Greek and Cypriot Wedding Traditions: A Guide to Explain to Your Guests

Greek and Cypriot weddings often include a koumbaros or koumbara as sponsor, the crowning with stefana, the Dance of Isaiah around the altar table, sugared almonds called koufeta, the krevati bed-making ceremony, rice or petal throwing and, in Cyprus, a money dance. Customs vary by region and family, so explain the ones your wedding includes.

If some of your guests are coming from abroad, or from a family with different customs, a short explanation of the traditions on your wedding website helps them enjoy the day rather than wonder what is happening. Below are customs widely seen at Greek and Cypriot weddings. They vary from region to region and family to family, so treat this as a starting point and describe your own day in your own words.

Who is the koumbaros or koumbara?

The koumbaros (if a man) or koumbara (if a woman) is the couple’s wedding sponsor, a role that is part witness and part spiritual supporter. During an Orthodox ceremony they take an active part, exchanging the rings and the wedding crowns over the couple’s heads.

It is an honour usually given to a close friend or relative, and the relationship is traditionally a lifelong one; in many families the koumbaros later becomes godparent to the couple’s first child. In Cyprus it is common to have several koumbaroi. For an Orthodox church wedding, the church may require the sponsor to be Orthodox, so couples check this with their priest.

What are the stefana and the crowning?

The stefana are two crowns, often delicate circlets of flowers, pearls or metal, joined by a ribbon. During the ceremony the priest places them on the couple’s heads, and the koumbaros exchanges them three times. They symbolise the couple being joined and becoming king and queen of their new home.

There is no exchange of spoken vows in the traditional Orthodox service, which surprises some guests. The ceremony is the commitment. Many couples keep their stefana afterwards, often in a special display case.

What is the Dance of Isaiah?

Towards the end of the ceremony, the priest leads the crowned couple, followed by the koumbaros, three times around the small table at the centre of the church while a hymn is sung. It is the couple’s first steps together as a married pair. In some churches guests throw rice or petals during this walk, so it is worth telling guests when to be ready.

What are koufeta, and why are they in odd numbers?

Koufeta are sugared almonds, given to guests in small bags or boxes, often called bomboniera. The almond’s bitterness and the sugar’s sweetness are said to stand for the bitter and sweet of married life.

They are traditionally given in odd numbers, often five or seven, because an odd number cannot be divided equally, just as the couple should not be divided. Some unmarried guests follow the folk custom of putting their koufeta under their pillow to dream of a future partner.

What is the krevati (bed-making) ceremony?

In the days before the wedding, or on the day itself, family and close friends gather to make up the couple’s marriage bed. They lay fresh sheets, then scatter money, rice, petals and sometimes sugared almonds across it as wishes for prosperity and a happy life together. A baby is often placed on the bed as a wish for children.

It is usually a lively, informal gathering at home with music, food and plenty of teasing. If you are inviting international guests, explain that it is a family occasion and that bringing a little money to place on the bed is part of the fun.

What is the Cypriot money dance?

At many Cypriot receptions, the couple’s dance becomes a chance for guests to wish them well by pinning banknotes onto their clothes as they dance. Family and friends take turns, and the couple can end up covered in notes by the end.

Guests who haven’t seen it before may not know whether to join in, or may not have cash or pins with them. A line on your website, such as “There will be a traditional money dance; join in if you’d like!”, puts everyone at ease. Some couples arrange for pins to be available at the venue.

Why do guests throw rice and petals?

Rice is thrown at many Greek and Cypriot weddings, either during the Dance of Isaiah or as the couple leave the church. It is a wish for a fruitful, rooted life together. Petals are often used alongside or instead of rice.

Why are Cypriot guest lists so large, and what is kalesma?

Cypriot weddings are known for large guest lists, often reaching into the hundreds, as couples and their parents invite extended family, neighbours, colleagues and family friends. Many guests attend the church and greet the couple in a receiving line, while a smaller group stays for the dinner and party that follows.

Kalesma is the Cypriot custom of inviting guests in person. Traditionally, invitations were delivered door to door by family members. Today couples and their parents often still hand invitations over personally to close family and elders, as a mark of respect, even when everyone else receives one by post or message.

What should you explain for international guests?

Guests from abroad usually want to know what to expect and how to take part without getting it wrong. A short “Our traditions” section on your website can cover:

• How long the church service lasts and whether it is in Greek, so guests know what to expect.
• Church dress: covered shoulders are usually expected inside an Orthodox church.
• Which parts are for everyone and which are family-only, such as the krevati.
• Whether to bring rice, petals or money, and when to use them.
• What guests usually give as a gift. In Cyprus, money in an envelope, handed over at the receiving line, is very common.
• A few useful words, such as “Na zísete!” (Να ζήσετε), the traditional wish to newlyweds meaning “May you live long and happily.”

Writing this in both Greek and English helps two very different sets of guests at once. Ever Yours pages on Classic and Premium let guests switch between Greek and English, and the FAQ and schedule sections are a natural home for these explanations. You can see an example on the demo page, and read how it works for weddings on the island on our Cyprus wedding website page.