Greek Orthodox Wedding Translation in English (+ modern Greek)

Well, we got married in October 2025 in Kazaviti, and one weekend while preparing for the wedding, I wondered: what does a Greek Orthodox priest say during a wedding?

You see, we ordinary mortal Greeks don’t understand what an Orthodox priest is saying in any given ritual, including a wedding.

Can someone who has not studied Ancient Greek, which is very different from modern Greek, actually understand what a priest is saying?

The answer is No. And I know firsthand since I belong to that group.

That’s why we sat down and worked on translating the text into English based on official modern Greek translations available online.

First, a few words about the ceremony:

The ritual is actually composed of two distinct services conducted back-to-back: the Betrothal Service and the Sacrament of Crowning (Marriage). Each part contains rich symbolism and actions that signify spiritual truths about marriage.

Betrothal & Ring Exchange

The ceremony usually opens in the narthex (entrance) of the church with the Service of Betrothal, which centers around the exchange of rings. The priest offers prayers of betrothal and blesses the rings, then touches them to the foreheads of bride and groom in the sign of the cross three times.

He then places the rings on the right hand ring finger of each (the right hand is associated with God’s authority and blessing). At this point, the koumbaros or koumbara (the wedding sponsor, who is typically the best man or maid of honor) steps forward to swap the rings between the bride and groom’s fingers three times.

This ritual of the triple exchange signifies that in marriage the lives of the two individuals become deeply intertwined – what each lacks, the other will fulfill, and their destinies are now linked in unity. The ring itself, a circle with no end, symbolizes eternal love, and in Orthodox prayers it also represents a seal of God’s promise to bless the union.

When the Betrothal service concludes, the engagement is canonically affirmed and the couple officially “pledges” themselves to one another in the eyes of the Church.

The Service of Crowning

After the rings, the wedding party moves further into the church for the second and more elaborate part of the rite, the Crowning service (the actual marriage sacrament). The priest begins with petitions and prayers invoking the Holy Trinity to unite and bless the couple. A series of beautiful rituals then follows:

• Lighting of Candles: The bride and groom are each given a white candle to hold (usually in their left hand). The flames symbolize the light of Christ and the joy of this sacrament. As the couple holds these candles, they signify their willingness to receive Christ’s illumination in their new life together. The two separate flames also represent the two individuals, who will soon become one light in marriage under God’s grace.
• Joining of Hands: At a key moment, the priest takes the bride’s and groom’s right hands and joins them together while reciting a prayer. The right-hand joining, which the priest keeps bound through much of the service, is an ancient symbol that God has now bound the couple in an unbreakable union. It echoes the biblical phrase “the two shall become one flesh,” and signifies that from this point on, the bride and groom will walk hand-in-hand in life.
• The Crowning (Stefana): The crowning ceremony is the pinnacle of the Orthodox wedding. The priest holds two ornate wedding crowns (stefana) which are connected by a white ribbon, and first blesses the couple with them. Then he places the crowns upon the heads of the groom and the bride, intoning the invocation: “O Lord our God, crown them with glory and honor”. The koumbaros/a again participates by gently interchanging the crowns between the bride and groom’s heads three times, reinforcing that the two are now crowned as one in marriage. The stefana have deep meaning in Orthodox theology. They are a sign of the glory and honor God bestows on the couple as they become king and queen of their new household. The linked ribbon denotes their unity – they are separate persons, yet bound together by God into one family. The crowns also carry a sobering symbolism: they are likened to the crowns of martyrdom, reminding the bride and groom that marriage requires self-sacrifice, love, and even “dying” to one’s ego for the sake of the other. In being crowned, the couple accepts a call to mutual service and devotion, with Christ at the center of their union. The Gospel story of turning water into wine at a marriage feast highlights Christ’s blessing on marriage and the joy He brings, and it segues into the next ritual – the common cup. It is also a liturgical echo of the Cana miracle (where Jesus turned water to wine for the newlyweds), reminding the pair that Christ will be the one who transforms and blesses their journey. Notably, this is not a Eucharistic cup but a ceremonial one; however, many Orthodox couples will later receive Holy Communion together at their first Sunday Liturgy as husband and wife.

• The Ceremonial Walk (Dance of Isaiah): Immediately after the drinking of the wine, the priest resumes holding the couple’s joined hands and, with the cantor singing jubilant hymns, leads the bride and groom in a circular procession three times around the altar or central table. This circular procession, often called the “Dance of Isaiah,” is accompanied by a hymn that begins “Rejoice, O Isaiah, a Virgin is with child…” – linking the joy of the prophet Isaiah (who foretold the coming of Christ) to the joy of this moment. As they circle three times, additional hymns praise the Holy Martyrs and the Holy Trinity. The circular motion represents eternity (as a circle has no end) and the walking in unity signifies the couple’s first steps together as a married couple, with the Church (through the priest and koumbaros, who often holds the ribbon of the crowns) guiding them. Traditionally, this “dance” was like leading the couple into their new home and life. It is a celebratory highlight – many couples smile or tear up as they are literally guided around the sanctuary, hand in hand, crowned in glory, while guests may throw rice or rose petals during these first steps. (Indeed, in some locales it is during this circle dance that guests start showering the couple with rice – symbolically “planting” them for a fruitful life.)
• Removal of Crowns & Final Blessing: After the third circle, the priest halts the procession and recites final prayers. He then lifts the crowns from the bride and groom’s heads, declaring in a prayerful exhortation: “May God accept your crowns in His Kingdom, keeping them pure and undefiled forever”. This touching statement reminds the couple that the marriage crowns are not just for this life, but are a foretaste of the heavenly crown of glory – a hope that their union is blessed now and eternally. The priest then separates the couple’s joined hands, which were held together since the blessing, signifying that only God can dissolve the bond that has just been formed. Finally, he invokes special blessings on the newlyweds: addressing the groom, “Be magnified, O Bridegroom, like Abraham, and blessed like Isaac…”, and to the bride, “And you, O Bride, be exalted like Sarah and rejoice like Rebecca…”. By referencing these biblical couples, the Church prays that the newlyweds emulate the faith, happiness, and prosperity of righteous ancestors. With the pronouncement of the marriage as an accomplished sacrament, the formal ceremony concludes. The couple is now officially married, joined not by a legal contract or spoken promises, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit through the Church’s mysteries. Before leaving, the bride and groom may venerate an icon (often of the Virgin Mary) together and then walk back down the aisle, greeted as “Mr. and Mrs.” for the first time.

Greek Orthodox Wedding Translation

Without further ado, here is the entire Greek Orthodox Wedding Translation: