THE RINGS (BETROTHAL CEREMONY)

Eastern Orthodox weddings begin with a betrothal ceremony in which the rings are blessed and then exchanged. The exchange signifies that in married life, the weakness of one partner will be compensated for by the strengths of the other.

THE CANDLES

The burning flames symbolize the light and spiritual willingness of the couple to receive God, who will bless them.

THE JOINING OF THE HANDS

The couple join hands and maintain contact throughout the service to symbolize their “oneness”.

THE CROWNING

The Crowns signify that the couple will be King and Queen of their home, which is an icon of the kingdom of God. Crowns also remind us of wreaths, symbolizing martyrdom and sacrifice in marriage.

THE COMMON CUP

The couple drinks blessed wine from the common cup, impressing that from this moment on, they will share everything including life's joys and sorrows. Though the cup does not contain the precious blood of Christ, It can also be regarded as a reminder for the newly married couple of the importance of partaking in the Holy Gifts as a family regularly.

THE CEREMONIAL WALK

The priest leads the couple around the ceremonial table. These first steps symbolize their life's walk together; the circle formed by the walk represents eternity.

THE BLESSINGS & REMOVAL OF THE CROWNS

The priest removes the Crowns and releases the couple's hands with the bible symbolizing that only God has the right to separate them when their times come to leave this world. It also allows the couple to “depart in peace” and start their marital life, their spiritual journey towards Christ and salvation as a couple.