Greek wedding: features
A wedding with a Greek flavor is rightfully called one of the most beautiful and romantic. And all because the culture and history of Greece has been exciting the entire Western world for many centuries. Greek weddings have become popular in recent years. But not every couple planning to get married understands what needs to be planned and prepared to make the wedding celebration look as Greek as possible. Let's try to figure out the details.
Here are the basic rules for a Greek wedding :
- Time: summer.
- The venue is the sea coast.
- Duration: three days.
- The costumes of the newlyweds and guests are white and pastel colors.
- The treat is national Greek cuisine.
A Greek wedding should be held in the summer, or at least in the spring. Winter will not allow you to maintain the tone of the holiday. In addition, do not forget that a wedding celebration in this genre involves open clothes and the presence of sun.
Therefore, it is better to choose to spend it on a summer vacation and, if possible, in the south or in Greece itself
A wedding organized in the best Greek traditions cannot be held anywhere other than by the sea. After all, the territory of this country largely consists of islands. Remember the voyage of the Argonauts, Aphrodite emerging from the sea foam, and you will agree that far from the sea, a wedding will no longer be truly Greek. However, you can try to conduct it in a different setting - in the mountains or in an open clearing, taking into account amendments to the script and surroundings.
Photos of wedding decoration in Greek style
Choosing a bouquet according to style
While looking at the bride's bouquet, do not forget that the shape should match the style of the dress. This is the only way the image will turn out organic and stylish. Florists give several proven recommendations, we share them with you.
A-line dress and round bouquet
The laconic clean lines of the A-line silhouette are always relevant. The best addition to it would be a medium-sized round composition. It is advisable that it include flowers of the same type, let them be diluted with greenery. This option will not overwhelm you, distracting you from your outfit.
Lush classic dress with a voluminous bouquet
A lush fairytale dress requires the same lush frame. A good solution is a voluminous bouquet or one consisting of flowers with full buds, such as peonies and roses.
Fish dress and cascading bouquet
A cascade design would look ideal. This wedding bouquet looks incredible in the photo, but not all brides find it convenient. Then it is worth considering the option on long stems.
Short wedding dress and miniature bouquet
A short dress with a small elegant bouquet will emphasize the tenderness and fragility of the image. A mono-bouquet of small flowers looks great.
Bridal suit and asymmetrical bouquet
An asymmetrical composition will help to emphasize the courage and originality of the bride. Rare varieties of flowers can enhance the effect of the image.
Determining the color scheme
When choosing wedding bouquets in Moscow or another part of the country, it is important to decide on the color of the composition. It must match the style of the ceremony and the overall concept of the event.
Types of bouquets depending on the wedding style
- Classic. By the way, there will be soft classic colors. A wedding bouquet of roses, hydrangeas, peonies and wild flowers will look organic.
- Romantic event in nature. In a natural setting, natural shades would be appropriate: white, green, brown, blue, indigo.
- Modern. There are no strict restrictions; pastel and rich colors are suitable.
The color of the wedding bouquet should be organically combined with the shade of the outfit and surrounding objects. Modern wedding dresses come not only in white or milky colors; other colors remain in demand. It is not necessary for the wedding bouquet to be white.
Choosing the color of a wedding bouquet
- Pink or purple flowers are suitable for an ivory or champagne-colored outfit.
- A beige dress can be complemented with red, orange, blue or purple flowers.
- With cream - salmon or wine-burgundy tones.
- A peach outfit will decorate a bouquet in orange or brick colors.
Wedding bouquets in 2022 are so diverse that choosing the right option will not be difficult. And for a beautiful wedding dress, come to our LoveForever salon. We have outfits for every taste.
Amount of days
Traditionally, Greeks celebrate three wedding days. The first is dedicated to a family celebration, the second is an official wedding, and the third is a time of banquet, dancing and fireworks. If circumstances permit, you can build your wedding algorithm this way. If this is not possible, fit the entire scenario into 1-2 days.
Carefully consider not only the costumes of the bride and groom, but also introduce a dress code for all guests. For newlyweds, it is worth choosing white (and this decision is especially welcome in a newlywed suit). Guests do not have to wear white clothes, but pastel shades must certainly be present in the color scheme.
Wedding menu - fruits
The wedding menu should mainly consist of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses. For hot dishes, choose special Greek kebab and dolma. The wines are semi-sweet, and liquor can be served on the tables. It is better to avoid strong drinks. Remember that the Greeks prefer fun, not drunken dope.
Groom image
No one forbids the groom to order a Greek chiton and chlamis from the studio to match the bride, but you can limit yourself to an ordinary classic suit. Tuxedos in milky, beige and cream shades look most organic.
And if you want to create a relaxed image, then you can skip the jacket. In this case, the shirt should be short-sleeved, and as a fashion accessory – suspenders, which modern Greeks simply adore.
Wedding images of the bride and groom in the Greek style
The costumes of the newlyweds at a Greek wedding must be kept within the genre. To do this, be guided by the attire of ancient Greek heroes and gods, which are known to everyone thanks to films and book illustrations.
Bride
The bridesmaid dress should be floor-length, flowing silhouette, with an open bodice. The waist is high, the belt clearly outlines the figure. It is better to choose a style with wide soft straps or thin golden straps. To create such an outfit, airy, flowing fabrics are suitable, which will make the bride incredibly romantic. The features of this dress are elegant folds, drapery, and a minimum of decor. As for shoes, instead of classic shoes or high-heeled sandals, you should buy sandals with high lacing and flat soles.
The image of a bride in a Greek style for a wedding
Pay attention to your hair. There are Greek styles that are ideal for girls with long hair. If you don’t want to do any styling, braid a loose braid and decorate it with flowers. The image of a bride in the Greek style for a wedding has a peculiarity - a mandatory tiara in her hair, which must have the shape and design of a laurel wreath.
Groom
For that young man who wants to maintain the genre even in small things , we can offer a knee-length chiton of an ancient Greek warrior, as well as sandals. However, not every newlywed would agree to wear such a suit today - it looks too extravagant. Therefore, you can replace it with a regular suit. A prerequisite is that it must be white (in extreme cases, light cream).
Photo of the bride and groom in Greek style
Alternatively, opt for a loose-fitting shirt and trousers and skip the tie. Want something extravagant? How about a barefoot look instead of classic wedding shoes or boots?
Nuances
The color white should predominate in the images of the bride and groom. However, it would be appropriate to dilute it with gold. For example, the trim of a wedding dress may contain golden braid. The same color is suitable for the bride's sandals.
Don’t forget about the traditional Greek ornament - it will perfectly complement the outfits of the main heroes of the occasion
Another feature of the images for both newlyweds is wedding wreaths. They are used to crown newlyweds during the marriage ceremony. At the banquet they appear already “crowned”. Wreaths are created either from precious metals, gold and silver, or from laurel branches and leaves.
Wedding wreaths in Greek style
General recommendations for choosing a bridal bouquet
Before ordering a bridal bouquet, you should understand that its choice should be based on several factors. This is the only way to choose the ideal option that does not distract attention from the dress, but rather emphasizes the beauty and impeccable taste of the bride.
What should you consider when choosing a bouquet for the bride?
- The seasonality of the event plays a major role in the choice. For example, you should not plan a wedding bouquet of peonies if the celebration takes place in August.
- Make sure that the composition does not contain any coloring elements that can ruin your outfit and mood. Varieties that produce pollen or sticky sap are not suitable.
- The bride's wedding bouquet must take into account the characteristics of the newlyweds, for example, possible allergic reactions.
- You should not choose flowers with a strong smell; such a trail will accompany the bride throughout the day and can cause a headache. It is better to choose an option with a soft, pleasant, enveloping aroma.
- No matter how beautiful the bride’s bouquet looks in the photo, it should remain comfortable. Don't forget about the handle of the composition; it should fit well in your hand.
- To ensure that the bouquet does not lose its exquisite appearance by the evening, choose flowers that are resistant to fading.
- Avoid varieties with thorns; one of the bridesmaids will have to catch them in the evening.
Decoration of a wedding hall in Greek style
Preparing a Greek wedding is easy if you select the necessary attributes in advance. Here's what will help you decorate the banquet hall and the area where off-site registration will take place:
- flowing light fabrics;
- geometric ornament in Greek style;
- structures reminiscent of antique columns;
- amphoras;
- olive branches;
- large shells;
- bay, grape leaves;
- ceramic bowls;
- tripods;
- bowls of fruit;
- flowers.
All these elements can be successfully used for decoration. Greek wedding style is always elegant, formal, and fresh. Place large floor vases with bouquets of flowers . You can decorate walls and arches with floral wreaths. Tables and chairs are usually covered with white fabric: organza, chiffon.
Decoration of a wedding hall in Greek style
Fake columns also play a role. They are used to zone a room - a banquet area, a dance area, a place for a photo shoot. If the wedding is being held outdoors, these columns can be used to create backdrop decorations.
Dress code for guests
It is important to notify guests in a timely manner that the wedding will have a Greek theme, otherwise they will not have time to choose the right outfits. As a recommendation, you can send out a color scheme and list colors that should not be used. For example, the Greeks consider green a mourning color, and during holidays they try to avoid it.
In general, the same rules apply for guests as for the bride and groom. Women choose summer dresses in the empire style, men choose light suits. If desired, you can order a traditional Greek chiton with a cloak.
Table decoration
Pay attention to the little things. For example, glasses can be decorated with blue ribbons. As you know, the colors of Greece are white and blue, but it is easy to add gold to them. Ribbons and draperies in these shades will add style to the design.
Table decoration at a Greek wedding
On the tables, in addition to flower bouquets, also place decorations from olive, orange, and laurel branches. As you know, the Greeks decorated their holidays with garlands of herbs and flowers - you can follow their example. In addition, table signs with the names of guests can also be decorated with olive branches.
The dishes should be elegant, without pretentiousness. If you want to surprise those present, place metal goblets instead of glasses. And wine bottles can be successfully replaced with small amphorae. Where the photo shoot will take place, you can decorate the interior with shells and large stones. The statues in the hall, stylized as ancient Greek sculpture, will look very impressive (albeit somewhat pompous).
Invitations
To design invitations, you can use Greek fonts, for example:
- Xiphos College;
- Dragon Order Black;
- 300 Trojans Greco;
- Satyr;
- Achilles;
- Roman SD.
And Greek symbols, for example, the above-mentioned flowers and plants, laurel wreaths, silhouettes of gods and goddesses.
And if your soul requires creativity, design the invitations like ancient scrolls and tie them with red or gold ribbons. Aged, even slightly burnt paper looks interesting.
Main types
There are many directions in creating a wedding bouquet. The most common and popular of them are:
Each direction in bouquet design assumes that the entire wedding ceremony will be similar in style. A boho bouquet will somehow look inorganic in the Provençal theme of a wedding celebration.
Therefore, it is worth paying close attention not only to the floral design of the wedding, but also to the entire concept of the celebration. Thus, round dances would be inappropriate in a scenario for a wedding in the style of the Victorian era.
"Rustic"
The filling of a floral arrangement in the rustic style will be completely natural. Absolutely any plants from the local flora, as well as a variety of natural materials can be used:
- cones;
- tree bark;
- beautiful driftwood;
- tree branches.
In this stylization, you should not use those flower options that are sold in your flower shops - it is better to turn to plants growing in fields, steppes, and meadows. The shape for the composition is chosen free, even careless, the so-called disheveled. The stem of the bouquet must be left open. For decoration, only ribbons that match the bride’s outfit are used. The materials are deliberately natural: hemp twine, a piece of matting or burlap - only in the place where the bride’s hand rests. It should give the impression that it was just collected in the field and immediately handed to the bride.
Simplicity and conciseness are the hallmarks of a bouquet in a rustic style. Natural materials will help you decorate your celebration with dignified simplicity.
“Rustic” - rural or rustic - this is the main idea of your event. So stick to it in all the design, especially since it is not so difficult. Wooden tables and benches, linen and embroidered tablecloths. Wicker baskets and candles decorated with tree bark will perfectly complement the table setting. Decors made from pine cones look great.
An excellent direction of the “rustic” style is the arrangement according to the national traditions of the family, the so-called folk weddings. Then, in the design of the bouquet and the entire event, you can use national colorful embroideries, ribbons, and stylized elements of folk costume. The bride's hairstyle is done without using a traditional veil. It is replaced with a wreath or ribbons. The bride's dress is not made dazzlingly white - fabrics of milky and cream shades are used. The groom's suit in this wedding will clearly not be a tuxedo.
Add-ons
A minimalist and elegant dress is wonderful. All that remains is to place the necessary accents and add zest to the image. An incorrectly chosen hairstyle or accessories can negate the entire attractiveness of the dress. Jewelry for such an outfit should be made from natural materials. This could be a necklace, beads, stones, gold and silver jewelry. Choose additions to your outfit, taking into account the Greek motto: “Minimalism and perfection.”
Malachite, pearls, agate will perfectly complement the image. Silver earrings and necklaces are inexpensive, and together with stones such jewelry looks simply luxurious.
Shabby chic
Shabby chic is loved by many couples due to the fact that it “smacks” of noble antiquity and vintageness. Accordingly, a bouquet for the bride should be made in this style. At the same time, the selected eco-style is preserved.
The most important thing to maintain is the muted color, i.e. It is better not to use too bright flowers to assemble the composition. Many people think that dull colors are not able to create a festive atmosphere, but this is not always the case.
With the right combination of colors, you can achieve harmony and luxury. Most often, flowers such as tulips, tea roses, and hydrangeas are used in shabby chic. Lilies of the valley are also ideal - they look great and also fill the atmosphere with a fresh aroma.
To ensure that vintage notes are clearly visible in the bouquet, you can tie the composition with a pastel-colored satin ribbon.
Photoshoot
The best place for a photo shoot is by the water. Design a photo zone in nature to a minimum: flowers, flying fabrics, candles. You can use fruit dishes, ivy or vines. The main thing is to create a romantic mood.
Spectacular photographs will also be obtained against the backdrop of a clear sky, near beautiful fountains, next to columns.