Wedding Ideas

The wedding service in the Greek Orthodox faith is an ancient and beautiful ceremony, which has been celebrated in its current form for centuries. The wedding ceremony is full of symbolism and is a great experience if you have never attended one before, because it is likely to be quite different from other weddings you have attended in Western Europe. The service is also rather unique because the bride and groom do not make vows to each other their presence together in the church is taken to mean that they are serious about getting married.

The Beginning of the Wedding

In most cases the wedding guests will wait with the groom outside the church until the bride arrives (a few sneaky wedding pros will go into the church early to secure a good seat). In the Summer, when most weddings take place, it is not unusual for ceremonies to be arranged back to back, so the guests attending a marriage will often stand around with those who have just attended the previous wedding as they prepare to leave. Wedding dress commentators among the crowd will get to consider and discuss at least two brides and maybe even a third as they leave the church bargain! Meanwhile, the nervous groom waits for the bride at the entrance to the church, often holding her floral bouquet. He hands it to her as they meet and they then go inside together followed by the guests. There is no separation of the guests into guests of the bride and guests of the groom everyone sits together and in the case of small churches, many people prefer to stand in a spot where they can get a good view of the proceedings.

Service of Betrothal

The wedding ceremony itself is in two parts: the Service of Betrothal and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. The exchanging of rings is the focus of the Service of Betrothal. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand and making the sign of the cross over the heads of the bride and groom. The rings are then placed on the third fingers of their right hands. The Koumbaro, the couples religious sponsor, then swaps the rings over between the bride and grooms fingers, three times. A number of rituals in the ceremony are repeated three times and this symbolises the Holy Trinity: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage

This Ceremony consists of several key parts. First, several prayers are said and then as they come to an end, the priest joins the right hands of the bride and groom. Their hands remain joined until the end of the wedding ceremony, which symbolises the couples union.

The Crowning

The bride and groom are crowned with thin crowns, or stefana, which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolise the glory and honour that is being bestowed on them by God, and the the ribbon symbolises their unity. The Koumbaro then exchanges the crowns between the heads of the couple, three times.

The Common Cup

The crowning is followed by a reading of the Gospel, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine, which was then given to the married couple. Wine is given to the couple and they each drink from it three times.

The Ceremonial Walk

The priest the leads the couple, who are still wearing their stefana, three times around the altar on their first steps as a married couple. The Koumbaro follows close behind the couple holding the stefana place. At this point the couple (and anyone standing nearby) is usually showered with rice, which was earlier handed out to the wedding guests. The priest will often make use of the bible he is holding to give himself some protection!

The Removal of the Crowns

When the Ceremonial Walk has ended, the priest blesses the couple, the crowns are removed and he then separates their previously joined hands with the bible, reminding them that only God can break the union which they have just entered into.

Wedding traditions

Much of the information available on Greek Orthodox wedding traditions is a little outdated and contains generalisations that give the impression that certain traditions are followed by everyone who gets married. Some of these traditions are set out below

• Rolling a baby on the marital bed to encourage fertility.
• The throwing of money onto the marital bed.
• The pinning of money onto the bride (and sometimes also the groom) at the wedding reception.

Although these rituals are seen as traditional, fewer and fewer young people marrying today are following them, because they are seen as old-fashioned. Many people do not wish to put their guests through the ordeal of other people being able to see how much money they pin on the bride, for example. Although money is still a very common, as well as practical, wedding present it is often given to the couple before the wedding day or to a third person at the wedding reception, for safe-keeping. Greeks living in the more remote parts of Greece and abroad, who will naturally feel more strongly about doing things the traditional way, are more likely to follow these traditions than those living in Athens, for example. Like weddings everywhere, Greek weddings are changing. At the time of writing, there is a growing fashion to go and get married on an island and I recently heard someone say that he was looking into getting married in a ski resort. He was wisely advised by a friend You had better first ask the priest if he wants to perform a marriage up a mountain!

Emmanuel Mendonca moved from London to Athens in 2004 and is getting to grips with life in Greece. Emmanuel publishes Greece travel and living articles at http://www.athensroom.com/greece_travel_guide.html

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The great American wedding has come a long way over the years. In a society that is made up of people from so many different cultures, lifestyles, religions, and backgrounds, it is no surprise that the traditions in the wedding ceremony are as vastly different as well. Wedding music is no exception. From the ceremony itself to the party atmosphere of the reception, the wedding music sets the tone for the event.

Traditional Wedding Music

At most weddings we can expect to hear selections that have come to be known as traditional wedding music. Titles like Ave Maria, the Minuet from Don Giovanni, and, of course, The Bridal Chorus and The Wedding March have long been the standard music for a wedding. Particularly religious ceremonies may include hymns like Amazing Grace and a Jewish wedding almost always includes a hora danced to a medley of tunes like Hava Nagila, and Siman Tov U Mazeltov.

The traditional wedding music holds a special place in our hearts and many think that a wedding ceremony is incomplete without it. The couple must decide whether or not to use traditional wedding music in the ceremony, as well as how much of it to use. If this part of the wedding tradition is important to you, then traditional wedding music is the way to go.

Modern Wedding Music

Often couples will forgo the traditional wedding music selections and instead include modern or popular music in the wedding ceremony. This practice is so common that some titles are becoming traditional wedding song selections themselves. It is not unusual to hear When a Man Loves a Woman, Always and Forever, or I Will Always Love You sung, performed, or played at weddings today. Often more modern titles like these will appear in a ceremony along with the more traditional wedding music.

Avant-Garde Wedding Music

As peoples attitudes change and varying forms of wedding ceremonies take place, the choice of wedding music often changes right along with them. Occasionally couples will choose music for their wedding that reflects the stark difference in their personalities and makes a unique and bold statement. While your wedding ceremony is primarily for the couple getting married, it is important to remember that it is an event attended by your family members as well. While you may wish to make an impression on your guests with your choice of music, you should still be cautious not to offend your respective grandmothers. As such, a selection by an artist like Marilyn Manson may never be appropriate for a wedding ceremony. This does not mean that your wedding music choices are restricted to traditional classics or sappy love songs. I once attended a very avant-garde wedding where three couples married in the same ceremony. It was a beautiful event and was made memorable by their choice of music. The couples strode down the aisle to the sounds of Pink Floyds Signs of Life, an instrumental track from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was a wedding ceremony that I will remember forever.

This article provided courtesy of http://www.weddings-planner.com

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Have you decided on a flower girl for your wedding yet? If yes, it is time to choose her dress, which can actually be a fun time for both of you. After all, next to the bride, the flower girl will be getting a lot of the oohs and ahhs.

When choosing a flower girls dress, begin by checking out boutiques that specialize in childrens wedding wear. A regular wedding shop may be able to help, however usually these shops will only adjust adult measurements to fit a small child, which could cause the dress to look disproportionate to the childs body frame.

Although the bride may already have a design in mind for choosing the flower girls dress, remember that the parents will be paying for it, unless otherwise arranged. Let the flower girls mom and the flower girl, herself give opinions to the dress you are looking at and be sure it is in a price range they can afford.

Remember to keep in mind that little girls grow fast, when choosing your flower girls dress. If you are ordering the dress six months in advance, you may want to add a few inches to the dress, which can then be altered the week before the wedding. Just like with any dress, it will be easier to take it in than adding material to a dress that is too small.

Little girls like to feel like princesses in their dresses. So consider a smaller make to your wedding gown when choosing a flower girls dress. Traditional flower girl dresses are usually white with full, ruffle skirts underneath to give them the bridal look. Flower accented dresses are also popular among flower girls. Use hoop slips to give them that princess look. Keep in mind the material you are selecting. A soft, silky feel will leave your flower girl less fidgety versus and rougher material that will make them itch and feeling uncomfortable.

When choosing your flower girls dress, do not forget to find matching accents for her hair. Decide if you want her hair up or down. With either, adding babys breath and ribbons will give her a beautiful look of enchantment. Also let her parents know what type of shoe you would like her to wear with her dress. If you choose a shorter dress, close toe or an open sandal, depending on the time of year, would be appropriate. If the dress is long and flowing, covering her feet, think about letting her wear white slippers. This will ensure her comfort and make the event more enjoyable for everyone.

Flower girls add a cute touch to any wedding. Let her carry a beautiful bouquet or throw flower pedals down the aisle as she walks, which is usually the tradition of her role. If the child you choose is too small to walk, decorate a red wagon in a lot of white lace and flowers and let an older child, or bridesmaid pull the wagon down the aisle.

This article provided courtesy of http://www.wedding-wizard.com

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Your groomsmen are your best friends. They have seen you fall on your face with girls when you were younger. You have played football with them or gone fishing before the sun came up. All of you nursed hangovers together. So you need to come up with some groovy groomsmen gifts to show how much you appreciate them.

To thank your buddies for standing up for you on the biggest day of your life, you should choose groomsmen gifts that express your feelings for them. We all know how guys do not usually express themselves verbally. So, the best way may be to purchase individual groomsmen gifts. After all, each of your buddies is unique and should be thanked in an original way.

Keep personalities in mind for the groomsmen gifts. If one of your buddies is a teetotaler, do not buy groomsmen gifts that reflect alcohol related items like shot glasses or beer steins. Likewise, if one of your buddies loves music and cultural activities like museums, you would not want to buy groomsmen gifts that are sports related. You are shooting for a reaction like Wow man, this is cool! I can use this! when shopping for your groomsmen gifts.

One idea for groomsmen gifts is the Swiss army knife. At some point during your day, you are probably wishing you had a screwdriver handy or pocketknife to open a box or even a pair of tweezers to pull out a paper clip out of your computer keyboard. A Swiss army knife makes for great groomsmen gifts because first of all, they are cool. And secondly, there are useful and practical. This idea for groomsmen gifts also has a universal appeal and could be given to all of your groomsmen. Plus, you can make it extra special by having it personalized with some type of engraving.

If you do have some groomsmen that are social drinkers, the idea of shot glasses and beer steins are good for groomsmen gifts. Personalize them with the wedding date or a thank-you from the groom. Personal flasks are regaining popularity as well. If one of your buddies enjoys his beer, great groomsmen gifts for that interest include his own beer brewing kit or even a six pack of the month club where they get a unique beer to sample each month.

Do your buddies enjoy guy nights out playing poker? Maybe some great groomsmen gifts could include game related items. How about personalized playing cards? Or special poker sets complete with the poker chips and cards in a handsome carrying case? Then there is the fun, useful novelty type of groomsmen gifts like shot glass checkers, where you have shot glasses instead of checker pieces.

Perhaps, instead of tangible groomsmen gifts, you can plan the ultimate guy trip. An offshore fishing trip or a camping trip might be fun and a great last hurrah for you, one last guy thing before getting hitched. Commemorate that last hurrah with a personalized engraved compass for each of your groomsmen.

Be sure to have a plan for your budget for the groomsmen gifts before heading to the store. They should convey the feeling of Hey, youre my best buddy and I appreciate you. No matter what you decide for the groomsmen gifts, your friends will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Dave Poon is the proprietor of Engraved Gift Creations. We make it easy, fun and affordable to get the groomsmen gifts that they would love. Come on over and Save 5% Now!

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Have you heard of destination wedding favors? I haven’t either, so, I have taken it upon myself to pioneer this phrase. Destination weddings, destination wedding dresses, and now, “destination wedding favors”. I like it!

So what is a destination wedding favor? Something affordable, something practical, something memorable, but something “packable”.

Let’s face it…you will be travelling. The last thing you need to worry about is the safe keeping of your wedding favors. You need favors that are not perishable, breakable or bulky. Something that you can easily slip into your luggage knowing that it will “make the trip” safely.

Candles and candy may melt, glass can break and larger items just take up too much space in the suitcase!

So what is a destination bride to do?

Here are a few ideas for the perfect “destination wedding favor”…

* Silver plated luggage tags shaped like airplanes and cruise ships. What could be more perfect for your destination wedding guests?

* A “scratch and win” lottery ticket tucked inside a pretty glassine envelope is a fun idea.

* Wedding CD’s are becoming very popular. Make your own. Include your wedding song, a favorite photo or two and a personal “thank you” on your disc.

* Make personalized bookmarkers. Design them to include a photo, your wedding date and a thank you note signed by the two of you. Once you are happy with the design, duplicate it, laminate it and dress it up with a tassle or an organza bow. You could use the same idea to create refridgerator magnets.

* Palm or paper folding fans make lovely favors that can be easily decorated to match any theme.

* Personalized pens, pencils or playing cards are something your guests can use.

* Flower seed favors are a happy reminder of your cherished day when planted.

* Paperweights are an attractive, useful memento.

Here is the perfect destination wedding favor - “Mini Books”. These exquisite little books come in a variety of topics from wine tasting to humor. Bound in hardcover and customized by you, these tiny collectables make a very elegant gift that your guests will treasure. Compact, unbreakable and perfectly “packable”! You can find them at FavorsandFlowers.com.

Whether you buy your wedding favors or make them, you don’t have to spend a fortune. They are an expression of your thanks to your guests for having shared your special day with you. Your guests will value the sentiment of your gift, not the cost.

I will leave you with one last thought…

Although giving wedding favors is a nice gesture, it is not a necessity!

If you find yourself needing to cut corners to stay within your budget, this is definitely a practice that could be overlooked without guilt. Few will even notice the absence of wedding favors!

Consider this…

Have you ever helped someone to clean up after a wedding? If you have, you will know that after and evening of wedding festivities, many guests do not even remember to take their wedding favor home with them!

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Cindy English is the publisher of:
http://www.All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com
Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise!
http://www.Beach-Wedding-Themes.com
Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance
Copyright 2005 by Cindy English

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Just as destination weddings are fast growing in popularity, so are destination wedding dresses.

What exactly is a destination wedding dress? It is a trendy, sensible, cost effective alternative to the traditional wedding gown.

You don’t have to be leaving town to choose a destination wedding dress. The name lends itself to the fact that these bridal gowns are usually made of softer, lighter fabrics that pack easily and travel well.

However, these informal wedding gowns are nothing less than spectacular with sleek lines, and simple designs. Today, more and more brides-to-be are choosing to stray from the multi layers of frill and lace in favor of the simplistic beauty of a destination wedding dress.

Lightweight fabrics such as chiffon, organza, silk, rayon, crepe or crinkle cotton are extremely popular and practical. They are cool, elegant and comfortable. The lightweight, wrinkle resistant qualities of such fabrics make your precious wedding gown very “packable”.

Styles range from truly elegant full length gowns to romantic tea length. Sexy slip dresses and halter styles are also very popular and beautiful. For a casual beach wedding dress, consider a sarong or a Hawaiian holoku.

The cost for such a dress itself warrants consideration, especially for the frugal bride on a tight budget. You can easily keep the cost of your beach wedding dress under $300.00 without sacrificing style at all!

Remember…

Dollars do NOT dictate beauty! Some of the prettiest wedding gowns I have seen, both casual and formal, have been right on eBay… at a fraction of the cost!

It doesn’t matter whether you are looking for an informal beach wedding dress for your poolside ceremony, a sunrise or sunset ocean front ceremony, or if you are planning to wed onboard a luxury cruise liner…

The destination wedding dress is perfect for every wedding style!

One more thing…

When traveling to your wedding destination, do NOT entrust the safe keeping of your wedding gown to airline attendants. Not long ago, as I stood in the Jacksonville airport, I watched one young girl break down as a baggage handler, presented her with her wedding dress accompanied by an apology. The garment bag was torn open and there were black tire prints on her lovely silk gown. It had apparently slipped off the side of the baggage trolley and been driven over, then dragged back to the terminal from the plane.

Don’t let this happen to you!

Cindy English is the publisher of:
http://www.All-Florida-Beach-Weddings.com
Plan your wedding celebration in Paradise!
http://www.Beach-Wedding-Themes.com
Beach wedding themes full of fun, fantasy and romance
Copyright 2005 by Cindy English

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The invitation is the first impression of the type of wedding you have planned. Your invitation may be custom made, sophisticated, eloquent or a do it yourself creation. With all the styles and colors to choose from, it should not be too difficult to find the perfect invitation.

Whether your invitation is traditional or casual, you will need to include a RSVP (response card) and a reception information card. Other items you could put in with the invitation are directions to the church and reception hall.

With today’s blended families it is increasingly difficult to find the proper wording for the wedding invitation. Here are some examples of traditional wording for your invitation.

Wording when Hosted by the Brides Family:

Mr. and Mrs. John Snow
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of their daughter
Nadine Ellen
To
Eugene Everett Banks
on Saturday, the 5th of May
two thousand and five
at two o’clock
St. Paul’s Church
Bellingham, Washington

Wording when Hosted by the Grooms Family:

Mr. and Mrs. Gilford James Banks
request the honor of your presence
at the marriage of
Ms. Nadine Ellen Snow
to their son
Eugene Everett Banks
on Saturday, the fifth of May
two thousand five
at two o’clock
St. Paul’s Church
Bellingham, Washington

Wording when Hosted by the Bride and Groom:

Ms. Nadine Ellen Snow
and
Mr. Eugene Everett Banks
request the honor of your presence
at their marriage
on Saturday, the fifth of May
two thousand five
at two o’clock
St. Paul’s Church
Bellingham, Washington

Listed below are more resources to help you design your wedding invitation.

For more information, visit these sites:
www.WeddingInvitationsInfo.com
www.WeddingPlanningInfoCenter.com

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Styles and choices in wedding bands have changed drastically over the past few years. Because everyone seems to be looking for something that is unique and different, jewelers are offering more choices than ever before. This leads to a small dilemma, however. With so many different styles now being offered, how do you know whether the band you choose is truly unique? People dont want something that is just a non-traditional style anymore. People want something that no one else has anywhere. This can be a tall order to fill. Still, even if you cant manage something completely unique, at least you can find a wedding band that is different enough it will get attention and possibly turn a few heads.

Custom Ordering

This is perhaps the best way to find a truly unique wedding band. It is also one of the most expensive. Although the Internet makes custom ordering much more accessible than it ever was before, you can still expect to pay more for your custom ordered band than you would for any other type of wedding ring. If you are completely set on having a truly unique wedding band, however, this is the way to go.

Tension Set bands

A very interesting style of wedding band that has started becoming popular is the tension set wedding band. These rings are not a traditional solid circle but instead have a split in the design. In this split a stone is set so that it is held in place by the tension of the opposing ends of the ring. There are positive and negative aspects to choosing a ring with a tension setting, but it is a design that gets noticed. Tension set wedding bands can be custom ordered as well, so the opportunity is still there for something truly unique.

Celtic Wedding Bands

Wedding bands with attractive Celtic design patterns have been rising in popularity, but are still far from the norm. With so many different Celtic braid and weave designs available, it is easy to have a ring that at least appears to be unique. There are a lot of companies that can do Celtic designs according to custom specifications as well and, because these companies specialize in this type of work, a custom ordered Celtic wedding band is often less costly than other types of custom bands. When looking for a unique wedding band, a Celtic design may be the way to go.

It is often said that there is nothing new under the sun. This old adage may be true, but there are at least options in every situation. The search for a unique wedding band need not be fruitless. Even if you cant find or afford a true one-of-a-kind ring, the options and differences in styles available will at least help you find something that is unique to you. And isnt that really all you could ask for? If your wedding band is consistently admired and you hear the question Whered you get that quite often, you can feel satisfied that youve found a unique wedding band.

This article provided courtesy of http://www.nuptials-planner.com

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Your boyfriend has proposed and it is time to make a decision on the most important detail of your wedding: The wedding dress.

The choices are many. Should it be sleeveless, short, long, lacey, sequined or plain? So many questions to ask yourself, although you are sure of one thing, it needs to be perfect.

As soon as the planning begins for the big day, choosing your wedding dress becomes somewhat of an urgency for most brides, who do not want to wait until the last minute. While dealing with wedding stress and preparations, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to try on different styles and find the one who says you.

The theme of your wedding will be an important point when selecting that special dress. Are you getting married on the beach? If so, you might choose a light airy style. Have you decided on a formal affair? Then by all means, go all out and wear a white dress covered in silk and lace. Whatever type of occasion your wedding will be, your dress will play one of the most important roles in it!

Its also important to think about the month and season you are getting married in. If you are having a middle of summer wedding, then you probably shouldnt wear a wedding dress with double layers or long sleeves. After all, this is supposed to be the most memorable day of your beginning together. You dont want the biggest memory to be how much you perspired throughout the ceremony!

When choosing a wedding dress, try on comfortable styles. Walk around in them, if kneeling is part of your ceremony, then kneel in the dress and be sure you are not going to be uncomfortable in your choice. The beauty of the dress is only half of your decisionthe other half is looking beautiful, happy and elegant. You cannot look happy if you are holding your breath so seams do not pop or youre itchy from the lace on your arms.

One mistake that a lot of brides tend to make when choosing a wedding dress is with the size. If you are planning on losing weight before your big day, do not buy a dress the size you think you may be come the wedding day. Instead buy the size you are on the day you choose the dress. It will always be easier to take a dress in if it is too big, than to add material for a dress that ended up being too small.

With the expense of weddings, some couples try and cut back by making their own flowers, having a family member bake the wedding cake or hiring a friend to take wedding photos. Although it is okay to cut back and still have your dream wedding, dont skimp when choosing your wedding dress. If you cannot afford to hit a wedding boutique and pay their prices, try wedding consignment shops, who offer like new dresses at an affordable price.

Whatever style, color or price range you decide on when choosing your wedding dress, remember that you are still You and that is who your fianc fell in love with, not your dress, which will only add to the ambiance of your day.

After you have chosen your wedding dress hang it in the bag it comes in and do not over show it. Give guests something to look forward to as they see you for the first time walking down the aisle. And unless it is unavoidable, do not let your future husband see your dress at all before the wedding. Its bad luck!

This article provided courtesy of http://www.marriageplanner.net

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