MACEDONIAN GREEK ORTHODOX WEDDING

BEFORE THE WEDDING, THERE IS A GIFT GIVING
CEREMONY AT THE BRIDE'S HOUSE.
THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE SHARES BREAD AND
WINE WITH THE BRIDE BEFORE THE
GIFTS. THE BRIDE PUTS ON HER WEDDING
DRESS AND IS THEN PRESENTED WITH
GIFTS. THE FATHER IS FIRST TO GIVE A
GIFT, FOLLOWED BY HER FEMALE
RELATIVES. THE GIFTS ARE EITHER GIFTS OF
MONEY OR LINGERIE, EXCEPT FOR
THE FATHER'S GIFT.
WHILE THIS IS TAKING PLACE THE GROOM WAITS IN THE CHURCH. HE IS NOT
ALLOWED TO SEE THE BRIDE UNTIL THE CEREMONY. THE GROOM AT THIS TIME
SIGNS A CONTRACT WITNESSED BY TWO MEMBERS OF THE WEDDING PARTY, THE
"NUNCA" OR GODFATHER AND THE BEST MAN.
WHEN THE CEREMONY BEGINS, EACH MALE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING PARTY WAITS
AS HIS PARTNER WALKS DOWN THE AISLE FROM THE REAR OF THE CHURCH. HE
GREETS HER IN THE CENTER OF THE AISLE.
THEY WALK TO THE ALTAR, BOW THEIR
HEADS. THEY THEN DIVIDE AND STAND ON
OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ALTAR, THE
MEN ON THE RIGHT AND THE WOMEN ON THE LEFT AS BEING LOOKED AT BY THE
CONGREGATION. SECOND TO LAST ARE THE NUNCAS
OR GODPARENTS OF THE BRIDE
AND GROOM. THE NUNCAS MUST BE A MARRIED COUPLE.
LASTLY THE BRIDE WALKS
DOWN THE AISLE WITH HER FATHER, THEY ARE GREETED
BY THE GROOM ABOUT A
QUARTER OF THE WAY UP THE AISLE WHERE THE FATHER GIVES AWAY THE
DAUGHTER. THE FATHER LIFTS THE VEIL
FROM THE FACE OF THE BRIDE , GIVES
HER A KISS, AND THEN SHAKES THE GROOMS HAND AND SITS DOWN. THE BRIDE
AND GROOM THEN WALK UP TO THE ALTAR WHERE THE NUNCAS AND PRIEST WAIT.
NEXT COMES THE ACTUAL CEREMONY. THE NUNCAS
STAND BEHIND THE BRIDE AND
GROOM, CARRYING CANDLES. ONE OF THE COUPLES IN THE WEDDING PARTY
STAND BESIDE THE BRIDE AND GROOM. THE RING CEREMONY IS FIRST. THE
GROOM PUTS ON THE BRIDE'S RING AND THE
BRIDE PUTS ON THE GROOM'S. THE
PRIEST EXCHANGES THE RINGS THREE TIMES,
A SYMBOL OF THE BLESSED TRINITY,
EACH TIME KISSING THE RING. THE GROOM
THEN SLIPS THE BRIDE'S RING ON HER
FINGER AS HE SAYS HIS VOWS. THEN THE
BRIDE DOES THE SAME. NEXT COMES
THE CEREMONY OF THE CROWNS. THE PRIEST
BRINGS OUT THE CROWNS AND MAKES
THE SIGN OF THE CROSS WITH THEM. NEXT THE BRIDE KISSES THE GROOM'S
CROWN AND THE GROOM DOES THE SAME TO THE BRIDE'S. THIS IS DONE THREE
TIMES. THE PRIEST THEN TOUCHES THE CROWNS
TO THEIR HEADS. HE THEN SWITCHES
THE CROWNS BACK AND FORTH THREE TIMES.
HE PLACES THE CROWNS ON TOP OF THEIR
HEADS. THE CROWNS ARE SYMBOLS OF BEING KING
AND QUEEN OF THE HOUSEHOLD.
THE CROWNS ARE HELD IN PLACE BY THE COUPLE
WHO STAND BESIDE THE BRIDE AND
GROOM. NOW THE NUNCAS GIVE THE BRIDE AND
GROOM THE CANDLES. THE PRIEST,
NUNCAS, BRIDE AND GROOM, AND COUPLE FROM
THE WEDDING PARTY WALK AROUND
THE ALTAR THREE TIMES. THEY ARE NOW MAN
AND WIFE. THEY LEAVE THE CHURCH
HOLDING THE CANDLES, WITH THE WEDDING PARTY
AND FORM A RECEPTION LINE IN
THE VESTIBULE. THE MALE MEMBERS OF
THE BRIDE'S RELATIVES NOW GIVE HER
GIFTS OF MONEY. NEXT IS THE RECEPTION.
AT THE RECEPTION THERE IS EATING
AND DRINKING FOLLOWED BY A TRADITIONAL DANCE.
THE DANCE IS AS FOLLOWS:
A LINE IS FORMED BY EACH PERSON PUTTING HIS
OR HER HAND ON THE OTHER
PERSON'S SHOULDER, ARMS OUTSTRETCHED.
THE FIRST PERSON IS CARRYING ALOAF
OF BREAD. IT LOOKS LIKE A CAKE. THE DANCE
IS DONE BY STEPPING RIGHT WITH THE RIGHT FOOT. NEXT CROSS THE LEFT
FOOT BEHIND THE RIGHT. NOW STEP
TO THE RIGHT AGAIN WITH THE RIGHT FOOT.
NEXT KICK YOUR LEFT LEG OUT IN
FRONT OF YOUR RIGHT THEN RETURN IT TO THE
POSITION IT WAS AT. NOW CROSS
YOUR RIGHT FOOT OVER YOUR LEFT THEN STEP
TO YOUR LEFT WITH YOUR LEFT FOOT.
NOW KICK YOUR RIGHT LEG OVER YOUR LEFT
AND RETURN IT TO ITS POSITION.
REPEAT THESE STEPS. TO GET THE FIRST POSITION
IN LINE YOU MUST WALK UP
AND PUT MONEY ON THE BREAD THEN TAKE IT
FROM THE PERSON. BE SURE NOT
TO DROP IT OR YOU WILL BRING BAD LUCK TO THE COUPLE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MADISON HEIGHTS