πίτα ‘pie’, but was reinterpreted as Saint Basil’s (Βασίλειος) cake.
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This image of a the Vaselopita with the coin is from whippedtheblog.com which is a fantastic food blog including many wonderful Greek recipes.
Every year on New Years Day, all of my brothers, sisters, aunties uncles and cousins have lunch together. It is a usual big fat Greek lunch with more than enough food to feed the entire neighborhood. There is always souvlaki, halloumi, fish, octopus, prawns, domathes, patatas, salata and many other traditional Greek foods. After lunch we will have dessert (even more food). Then after dessert, when we are all ready for tea and coffee, my Thea will bring out the Vaselopita.
Vaselopita is a Greek bread that is traditionally shared on New Years Day. It is baked with a coin inside it. The coin symbolised good luck and the person who received the coin inside their piece of bread will have good luck for the rest of the year.
This year, the coin was found in between both my piece and my fiance piece. This was a really special way for us to start the new year. Our wedding is in 2011 and according to the Vaselopita, we will both have good luck.
Next year i want to make my own Vaselopita for the very first time. Before I do that im going to need:
- A good recipe for Vaselopita
- Advice on how to wrap the coin and place it into the cake so that it doesn’t fall straight to the bottom
- The correct procedure on ‘How to Cut the bread’
- What to do with the coin if i win it again?
Please share your Vaselopita recipe suggestions and advice in the comments.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all the readers of Greek Wedding and Traditions.
2011 is going to be a very exciting year for me because I am getting married!
After a serious chat with my Koumbara yesterday, I realised that there is only 20 weeks left until the wedding day. Whilst i should be feeling very excited about getting married, i actually feel very stressed and sick in the stomach.
Koumbara asked me if I was getting cold feet or having second thoughts about getting married but that is not the case at all…. I just feel overwhelmed by all of the planning that needs to be done between now and then.
Any wedding requires detailed planning and time to organise but a big fat greek wedding is a whole different story. Not only do I need to organise all of the normal wedding tasks such as the photographer, invitations and a cake I also need to think about:
- A venue that can cater for hundreds of guests
- Dresses and shoes to suit seven bridesmaids who each have very different personalities and styles
- Days to make all of the sweets, which sweets to cook and who is going to come over to cook them
- When and where we should have the Krevatia,
- How to make the Greek Club look unique and not just like all of the other Greek weddings that everyone goes to.
Not to mention the usual controversial issues such as:
- How to cut the guest list without offending any aunties, uncles or cousins
- Weather or not to invite all of the relatives from overseas
- Where all the relatives from overseas will stay when they get here
- What will happen if i decide to have black bridemaids dresses (heaven forbid)
- And whether or not i should wear my rings on my left hand or my right hand.
I’m sure that i will have lots of inspiration for blog posts as I journey through the next few months of wedding planning. I would love to share my experience with all of the readers of Greek Weddings and Traditions. Stay updated by subscribing to this blog, following me on twitter or by joining the Facebook page.
Share your thoughts and comments on any of my posts. I would love to hear from you… I think im going to need all of the help and support that I can get.
I don’t know any songs to sing at a Krevatia…
In the past, it was my Yiaya who made up the lyrics. She didn’t write the words on paper nor does anyone remember what she said. No body video taped the ladies signing, so all we are left with is the remembrance of her voice and the emotions that flowed with the tears that she cried.
My Yiaya sang the songs at each of her children’s and grandchildren’s krevatia. Sadly, my Yiaya is no longer with us and she did not get the chance to sing at my sister’s wedding. Nor will she sing at mine…
However, my Thea did write a song and it was beautiful.
Here are the lyrics that my Thea wrote and that the ladies sang at my sister’s Krevatia.
Greeklish Version: Anickse da parathera na bou da heledonya na thou dis nifis da prika da aspra da sen don ya sou efgome olopsha anthisa mou na zizsis don andra pou exthayexses na zizis na yerasis.
English Translation: Open up the windows so the doves can come in and see the bride and the dowry, the white sheets. With all my heart Anthea the man you picked for you to live with until you get old.
Do you have any lyrics for Krevatia songs?
Please share your songs and thoughts in the comments of this post.
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I recently heard a very interesting story about the first time a Niffi met her in-laws…
The Niffi knew her future husbands parents but this would be the first time that she would officially meet them. It was an important moment for the family and for the Niffi so that they could start off their new relationship on the right foot.
The Niffi did exactly that… she made her first step into the house with her right foot. The mother-in-law wrapped a white shawl around her head and helped her and guided her in through the front door and then around the house.
This was a tradition that was passed down through the generations and a lovely way to welcome the Niffi into the family.
Please share some of your experiences and how you were welcomed into the family.
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I am always learning new things about Greek weddings and traditions. There are so many different customs depending on where you come from and what your family thinks is important.
How to Have a Traditional Greek Wedding by Norman Kolpas describes some traditions such as the Baby-Rolling Ceremony, Stephana and the Money Dance. He also writes about a tradition that I have never heard of before. This is called the Flamboro.
Apparently the Flamboro is when family and friends seek out a tree branch which has five twigs. An apple and red wool is tied to the twig and this is displayed outside the home of the bride for a week before the wedding. This twig becomes a ‘wedding flag’.
Before the wedding ceremony, the flamboro is detached from its spot outside the bride’s home and carried to the groom’s home. It is then carried in front of the groom to lead him back to his bride’s home. The brides mother welcomes and blesses the future son-in-law with wine, a ring-shaped cookie, and an herbal bombonniere.
Read more at Suite101: How to Have a Traditional Greek Wedding: Greek Marriage Traditions Help Ensure a Memorable Wedding Day
Can anyone tell me more about the traditions of the Flamboro? Is this tradition still practiced in Greece or by Greeks anywhere else in the world?
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I am getting married and I am soooo excited!
My wedding is going to be a Big Fat Greek Wedding and I am going to have 7 bridesmaids and 9 groomsmen!
We recently invited each member of our bridal party to be a part of our special day. I wanted to ask them properly… and formally… in a nice kind of way. I did this by having personalised cards made for each person.
Here is a picture of the bridesmaid’s card:
You can view the full size of this card and other fantastic cards by Eugenia Bacon by clicking here: http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/-be+my+bridesmaid-greeting+card-169620?pid=169620&page=1&ref=cb_card_title
Eugenia personalised each one of my cards and i put a special ‘typed’ message inside. I even had printed ‘Please be my Koumbara’ on the front page of my Koumbara’s card. Here is a picture of it:
I also had some special cards made up for the boys. They look like this:
These cards plus many other unique designs can be found at GreetingCardUniverse.com
I would love to hear about how you invited your bridesmaids and groomsmen to be a part of your bridal party. Please share your stories here!
Read more about Sia’s Wedding:
My Koumbara asked me a question the other day…
‘Can we be traditional with the bonboneries? I want it to be a surprise on your wedding day!’ she said.
Bonbonerie have become so commercial these days. The old tradition is not only practices by Greeks and Italians anymore but also by most modern Brides. There is a large variety of Bonboneiri available now and they are advertised in every bridal magazine. The Bride (or the Koumbari) can choose from a range of different colours, shapes, sizes, flavours and ornaments as the choices become endless.
Whilst bonbonerie are traditionally a gift from the Koumbari, many Brides these days are making the choice themselves.
When The Bride Chooses The Bonbonerie
- Be polite and first have the approval of the Koumbaro/Koumbara before making the choice - especially if the Koumbari are the ones paying for the bonbonerie.
- Chip in and offer to pay for the bonbonerie if you want something specific.
- Make sure that the Koumbari are happy with your choice and with the price. Ensure that it is within their budget.
When The Koumbari Chooses The Bonboneri
- Bonboneries always look nice when they match in with the theme of the wedding so ask what the colours are going to be.
- Ask the Bride and Groom for ideas on what they like and what they don’t like.
- Go shopping with your Bride and Groom or perhaps with the Brides mother who could probably help with the decision making.
- Consider the price and multiply it by the number of guests. You don’t want to spend outside of your budget.
Do you have any other advice for Brides or Koumbari about choosing bonbonerie?
I am very lucky to have a wonderful Koumbara and a fantastic Koumbaro. I trust them both and I know that whatever they choose as bonboneries for my wedding will be just perfect. It is their gift to us and I personally don’t care what they are going to look like (as long as they match my colour scheme 
).
So I said
‘Yes, Let’s be traditional! I think it will be a nice surprise!’
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