An Orthodox wedding designed for you in Italy!
Orthodox weddings are among the most beautiful wedding ceremonies. The rituals and accessories that mark this ceremony make it a moment of intense emotion and spirituality. The Orthodox ceremony is based on the foundations and values of the couple, just like Jewish, Protestant, or Catholic weddings in Italy. Beyond the couple’s blessing, the future spouses receive one of the seven sacraments of the Church through Orthodox wedding: the man and woman are thus united before God. Treat yourself to one of the most beautiful wedding settings for this unique and sacred moment. Celebrate your love under God’s blessing in the heart of the magnificent Italian landscapes!
WHAT PREPARATION IS NEEDED FOR AN ORTHODOX WEDDING?
Orthodox wedding preparations must be made with the Orthodox priest of the spouses' religious parish. The priest meets the future spouses during various interviews to discuss their approach. It is with him that the bride and groom will decide on the wedding date according to the religious calendar. The bride and groom will also inform the priest of their choice of wedding witnesses. They can choose one or two each, provided that the witnesses are baptized. During the wedding preparation period, the parents of the bride and groom must choose and bless an icon. This symbol of wisdom will thus watch over their home once the wedding is celebrated. Our team of wedding planners will take care of finding an Orthodox church and a priest to celebrate your religious wedding in Italy or Corsica. Once the religious preparations are completed with the priest of your home country, the file will be sent to the priest who will celebrate your Orthodox wedding in Italy. In the event that the priest does not speak French, our team can provide you with an interpreter service.
THE ENGAGEMENT OFFICE
The distinctive feature of an Orthodox wedding is that the engagement is celebrated before God on the wedding day. Thus, the Orthodox ceremony takes place in two stages: the engagement service and the Orthodox coronation service. The ceremony begins with the exchange of consent between the groom and bride. The engagement rite is characterized by the priest blessing the wedding rings before giving them to the bride and groom. One of the witnesses then exchanges the wedding rings between the man and woman. The priest places a gold ring on the groom's finger and a silver ring on the bride's. The rings are blessed in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The ritual recommends that the future spouses exchange rings three times. This is a symbolic number referring to the faith, harmony, and love of the spouses.
ORTHODOX WEDDING CELEBRATION
Once the Orthodox betrothal service has been celebrated, the wedding ceremony continues with the coronation rite. The priest presents each bride and groom with a candle and a crown tied with a ribbon, symbolizing the couple's oneness. The coronation symbolizes the royal sacrament of wedding. The service also includes a reading of a text and the sharing of a cup of wine, alluding to the bride and groom's future life together. Caution! Avoid spilling a drop on the table; it is a bad omen. The coronation service concludes with the wedding march, which closes the wedding ceremony. The groom and bride, accompanied by their witnesses and the priest, walk three times around a table on which the Cross and the Gospel are placed. With each turn, the couple kisses the Cross, and at the end of the three turns, the bride and groom embrace.
CHOOSING A WEDDING VENUE FOR AN ORTHODOX CEREMONY
A country estate perched on the hills of Tuscany or a convivial meal in the trulli of Puglia for your wedding celebration? Live an unforgettable experience in our most beautiful wedding places in Italy to celebrate this unique day. Our wedding planners open the doors to the most secret and breathtaking establishments in these dream destinations. Join in a religious union in one of Italy's churches, authentic and full of history for a ceremony filled with emotion for you and your guests. The masserias of southern Italy are also perfect places for a wedding reception surrounded by nature. Most of them have on-site accommodations that can accommodate all or part of your guests. Our agency takes care of the decorations for your ceremony so that your big day will be etched in your memory forever. Grecia Salentina is a region in Puglia whose dialect and architecture are deeply imbued with Greek culture. This unique region offers a dream setting for a Greek-Italian Orthodox wedding. Finally, in Tuscany, the majestic Italian castles are romantic settings par excellence, creating a magical atmosphere for the most beautiful day of your life.
THE PARTICULARITIES OF AN ORTHODOX WEDDING
First of all, Orthodox wedding is a Christian wedding. As such, it can only be celebrated between two baptized people, a man and a woman. However, it is possible to celebrate a mixed religious wedding between an Orthodox and a non-Orthodox person. Furthermore, unlike a Catholic wedding, it is possible to celebrate an Orthodox religious wedding between two divorced spouses. In this case, it will be necessary to provide a certificate of dissolution of the wedding and obtain the acceptance of the pope. Like other religious ceremonies, an Orthodox wedding must be celebrated after the civil wedding. In the context of a wedding in Italy, it will be possible to celebrate the civil wedding at the same time as the religious wedding. Finally, the choice of wedding witnesses is important in the Orthodox religion, both in their religious confession since it is essential that the witnesses be baptized, and in their role and involvement during the wedding ceremony and in the life of the couple.
ORTHODOX WEDDING RITUALS
Just like Jewish weddings, Orthodox ceremonies follow a set of well-codified rituals and traditions. Accessories and symbols are central to the ceremony and carry meaning. Wedding ceremony accessories must be chosen and offered by the parents and witnesses. These accessories will then be carefully kept in the bride and groom's home to ensure their commitment. The bride and groom's crowns are a hallmark of Orthodox weddings. They are tied with a ribbon to represent the couple's union. The style of the crowns depends on the bride and groom's cultures and traditions. Indeed, the materials used vary depending on their country of origin. A crown of leaves or flowers is used in Greek weddings, while a gold crown is customary in Russian weddings. Wedding favors must also meet very specific criteria. They must be simple, white in color to symbolize purity, and oval in shape to symbolize fertility. Orthodox wedding tradition dictates that each ballotin contains an odd number of sugared almonds to ensure the couple's indivisibility. Through these rituals, the man and woman unite before God.
CELEBRATING AN ORTHODOX WEDDING IN ITALY, WHERE TO BEGIN?
Organizing an Orthodox wedding in Italy is entirely possible. Our team of wedding planners will help you prepare for this unique moment. From finding the venue to choosing the church, they will be by your side throughout the preparation process. They will also assist you with the administrative procedures for a civil wedding (obtaining the Nulla Osta from the Consulate or Embassy, depending on your country of origin). Once your wedding in Italy has been celebrated, all you have to do is have the certificate transcribed in the French registers. Some Italian town halls send the wedding certificate directly to the French Embassy. All you have to do is go to your local town hall to obtain your family record book. Finally, the advantage of a religious wedding in Italy is that you can choose the location of the wedding ceremony according to your wishes. Most of the buildings are historical monuments, offering breathtaking architecture to host your wedding celebration. This is an opportunity for all couples to unite before God and begin a new life together in Italy!
Our team of wedding planners remains at your disposal for any additional information. If you dream of celebrating your Orthodox wedding in Italy, don’t hesitate to contact us!
DISCOVER THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO GET WED IN ITALY
Getting married in a Masseria
Getting married in an Italian castle
Getting married in a villa in Tuscany
Getting married in the Trulli
Getting married on an Italian beach
Getting married in a cloister, a monastery
