Orthodox wedding as a guest

01 Before the day

An Orthodox wedding is called the Sacrament of Crowning. The rite is distinct from Western Christian wedding ceremonies and centers on the placement of wedding crowns on the heads of the bride and groom by the priest. Orthodox weddings are typically celebrated separately from the Divine Liturgy (the Orthodox Mass), so Communion is not normally offered to guests at the wedding itself.

Orthodox weddings tend toward formal. Many Orthodox parishes ask guests to cover shoulders and to dress modestly; some Russian Orthodox parishes maintain a tradition of head coverings for women. The family or the parish can confirm any specific dress code.

02 Arrival and seating

Guests typically arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the start time. Seating is normally open for non-family guests. The family of the bride and the family of the groom are seated in the front of the church; specific seating customs vary by ethnic tradition.

Many Orthodox parishes have icon stands at the entrance and along the walls; the customary Orthodox practice is to venerate (bow toward, sometimes kiss) the principal icons on entering. Non-Orthodox guests are welcome to skip this without explanation; the practice is for Orthodox Christians and is not expected of others.

03 At the ceremony

The rite is typically preceded by the Betrothal service, in which the priest blesses and exchanges the wedding rings. The Sacrament of Crowning then proceeds: the priest's prayers and blessings, the placement of the crowns (held in place above the heads of the couple by the koumbaros or koumbara, the principal sponsor), the reading of the Gospel (typically the wedding at Cana from John 2), the sharing of a common cup of wine by the couple, and a procession around the analogion led by the priest with the couple following.

There are no spoken vows in the Western sense. The couple does not exchange promises directly to one another; the priest performs the prayers and ritual actions on their behalf. The couple's silence during the ceremony is theological: the Orthodox understanding is that the sacrament is conferred by God through the Church.

Guests stand, sit, and follow the rite as the priest leads; printed programs in English are commonly provided in US parishes where some or all of the rite is in another language.

04 Communion and other ceremonial moments

Communion is not normally offered at an Orthodox wedding when the wedding is celebrated as the Sacrament of Crowning alone (the typical US Orthodox practice). Where the wedding is combined with the Divine Liturgy, Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians in good standing with the Church. Non-Orthodox guests, including non-Orthodox Christians, are not invited to receive. There is no come-forward-for-a-blessing alternative; guests simply remain in their seats.

The common cup shared by the couple during the rite is part of the marriage ceremony itself, not Communion in the Eucharistic sense.

05 The reception

The reception that follows is shaped by the cultural tradition of the family. Greek, Russian, Serbian, Antiochian, Romanian, and other ethnic-Orthodox communities each have distinctive reception customs: traditional dances, specific blessings of bread or sweets, family toasts. The family is the source for what guests are expected to participate in.

Gifts are by widespread US convention. The couple's registry, a monetary gift, or a charitable contribution in the couple's name is the typical pattern.

06 Common questions