AN ORTHODOX WEDDING CEREMONY DESIGNED FOR YOU!
Orthodox weddings are among the most beautiful wedding ceremonies. The ceremony is marked by profound emotions and intense spirituality. Just like a Catholic or a Protestant marriage, the Orthodox ceremony is based on the foundations and values of the couple. Apart from the couple’s blessing, the soon-to-weds receive one of the seven sacraments of the Church through an Orthodox union. Celebrate the most unique and sacred day of your union in one of the most breath-taking locations.
PREPARE FOR YOUR ORTHODOX WEDDING CEREMONY
The preparation of an Orthodox wedding begins with the Orthodox priest of your religious parish. The pope will conduct you for several interviews in order to discuss in more detail about their approach. You will be able to decide the wedding date according to the religious calendar together. You can also inform the pope about your choice of wedding witnesses. You can choose one or two witnesses each, provided that they are all baptised. During the wedding preparations, your parents must choose and bless an icon. This symbol of wisdom will watch over your home after the wedding celebration. Our wedding planners will find you the ideal Orthodox church and pope to celebrate your religious wedding ceremony in Italy or Corsica. Once the religious preparations are completed with the priest of your country of origin, the file will be sent to the pope who will celebrate your Orthodox wedding in Italy or Corsica. If the priest doesn’t speak English, our team can provide you with an interpreter.
GET AN INSIGHT OF AN ORTHODOX WEDDING
CEREMONY
The particularity of an Orthodox marriage is the celebration of the engagement on the wedding day. Thus, an Orthodox ceremony takes place in two stages: the engagement ceremony and the crowning. The ceremony begins with the exchange of consents between the bride and groom. The engagement is marked by the blessing of the wedding rings by the priest before handing them over to the bride and groom. One of the witnesses can then proceed to exchange the alliances. This custom refers to a very precise unfolding according to which the rings must be exchanged three times between the bride and the groom. It is a symbolic ritual referring to the faith, harmony and love in a couple. Once the engagement has been celebrated, the crowning takes place; The priest gives the bride and the groom a candle and a crown each connected by a ribbon that symbolises the couple’s uniqueness. The crowning is a symbolic moment of the royal sacrament of a marriage. This moment is followed by the reading of texts and the sharing of a cup of wine as a symbol of their future life together. The ceremony concludes with the bridal march of the newly-wed couple who walks around the altar before sharing a kiss.
CHOOSE THE IDEAL WEDDING VENUE FOR YOUR
WEDDING CEREMONY
An estate perched on the hills of Tuscany, a chic restaurant on the heavenly beaches of Corsica or a convivial lunch in the typical trulli in the region of Puglia to organise your wedding celebration can be very tempting, right? Live and unforgettable moment in our most beautiful wedding venues in Italy and Corsica and celebrate your union with our team by your side. Our wedding planners open doors to the secret and mesmerising locations of these dream destinations. The masseria of Southern Italy is also an ideal spot to celebrate a wedding; Their vast outdoor space offers a direct connection with nature and most of them can also accommodate all or part of your guests. Grecia Salentina is a region in Puglia whose dialect and architecture are strongly impregnated by Greek culture. This singular region offers a dream backdrop for an Orthodox marriage inspired by a Greek-Italian culture. The majestic castles are romantic places par excellence where a magical atmosphere is guaranteed to celebrate the most beautiful day of your life.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF AN ORTHODOX WEDDING
CEREMONY
First of all, an Orthodox marriage is part of Christian marriages and it can only be celebrated between two baptised persons. It is also possible to celebrate a mixed religious marriage between an Orthodox and non-Orthodox individual. Unlike catholic marriages, it is possible to celebrate your religious wedding ceremony despite being divorced from a prior union. In this case, you will have to provide an act of dissolution of marriage and obtain the pope’s permission. Just like other religious ceremonies, an Orthodox wedding ceremony must be celebrated after the civil marriage. If you want to celebrate your union in Italy, it is possible to celebrate both the civil and religious marriages at the same time. Finally, the choice of witnesses is very important in the Orthodox religion since they also have to be baptised be it in their role or their involvement during the marriage ceremony and the couple’s life.
RITUALS OF AN ORTHODOX WEDDING CEREMONY
Just like Jewish wedding ceremonies, Orthodox marriages are a set of strictly codified rituals and traditions. Accessories and symbols are at the core of the ceremony and carry profound meaning. The accessories of the wedding ceremony must be chosen and offered by the parents and wedding witnesses. These accessories will then be treasured in the soon-to-weds’ home to ensure their commitment towards each other. The crowning of the bride and groom is also an important moment in an Orthodox wedding as they represent the couple’s union. The crowning style depends on the cultures and traditions of the bride and groom. Depending on their country of origin, the materials also differ; a crown made of leaves and flowers is used in Greek weddings while a gold crown is used in Russian weddings. Marriage dredges must also meet specific criteria; they must be simple, of white colour as a symbol of purity and of oval shape as a symbol of fertility. As per the tradition of an Orthodox marriage, each balloon contains an odd number of dredges for the indivisibility of the couple.
CELEBRATE YOUR ORTHODOX WEDDING CEREMONY IN
ITALY – WHERE TO START?
Organising an Orthodox wedding in Italy is possible and our team will help you prepare for this unique moment. From searching for the wedding venue to choosing the ideal church, we will be by your side throughout the wedding preparation. We will also help you with the administrative procedures in case of a civil marriage. The administrative procedures are very simple and similar to a civil marriage in your country of origin. However, you must be in possession of the Nulla Osta which you can get from the Consulate or Embassy, depending on your country of origin. Once your wedding in Italy has been celebrated, all you need to do is have the deed transcribed into the registers of your country of origin. Some Italian town halls send the complete marriage certificate directly to the Consulate or Embassy depending on your country of origin. In such cases, you just have to get to your home town hall to pick up your family booklet. Finally, the advantage of a religious or civil marriage in Italy is the possibility to choose the wedding venue of your dream to celebrate your union with your loved ones. Since most of the buildings are historic monuments, they offer stunning architectural backdrops to host your wedding celebration.
