Sunday, looked upon as the most propitious day, is fixed for the celebration of the nuptials; relatives and friends collect at the abode of the bridegroom, kiss the happy man, offering him felicitations and presents, and conduct him to the home of the bride, preceded by the mother, who, on leaving the house, empties a jar of water at the gate, and places on the ground a belt, over which her son steps. The procession stops on its way to take the koumbáros and the koumbára. On arriving at their destination, the formality of exchanging the documents containing the marriage contracts is gone through; these are presented by the priest to the respective parties, the dowry in cash is delivered and sent to the bridegroom’s home. The second ἀρραβών then takes place in the following manner, and in accordance with the customs of the ancient Greeks. The bride’s father, or nearest of kin, presents himself to the father, or nearest of kin, of the bridegroom, and offers him in a plate some basil, saying, “Accept the engagement of my daughter to your son,” repeating his request three times; this ceremony is repeated on the bridegroom’s side, and followed by the presentation of a glass of wine, a ring-shaped cake, and a spoon to the bridegroom, who partakes of the wine, and drops money into the glass, in acknowledgment to the bride of this attention; he keeps half the cake, giving the other half and the spoon into the charge of the best man, who feeds the bride with it next morning. This messenger is followed by another, who comes to gird the bridegroom, lifting him up at the same time, which latter task is made as difficult as possible by the person operated upon, in order to gain more consideration. More kisses are now showered upon him by the relatives of the bride, after which he is left in peace for a time; while the bride, in another room, has her own trials to go through, those trials of the heart which belong to the supreme moment when the maiden is about to tear herself away from the thousand dear associations of home, to bid farewell to mother and brother and sister, and then to enter upon new duties, new ties and affections.
Like all things, this soon comes to an end; it is the best man’s duty to conclude it, in a strictly unsentimental manner, by putting on the bride’s boots, a gift from her future husband. The bride, veiled, is led to the church, followed by the rest of the company; bonbons are thrown over her head and water spilt, this time by her mother, on her march as she passes the gate. The clear rhythm of a triumphal march, accompanied by a bridal chorus, rules the slow steps of the procession. At length it reaches the church; but before entering it, the bridegroom’s mother asks the maiden three times, “Bride, hast thou the shoes?” The couple then enter the church, holding richly-decorated tapers, and proceed to the altar, where they stand side by side, the bride on the left of the bridegroom. The priest, after reading part of the ritual, makes the sign of the cross three times with the rings over the heads of their respective owners, and places them on their hands, saying, Ἀρραβωνίζετε ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ (giving the name of the man), τὴν δούλην τοῦ θεοῦ (the name of the woman), in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three times; leaving to the koumbáros the duty of exchanging them. This terminates the third ἀρραβών, and the marriage service begins by the priest taking the wedding wreaths, placing them on the heads of the bride and the bridegroom, saying, Στέφετε ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοὑ (giving the name of the bridegroom), τὴν δούλην τοῦ θεοῦ (the name of the woman), in the name of the Father, etc., exchanging them three times. A glass of wine, consecrated by the priest, is offered first to the bridegroom, then to the bride, and finally to the koumbáros standing behind the couple holding the wreaths. The priest then joins their hands, and leads them three times round the altar; the koumbáros follows. The priest then removes the bridegroom’s crown, saying, Μεγαλύνθητι Νυμφίε ὡς ὁ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ εὐλογήθητι ὡς ὁ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ πληθύνθητι ὡς ὁ Ἰακώβ, and that of the bride, saying, Καὶ σὺ, νύμφη, μεγλιζε ὡς ἡ Σαῤῥὰ καὶ εὐφράνθητι ὠς ἡ Ῥεβεχὰ, κ. τ. λ.
The ceremony concluded, the koumbáros followed by the relations, kisses the bride and bridegroom, while the friends in offering their congratulations kiss the bridegroom and the wreath of the bride. On returning, the bride’s mother welcomes the couple by placing two loaves on their heads, while a fresh shower of comfits is being thrown over them. They are finally conducted to the nuptial chamber, and not spared the ordeal of sweetmeat-eating. The quince of the ancients is replaced by sugar-plums.
The manner in which this is given and taken is curious. The couple bend on one knee, placing a few sugar-plums on the other, which each strives to pick up with the lips, the most expeditious having the right first to resume liberty of posture. I have not been able to ascertain if this particular custom is meant to predict supreme power to the lord and master in case of success, or his subjection to petticoat government in case of failure.
Towards evening, the bride, led by her father-in-law, or husband’s nearest of kin, proceeds to the common outside the town or village, and opens a round dance, called the surto. This dance consists of a quick step, accompanied by music and chanting; after its performance the company disperse, the nearest relations leading the couple home.
On Monday morning the sleepers are wakened by songs, and the koumbáros, invited to partake of the frugal morning meal, feeds the bride with the remaining half of the cake, and offers her the spoon with which she eats the first mouthful of food that day.
Breakfast over, the bride is the first to leave the table, and goes to the well accompanied by her friends, round which she walks three times, dropping an obol into it from her lips, a sacred attention of the ancients to the water deities, and still in vogue among the moderns. On returning home, the bride, desirous of making her husband share in the benefits of her dedication, pours some water over his hands, offering at the same time the towel on which to dry them, and receiving in return a present from him.
The rejoicings continue throughout the day, the bride’s father, or nearest of kin, having this time the right of opening the dance with her.
On the following Friday evening, the young matron proudly returns in company with her husband, to the paternal roof, under which they remain till Saturday night.
Five days afterwards the bride again returns to visit her mother, taking with her a bottle of raki, which she exchanges, taking a fresh supply back with her. The Saturday following, a great feast is given by the bride’s father, inviting all the relatives to a cordial but sober meal. In the evening the bride is accompanied home by the party, when she is left in peace to enter upon the duties of her new home.