Top Sydney Marriage Celebrant for Greek or Macedonian Couples
Multicultural Weddings ►
Greek Civil Weddings & Greek wedding rituals
with Celebrant Nitza
Very experienced officiating Multicultural weddings, with deep sympathy, respect & understanding of all Cultures, Religions & Nationalities with lots of experience with Greek & Macedonian weddings.
Love does not know any religious or cultural boundaries”...Nitza has established an enviable reputation as one of Australia´s best Marriage celebrant for mixed weddings...
The wedding of a Greek Bride or Groom, with a partner from a different religion or nationality
Nitza has successfully performed hundreds of mixed marriages, since 1995. It is a challenging task combing the different rituals in a meaningful way, without turning the ceremony into a mockery or insulting family members or guests.
Each family has its own expectations to how a wedding should be celebrated and conducted. Nitza has recognized the importance of the ceremony to the bride, groom and their families and took upon herself the challenge of creating the “real thing” within the civil ceremony. She created it by Incorporating ancient customs, values, symbols, rituals and traditions, a civil ceremony that reflects the Bride and the Groom's ethnic backgrounds, religions & traditions.
Nitza is proud to offer you, a civil ceremony that is a proper alternative to a Greek Orthodox Church
By including rituals & customs from your ethnic background, even just one ritual such as the Stefana Ceremony from the Greek Orthodox Church,
the other partner, demonstrates respect and full acceptance of his “partner for life”, including their religious & ethnic background and their extended family.
It makes your life as a married couple much easier.
Remember that is not about being religious or about God.
Be proud of your identity, your family and who you are.
It will be special to include in your "Big Day" the unique customs & rituals that were developed and practiced for centuries, for this very special occasion.
Nitza’s ceremony is very inclusive and she explains the symbolism of the rituals.
Stefana, the Crowing Ceremony, with wedding crowns
Greek Orthodox Church, in your Civil Wedding, with Nitza
The Stefana (or Stephana) is the highlight of the Greek Orthodox Marriage Ceremony!
Bring this ancient tradition into your civil ceremony! Greek wedding crowns, or Stefanas, are used to symbolize the beginning of a union, much in the same way that wedding rings are.
The Stefana is a wedding crown that is placed onto the heads of both the bride and groom during the wedding ceremony.
The tradition of having a crowning ceremony began in ancient times, when they were made from olive branches, lemon blossoms and vine leaves, all of which were plants devoted to Aphrodit (The Greek Goddess of Love & Beauty)
In modern times, these crowns are typically comprised of silver and gold.
Along with the service of betrothal, the “koumbaro” (Best Man), the common cup and the ceremonial walk, the crowning of the Stefana is one of the most important aspects of a Greek wedding. The crown symbolizes the honor and glory, given to them by God, also displaying the importance of the marriage.
These crowns are joined by a white ribbon, to highlight the unity of the new couple.
The crowns express the creation of a new household, a "kingdom", which they are charged to rule with wisdom, justice and integrity and with full responsibility to each other.
The crowns held above the heads of the bride and groom, are a sign that the couple has been crowned as heads of their home, or their kingdom.
The crowning is a sign of victory, just as athletes were crowned in ancient times at their triumphs. In this instance, the Bride and Groom are crowned on account of their growth as adults who are prepared for the responsibilities of a marriage.
The crowns also represent sacrifice and steadfast devotion.
In marriage, the couple must commit themselves to each other and as responsible parents to their children. The celebrant crowns the couple, and the best man exchanges the ‘Stefana’ back and forth 3 times, symbolizing that the two are now one.
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 given to the married couple.
Wine is given to the couple in a common cup, wine goblet, for the remembrance of this miracle, whereby they each drink from the cup three times.
The Ceremonial Walk
This is in the Church
The priest then leads the couple, who are still wearing their Stefana crowns, three times around the altar on their first steps as a married couple.
The Koumbaro (Best man) follows close behind the couple holding the wedding crowns in place.
The Bride and Groom kiss the Bible and circle the ceremonial table three times.
This is their way of recognizing the Trinity and expressing their happiness at the union of two families.
Macedonian Civil Wedding & Macedonian wedding rituals
with Sydney Civil Marriage Celebrant Nitza
The Groom is 'shaved' before the ceremony
A tradition that says either the groom is so nervous he might cut himself, or to make it easier to remember this important day.
Just before the bride comes down the steps of her house, her mother pours a glass of water on the steps.
This symbolic act represents two things.
First, in stepping over the water, the bride irrevocably separates her old life as a daughter from her new life as a wife.
Second there is an implicit wish in the act of throwing the water that the bride's life flows as smoothly as the water flows over the stones of the steps.
The Macedonian Crown Ceremony
During the wedding ceremony the bride & groom are draped in a white cloth and crowns were held above their heads to symbolize them being a king and queen.
In the Church the couple circles the altar three times, while the “numka”, the Best man throws money and sugared almonds, which all the children collected.
This means that, the newlyweds will have many children running around.
The kolak (large round loaf of bread)
for the ceremony has to be mixed by a young boy and girl on the day before the wedding. During the ceremony it is held above the groom's head, then cut up and everyone gets a piece.
Hand fasting ceremony, a symbolic unity ritual
Hand-fasting is a symbolic unity ritual in which a couple stand face to face as their hand are tied together-hence the phrase "tying the knot"!
It is an ancient tradition to declare that the couple would be bound together, as they are symbolically binding together their separate lives and the commitment they are making together. Our bride and groom have chosen to symbolize their love and commitment using the ritual of hand fasting. The Hand fasting ceremony symbolizes that the lives and destiny of the bride and groom are tied together!
Let's talk: Nitza 0418453865 nitza.lowenstein@gmail.com