“Proxenio” (match-making)
The matchmaker, a relative, or a close friend of the bride’s family made the Proxenio”. A good groom was considered a man, who was rich, from a good family and diligent. If the groom came from another village, the parents of the bride went to his village and asked his fellow villagers for any information they wanted to learn about him or his family. Most of the times, the girl’s opinion was not taken into consideration.
Betrothal (logiasma)
Close relatives such as the groom and bride’s godparents, uncles and aunts, grandparents, brothers and sisters and the priest of the village were invited in the betrothal. The priest would prepare the prenup, which had legal validity. In the prenup the parents noted the marriage portion that they would give to their children. After the betrothal, there was a big party with plenty of food and songs.
"Engagement”
The parents of the bridegroom went to the houses of friends and relatives to invite them holding a “merreha” (bottle where perfume was kept). Only some relatives and close friends were invited in the engagement. The rich people of the village used to invite a lot of people.
During the engagement they exchanged handkerchiefs and rings. The parents of the bridegroom gave them animals such as goats, sheep and cows. They also gave them textiles, kitchen equipment, equipment for the mud oven and for the agricultural works. In older times the house of the new couple was built by the groom. Later on, the custom has changed and the parents of the bride had the responsibility for the construction of the house. The construction of the house was not an easy job. They should find earth and straw and blend them in order to create the adobes which would be the basic materials for the construction of the house.
Preparations for the wedding
The preparation for the wedding started one month before the wedding day. The friends and relatives of the bridegroom washed
the sheep fleece, which would be used for the “filling” of the bed. When they finished washing, the fleece remained in the sun until it was completely dry.
The invitations were given from the bridegroom’s parents with a special procedure. When they visited the houses to give the invitations, they offered to the owners a special kind of bread called “glistarka” and also wine from a special wine-jar called “kolotzi”.
On the wedding day they took the “kolotzi” to the church and after the wedding they offered wine to their guests. They also offered another kind of bread called “koumoulla”.
Saturday before the wedding day
On Saturday before the wedding day, the relatives of the bride “sewed” the bed. Firstly they danced with the bride’s trousseau. Her relatives left money on the bed (“ploumisma”) as a wedding gift. Thereafter, the groom’s closest friends and his best men danced holding on the same time the bed. When they finished their dance it was the bridesmaids turn to take it. Just before this dance, a young boy or girl was put on the bed of the bridegroom. People believed that if they put a boy on the bed, the first child of the new couple would be a boy and if they put a girl, then the couple would have a girl.
The wedding day
On Sunday morning the relatives of the couple prepared the food. After the wedding and on the way to their new home, the couple was blessed by the neighbors who held “mereha” (bottle where they kept perfume) and “kapnistiri”. Before the couple entered in their new home, the bride should break a pomegranate on the right corner of the door and the groom should kill a cock. If both of them managed to do these two things, then it was believed that the couple would live happily ever after! If not, then their life together would not be easy. In the house, where the friends and relatives would come to give their wishes to the bridegroom, they put a white sheet and in the middle they formed a cross with their handkerchiefs. They also added colored handkerchief that they used on their heads (these were made by the women and they were called “manassa”).
Monday after the wedding
On Monday after the wedding day, the bridesmaid had to make some special pies (“pittes”) and grape honey and take them to the couple’s house. On the same day the bride should let free two white pigeons.
Tuesday after the wedding day or antigamos
On Tuesday after the wedding day the relatives took chicken from the fellow villagers, they killed them, cooked them and ate them altogether during a big party. |
